Freestyle machines...germ fest?

[bangzoom6877]

I admit I’m a germophobe. We have the deluxe drink package on our cruise in April on Anthem OTS, and the package comes with the RFID souvenir cup to use at the Coca-Cola freestyle machine. I’m assuming that most people don’t wash dishes in their vacation, nor do most people wash out these cups. So what’s to stop germs from spreading via used cups being used in the machine again and again, one passenger after another constantly throughout the cruise, and possibly spreading illness like flu or norovirus? Anyone else have this concern?

[Pami1968]

I’m more concerned about everyone touching the screen with their germs fingers.

[Cheezus]

I take it you don't use a soda machine at any restaurant?

[Clarea]

I admit I’m a germophobe. We have the deluxe drink package on our cruise in April on Anthem OTS, and the package comes with the RFID souvenir cup to use at the Coca-Cola freestyle machine. I’m assuming that most people don’t wash dishes in their vacation, nor do most people wash out these cups. So what’s to stop germs from spreading via used cups being used in the machine again and again, one passenger after another constantly throughout the cruise, and possibly spreading illness like flu or norovirus? Anyone else have this concern?

The bottom of the special cup must be in contact with the bottom of the dispenser opening in order for the machine to function. In this position, the cup is not in contact with any of the liquid dispensing parts. In addition, the top of the cup (which is what normally comes into contact with a person's mouth) must be removed to fill the cup

[Iamcruzin]

I agree. I will not be using the free style machines for three reasons, none of them due to germs. The main reason being that I'm not about to wash out the cup. It's hard enough to wash your hands in those small bathroom sinks let alone a tall cup. This is also why I don't bring a water bottle to refill and opt to leave a carbon footprint with a plastic disposable water bottle. The second reason being that I just want to walk to the closest bar and not have to hunt down a machine. The third reason is I don't want to wait behind a sticky fingered, runny nose kid who has to fill the cup with every flavor like it's a chemistry project. I have experienced this in fast food restaurants. At least there I can just toss the cup when I'm done.

[dswallow]

If I had a $1 for everytime I've seen some idiot fill their cup with soda, then push the ice dispenser and have all the soda from their previously-used cup splash over everything...

 

Always flush a little water first; get anything out of the area that will end up driven into your cup when your beverage is dispensed. Otherwise, it's more the thought than any real problem.

 

Still, I am simply amazed the idiocy level of people. Common sense isn't. Probably wouldn't hurt if Royal Caribbean added a Freestyle machine instruction video to the muster drill, too. Anything would make the muster drill more useful than what they currently do.

[klfrodo]

The whole ship is a germ fest.

Freestyle machines are just 1 minuscule part of the equation.

[Langley Cruisers]

The whole ship is a germ fest.

Freestyle machines are just 1 minuscule part of the equation.

 

Yep. Everything is a germ fest, starting with the pen you use to sign the heath form. How many people have used that?

[gaylemh]

Yep. Everything is a germ fest, starting with the pen you use to sign the heath form. How many people have used that?

 

And the frozen dessert cones at the pool.

[wendychloecruiser]

The dirtiest thing you will encounter on a vacation is apparently the check in screen at the airport... The colony counts when they were swabbed far exceeded those from the toilet samples.

[sparks1093]

The dirtiest thing you will encounter on a vacation is apparently the check in screen at the airport... The colony counts when they were swabbed far exceeded those from the toilet samples.

 

I can believe it. This is why frequent hand washing while traveling is a must to help prevent getting sick.

[3monkeys4me]

I pretty much treat any public space as a germ fest. But in general I find drink dispensers to be pretty gross. I try to not make a big deal out of it though.

 

I am a weird one that does wash dishes while on a cruise/staying in a hotel though. We always have at minimum a water bottle for all of us. So, I'll be washing cups (we decide to go with the drink packages) too if needed.

[bangzoom6877]

Thanks for the replies! I don’t usually use soda machines at restaurants. At the vast majority of the restaurants we go to, whether counter places or table service, the server brings the drink to the table or the server behind the counter gives us the drink. It’s mainly if we’re on the road traveling, and the only option is a drink machine. And I get grossed out by them.

 

As a previous poster mentioned, it’s the splash back when people put ice or more soda into their cup that is partially filled. On top of this, the cup isn’t washed throughout the course of the week on a cruise ship. I don’t think most people actually wash their cups, but just give it a quick rinse in the sink maybe.

 

Yes, check in areas are very dirty, both at airports and cruise terminals. I always have a pen on me, so I just use that wherever I go anyway. Then there’s the buffet serving spoons after people licked their fingers. Then it doesn’t matter if they washed their hands before entering the buffet. Don’t even get me started on the soft serve machines, as mentioned above! :')

 

Sorry I sound like someone that is so paranoid, she shouldn’t step foot on a cruise ship! I do think a lot, and I do tend to worry beforehand.

[bangzoom6877]

I pretty much treat any public space as a germ fest. But in general I find drink dispensers to be pretty gross. I try to not make a big deal out of it though.

 

I am a weird one that does wash dishes while on a cruise/staying in a hotel though. We always have at minimum a water bottle for all of us. So, I'll be washing cups (we decide to go with the drink packages) too if needed.

 

Same here! We did a cruise when my older son was a year and a half old, and was drinking from sippy cups. I washed them out everyday. I just brought a small travel size bottle filled with dish soap and a small sponge. It really wasn’t a big deal, only took a few minutes.

 

I’m also the one that brings Clorox wipes and wipes down door knobs, light switches, and any other surface we will touch in a cabin or hotel room before anyone touches it. I clean the remote twice, with two different wipes! On planes I clean the armrests, touch screens, trays and tray closures, and the window shade. :D

[Biker19]

[matj2000]

If anyone is that paranoid.

You should probably just stay home and Lysol your house some more..

[Eslader]

There are fecal cells on just about everything you touch and eat, no matter where you are or how clean they keep it.

 

 

 

When a toilet gets flushed, some of the water is atomized and drifts around on air currents. People run into them and pick them up on their body/clothes. Then they go somewhere, scratch an itch or brush lint off their shirt, and the fecal cells are airborne again.

 

 

 

Do enough of that, and they end up everywhere. Mythbusters did a rather famous episode in which they determined that an excellent source of fecal cells is your toothbrush.

 

 

 

In short, germs are everywhere. 99.9% of the time they don't hurt us. Most of the remaining percentage, they only give us a cold or something equally mildly annoying. The constantly-flushed nozzle of a soda machine is one of the last things to worry about from a germ perspective -- statistically, your computer desk is much more contaminated than a toilet.

[PelicanBill]

Use your knuckle on the Freestyle screen. Very little germ splash from the dispenser. But it needs to be broken down once every 24 hours and cleaned to avoid ambient germs and fungus from growing on the sugary drops.

 

Source: fast food practices and record. They have not had outbreaks from these machines.

[johnjen]

Isn't soda more bad for you than germs?:o:o

[asalligo]

This is not going to help your anxiety, but I saw a woman at an AMC movie theater last month sneeze right into a self serve coke kiosk and then walk away.

[BillOh]

IAnyone else have this concern?

 

 

No, if your a germaphobe, I can think of 100 worse locations, I don't think I would cruise, but I'm not one, I have a good time and I stay healthy.

[Bloodgem]

This is not going to help your anxiety, but I saw a woman at an AMC movie theater last month sneeze right into a self serve coke kiosk and then walk away.

Last year saw a kid, about 4-5 years old, sneeze over the salad in the Windjammer.

[dswallow]

This is not going to help your anxiety, but I saw a woman at an AMC movie theater last month sneeze right into a self serve coke kiosk and then walk away.

I'm not a fan of bulk foods, so haven't bought them in years. But a couple months ago I thought it'd be nice to get some different nuts so wandered into that aisle in the grocery store. The very first thing I see is some fool shopping with his wife and kids who sticks his bare hands into one of the containers with nut, grab a handful and then start eating them. I think I give up on expecting people to have any common sense or decency and consideration for others anymore. I did go to the customer service desk and let them know, not that I really think there's much of anything they can do short of stationing someone to watch over what people do. I'll just continue to not buy bulk/unwrapped foods.

[SilkySal]

A couple of years ago, I learned about all of the disgusting germs in hot tubs and have not been in one since that time.:eek: However, I have come to realize that all of us are surrounded by millions of microscopic organisms that, if we could actually see them, would scare us to death! So, I have decided to just chill out and not sweat the small stuff!;) If I want to get in that d*** hot tub on my future cruises, then, by golly, I intend to do just that! Will continue to do my normal hand washing, probably will wipe off things in my cabin, and try to avoid touching a few things around the ship. As some of you know, life is too short to sweat the small stuff, so try not to obsess too much and enjoy your vacation!! CHEERS friends!!:cool:

Edited September 5, 2018 by SilkySal
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[ObstructedView2]

Lets not forget about the ice buckets we all have in our staterooms. Many passengers that can't make it to the bathroom in time to vomit might use that ice bucket instead of the toilet. Do you request a plastic liner for your ice bucket?? Just a little something for everyone to consider.

 

 

 

 

 

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