Eclipse Baltic May 16 - usual experience marred by poor Entertainment and Norovirus.

[kevinyork]

Have already posted about both the disappointing issues we experienced on our Eclipse Baltic cruise. Here is the review posted to this and other sites:

 

Celebrity Eclipse Review, May 22nd 2016, 14 Day Baltics.

 

We had done this itinerary before 4 years back on another ship but the places are so large and interesting we wanted a repeat, this time on our favourite ship, The Eclipse. This was our fifth time onboard her and we feel very comfortable with this ship. We like the spacious well designed cabins, the decor, the food and the drinks package. We also enjoy the mix of passengers onboard and find it easy to chat and make friends onboard.

 

I've reviewed all 4 previous Eclipse cruises so won't go into detail about the same things. 2 things however had an impact on this cruise taking the edge of our overall enjoyment a bit compared to previous cruises.

 

Entertainment

 

This was our first time back onboard since they changed the production shows which are now produced in house by Celebrity. They were 'Topper', 'Rock' and 'Chandelier'. We saw each one and were excited to see them as we were tired of the old shows. These new shows were not good at all. Visually they looked great, the sets and costumes were very good. However each was a random selection of songs, one after another many of which were too recent or current for the age range on this cruise. Topper and Chandelier had 'stories' but they were terrible, childish and cringeworthy. We left Topper after 30 minutes. Rock we just watched from the back and left after 10 minutes and Chandelier we were stuck in the middle of a row so had to endure it to it's surreal ending (the chandelier 'eats' the baddies, yes a man eating Chandelier!). The applause for Chandelier was polite rather than appreciative. We were in Select dining and a group of around 10 rotated around the same tables each evening. There wasn't a single positive comment from any of these passengers about the new shows so we knew it wasn't just us.

 

Celebrity evening entertainment largely centres on the main theatre shows and it was disappointing that these big production shows were so poor. Cruise lines like to over-use the description of 'West End Style Shows'. These were not West End quality but more High School quality. The previous ones, despite having seen them a few times, were much better.

 

2) Norovirus.

 

This started pretty early on at about day 3 with clean up teams being evident around the ship, people being visibly sick in the Oceanview cafe, aqua spa cafe and during a theatre show. From then on every Captains announcement mentioned hand washing and the daily paper had a section on it every day. Procedures were put in place with the buffet so staff had to serve passengers. From day 6 all buffet stations became wrapped in cling film and they had to serve you over the top of the counters, a it like being in a lab. Menus and condiments were removed from all outlets apart from the main dining room and the speciality restaurants. Staff started going missing including our wine waitress and two out of a group of around 10 people based in the same area in Select dining came down with it.

 

Now it's pretty likely this was brought onboard by a passenger given the early onset of the disease and it isn't necessarily the cruise lines fault but here is where they didn't seem to do all they could. Condiments were removed from tables elsewhere but remained throughout in the main sit down restaurants. Hand sanitisation was not encouraged or required on entry to the main dining room until after the virus had taken hold. Once it was around the ship people could leave the main dining room during dinner for a comfort break but walk straight back in without anyone encouraging them to sanitise. Passengers passed cruise cards back and forth to waiters who in turn handled hundreds of other passengers' cruise cards and yet this wasn't stopped till day 10 because, we were told, the infection rate wasn't dropping sufficiently. Why not restrict the handling of cruise cards by staff as soon as an outbreak commences? Public lavatories were frequently out of soap. On one day I reported a pool side toilet as having no soap in the dispenser at 9.30 am, again at 1pm and by 6pm I gave up. This didn't feel like a priority despite the Captains announcements.

 

The worst example was on around day 8 when the Mast Grill burger joint on deck opened for the first time. Now given we were at code red and were being constantly warned about the virus and measures were in place throughout the ship what happened was beyond belief. We went to the Mast Grill about an hour after opening but there was no hand sanitiser to be seen. We eventually found a machine tucked behind a bin gathering dust. We asked staff how we could sanitise and they shrugged. One eventually produced a Purrell bag but it was empty. About 15 mins later the Purrell machine was pulled out and a gel bag put into it. The machine was dud. We went to find an officer to speak to and on our return the grill was very busy, with no one who had been there in the proceeding 90 minutes being able to sanitise. We found a restaurant manager eventually and spoke to her about this contradiction that we were at code red but the grill had been opened without any hand sanitiser. She was offhand and said she had now walked down the queue and administered the hand gel and the machine was now working. I said what about the dozens of people that had gone before and hadn't sanitised and had then touched the ketchup, mustard and Mayo dispensers and the bottles of condiments (all of which had been removed days earlier from the Oceanview Cafe). She walked off and started removing the dispensers and condiments. Now I realise the gel isn't a replacement for hand washing but what disappointed was whilst we were being bombarded with info on sanitary procedures, staff had opened this grill without even considering the basics of hygiene during a code red. This made me question if they were just paying lip service to taking precautions to protect passengers.

 

This ever present reminder of the virus which was across 11 days of our 14 day cruise made it feel like a sick ship and we had a feeling of 'are we next'. Luckily we didn't contract it but many did and the ship had a delayed embarkation on its next sailing for a deep clean.

 

Now I have gone on about two specific issues here. Overall we still like Celebrity and love The Eclipse but the entertainment and handling of the Norovirus did disappoint. Whereas I've given the ship 5/5 stars previously I've reduced that on this occasion because of these two problem areas to 2/5.

 

 

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[DrivesLikeMario]

I agree - they are way too lax on use of the hand gel. We saw it first hand in May. It's disappointing. They really need to get their act together by stopping people at each entrance of the buffet. RCI really enforces it on some ships and I think it makes a difference in awareness if nothing else.

Edited June 19, 2016 by DrivesLikeMario

[Jem 12]

I Always come home with wash day hands after every cruise, because even though invariably I have just washed my hand in the bathroom, we still always use the hand sanitiser, it doesn't agree with my skin but better to use it than go down with the dreaded bug.

 

We were on Constellation in January a few years ago when they had Norivirus onboard, it really impacts the service for the passengers, plus it is such hard work for the crew.

 

Sorry you had such a disappointing cruise, I know how you feel, after a few years break we have just had a very enjoyable cruise on the Constellation. No Norovirus thank goodness.

 

We have also done our first cruise on NCL and I have to say their shows and entertainment overall leave Celebrity standing. No lovely indoor pool though. [emoji3]

 

 

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[dkjretired]

I Always come home with wash day hands after every cruise, because even though invariably I have just washed my hand in the bathroom, we still always use the hand sanitiser, it doesn't agree with my skin but better to use it than go down with the dreaded bug.

 

We were on Constellation in January a few years ago when they had Norivirus onboard, it really impacts the service for the passengers, plus it is such hard work for the crew.

 

Sorry you had such a disappointing cruise, I know how you feel, after a few years break we have just had a very enjoyable cruise on the Constellation. No Norovirus thank goodness.

 

We have also done our first cruise on NCL and I have to say their shows and entertainment overall leave Celebrity standing. No lovely indoor pool though. [emoji3]

 

 

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The hand sanitizer doesn't agree with me and I don't use it. It does nothing to protect from norovirus, it's the same as washing your hands.

[Gracie115]

The hand sanitizer doesn't agree with me and I don't use it. It does nothing to protect from norovirus, it's the same as washing your hands.

 

Same here....having blisters and open sores on my hands from using that stuff is not worth it....I wash my hands before I eat and many other times during the day and as much as possible don't touch railings, buttons, door knobs.... but I'm NOT using the sanitizer...

 

Princess has it right with their wash stations at every entrance to their buffet area......

[surebeatssailing]

Same here....having blisters and open sores on my hands from using that stuff is not worth it....I wash my hands before I eat and many other times during the day and as much as possible don't touch railings, buttons, door knobs.... but I'm NOT using the sanitizer...

 

Princess has it right with their wash stations at every entrance to their buffet area......

 

We sailed on Holland America in 2010 & they had hand wash stations at the buffet entrance . Don't know if they still do. Proper handwashing takes about 20 seconds & most people observed in the bathrooms do not wash for 20 seconds which is why the gel is better than nothing.

[cb at sea]

The "noro" issue is not the ship's...it's the PASSENGERS! Humans bring it aboard....unfortunately, it's very communicable and common. It's been going around in all the schools...some nursing homes, and even "fancy" hotels get it! It's everywhere! And yes...it sucks.

[81Zoomie]

We sailed on Holland America in 2010 & they had hand wash stations at the buffet entrance . Don't know if they still do. Proper handwashing takes about 20 seconds & most people observed in the bathrooms do not wash for 20 seconds which is why the gel is better than nothing.

 

We have frequently sailed on Princess and HAL and have never seen a hand washing station at the entrance to any dining venue. We were just wondering which ships have them? We have also noticed that the hand sanitizing protocol varies from ship to ship even among the same lines. Some ships have people standing at the entrances to the restaurants and buffets who actually squeeze the gel into your hands. Some ships have the dispensers with staff watching. On some ships no one seems to care. We have also sailed ships where the buffet is not self service until day 3. It certainly seems like there should be a best practices recommendation for all ships to follow regarding Noro.

[Lady Chew]

I'm another one who cannot use the hand sanitizer, so I wash my hands frequently and try to avoid touching handrails, elevator buttons, etc.

 

I've been lucky so far, but Mr Chew has had noro twice. I think he gets it in the casinos.

 

I know of passengers avoiding quarantine, using the public restrooms when they are sick so that their stewards can't report it, and on one cruise more than one passenger went out on their planned excursion while they were still sick. :mad:

 

I would love to see hand washing stations outside the restaurants. I've never seen one (I've been on many cruises on Celebrity, Royal, HAL & Oceania) but someone recently posted pictures from one of the newer ships with very nice hand wash areas outside of the buffet. I don't remember what forum, though.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Lady Chew

[Gracie115]

We have frequently sailed on Princess and HAL and have never seen a hand washing station at the entrance to any dining venue. We were just wondering which ships have them? .

 

I'm another one who cannot use the hand sanitizer, so I wash my hands frequently and try to avoid touching handrails, elevator buttons, etc.

 

I've been lucky so far, but Mr Chew has had noro twice. I think he gets it in the casinos.

 

I know of passengers avoiding quarantine, using the public restrooms when they are sick so that their stewards can't report it, and on one cruise more than one passenger went out on their planned excursion while they were still sick. :mad:

 

I would love to see hand washing stations outside the restaurants. I've never seen one (I've been on many cruises on Celebrity, Royal, HAL & Oceania) but someone recently posted pictures from one of the newer ships with very nice hand wash areas outside of the buffet. I don't remember what forum, though.

 

The Royal and Regal Princess ships both have them.......don't know about other Princess ships...... They are so MUCH better than hand sanitizer...

[hawkesbaynz]

Eclipse had a waiter at the doors of the buffet for our cruise this month. Self serve in the other restaurants.

 

Shame they cannot provide you with personal grips for the spoons in the buffet. They do give me the hibee-gibbees seeing some peoples toilet/coughing habits.

 

If the hand gels cause dermatitis buy Dermol cream which can be used as an alternative. Sensitive health professional do. Use as a moisturiser and hand wash too.

 

However there is no better alternative than soap & water.

[webecruzin2]

Eclipse had a waiter at the doors of the buffet for our cruise this month. Self serve in the other restaurants.

 

Shame they cannot provide you with personal grips for the spoons in the buffet. They do give me the hibee-gibbees seeing some peoples toilet/coughing habits.

 

If the hand gels cause dermatitis buy Dermol cream which can be used as an alternative. Sensitive health professional do. Use as a moisturiser and hand wash too.

 

However there is no better alternative than soap & water.

 

I also get dry chapped hands from constant washing every day not just on ships, so I was interested in this Dermol cream.

I'm thinking it must be an OTC in the UK but it looks like a prescription is needed here in the states.

I found information on it on Drugs.com but couldn't find anywhere to purchase it.

[hawkesbaynz]

Sorry Dermol does seem to be a British company. There is a similar product called Eczmol though I have never used it. Possibly your family doctor will be aware of a suitable Moisturiser with antimicrobial.

[helen haywood]

NCL's Away ships have hand washing stations outside the buffet.

[Clarea]

Thanks for the report.