Hand washing on cruise ships

[floridalover5623]

Publix still has bulk candy, it's individually wrapped candy, but still!

I'm not sure what you mean by "bulk" candy but I was referring to the stores that use to carry the open bins where you scooped out what you wanted & paid by the weight. I haven't seen that in quite a while.

[SmoothFlying]

OK.....this is getting really fun.....LOL.....my sister was on a plane and was feeling a little sick, so she took the air sick bag out of the pocket. She wanted to be ready so she stuck her hand in the bag to spread it open and yes, you guessed it....someone previously threw up in the bag, folded it back up and put it back in the seat pocket! Needless to say....that bag got a second use!!! EWWWWW! :eek:

 

I needed to add at the beginning that MY post was very off topic. I realized it later.. So sorry about that.

 

Mac

[Kingofcool1947]

Good idea! :)

 

When we told our friends that we were going on our first cruise, we received all kinds of reactions. One reaction was, "Oh, so-and-so just came back from a cruise to Alaska, and most people on the ship came down with Norovirus. It was so bad that the Center for Disease Control came on board to do inspections and write a report of all the problems."

 

 

With some dread, I asked our friends, " Was it the Emerald Princess?" They said no, it was an HAL ship, but they had heard of Norovirus happening on all ships. Now, we knew that flu bugs spread quickly through passenger ships, but we never heard of Norovirus, as we were brand new cruisers.

 

 

So when we got on board, we were really careful. We read all the advisements that Princess printed about hand washing. We brought our own hand sanitizer, not knowing that hand-sanitizer stations were placed at every dining venue. I brought a container of sanitizing wipes, thinking to wipe down the entire cabin. ( I got as far as wiping down the t.v. remote control, when we were interrupted by an announcement for Muster Drill, then I forgot about wiping everything else down.

 

I decided to bring our own silverware from home in our luggage, so that we could take it to the dining room and explain that we wanted to use our own utensils. ( Forgot to pack it in the suitcase at the last minute)

 

 

Long story short - we did everything Princess advised to keep our hands clean, washed them constantly, always used the Purell at the dining room, only used the bathroom in our own cabin, etc. etc. We were successful in avoiding Norovirus or flu ( already had a flu shot).

 

Even though I forgot the utensils from home and forgot to finish wiping down the cabin, we still avoided getting sick.

 

It's a good idea to follow all the advisements from Princess. :) - EBC

 

Good idea carrying your own set of silverware! :) I never considered doing that. But why not take it further, and carry your own set of dishes as well? Or have you considered bringing paper plates, and paper cups? Plasticware?

 

Just wondering, do you ever eat in the HC, and the PAXs in front of you picks food up from their plate with their fingers, eats in line, then proceeds to handle the serving spoons before you? Do you have any issues with that kind of etiquette? Do you ever say something to the offending PAX? If yes, what was their reaction? Who knows if they washed their hands after using the toilet, and then they go to the HC for some food.

Actually, I was told by a PAX , several cruises ago, that mostly the older generation customarily did not wash their hands after going #1 (pee) or #2 (poop) he said: “No problem if you get a little pee on on hands. But, more concerned with leaving some poop on hand”. I think he was European. If that matters.

 

Also, one should avoid nibbling on the beer nuts and snacks served to you at the bars. Who knows where the fingers were before you have been in the snacks, before the snacks container was refilled and recycled to you. ;)

Good luck.

Enjoy your next cruise, and stay healthy. :)

Edited October 8, 2017 by Kingofcool1947

[mamb]

We have far more then 1000 days on cruise ships, and (knock on wood) have never been a victim of Norovirus, influenza, or any other serious onboard illness (DW has had her share of so-called Cabin Cough). Our prevention methods are relatively simple. We both wash our hands (with warm soap and water) as often as practicable, we avoid elevators (as much as possible) which are simply enclosed chambers where you cannot escape a cougher, and we try to avoid sitting near anyone who is obviously sick or a major cougher. And finally, we try to keep reminding ourselves not to touch our faces.

 

 

 

Basic stuff,,,,,easy to do......and a way to reduce your chances of getting any infection.

 

 

 

Hank

 

 

 

Thanks Hank for the best reminder of all: don’t touch your face, if you can avoid it, because that’s how germs enter our bodies most effectively. And “germs” are everywhere of course, on any surface touched by many, and concentrated around crowds of people. This is a natural part of our human ecosystem which a healthy immune system deals with well in most cases. However there’s no doubt whatever, scientific research shows, that washed hands (often!) reduce the risk of infection, and just as important, slow the transmission to others. And those with weaker immune systems than ours are therefore at greater risk for “catching” and spreading a bout of whatever it is that’s abundant at the time, eg. norovirus.

So think of your neighbour when washing, or choosing not to wash. Being a social animal has its blessings and hazards in the most unexpected places! Lots to be thankful for this (Canadian) Thanksgiving season! And so the best to all of you, with appreciation for this helpful conversation, especially your sensible and practical non-judgemental reminder Hank!

Marc

 

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

We do everything wrong.

Touch our faces, don't use sanitizer, do wash up before eating but not with warm soapy water for 20 seconds, use our fingers to eat, go often to the buffet, ride the elevators but use my knuckle.

Never got the Noro but just colds on many trips.

The wife did get food poisoning one time from the buffet.

[Hlitner]

Thanks Hank for the best reminder of all: don’t touch your face, if you can avoid it, because that’s how germs enter our bodies most effectively. And “germs” are everywhere of course, on any surface touched by many, and concentrated around crowds of people. This is a natural part of our human ecosystem which a healthy immune system deals with well in most cases. However there’s no doubt whatever, scientific research shows, that washed hands (often!) reduce the risk of infection, and just as important, slow the transmission to others. And those with weaker immune systems than ours are therefore at greater risk for “catching” and spreading a bout of whatever it is that’s abundant at the time, eg. norovirus.

So think of your neighbour when washing, or choosing not to wash. Being a social animal has its blessings and hazards in the most unexpected places! Lots to be thankful for this (Canadian) Thanksgiving season! And so the best to all of you, with appreciation for this helpful conversation, especially your sensible and practical non-judgemental reminder Hank!

Marc

 

 

 

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Thanks for the kind words :). I should have mentioned that our hand washing has roots not related to cruising. Many decades ago, I was among the first Paramedics in our part of Pennsylvania. As part of the training we had to work hundreds of hours in hospitals....mostly in the Emergency Department where we triaged and treated patients. Did you ever wonder how the ER staff can be around all kinds of nasty bugs/viruses....and yet stay healthy? The simple fact is that its all about hand washing and not touching your face. In the ER we did wash our hands with certain chemical agents......but soap and water is nearly as effective as long as you scrub long enough. The CDC has long suggested at least 20 seconds of intense washing but we try to discipline ourselves to scrub for about 30 seconds.

 

It is not a perfect preventative, but its one of the best. Many cruisers refuse to accept that the Purell and other alcohol hand chemicals just do not work well against Noro. The problem is that alcohol does not kill Norovirus...and the rapid drying of the chemicals stops the process before it reaches peak effectiveness. But we will admit that we do use the hand chemical dispensers....but usually after we have already scrubbed our hands with soap and water.

 

The other bummer about cruising is that we have been told (by a real CDC expert) that an even bigger problem then catching bugs on ships....is what we pick-up during our flying journey to the port. Apparently, aircraft and airports are among the worst places when it comes to germs and viruses. And we recently read that the aircraft tray tables may be among the dirtiest places on planes (we had always thought it was the bathrooms). Go figure.

 

But a wise physician once told our Paramedic Class that what you get on your hands and clothes will not usually be a problem unless it finds its way to one's face. So, put simply, if you avoid touching your face (which is not as easy as it seems) you really do a lot of good in preventing colds and other infections.

 

Hank

[StknCPA]

There are studies showing that people who are overly worried about almost any issue make the problem worse for everyone else. One of the examples they give is people who are overly concerned about public bathroom germs.

 

I've got to believe that people who do things like not flush the toilet or use their foot to flush the toilet would realize, if they stopped to think for a minute, that they might be helping themselves but it is at the expense of everyone else.

 

 

 

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[Kingofcool1947]

We do everything wrong.

Touch our faces, don't use sanitizer, do wash up before eating but not with warm soapy water for 20 seconds, use our fingers to eat, go often to the buffet, ride the elevators but use my knuckle.

Never got the Noro but just colds on many trips.

The wife did get food poisoning one time from the buffet.

 

And you’ve never gotten sick. :eek:

You must be doing something right. :)

Enjoy your cruise.

[geocruiser]

The one thing that stands out for me in this thread is that the people who do not wash their hands and such, think that as long as they stay healthy all is fine. But what about the other people who might or do get sick because of their dirty hands. What about the child on the cruise who touches a dirty hand rail and gets sick. I guess that doesn't not matter as long as the dirty hand person stays healthy.

I am not pointing any one post or poster, just a general observation in reading this thread.

Growing up I was taught to wash my hands. Do people who don't wash their hands after using a bathroom teach their children not to wash? Maybe they are frighten of soap and water. Yes there are germs everywhere, but why add to it.

 

Enjoy you cruise ever one.

[Kingofcool1947]

The one thing that stands out for me in this thread is that the people who do not wash their hands and such, think that as long as they stay healthy all is fine. But what about the other people who might or do get sick because of their dirty hands. What about the child on the cruise who touches a dirty hand rail and gets sick. I guess that doesn't not matter as long as the dirty hand person stays healthy.

I am not pointing any one post or poster, just a general observation in reading this thread.

Growing up I was taught to wash my hands. Do people who don't wash their hands after using a bathroom teach their children not to wash? Maybe they are frighten of soap and water. Yes there are germs everywhere, but why add to it.

 

Enjoy you cruise ever one.

 

What do you say about those people (PAX) who grew up and were not taught by their parents to wash their hands after going to the toilet? They don’t think a little bit of urine, or some poop on hand is harmful to health. And, they don’t get sick. So, they think why wash their hands? And that behavior is passed on to their children.

Enjoy your next cruise, and hope you stay healthy.

Edited October 8, 2017 by Kingofcool1947

[geocruiser]

What do you say about those people (PAX) who grew up and were not taught by their parents to wash their hands after going to the toilet? They don’t think a little bit of urine, or some poop on hand is not harmful to health. And, they don’t get sick. So, they think why wash their hands? And that behavior is past on to their children,

Enjoy your next cruise, and hope you stay healthy.

I would hope as adults that in their adult life they have learned, heard about their washing their hands. But I guess they have not learned.

Thank you, I will enjoy my next cruise. Looking forward to the ship. I enjoy Princess a lot.

[Hlitner]

Can't help wondering if those who could care less about hand washing would feel fine being treated by a physician who never washed his/her hands. Enough said.

 

Hank

[geocruiser]

Can't help wondering if those who could care less about hand washing would feel fine being treated by a physician who never washed his/her hands. Enough said.

 

Hank

 

You read my mind!

[A&Jfamily]

What do you say about those people (PAX) who grew up and were not taught by their parents to wash their hands after going to the toilet? They don’t think a little bit of urine, or some poop on hand is harmful to health. And, they don’t get sick. So, they think why wash their hands? And that behavior is passed on to their children.

Enjoy your next cruise, and hope you stay healthy.

 

 

 

As another poster said, I was taught not to pee on myself...I’m concerned that you DO get pee on yourself!!! Yes - you most definitely should wash your hands!!!!

 

 

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[Cabernetlover]

Than there's "faux" washing: the many people who seem to think they're washing their hands by sticking them in the water for a second or two and then, voila, all finished. That doesn't do a darn thing except maybe give you false confidence that you're now germ free. I worked in a hospital and they required us to take a lesson in proper hand-washing methods....as other people have mentioned this means soap, warm water, and at least 30 seconds of scrubbing with the soap, followed by a good rinse. They also demonstrated how many germs are left on your hands if you don't scrub for the full 30 seconds...it was shocking!

[sunsetbeachgal]

Yes and then all of these germ filled hands touch the bathroom doors, the elevator buttons, the utensils in the buffet, etc. ugh!

 

 

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[floridalover5623]

Than there's "faux" washing: the many people who seem to think they're washing their hands by sticking them in the water for a second or two and then, voila, all finished. That doesn't do a darn thing except maybe give you false confidence that you're now germ free. I worked in a hospital and they required us to take a lesson in proper hand-washing methods....as other people have mentioned this means soap, warm water, and at least 30 seconds of scrubbing with the soap, followed by a good rinse. They also demonstrated how many germs are left on your hands if you don't scrub for the full 30 seconds...it was shocking!

It still beats walking out of the rest room not even rinsing.

[Credit 00]

On my last cruise I watched a guy in front of me finger about 8 plates before deciding that he liked one, this was in Horizon Court. Probably some obsessive compulsive disorder going on here though who knows what else he'd been testing with those tentacles. We can't rule one another and our behaviour though better to be safe then sorry.

[swedish weave]

It still beats walking out of the rest room not even rinsing.

I probably shouldn't,reveal your secret, but I think others should be made aware,that you wash your hands in,the smuggled alcohol and wash your mouth and insides with it also. Jk:cool:

[brian1]

As another poster said, I was taught not to pee on myself...I’m concerned that you DO get pee on yourself!!! Yes - you most definitely should wash your hands!!!!

 

 

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Your own pee is an antiseptic,lol.

[brian1]

Kids unsupervised at the buffet are just as bad.They probably don't wash after the bathroom and then pick up cakes etc and then put them back for another choice.I've witnessed this myself.

[EastBay Cruisers]

The one thing that stands out for me in this thread is that the people who do not wash their hands and such, think that as long as they stay healthy all is fine. But what about the other people who might or do get sick because of their dirty hands. What about the child on the cruise who touches a dirty hand rail and gets sick. I guess that doesn't not matter as long as the dirty hand person stays healthy.

 

Agreed. As a new cruiser, I thought at first, that it was mandatory that everyone stop at the Purell station and sanitize their hands at the buffet entrance. A hostess stood there, greeting everyone and asking them to please use the sanitizer.

 

Then one day at breakfast,the hostess asked the passenger in front of me to please use the sanitizer, and he replied, "No, I don't need to. I never get sick on these ships." He was thinking only of himself, of course. He didn't realize that someone else could get sick from the traces of urine or fecal matter that might be on his hands.:rolleyes:

 

After that, I not only sanitized my hands at the entrance to the buffet, but after I handled the serving utensils that were probably touched by hundreds of passengers during morning breakfast. I put my plate of food down on the table, then before starting to eat, I went back to the Purell station and sanitized my hands again.

 

 

We did not get norovirus, nor influenza.

 

Our doctor told us that he recommends a current flu shot and current pneumonia shot for all his patients over 55 years old who are going on a cruise. .- EBC

[floridalover5623]

Kids unsupervised at the buffet are just as bad.They probably don't wash after the bathroom and then pick up cakes etc and then put them back for another choice.I've witnessed this myself.

Some people just never see what some kids do that's disgusting.

I once saw a kid about 12 or 13 drop a cookie on the floor & just throw it back onto the tray & take another clean one. I confronted him & he just stared at me like it didn't matter.

I mentioned it to the crew & they dumped the whole tray in the garbage.

[#love2cruise]

Agreed. As a new cruiser, I thought at first, that it was mandatory that everyone stop at the Purell station and sanitize their hands at the buffet entrance. A hostess stood there, greeting everyone and asking them to please use the sanitizer.

 

Then one day at breakfast,the hostess asked the passenger in front of me to please use the sanitizer, and he replied, "No, I don't need to. I never get sick on these ships." He was thinking only of himself, of course. He didn't realize that someone else could get sick from the traces of urine or fecal matter that might be on his hands.:rolleyes:

 

After that, I not only sanitized my hands at the entrance to the buffet, but after I handled the serving utensils that were probably touched by hundreds of passengers during morning breakfast. I put my plate of food down on the table, then before starting to eat, I went back to the Purell station and sanitized my hands again.

 

 

We did not get norovirus, nor influenza.

 

Our doctor told us that he recommends a current flu shot and current pneumonia shot for all his patients over 55 years old who are going on a cruise. .- EBC

 

I say a AMEN to this post as it says it all...well almost all. Our bodies have a wonderful God given immune system to fight off many germs. The problem becomes when germs enter our bodies that are resistant to any one of a particular bacteria or virus and/or when ones immune system in compromised by an illness or medicines taken that affect their immune system, such as for organ recipients.

 

It is a small price, for everyone, to pay to take the time to wash your hands often and used the Purell often. And, Cruisers...please keep your hands off your face and your fingers out of your mouth.

[floridalover5623]

 

It is a small price, for everyone, to pay to take the time to wash your hands often and used the Purell often. And, Cruisers...please keep your hands off your face and your fingers out of your mouth.

What am I do do after eating my chicken legs or ribs?

Everyone licks their fingers clean.:cool: