Can you request new bedding?

[stbmom]

Just wondering:)

 

We are taking bedding for my ds (RCCL is providing a pack n play for him). But then, I thought about me and dh lying in germs, bacteria, and - well - you get the picture.

 

Has anyone ever requested fresh bedding due to allergies, obessive/compulsive disorder, or anything else with success?

[DJan07]

Yes, you can request to have your bedding changed on a daily basis. Just ask you cabin steward on the first night and he/she should be able to do that for you. Enjoy your cruise! :)

 

P.S. After reading wraithe's post, do you mean everything being changed or just the sheets? My response was to the sheets. Sorry if I'm confused...

 

Derek

[wraithe]

Wow, are you talking about the sheets, or the blanket, the mattress or what??? They strip the beds between cruises and the only thing they don't swap out is the blanket/duvet, whatever you want to call it. I'm sure that if it's stained or obviously wet, spilled on, etc, it's changed as well.

 

I've got little doubt that if you ask, it'll get changed, but just seems a little overboard, like the folks that go in and spend the first couple hours on the ship wiping down walls with disinfectant cloths and such. If I was that freaked out, I'd stay home in my little coccoon, wouldn't stress myself out.

[stbmom]

Well, if you work in public health like me you would definitely know the reason to ask for new bedding.

I wasn't talking about the mattress obviously, but the comforter/spread. I know they change the sheets over after each cruise. I just can't remember if cruises are like hotels. Hotels don't change comforters very often, most less than monthly - more like quarterly.

But, I am also a person who uses hand sanitizer, mainly because I am one of the only 30% of individuals who washes their hands every time they use the bathroom. And yes, we do have raw data for that number (peope are gross!).

[cme]

YES,:) I have everything changed. I know what you mean. If it makes you feel better then just ask. I always give a nice little tip for the steward for the extra work.

 

Carrie:D

[Happy ks]

Well, if you work in public health like me you would definitely know the reason to ask for new bedding.

I wasn't talking about the mattress obviously, but the comforter/spread. I know they change the sheets over after each cruise. I just can't remember if cruises are like hotels. Hotels don't change comforters very often, most less than monthly - more like quarterly.

But, I am also a person who uses hand sanitizer, mainly because I am one of the only 30% of individuals who washes their hands every time they use the bathroom. And yes, we do have raw data for that number (peope are gross!).

 

Actually, I've read that it is 30% of the general public doesn't wash their hands after using the restroom, so 70% do :) , happily, I'm in the 70%. I've just about stopped using the public restrooms onboard ships, because they don't have paper towels. If I don't have a tissue to use for the door, I'll just return to our cabin.

 

Those wipe downs aren't as silly as one might think, either. I just read an article in the travel section a couple weeks back where they tested hotel rooms after people with colds checked out. It was a control group, the people with the colds made sure they touched all the typical surfaces. The findings were surprising, germs actually lived on the hard surfaces longer than was generally expected. So, go ahead, wipe down the phone, the door knobs, the drawer pulls and especially the remote control, even the safe control panel.

 

Now, if we could just sanitize the rest of the ship and all the pax who are sailing ;) .

 

I don't live in fear of germs, but I'm aware of where they may be located. I take simple, automatic precautions that I no longer even think of. At my job, we are trained (inservice) on hand washing and universal safety precautions. If everyone practised them, we'd have fewer colds, flu and gastrointestinal parasites, but I doubt there is any chance of completely obliterating these illnesses.

 

If you want clean blankets, just ask your cabin steward, I hardly think there will be any problem with it. They always take the bedspread off and store it, so that will be no problem. If you're really queasy about the whole thing, take a can of Lysol and spray the mattress down before they put the new bedding on.

 

Heck, I've even read on these boards that some people take their own sheets and blankets.

[jandjfun]

You can all feel pretty clean if you bring a can of Lysol disinfectant with you. Give your cabin a quick spray and POOF, your cabin will be 98% germ free every place you sprayed! Do this in hotel rooms as well! My daughter took a biology class at UNLV last summer and did an experiment to see if lysol really works and it did! Who would have thought! A product that really works!

You can carry travel size towelettes in your "pool bag", pocket or purse for public restrooms to open the door after washing your hands, use your foot to flush and POOF germ free.

Have a great, relaxing trip.

[seattlelover]

It's good so many people are hygiene conscious but it can get a little out of hand. What about before sanitizing spray and wipes? What did people do then?

 

Bev

[Merion_Mom]

Well, if you work in public health like me you would definitely know the reason to ask for new bedding.

I wasn't talking about the mattress obviously, but the comforter/spread. I know they change the sheets over after each cruise. I just can't remember if cruises are like hotels. Hotels don't change comforters very often, most less than monthly - more like quarterly.

But, I am also a person who uses hand sanitizer, mainly because I am one of the only 30% of individuals who washes their hands every time they use the bathroom. And yes, we do have raw data for that number (peope are gross!).

If he is going to be in the ship's P-n-P, then I agree with wiping down that mattress with sanitizing wipes. If I were taking my little one, I would take his own familiar blankie, and not even use the ship's. You can be sure that the sheets are clean, but rarely the blanket or coverlet.

[cantwait2cruize]

I always pack my own bedspread:eek: . It also comes in handy to wrap around my smuggled booze:p . Let the flames begin.

[pcur]

The sheets and duvet covers are all clean when you arrive. The bedspreads aren't, and it depends on where that cabin is in the laundry cycle. As for a clean bedspread, if you are going to lounge on the bed, then ask that a clean one be put on when meet your cabin steward the first day.

 

I use the public bathrooms on board ship, wash my hands, open the door, THEN use my hand sanitizer on my way back to wherever.

 

I don't think people are obsessive/compulsive any more who are trying to avoid germs and such on the extremely high "touch and traffic" areas that you find on cruise ships. I don't wipe down the high touch areas in the cabin when I arrive, because I know that's part of the cabin steward's routine on the turnaround day. I just keep the hand sanitizer handy and don't use the railings anywhere on the ship. If I do, then out comes the hand sanitizer again.

[0ldog]

But, I am also a person who uses hand sanitizer, mainly because I am one of the only 30% of individuals who washes their hands every time they use the bathroom. And yes, we do have raw data for that number (peope are gross!).

 

Hope you spritz some sanitizer on the bathroom door handle on the way out.........

[wraithe]

Well, if you work in public health like me you would definitely know the reason to ask for new bedding.

I wasn't talking about the mattress obviously, but the comforter/spread. I know they change the sheets over after each cruise. I just can't remember if cruises are like hotels. Hotels don't change comforters very often, most less than monthly - more like quarterly.

But, I am also a person who uses hand sanitizer, mainly because I am one of the only 30% of individuals who washes their hands every time they use the bathroom. And yes, we do have raw data for that number (peope are gross!).

 

LOL, actually I do sort of work in public health, I run the boiler plant at a VA hospital. FWIW, when I was on Mariner they sort of wrapped the blanket in two flat sheets, so the only thing your body touched was clean sheets. They didn't do that on Grandeur. Yes, I think the cruise lines are like hotels, they don't change the comforters until they're either obviously stained or some sort of schedule like quarterly (like you said). All boils down to cost, they don't last very long if they're laundered too often.

 

I do completely agree with you about using the soap or sanitizer, even do the count slowly to 10 thing, like JCAHO requires (or sing a song or something to make sure you wash for a reasonable period). I just don't get crazy and spray down the whole room and all that bit like some say they do. I'd strongly recommend that you not carry a black light with you to any public place, Neil Boortz was talking about an Atlanta news crew that did that and found "DNA" (use your imagination) evidence on the curtains!?!?!? Now that's creative.

 

If you ask, they'll either change the comforter, or wrap it in clean sheets or both. Your stateroom attendant will be very accomadating.

[beachchick]

It's good so many people are hygiene conscious but it can get a little out of hand. What about before sanitizing spray and wipes? What did people do then?

 

Bev

 

Good old hand washing has always been (and still is) the best protection in most cases. But to answer your question, what happened was that more people got sick, and (not to be too dreary, but it's true) more people died from communicable diseases.

 

It's also true that in order to be robust, our immune systems need to be exposed to some germs/pathogens/allergens (especially while we are young and developing). However, as we age, our immune systems weaken (and many of us develop illnesses which compromise or weaken our immune systems at younger ages). That's why the hand gels (alcohol only, please; no antibiotic hand gels, soaps, or wipes--don't get me started on antibiotic abuse), wipes, and sprays are popular. They can't guarantee that we won't get sick, but they can help minimize the risk.

 

beachchick

[michigan tim]

I've heard that hand sanitizers are inefective against norovirus. Any truth to this?

[zqvol]

Well, if you work in public health like me you would definitely know the reason to ask for new bedding.

I wasn't talking about the mattress obviously, but the comforter/spread. I know they change the sheets over after each cruise. I just can't remember if cruises are like hotels. Hotels don't change comforters very often, most less than monthly - more like quarterly.

But, I am also a person who uses hand sanitizer, mainly because I am one of the only 30% of individuals who washes their hands every time they use the bathroom. And yes, we do have raw data for that number (peope are gross!).

Just because they change it for you does not mean that the one you get will be freshly laundered. If you want one that you are sure of bring your own or do what I read someone else does and bring a sleeping bag.

[KLMB]

We were on Sererade of the Seas last spring break, and when we got to our room the smoke smell was HORRIBLE. I couldn't even go in the bathroom without gaging. I was so upset, and went to the desk crying:( ,

they sent someone with a rag to clean the walls. It did not work. They told me they did not have another room to put me in, but I said I didn't want another room because we had adjoining rooms with the kids. I was really upset. The end of the story is they came and totally stripped my room of everything but the drapes. New bedding from the ground up. They used something great on the walls, bathroom, etc. It took two guys two hours, but the smell was gone and I was happy.:) . So, yes, they will change the bedding and whatever else it takes. The manager called me several times during the week to see if everything was acceptable. I think I could have gotten some "freebies" from them, but did not ask. I was happy with a clean room!

[ElvisandTracey]

Regarding Pack n Plays-

 

No issue, I bring my own. Last summer, at a VERY expensive resort in San Diego (no names, big famous red roofs) my now 2 year old caught a very nasty virus (hand and foot in mouth virus, yuck!!) from the P n P they put in the pool cabana for him. And I did wipe it down with antiseptic wipe before he climbed in, but you know babies and putting their mouths on everything.

 

He was fine when we left, but a few days later, nasty, painful sores in his mouth and throat-a trip to ER and everything.

 

So now, I bring his P n P with us-it comes with a carrying case, snaps together with one button, so no biggie. I also bring his own sheets and his 'B' (blanket).

 

The five minutes that DH has to carry the P n P is worth not worrying for a whole week-bring your own I say!!:D