Has anyone else wondered this?

[Tntt]

On disembarkation day, most people are off the ship by 9am, and then as early as 10:30 am the new guests are embarking.... has anyone wondered how are these ships adequately cleaned and sterilized in such a short turn around time? I've always wondered this especially when it comes to cleaning the staterooms. Now that we have to deal with the covid Era, it just seems like 2-3 hours between guests is not enough time to properly sterilize a cruise ship.  We will be cruising in a few days and I know this is crazy to think about, but I was just wondering.

[BecciBoo]

I wouldn't get my panties in a wad...nothing is really sterilized, even hospitals are filthy.  If it bothers you, take a canister of Clorox wipes and have at it, I've done it plenty of times!  Don't forget that phone and the TV control, dirtiest things in any cabin.  And WASHY WASHY!

[willing292]

Passenger staterooms are generally not open until 1 pm.  

[sjinnj]

3 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

I wouldn't get my panties in a wad...nothing is really sterilized, even hospitals are filthy.  If it bothers you, take a canister of Clorox wipes and have at it, I've done it plenty of times!  Don't forget that phone and the TV control, dirtiest things in any cabin.  And WASHY WASHY!

No washy washy, no yummy yummy.

[colesc15]

Yeah outside of new sheets, a quick vacuum and the toilet brushed, that's about the extent of cleaning. Public areas, even less. "covid cleaning" is a thing of the past. 

[Toddcan]

2-3 hours between guests is actually closer to 6 hours.  Some people get off the ship at 7am (or earlier), and when they log out, those rooms are available for cleaning and prep.  It's a LOT more than just your room steward working on rooms this day- the halls are full of staff.   And, cabins don't open until around 1pm (ish), so for a full 6 hours, tons of staff are prepping. 

 

Having said that... I hope you're not thinking that the rooms are sterilized?  They do a quick clean, dust, vacuum, wipe down. 

[shipgeeks]

I would say ALL pax are off the ship no later than 9, and staterooms are typically not ready til 1 or 2. However, when we step out of our cabin around 6:30, to get some breakfast, many of the cabins in our area are propped open, residents gone, and cabin stewards working. So they don't wait til everyone is gone.  They work hard, but they do have some time to do so.

[Biker19]

27 minutes ago, Tntt said:

has anyone wondered how are these ships adequately cleaned and sterilized in such a short turn around time?

Other than you and perhaps a few germaphobes, probably not.

[OCSC Mike]

15 minutes ago, BecciBoo said:

I wouldn't get my panties in a wad...nothing is really sterilized, even hospitals are filthy.  If it bothers you, take a canister of Clorox wipes and have at it, I've done it plenty of times!  Don't forget that phone and the TV control, dirtiest things in any cabin.  And WASHY WASHY!

 

Pretty much this and, as mentioned above, the cabins are given more time to be cleaned. My SIL goes crazy with the Clorox wipes (no judgment, whatever helps her enjoy the cruise). Last family cruise  I went for a long walk with my young niece and grabbed some snacks & drinks since she wasn't allowed in her cabin until mom was done cleaning.

 

Most of the ship just gets a standard cleaning.

[plethera1]

I think the idea is that they are constantly cleaning the public areas of the ship every day.  So it never gets to be a problem.  So that just really leaves the rooms which are likely just "hotel" cleaned.

[CorbinCatFan]

Also, passengers are to be out of the staterooms before 8:00 AM in most cases.  So the stewards have about 5 1/2 hours to change the linens, vacuum, clean the bathrooms, and setup for the new passengers.

[robmtx]

I constantly see people cleaning areas of the ship during our cruises. They probably deep clean more than your typical hotels. And don't get me started on airplanes! Do you think they sterilize those seats and trays between flights that have a 45 minute turn around?

 

My GF wipes down the entire room when we get in there, and the used cloths have some brown on them, that's to be expected, but it's by far a lot less than when she wipes down hotels and airplane seats.

 

There are thousands of rooms being cleaned daily, and sure you're gonna occasionally get a bad cleaning. But I think that's the exception to the norm, and the solution would be to just wipe down the high touch areas if you're concerned... and if you're not concerned, then I'll join you in the lounge while our travel partners clean our rooms 🙂

 

So I think they are on par with other travel segments.

Edited May 18, 2023 by robmtx

[goldfish65]

No. But I do take a few minutes to sanitize drawers and whatever else I can. 

[orville99]

1 hour ago, colesc15 said:

Yeah outside of new sheets, a quick vacuum and the toilet brushed, that's about the extent of cleaning. Public areas, even less. "covid cleaning" is a thing of the past. 

Just a presumption on my part, but based on your statement, you probably have never done a B2B cruise. Since we only do B2B or longer cruises, we see the cabin turnaround process firsthand, and the cabins are completely stripped of linens, towels, trash, and anything else that isn't bolted down and then cleaned thoroughly. Typically there are at least 2-3 staff working on each cabin as soon as the guests leave (sometimes well before 6AM, and they are still working those cabins when we get back on board around 10:30 after clearing customs. They also wipe down every surface in the corridors that are touchable by passengers (handrails, door handles, railings, etc. (word of caution - if you do a B2B, it is probably a good idea not to grab any of those surfaces if you go back to your cabin unless you have a towel handy to dry your hands off.

[jean87510]

If you have ever stayed in your room until you get the eventual tap tap tap, you'll see the room stewards starting to strip beds and clean as early as 7am.  They don't wait until everyone officially leaves.  As we know some certain illnesses especially the one that begin with the letter C are spread airborne, I think the worries are overkill and very 2020.  As long as I don't see roaches or hair on the shower curtain, I'm content to remain blissfully ignorant of who occupied my cabin prior let alone the bed.

[Itchy&Scratchy]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Other than you and perhaps a few germaphobes, probably not.

I am a germaphobe but I know that nothing is sterilized or even adequately cleaned.

So, I bring Clorox/Lysol wipes and wipe everything down in the cabin. Even if it doesn't help with the actual germs, it helps with my state of mind.

Some of our cabins have been relatively clean, but some were a bit filthier.

Edited May 18, 2023 by Itchy&Scratchy

[moposh]

They do clean during the cruise as well.  

[PWP-001]

1 hour ago, jean87510 said:

As long as I don't see roaches or hair on the shower curtain, I'm content to remain blissfully ignorant of who occupied my cabin prior let alone the bed.

Did you mention hair in the shower???

 

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by PWP-001

[Ocean Boy]

Short answer to the question.... No.

[jean87510]

11 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

Did you mention hair in the shower???

 

 

couldn't resist...😁

[The Fun Researcher]

Common spaces are constantly being cleaned throughout the cruise so disembarkation day is no different than any other day.

 

As others have said, staterooms don't open until at least 1pm, partly because they need that time to turn over the rooms and clean them.

[Scottdalfonso]

The ship itself is being wiped and cleaned daily, all day long... so that makes for less of a big, deep clean, and more of just a once over between passengers.  Same goes for rooms, they come in, probably spray lysol on surfaces, change sheets and towels...vacuum and go to the next room,

[nimbex1970]

Having traveled extensively this year, I have found the cruise ship cleaner than hotel rooms.  I stay at 4* and above and had to call housekeeping to wipe off a 1/4 inch of dust in a room recently (I'm allergic).  The two 7-day cruises so far have been very clean rooms.  

 

I'm sick getting off the WOS this past Sunday, (respiratory stuff).  So with 7k passengers and international flights, I'm going to get some funk, it's likely.  Norovirus is my big concern because of icky folks and the sanitation stations don't prevent it, just handwashing.. so as a nurse, I'm a touch crazy with washing my hands. 

 

Point is, only we as passengers can avoid the worst stuff by handwashing or masks.. and I choose not to mask on vacay.. so I'm sick.. it's not the cruise ship's fault.  I had a mask option.

 

 Only you can protect you! They can only do so much.  One icky person doesn't hand wash and watch that mess spread like fire.  Own it OP, and have safe and healthy travels through your own practices. 

[The Scurvy Pirate]

My wife takes a full can of Lysol each trip and pretty much sprays every surface (including the phone and tv remotes, comforter (and don't forget the hangers and the safe key pad)).  She also brings some clorox wipes for use (just in case).  She is a germaphobe and readily acknowledges it.  We laugh that she would walk around in Kleenex tissue boxes like Howard Hughes if she could....

[moposh]

@The Scurvy Pirate  TV remotes are the worst.  I try to take a ziploc bag to put the remote in.