Enhanced Sanitation Measures

[brilliantseas]

Currently onboard Norwegian Escape. The Captain announced that the cruise line has implemented fleet-wide enhanced sanitation measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. There is no specific risk identified on this ship, but they now have staff serving in the Garden Cafe buffet, including pouring beverages. Guests are not permitted to serve themselves. They also have staff stationed at the entrances of dining areas and certain other public areas with spray bottles of hand sanitizer, and have staff wiping down hand rails and other touch surfaces regularly. The Captain emphasized that there is no specific cause onboard Escape and this is a fleet-wide practice, presumably due to the heightened fears over the Novel Coronavirus. 

[njhorseman]

3 minutes ago, brilliantseas said:

Currently onboard Norwegian Escape. The Captain announced that the cruise line has implemented fleet-wide enhanced sanitation measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. There is no specific risk identified on this ship, but they now have staff serving in the Garden Cafe buffet, including pouring beverages. Guests are not permitted to serve themselves. They also have staff stationed at the entrances of dining areas and certain other public areas with spray bottles of hand sanitizer, and have staff wiping down hand rails and other touch surfaces regularly. The Captain emphasized that there is no specific cause onboard Escape and this is a fleet-wide practice, presumably due to the heightened fears over the Novel Coronavirus. 

Same on the Gem this morning although there's been no public announcement yet (probably too early in the morning for that). 

 

Yesterday there was an announcement made in Chinese (Mandarin?) directed to Chinese passengers . I have no idea what was said but I assume it had something to do with the Coronavirus situation.

[hamrag]

14 minutes ago, brilliantseas said:

Currently onboard Norwegian Escape. The Captain announced that the cruise line has implemented fleet-wide enhanced sanitation measures to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. There is no specific risk identified on this ship, but they now have staff serving in the Garden Cafe buffet, including pouring beverages. Guests are not permitted to serve themselves. They also have staff stationed at the entrances of dining areas and certain other public areas with spray bottles of hand sanitizer, and have staff wiping down hand rails and other touch surfaces regularly. The Captain emphasized that there is no specific cause onboard Escape and this is a fleet-wide practice, presumably due to the heightened fears over the Novel Coronavirus. 

That is excellent news and, IMHO, ought to be a permanent solution in all ship buffets fleet wide.

[jemz1949]

Totally agree with hamrag.  Should become a permanent solution fleetwide.  

 

[mking8288]

This is good & welcoming, and should be the new normal routine, not enhanced or specifici due to ...  A segment of the buffet crowds won't be too happy with it. 

 

Now, how about a permanent solution to the "abusive" water bottle refilling syndrome - I get disgusted every time watching them jamming the nozzles while spilling & wetting the floor.  

[BoatParts]

Glad to see this. We were on the Escape last year on a cruise following a noro outbreak and actually loved the extra measures. Looking forward to boarding the Bliss on Sunday!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[njhorseman]

19 minutes ago, jemz1949 said:

Totally agree with hamrag.  Should become a permanent solution fleetwide.  

 

 

11 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

This is good & welcoming, and should be the new normal routine, not enhanced or specifici due to ...  A segment of the buffet crowds won't be too happy with it. 

 

Now, how about a permanent solution to the "abusive" water bottle refilling syndrome - I get disgusted every time watching them jamming the nozzles while spilling & wetting the floor.  

Our only norovirus experience was on Oceania, where you are always served by staff in the buffet. They've had numerous cruises impacted by noro. You don't see them in the CDC reports because they take place on cruises having no US port calls. Having crew serve you in the buffet will not necessarily prevent disease spread. It may help a bit but there are lots of other ways and places to catch a virus other than in the buffet.

Edited January 31, 2020 by njhorseman

[njhorseman]

Announcement just made in the Gem...by the cruise director, not the captain . Hence it was garbled and incoherent like everything she says and was immediately followed by the bingo announcement, assuring that no one will pay the slightest attention. Maybe the captain will say something during his announcement later this morning.

Edit: Captain said nothing about it in his announcement.

Edited January 31, 2020 by njhorseman

[mking8288]

6 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

Our only norovirus experience was on Oceania, where you are always served by staff in the buffet ... It may help a bit but there are lots of other ways and places to catch a virus other than in the buffet.

 

Very true.  We minimize visiting the buffet when cruising, not that we avoid it entirely.  Like those public restroom door handles, elevator buttons & stair railings, and theater seats, etc. 

 

How's that eastbound Gem crossing thus far, quiet and relaxing ... haven't heard much of anything since Bob & Turtles got off in San Fran.  No news is good news too, I suppose.  Enjoy ... how "tough" is it, ha ha.  Have a wonderful sea day.  

 

Ooops, that's Luz, the CD announcing.  

[Turtles06]

1 minute ago, njhorseman said:

Announcement just made in the Gem...by the cruise director, not the captain . Hence it was garbled and incoherent like everything she says

I thought I was the only one who had no idea what she was saying . . . 🤣

[Turtles06]

24 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

This is good & welcoming, and should be the new normal routine, not enhanced or specifici due to ... 

 

It’s pretty much SOP on HAL, one of the things I particularly liked about our HAL cruise.  It’s not the solution to everything, as there are a zillion other places on a ship where you can catch something, but it doesn’t hurt. 

[marktwothousand]

Tell me about what its like being served in the buffet:

Does it add to lineups because it seems a lot slower than serving yourself?

Do they have one person serving per item, or one (or more) persons for the entire station?

Is it irritating trying to explain to them exactly what you want? "Onions, tomatoes, no cucumber, bla bla bla" Like how would this work with the salad bar for example...

Same thing with the juice station, they pour into cups for you?

What about pre-plated items like desserts...do they pull them off the shelf for you or is it left self-serve?

 

Sounds like a real pain which could be mitigated by passengers taking their own appropriate precautions and more wash stations around for people to use just before they start eating.

[MotownVoice]

I feel like the industry is anxious that if they bragged about these procedures, which are great and frankly obvious measures that every cruiseline should take, that it would somehow leave a negative image to their brand because they're the only ship on TV talking about bacteria.

If that's the case, I think they're talking to the wrong focus group.  People care about this stuff.

Kudos for being brave if that's what this represents.

[MotownVoice]

8 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

Sounds like a real pain which could be mitigated by passengers taking their own appropriate precautions and more wash stations around for people to use just before they start eating.

Yeah.  Well, people had their chance when the ships were built with convenient wash basins at the front of every buffet and still people acted like they couldn't be bothered.  Even on this message board I hear constantly from users who talk about this issue like they have some kind of constitutional right to show up to the dinner table with crap all over their hands if that's what they choose to do.  It's everybody else's problem to wear the proper haz mat outfits.

So take the option away from people and force them to keep their germs to themselves.  I say bully for the cruiseline.

[Laszlo]

3 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Yesterday there was an announcement made in Chinese (Mandarin?) directed to Chinese passengers . I have no idea what was said but I assume it had something to do with the Coronavirus situation.

I bet it was something like no spitting on the floor. We my wife and I did an Alaskan cruise a few years ago their was a group of 250 people from mainland China. I get it, people have different customs, these folks were vile. I saw them spitting on the floors, always picking up food and putting it back down. Their were announcements made in Chinese (my wife knows some of the language) basically said no spitting is allowed anywhere on the ship

[lanceholt]

20 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

Tell me about what its like being served in the buffet:

Does it add to lineups because it seems a lot slower than serving yourself?

Do they have one person serving per item, or one (or more) persons for the entire station?

Is it irritating trying to explain to them exactly what you want? "Onions, tomatoes, no cucumber, bla bla bla" Like how would this work with the salad bar for example...

Same thing with the juice station, they pour into cups for you?

What about pre-plated items like desserts...do they pull them off the shelf for you or is it left self-serve?

 

Sounds like a real pain which could be mitigated by passengers taking their own appropriate precautions and more wash stations around for people to use just before they start eating.

People don't take their own precautions and many would not use the wash stations, or even washing after using the toilet.  These precautions should be in place all the time.

 

[onetimearoundtheworld]

Be careful what you wish for. From my experience on a GI affected cruise where such procedures were in place it will put an additional stress on the crew that can't be sustained for several weeks or even longer without severe impact on the service quality and mood onboard. 

[marktwothousand]

10 minutes ago, onetimearoundtheworld said:

Be careful what you wish for. From my experience on a GI affected cruise where such procedures were in place it will put an additional stress on the crew that can't be sustained for several weeks or even longer without severe impact on the service quality and mood onboard. 

this...thank you

 

I’m not saying there shouldn’t be precautions, but I’m saying it must be an awful lot of work and inconvenience for everyone on all sides, which could Be mitigated by Passenger obedience and crew enforcement.
 

For example, people should be required to follow increased infection control rules and staff/crew could monitor and scold passengers when needed

[BBlake43]

Problem is I think people sometimes forget they're not at home.. I see people lick their fingers or cough into their hands and then handle serving spoons or touch other things that are public use.. I think there should be more emphasis on etiquette especially in the buffet area.. Coughing into arm if you must cough, don't reuse plates, just to name a couple

 

[Beachiekeen]

They are doing it on the POA too, I am seeing the posts in the NCL group I am in on that other site.

[njhorseman]

56 minutes ago, marktwothousand said:

this...thank you

 

I’m not saying there shouldn’t be precautions, but I’m saying it must be an awful lot of work and inconvenience for everyone on all sides, which could Be mitigated by Passenger obedience and crew enforcement.
 

For example, people should be required to follow increased infection control rules and staff/crew could monitor and scold passengers when needed

The inconvenience for passengers is minor. Of course there are always those who want to take a minor inconvenience and act as though it's the end of civilization as we know it. It must have taken me all of 28.356 seconds longer to get my lunch in the Garden Cafe than on a normal day. Anyone who whines about this and gets nasty with the crew about it should be put off the ship.

 

It does mean more work for the crew . They're the only ones who are suffering because of the precautions. I make doubly sure to say "thank you" to the crew serving me in the buffet. 

Edited January 31, 2020 by njhorseman

[gigito2]

1 hour ago, MotownVoice said:

Yeah.  Well, people had their chance when the ships were built with convenient wash basins at the front of every buffet and still people acted like they couldn't be bothered.  Even on this message board I hear constantly from users who talk about this issue like they have some kind of constitutional right to show up to the dinner table with crap all over their hands if that's what they choose to do.  It's everybody else's problem to wear the proper haz mat outfits.

So take the option away from people and force them to keep their germs to themselves.  I say bully for the cruiseline.

Could do something like this:  

 

[ray98]

Feel good measure that will just slow down service.

[shof515]

1 hour ago, gigito2 said:

Could do something like this:  

 

on the newer carnival cruise ships, they also have this too 

 

these type of machines might be hard to retrofit on older ships but should be on all new builds

[ksmcdonald]

1 hour ago, gigito2 said:

Could do something like this:  

 

 

Horizon and Vista have these hand cleaners.  Love them!  Felt like a mini hand massage.