Romaine Lettuce on Ships

[Mr&MrsBee]

Leaving on cruise May 14. Where does X buy their lettuce? With the e-coli outbreak is it wise to have salads?

[Silkroad]

None of us can answer your question about the source of Celebrity’s lettuce. One would think they wouldn’t risk hundreds of passengers and crew having serious e-coli infections. I suggest you call Captain’s Club or post your question on Celebrity’s FB page or Twitter feed.

[jkgourmet]

AFAIK the ONLY salad leaf type that is affected is romaine that is grown in Yuma, AZ. To worry about any other type of salad leaf has not been reported so it makes no sense to avoid it.

 

In terms of Romaine, I'm in total agreement with Silk road. I intend on eating several Caesar salad at dinner the next week. (If eat them at lunch too, but I hate the 'make your own' thing they do on the Eclipse.)

[Wine-O]

Their produce is procured locally. I would think by now all contaminated lettuce has been done away with. If it would make you feel better, just skip the romaine at the salad bar.

[Mr&MrsBee]

Thank you for the response. I have e-mailed Celebrity for an answer. I doubt if I get a timely answer. I sent question one touch.

[leaveitallbehind]

Agree that the only people who would know the source of any supplies purchased for their fleet of ships would be Celebrity Procurement, which would remain as company business. I would also believe that they would have their sources fully vetted and have assurance that they would not have have any issues with that product with any of the thousands of passengers that could consume it on a daily basis. I'm certain they are far too responsible than to take any risk that would allow that to happen and would protect the welfare of their customers and their business. BTW it is still widely sold in every grocery store I have been in recently - with signage indicating it is from confirmed safe sources.

Edited May 10, 2018 by leaveitallbehind

[adonisr]

At this point, lettuce hitting the supply chain is not from the impacted area. Ship supplies should be safe.

[GRANNYOFSIX]

Thanks for posting. We also will be sailing on the 14th. I was wondering the same thing as we eat a lot of salads on the ship. I just checked the CDC website and the Romaine issue is still out there. They say if you don't know where the product was grown (not packaged as most packages say) don't eat it. I feel certain all the cruise lines are purchasing their Romaine from safe sources, but it's unfortunately still in the back of my head as well. I truly hope you get a response back from X before Monday. I will send an email to my TA to see if he might have an answer.

 

 

 

 

Leaving on cruise May 14. Where does X buy their lettuce? With the e-coli outbreak is it wise to have salads?

[gerelmx]

Leaving on cruise May 14. Where does X buy their lettuce? With the e-coli outbreak is it wise to have salads?

Celebrity is not going to serve you the lettuce as it comes from the field. They have to wash and disinfect even if they do not have e-coli. Maybe someone who have done the backstage tour see one of the packing boxes

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Celebrity is not going to serve you the lettuce as it comes from the field. They have to wash and disinfect even if they do not have e-coli. Maybe someone who have done the backstage tour see one of the packing boxes

 

You can't wash off e-coli bacteria. I, too, am concerned about this. I will take it up with the people on board since I wouldn't expect corporate to respond.

[leaveitallbehind]

You can't wash off e-coli bacteria. I, too, am concerned about this. I will take it up with the people on board since I wouldn't expect corporate to respond.

 

If Celebrity were to respond it would likely be an answer that would indicate that they are receiving product from sources confirmed to be safe and not part of any affected supply chain. I highly doubt they would identify what brokers they use. They will also likely tell you the same on board.

 

It is extremely unlikely that they would provide product for their customers and staff that would be contradictory to that or otherwise unsafe. That would be nothing short of foolish as a business practice. The last thing they would want is for any of their thousands of passengers or crew to be at risk of being affected by tainted product.

 

But if you still have doubts or concerns, then simply don't eat any.

Edited May 10, 2018 by leaveitallbehind

[bigbeergut]

AFAIK the ONLY salad leaf type that is affected is romaine that is grown in Yuma, AZ. To worry about any other type of salad leaf has not been reported so it makes no sense to avoid it.....

 

You are correct, but the flaw in your logic is that Yuma supplies most of the Romaine lettuce for the US from December to March. After March Central California is the main supply. So if you were eating Romaine lettuce in the US this winter it likely was from the Yuma. The good thing is that the Romaine season in Yuma is over. Hopefully they will get it figured out before next December

[Cruise Junky]

You are correct, but the flaw in your logic is that Yuma supplies most of the Romaine lettuce for the US from December to March. After March Central California is the main supply. So if you were eating Romaine lettuce in the US this winter it likely was from the Yuma. The good thing is that the Romaine season in Yuma is over. Hopefully they will get it figured out before next December

 

That's good to know, I didn't realize it was a seasonal thing

[Lastdance]

I ate Romaine lettuce every day of my 10 day cruise, but it was in Europe and never gave it a thought...I so agree that Celebrity would never serve anything that was tainted, but things do happen...you should enjoy it like you normally do...bon voyage⚓️

 

 

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[PelicanLvr]

I think it would be wise to just eat a different kind of lettuce. In view of the risks, that doesn't seem like a big sacrifice.

[ldubs]

Are they allowed to serve iceberg lettuce? Get it -- "iceberg". Aw, never mind.

 

I would think they would be on top of news about outbreaks like this and would also feel pretty safe eating romaine on board.

[cb at sea]

Now that they KNOW where the offending romaine came from, you can be sure they aren't serving it. I got a caesar salad at a local restaurant a couple nights ago...it was made with spinach instead of romaine!

[jkgourmet]

You can't wash off e-coli bacteria. I, too, am concerned about this. I will take it up with the people on board since I wouldn't expect corporate to respond.

 

Thank you for the response. I have e-mailed Celebrity for an answer. I doubt if I get a timely answer. I sent question one touch.

 

I truly hope you get a response back from X before Monday. I will send an email to my TA to see if he might have an answer.

 

 

 

Do you folks REALLY think that somebody at celebrity is actually going to say "we don't know where our romaine is coming from so maybe it has e-coli" ??? And how would a travel agent know anything about this?

 

I get that some people are worried. But I doubt that anyone or anything is going to ease your mind. If you're that worried about it, just don't eat it.

[bigbenboys]

I did some internet looking at lettuces. There are so many different lettuces out there. Just pick another one. Or maybe this would be the best time to eat romaine.

In general, salad greens are cool weather crops, at their best in spring and early summer before high heats and long days make them bolt and turn bitter. Look for lettuce year-round in ultra-temperate climates, fall and spring in mainly temperate areas, and in the late spring through the summer months in cooler climates.

[chengkp75]

For those ships calling at US ports (therefore those that would most likely get any tainted lettuce), they must meet USPH sanitation guidelines, and those include sanitizing all "ready to eat" (non-cooked) food like fruit and produce. This is accomplished by immersing the produce in a chlorine solution and then rinsing.

[Cruise Junky]

For those ships calling at US ports (therefore those that would most likely get any tainted lettuce), they must meet USPH sanitation guidelines, and those include sanitizing all "ready to eat" (non-cooked) food like fruit and produce. This is accomplished by immersing the produce in a chlorine solution and then rinsing.

Bagged salads go through the same thing. Will remove surface E Coli but not if it’s in the membranes of the leaves.

[GRANNYOFSIX]

I did email my TA to ask him if he could get some answers regarding the romaine concern many of us are experiencing. He just emailed back saying he called X and they did not have any answers and was told that I should ask (not sure who we would ask) when I get on the ship. Although I feel like all cruise lines are taking extra precautions, I will probably avoid romaine - not sure though......

 

 

 

 

Do you folks REALLY think that somebody at celebrity is actually going to say "we don't know where our romaine is coming from so maybe it has e-coli" ??? And how would a travel agent know anything about this?

 

I get that some people are worried. But I doubt that anyone or anything is going to ease your mind. If you're that worried about it, just don't eat it.

[Iamcruzin]

Do you folks REALLY think that somebody at celebrity is actually going to say "we don't know where our romaine is coming from so maybe it has e-coli" ??? And how would a travel agent know anything about this?

 

I get that some people are worried. But I doubt that anyone or anything is going to ease your mind. If you're that worried about it, just don't eat it.

 

 

 

I couldn’t agree more. Yesterday I made myself a grilled chicken Caesar salad with Romain lettuce. I never stopped eating raw spinach during that e coil scare. Last year I purchased peaches from BJ’s and months later I received a letter telling me to return them because their source for the product reported listeria contamination. The peaches were digested and long gone when I received that letter. Maybe I should stop trying to eat healthy. I have never heard of a box of Oreo’s being recalled for bacteria issues.

 

 

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[Covepointcruiser]

Eating any raw, uncooked items is always unwise especially if you have a compromised immunity system. Even melons can have bacteria spread simply by cutting them. If you think you may be at risk, avoid those items.

[jkgourmet]

I'm a helluva lot more concerned with catching something from those people who don't wash their hands before leaving the bathroom. And those special snowflakes who ignore the antibacterial gel at the entrance to every restaurant. SMH.