Cleaning/Disinfecting cabins?

[Clownfish Cruiser]

Having just returned from Regal (2/11 - 2/18 and Mrs. Daka getting the worst ever case of Flu has me wondering...do these cabins ever get "disinfected"?

Do they even make an effort, who knows what sickness your previous cabin user had....

I think that on our next cruise we will do our own CLEANING and DISINFECTING

UGH.......

 

Sorry to hear that! We will be on the Regal in a few weeks and I'm already planning extra precautions. Last January, I had a terrible cold that hit me right around disembarkation time :(

[moki'smommy]

The most risky part of your trip in terms of spreading microbes is likely to be the flight. Planes are notoriously lacking in proper cleaning and the recycled air means that anything around you is being spread in your direction.

 

What can you do? Well, you could wear a filtering mask on the plane and freak out all your fellow passengers. Perhaps more practical, avoid use of the restroom if you can. Use the one in the airport before boarding--good hygiene is easier there. Bring along cleansing wipes (various types have been discussed above) and pay particular attention to the tray table...but also wipe down the seat, east belt, and the seat back in front of you.

 

Unfortunately, the incubation for most cold viruses is 3-14 days, meaning that it is not uncommon to become ill during or shortly after the vacation.

 

The cleaning on the ship is far better than that on a plane! And it is easier for you to maintain good health practices on the ship.

[jennybenny]

Sorry to hear your wife got the flu. We've been lucky enough to not have gotten sick on a cruise (knock on wood). Not sure if it has to do with being diligent about cleaning ourselves, but we disinfect our own cabin upon arrival of our luggage. Lysol spray and Clorox wipes on all surfaces, nobs, bathroom etc. We walk around with our own anti bacterial gel (which we don't normally use on land, but we are careful with on a cruise ship and in port). I usually have tissues in my purse as well in case the kids need them. I don't like buffets because of all the coughing that happens. I don't consider myself a germaphobe, but I am careful while cruising.

[caribill]

Having just returned from Regal (2/11 - 2/18 and Mrs. Daka getting the worst ever case of Flu has me wondering...do these cabins ever get "disinfected"?

Do they even make an effort, who knows what sickness your previous cabin user had....

I think that on our next cruise we will do our own CLEANING and DISINFECTING

UGH.......

 

The chances of contracting the flu in your cabin are much less that contacting just by being around other people who may have the flu.

 

 

Just the act of breathing can spread the virus. It does not require a cough or sneeze.

 

Also, someone may have contracted the flu and can be spreading it one or more days before actually showing symptoms. So in effect, you can contract the flu by breathing air that was exhaled by someone who has the flu, but does not yet have symptoms.

[Lucky TGO]

My daughter is a RN and she said what they use in the hospital are the best wipes for cleaning. CLOROX HEALTHCARE GERMICIDAL WIPES OR THE SPRAY. I use them almost everywhere airlines, cruise ships, hotel rooms, and the good thing about them !! they are unscented.

 

Thanks for sharing. I will definitely give them a try.

Tony

[paradiselivin1]

Having just returned from Regal (2/11 - 2/18 and Mrs. Daka getting the worst ever case of Flu has me wondering...do these cabins ever get "disinfected"?

Do they even make an effort, who knows what sickness your previous cabin user had....

I think that on our next cruise we will do our own CLEANING and DISINFECTING

UGH.......

 

I wipe down our cabin on every cruise as soon as we walk in the door. DH has started working with me to knock it out in five minutes. EVERY surface cleaned including inside of the drawers...haven't gotten sick yet. Knock on plastic....

[rccampbell]

And remember that every single dollar bill or coin you touch up to your vacation and during may be contaminated with something. Think about reaching into your pocket to pull out that $5.00 bill to tip the porter that took your bags at the port. Where has that bill been? Money has been proven to be the dirtiest thing on earth.

Did you accidentally brush against the porters hand when you tipped him? How clean are his hands or anyone else that touches your luggage handles either flying, at the port, getting it to your cabin.....

That tote at the airport that you put your belongings in at TSA, how clean is it when you grab it to put your items in?

We can blame the ships and stewards, but ultimately, a bug can be picked up just about anywhere.

Just use good hand washing and don't touch your face if you can help it.

[MrMan]

I am a consultant that lives on the road 11 months out of the year. In hotels weekly, on planes several times a week. In fact it is joke in the consulting world that the yearly local news hotel 'black light test' always happens when one is eating a room service cheeseburger from a tray in bed. Never needed wipe down procedures described above and am not ill more than the average Joe. I wonder why the obsession with cruise ships. There are many dirtier places one visits on daily basis and we are not swabbing down with sprays. Grocery stores, restaurants, malls, church, bars, workplace, Uber rides etc.

 

I question sometimes if the ones that are obsessively germ-o-phopes, may either 1)be bringing this on themselves psychologically thus increasing the susceptibility for illness, 2) people that maybe homebodies and read horror stories on blogs such as these and then utilize this limited information/statistic to become cleanly obssessed 3)so obsessed with germs, they don't have the anti-bodies built up with the reliance of all the sanitizes etc.

 

The moment you leave your cabin and others come in (Stewards, deliveries of all that paper, ice, flowers, those chocolate covered strawberries from your TA, maintenance, yourself after walking though the ship), the germ-o-phobe bubble is tainted, and a fresh petri-dishy room is in bloom.

 

As incubation time is days/weeks, if one gets a bug on a ship, it most likely was caught several days before the cruise began.

 

Also I would be careful with bleach sheets, one could have a nice bill added to hotel room with chlorine stains on furniture, hard and soft surfaces.

 

Unless one has imune issues (HIV, Chemo), your body is a pretty hardy entity. Think of the lighter packing and less stress (stress creates imune issues) if one reduced this germ obsession. It sure would save your spousal equivalent's back from having to carry all this excess luggage.

[CalgaryMac]

Sorry to hear that the Mrs got sick...I know first hand how lousy it is to be sick on vacation [emoji24]. There is no reason to assume that she got sick while being in the cabin. She could have touched a contaminated surface anywhere and then touched her face. The ship has procedures in place for cleanliness, but it only takes a single sneeze/cough to pass germs...

 

A lot of people including myself travel with "Lysol wipes" to make ourselves feel a little safer....they are good for wiping knobs, handles, the remote, etc....which may be missed during a cleanup.

 

 

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We also use Lysol sheets when we arrive in the room and also at times during the trip. Despite everything one does to stay healthy just as on land viruses are all around.

[Cuervosar]

I am a consultant that lives on the road 11 months out of the year. In hotels weekly, on planes several times a week. In fact it is joke in the consulting world that the yearly local news hotel 'black light test' always happens when one is eating a room service cheeseburger from a tray in bed. Never needed wipe down procedures described above and am not ill more than the average Joe. I wonder why the obsession with cruise ships. There are many dirtier places one visits on daily basis and we are not swabbing down with sprays. Grocery stores, restaurants, malls, church, bars, workplace, Uber rides etc.

 

I question sometimes if the ones that are obsessively germ-o-phopes, may either 1)be bringing this on themselves psychologically thus increasing the susceptibility for illness, 2) people that maybe homebodies and read horror stories on blogs such as these and then utilize this limited information/statistic to become cleanly obssessed 3)so obsessed with germs, they don't have the anti-bodies built up with the reliance of all the sanitizes etc.

 

The moment you leave your cabin and others come in (Stewards, deliveries of all that paper, ice, flowers, those chocolate covered strawberries from your TA, maintenance, yourself after walking though the ship), the germ-o-phobe bubble is tainted, and a fresh petri-dishy room is in bloom.

 

As incubation time is days/weeks, if one gets a bug on a ship, it most likely was caught several days before the cruise began.

 

Also I would be careful with bleach sheets, one could have a nice bill added to hotel room with chlorine stains on furniture, hard and soft surfaces.

 

Unless one has imune issues (HIV, Chemo), your body is a pretty hardy entity. Think of the lighter packing and less stress (stress creates imune issues) if one reduced this germ obsession. It sure would save your spousal equivalent's back from having to carry all this excess luggage.

 

Oh sure, be reasonable.

[cruiseintoheaven]

I am a consultant that lives on the road 11 months out of the year. In hotels weekly, on planes several times a week. In fact it is joke in the consulting world that the yearly local news hotel 'black light test' always happens when one is eating a room service cheeseburger from a tray in bed. Never needed wipe down procedures described above and am not ill more than the average Joe. I wonder why the obsession with cruise ships. There are many dirtier places one visits on daily basis and we are not swabbing down with sprays. Grocery stores, restaurants, malls, church, bars, workplace, Uber rides etc.

 

 

 

I question sometimes if the ones that are obsessively germ-o-phopes, may either 1)be bringing this on themselves psychologically thus increasing the susceptibility for illness, 2) people that maybe homebodies and read horror stories on blogs such as these and then utilize this limited information/statistic to become cleanly obssessed 3)so obsessed with germs, they don't have the anti-bodies built up with the reliance of all the sanitizes etc.

 

 

 

The moment you leave your cabin and others come in (Stewards, deliveries of all that paper, ice, flowers, those chocolate covered strawberries from your TA, maintenance, yourself after walking though the ship), the germ-o-phobe bubble is tainted, and a fresh petri-dishy room is in bloom.

 

 

 

As incubation time is days/weeks, if one gets a bug on a ship, it most likely was caught several days before the cruise began.

 

 

 

Also I would be careful with bleach sheets, one could have a nice bill added to hotel room with chlorine stains on furniture, hard and soft surfaces.

 

 

 

Unless one has imune issues (HIV, Chemo), your body is a pretty hardy entity. Think of the lighter packing and less stress (stress creates imune issues) if one reduced this germ obsession. It sure would save your spousal equivalent's back from having to carry all this excess luggage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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You raise some good points, but I submit reason #4:)

 

After saving, planning, paying, packing etc. for a cruise (or any vacation) the sense of loss if you get sick is heightened much more than in everyday life. Even if you have insurance and are compensated if you have to cancel, all the time and energy spent, and the excitement - is possibly ruined or greatly diminished. Hence the extra protocols people are willing to take. Back in my working days an ordinary illness that laid me up for a few days or a week just meant lounging on the couch and watching mind-numbing amounts of HGTV!

Edited February 22, 2018 by cruiseintoheaven

[Cuervosar]

And then there is this. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/02/21/anti-bacterial-wipes-pointless-bugs-grow-back-20-minutes-scientist/

 

Maybe return to cabin every 30 minutes to re-scrub is best.

[tango55]

you may see on your cruise a guy in a white suit with a sprayer going into a room to spray.of course they will tell you there is nothing wrong.remember if you say you are sick you will be told to stay in room.there are more sick people than is reported to the ship.

[USNUZULOOSE]

Somewhere I read a good tip: put the remote in a ziplock bag, it will still work...

 

I like to wipe knobs and drawer handles, etc with Clorox wipes, too. Even if the virus is airborne, there are germs that can be eliminated by cleaning/disinfecting surfaces as best we can. It's easy to carry a few Clorox wipes in a ziplock bag, and it makes me feel better. I also wipe down shopping cart handles and baby seats before using, and all items at the gym -- plus a good hand wash immediately after using!

 

Agree about washing hands frequently, not only on cruise ships.

I was going to suggest using a ziplock bag for the remote. Clean it first and put in bag.

[cheersforbeers]

All of this sounds like a lot of work. We just bring a fogger. Set it and forget it.

 

 

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[MsSoCalCruiser]

I've been getting Noro wipes at Amazon for years: https://www.amazon.com/Saalfeld-30824-Healthcare-Disinfectant-Norovirus/dp/B01MU9QV9W/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1519234774&sr=8-3&keywords=norovirus+wipes

These are proven to kill Noro Virus. I make up Ziploc baggies of them ahead of time: one for each flight we take, one for the first day in the cabin, and one for a mid-week wipe-down too.

 

Thank you for sharing! Do you have to rinse the surface (Phone, counter, whatever) after wiping down with this product?

[caribill]

And then there is this. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2018/02/21/anti-bacterial-wipes-pointless-bugs-grow-back-20-minutes-scientist/

 

 

Effective to any degree or not, anti-bacterial wipes have no effect on a virus.

 

The flu (influenza) is caused by a virus.

 

Noro is caused by a virus.

 

Colds are caused by viruses.

[Keith1010]

We bring our own disinfectant wipes for cruise ships, airline flights and hotels.

 

Keith

[moki'smommy]

There are anti-viral wipes available.

[Reader0108598]

Lots of products available as sprays and aerosol cans. We take our own. As above we, also lift up the pillow cases and give a good spray on each side of the pillow. By the way the hand gel dispensed at the various eating places is no good for noro , keep washing your hands with soap and water. Yes agreed, everything changes when you are immunocompromised. Which DW is, but then living in this old world of ours is full of risks so enjoy every moment.:)

 

 

Don't use the sprays or aresol in your room, if you have any Respiratory issues,can get into your lungs and make matters worse. Per my Pulmanologist .Got very sick this last cruise also but then again this is a very bad season, could have picked it up anywhere. I swear after a month of coughing my ribs had to be in pieces..lol

 

Reader

Edited February 23, 2018 by Reader0108598

[Cobraman]

Effective to any degree or not, anti-bacterial wipes have no effect on a virus.

 

The flu (influenza) is caused by a virus.

 

Noro is caused by a virus.

 

Colds are caused by viruses.

 

Clorox healthcare wipes (bleach @ 1/10 ratio) are readily available and are quiete effective against the flu, noro and cold virus.