Carnival vs Princess- Germs & Boarding On/Off (labor cuts impacts)

[Tatka]

The only common thread is that the individual brands fall under ownership of Carnival Corporation & plc. Each brand has it's own set of 1000's of home office corporate employees and executives and runs it's own day to day operations separately to fit the needs of it's customers.

 

 

 

 

 

They don't all have to talk and be on the same page.

 

 

 

 

 

The headquarters for Carnival Cruise Lines is in Miami. Princess is in Los Angeles. Holland America and Seaborn are in Seattle. Costa is in Genoa Italy. Aida is in Germany. Cunard and P&O are in Southampton England.

 

 

 

 

 

Just as the Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Capital Grille, Yard House and Cheddars) operate independently of one another.

 

 

 

Absolutely agree!

Most of Carnival Corp brands are completely different companies with completely different practices.

 

And to call "everything else" the same is at least strange...

 

Same food? Sure...

[mpdog42]

re: Germs

I use the hand sanitize both before and after going through the buffet line.

Regardless of cruise line staffing... I don't trust that everyone will wash their hands or use sanitizer.

So I circle back after filling my plate and use the hand sanitizer again.

My husband used to pick on me for being a germ-a-phobe ...but i had him think about everything he touches between the room and dinner...then watch other folks a little...now he does the same.

Better safe that sick on my vacation.

 

You beat me to it, I was about to post my method, which you basicly explained!! Use Hand Sanitizer then go thru the line then when you sit down use it again!! Glad to see a least some people use the same procedure!!:D

 

Mike

mpdog42

[winddawn]

I've been on 32 Carnival cruises and have never contracted norovirus. I think Carnival does a good job keeping their ships clean considering the number of passengers they serve. Triclosan used in some hand sanitizers contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Using hand sanitizers may actually lower your resistance to diseases by killing good bacteria, which helps protect against bad bacteria. Good hand-washing is the best defense.

 

I think if you've found a cruise line that you feel best meets your needs, then you should just enjoy that cruise line.

[Jdfireman]

How did we survive all the years with out the hand sterile hmm

[Woodfaerie]

Wish I could afford a Princess cruise to see what she's all about but then I could only cruise every other year. I always compare prices with other lines, Carnival always comes in least expensive. I do understand however, that there are only a certain amount of places to travel with this line. I am okay with that, for now......

[loxley]

You beat me to it, I was about to post my method, which you basicly explained!! Use Hand Sanitizer then go thru the line then when you sit down use it again!! Glad to see a least some people use the same procedure!!:D

 

Mike

mpdog42

You must not know that hand sanitizer does not kill noro virus. Look it up.

 

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[BlerkOne]

Carnival has a lower incidence of noro than Princess and check out HAL this year. If anything, they could learn a thing or two from Carnival.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm#2017

[poz222]

These "buffet monitor" positions are part of the overall dining staff and are compensated via the gratuity pool. You don't pay extra for them. They are not part-time hourly day labor nor are they salaried employees. They work a full 16 hour day.

 

 

The men and women handing you your plates and reminding you to sanitize in the buffet for breakfast may very well also be a waiter, assistant waiter or host/hostess that you would see in the main dining room or one of the specialty restaurants in the evening.

 

Crew is not free, there are fixed costs associated with each and every crew member to the cruise line... more crew means more food, medical costs, flights etc.... no to mention crew cabins, resource consumption, training, recruiting.... so your rationalization that extra crew is only a matter of tipping is incorrect. The "direct" costs might be paid out of gratuity pool, but there are indirect costs that are paid by the cruise line. So more crew for the "buffet monitor" position in conjunction with some of the other "additional" items specifically outlined by the OP accounts for a part of the higher costs of Princess... and these "buffet monitor" aka "hand sanitizer police" do not decrease the instances of Noro or other transmitted illnesses so I don't really see their effectiveness.

[NJporkroll]

"Once in the buffet you touch every scope handle, if someone before you had the Norovirus and you then touch your mouth later as you eat, you now have it"

 

 

 

 

 

Hand Sanitizer doesn't kill Noro so your point is moot.

 

 

 

I prefer to wash my hands, but will use sanitizer if I can't. My routine at any buffet or restaurant is to use my right hand to serve and my left hand to eat ( if I need to eat something with my hands, say a dinner roll). I also keep my hands away from my face and do not use my hands to scoot my chair in. I have sailed a lot have never been sickened by a cruise, so odds are that my routine works well.

 

 

 

You are wrong about norovirus. The cruise lines buy alternative commercial formulations of the hand sanitizer. It's much more effective then the retail product.

 

 

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[chengkp75]

You are wrong about norovirus. The cruise lines buy alternative commercial formulations of the hand sanitizer. It's much more effective then the retail product.

 

 

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Really. And what is the active ingredient of this product? Is this ingredient, in the concentration present in the sanitizer, shown on the EPA's list of effective agents against noro virus? Is the sanitizer found by the FDA (which regulates hand sanitizers) to be GRASE III (Generally Recognized As Safe and Effective) at level III (meaning it has been tested and found both safe and effective)? Because to date, no hand sanitizer has been listed by the FDA as such. Most are listed as GRASE II, meaning "more testing is required to determine effectiveness".

 

 

You have drunk the cruise lines' kool-aid regarding the hand sanitizers.

[Micahs Grandad]

Really. And what is the active ingredient of this product? Is this ingredient, in the concentration present in the sanitizer, shown on the EPA's list of effective agents against noro virus? Is the sanitizer found by the FDA (which regulates hand sanitizers) to be GRASE III (Generally Recognized As Safe and Effective) at level III (meaning it has been tested and found both safe and effective)? Because to date, no hand sanitizer has been listed by the FDA as such. Most are listed as GRASE II, meaning "more testing is required to determine effectiveness".

 

 

 

 

You have drunk the cruise lines' kool-aid regarding the hand sanitizers.

 

Wow thanks for sharing. Will continue with my current regimen of soap and hot water

[quickrate]

I've been on 32 Carnival cruises and have never contracted norovirus. I think Carnival does a good job keeping their ships clean considering the number of passengers they serve. Triclosan used in some hand sanitizers contributes to making bacteria resistant to antibiotics. Using hand sanitizers may actually lower your resistance to diseases by killing good bacteria, which helps protect against bad bacteria. Good hand-washing is the best defense.

 

I think if you've found a cruise line that you feel best meets your needs, then you should just enjoy that cruise line.

A voice of truth and reason! Also, boost and strengthen your immune system and you will be fine.

Pat

[A&Jfamily]

How did we survive all the years with out the hand sterile hmm

 

 

 

We used soap and water. But as kids we ate bugs and dirt and no one stressed about this stuff...and our immune systems are much stronger for it.

 

Here's a theory: Princess has more noro because they tend to have an older demographic that is more likely to bring it aboard from nursing homes and other breeding grounds.

 

Bottom line: both cruise lines do an excellent job catering to their target market. If you are a germaphobe, cruising may not be the vacation for you. For that matter, going outside might be a bad idea. There are germs everywhere. We carry many strains of all kinds of things in and on our bodies. Strength your immune system, sleep and eat healthy and be clean and the germies won't get ya!

 

 

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[happy cruzer]

Just watched a video of someone getting their food in Guy's Burgers. Now, that looked like a great place to get Noro. All those serving handles, little cups, tons of people touching all the surfaces. Most people eating their burger and fries with their fingers.

 

There are no guarantees to prevent noro. Even washing your hands constantly will not protect you if your food, knife, fork, table top, chair back etc. are not germ free. Just take the sensible precautions.

[Fern Crest]

... Most people eating their burger and fries with their fingers.

That's exactly how most people eat a burger and fries, are you expecting something different?

[momof3cruisers]

Really. And what is the active ingredient of this product? Is this ingredient, in the concentration present in the sanitizer, shown on the EPA's list of effective agents against noro virus? Is the sanitizer found by the FDA (which regulates hand sanitizers) to be GRASE III (Generally Recognized As Safe and Effective) at level III (meaning it has been tested and found both safe and effective)? Because to date, no hand sanitizer has been listed by the FDA as such. Most are listed as GRASE II, meaning "more testing is required to determine effectiveness".

 

 

You have drunk the cruise lines' kool-aid regarding the hand sanitizers.

Excellent post! Anti BACTERIAL products don't kill viruses. Then of course we have the resistant strains of bacteria that also don't get eliminated. Wash your hands with soap and warm water and don't touch your face with dirty hands. And if you think sanitizer is saving you, make sure you use it before opening any doors, touching elevator buttons or holding the handrails.