Do you think the practice will ever stop?

[dkjretired]

I'm not entirely certain, but I THINK Flagger was joking. Am I the only one who sees that? I'm shocked that everybody is taking this so seriously...

 

Drew:

 

He's not joking, he brought it up before and he really thinks its a silly practice from past threads. This is just a justification for eliminating the parade and in my opinion has no basis. He has his opinion and others have theirs but he's not kidding.

[Drew B]

I don't doubt that he dislikes the practice and wants to eliminate it, but I think his comment linking it to the spread of norovirus was definitely tongue-in-cheek. Flagger? Care to clear this up?

[chessbriar]

Flagger,

 

If you are that concerned with your health, you are more than welcome to eat that night at one of the other facilities on the ship that evening. If enough people start doing that, maybe they will discontinue it.

 

The other option would be to move over to NCL or Princes where the practice has ceased due to open dining.

 

I in the meantime will enjoy my napkin waving on X as I do not worry about this as you do. Once again, I would be more worried about chips, quarters and cards. But I still gamble too.

[eandj]

I'd recommend to anyone afraid of the noro virus to go on any of the medical sites available. You'll see statistics, that cruise ships account for only 10% of reported cases of the virus. Most appear in schools, nursing homes, hotels etc. In other words, spinning napkins isn't going to change statistics. Washing your hands is the only solution. I noticed women , and my husband said he noticed men, not washing up after using the bathroom. Now that is gross. And the culprit lies there. Just use common sense, right?

[Friendly Cruiser101]

It was not really an unusual year for Noro like virii last year, but those passengers inconvenienced and the size of the ships certainly made the headlines.

 

With all the emphasis on handwashing, alcohol dispensers and crew serving at the buffet, Ms. Flagger and I still wondered if the practice of swinging around used nasty germ/food covered napkins during the baked Alaska parade will ever be stopped. I always thought the whole thing was gauche and gross, but we both really wondered how much sense it makes to continue that practice in light of full ship sanitation procedures like we saw, experienced or read about last year.

Hello Flagger:

I am glad you brought this subject up. I would have never thought about this on my own. I have very bad allergies and usually have no choice but to use my table napkin to clear my nose several times during diner. During the parade I usually just clap and look for my waiter, but I have to admit that several times I have become caught up in the excitement of the moment and waived my napkin over my head, sometimes with much speed. It is a lot of fun.

 

You know I think I was on that Infinity Eastern Caribbean in Jan 06. Did you go to the first or second seating? Did you sit upstairs or downstairs?

 

Well now that I read this post I will change my ways. I will use 2 seperate napkins one for waving and one for you know what.

[psychboss]

OK Flagger - You may not like the napkin twirling habit - that is your right - BUT it has nothing to do with the norovirus. The odds of getting a virus from the said twirling is about one in billions and billions. NOW you all do need to be concerned about pushing those elevator buttons, leaning on the bar top, touching those chairs around the pool, the edge of the pools and hot tubs.....I can go on if you would like......

[teajak]

Don't really know how many airborn germs come from the napkins but anything that will stop the baked alaska parade and the waiters singing O'Solo Mio is good in my book. I hate this almost as much as I hate the pirate with the sword. Please it is not a Disney cruise.

[usha]

O Solo Mio????:confused: Are you sure you're talking about Celebrity?

[Blazerboy]

Just trying to justify getting rid of this old tradition that actually goes back to the grand old days of cruising because of a dislike.

I am loathe to agree with Flagger....we so rarely do...;), but I dislike the twirling of napkins, too.:rolleyes:

 

Not worried about germs, but have never considered a dining room the appropriate place to behave like you're at a sporting event! But to clarify, twirling napkins IS NOT a tradition from the "grand old days of cruising,"at least no grand old days I remember...I never saw a napkin twirled on any ship until well into the nineties, and I started cruising in the '60's on Italian, French and Brittish ships, the predecessors to all our modern cruise lines.

 

Or maybe I'm just being cranky, because I don't like anyone refering to any time I was alive as "the grand old days..." :D

 

Besides, what's wrong with a nice clapping in time to the music, if you MUST show some exhuberance?;)

 

Andrew

[newmexicoNita]

If I didn't know better I too would think this is a joke. Though I am not crazy over the tradition of twirling napkins the germ issue isn't even a thought in my mind. There are so many other ways the germs are spread. As someone mentioned: what about the bottoms on the slot machines? Do you think the practice of having casinos on ships will stop? NMnita

[joramrose]

Right. One of the assistant maitre d's can be in charge of the box of K---x and passing them out before the waiters parade.

 

Remind me to have my camera ready.

 

love

joan

[joramrose]

If everyone twirled sanitary napkins instead of dirty ones there wouldn't be a problem.

 

I was referring to this quip in my previous post. It may not have made sense.

 

I am a traditionalist, but I am not a baked Alaska fan. Nevertheless I would hate to see them ban the parade. It is just something to look forward to.

 

And isn't it Auld Lang Syne they sing??

 

Oh, about the tradition. I first encountered it on a cruise in about 1970 something -- which was also my first cruise. spme lines do it much more spectacularly than Celebrity does.

 

love

joan

 

As for anyone using the napkin as a necessary for a dripping nose, gross!

I sat at breakfast table once woth a man who did that -- and loudly. Sorry, I had to get up and leave. Heard him grumbling something about squeamish as I walked out. I could have grumbled something about crude back at him, but I am a lady.

[Cruise Arizona]

I am loathe to agree with Flagger....we so rarely do...;), but I dislike the twirling of napkins, too.:rolleyes:

 

Not worried about germs, but have never considered a dining room the appropriate place to behave like you're at a sporting event! But to clarify, twirling napkins IS NOT a tradition from the "grand old days of cruising,"at least no grand old days I remember...I never saw a napkin twirled on any ship until well into the nineties, and I started cruising in the '60's on Italian, French and British ships, the predecessors to all our modern cruise lines.

 

Or maybe I'm just being cranky, because I don't like anyone refering to any time I was alive as "the grand old days..." :D

 

Besides, what's wrong with a nice clapping in time to the music, if you MUST show some exhuberance?;)

 

Andrew

 

Oh Andrew,

 

I just wish they'd bring back the cool party hats and decorations like we had on the World Renaissance in 1978. Yes thats me in the hat with the beige dress. Mom is looking lovely in her double knit polyester floral formal!!!

Now every thing about this dining room just speaks of class and elegance!!!

[flagger]

As someone mentioned: what about the bottoms on the slot machines? NMnita

The spread of germs is precisely why many lines have now gone to TITO machines just as are all over Vegas now.

[usha]

Suzanne, I think the party hats would be even better than the baked Alaska!

Whadda think, Flagger? You're a fun guy with a great sense of humor, right?

(just as long as we get to twirl our dirty napkins at will, of course:p )

[RodPat]

The spread of germs is precisely why many lines have now gone to TITO machines just as are all over Vegas now.

 

I gamble alot but never heard of TITO machines. If you are talking about the slot machines that hand out tickets rather than money, I can tell you germs had nothing to do with this. It is a lot cheaper and you need a lot less people working for the gambling company. The money in the machine runs out alot faster than the tickets so you need a lot less people to handle money runs. Pat

[Cruise Arizona]

Again note the tasteful dining room decor, and the guy on the far left playing the accordion. Not mention the expansive space of the dining room and the elegant looking captains table in the center of the picture.

[usha]

Suzanne, now, that was real claaaaaaaaaass!:D

[dkjretired]

I gamble alot but never heard of TITO machines. If you are talking about the slot machines that hand out tickets rather than money, I can tell you germs had nothing to do with this. It is a lot cheaper and you need a lot less people working for the gambling company. The money in the machine runs out alot faster than the tickets so you need a lot less people to handle money runs. Pat

 

As I sit here in Atlantic City in my hotel room I can tell you that the spread of germs on machines has absolutely nothing to do with the reason they went to the TITO machines. (Ticket In Ticket Out) It has everything to do with having less people at cages who have to be paid when a machine can do that function. They also don't have to runaround and fill up empty slot machines and take care of malfunctions. Faster turnaround of winnings also means people can get to another machine to lose the money they just won. Talk to anyone in the casino industry and I have done so extensively, germs on the machines are not even mentioned as a reason.

[jakedoc]

What doesn't kill you-makes you stronger!

[RdubYa]

Only in Bizzaro World do germs fly off twirling napkins and infect people. To those concerned about this, I'd suggest a plastic bubble with accessory options for formal night.

 

Insert eye-rolling emoticon here.

[newmexicoNita]

I gamble alot but never heard of TITO machines. If you are talking about the slot machines that hand out tickets rather than money, I can tell you germs had nothing to do with this. It is a lot cheaper and you need a lot less people working for the gambling company. The money in the machine runs out alot faster than the tickets so you need a lot less people to handle money runs. Pat

yes, that is what he is talking about and I agree with you 110%. Germs were the last thing on the casinos minds when they chooses to switch over. I do like the cleaner method. Another advantage for the casionos with TITO is the number of small tickets that are never cashed. Those little $.20 and .30 cent tickets mulitiplied by 1000s mean big bucks. Flagger, get real!!!! NMnita

[dkjretired]

yes, that is what he is talking about and I agree with you 110%. Germs were the last thing on the casinos minds when they chooses to switch over. I do like the cleaner method. Another advantage for the casionos with TITO is the number of small tickets that are never cashed. Those little $.20 and .30 cent tickets mulitiplied by 1000s mean big bucks. Flagger, get real!!!! NMnita

 

NMN and Drew:

 

After reading the comment about the tickets I have to change my mind and think that this whole thread is a setup as a joke that we all fell for because that comment about the tickets is even more Bizarre than the waving napkins. I like the comment about only in Bizarro land could this be taken seriously. The OP should just fess up that he doesn't like the parade as he has done in other threads and leave it at that.I can respect that more than coming up with absurd rationalizations.

[usha]

Actually, I've changed my mind, too. I did think the OP was joking, but now I think he's serious as a heart attack.

[flagger]

yes, that is what he is talking about and I agree with you 110%. Germs were the last thing on the casinos minds when they chooses to switch over. I do like the cleaner method. Another advantage for the casionos with TITO is the number of small tickets that are never cashed. Those little $.20 and .30 cent tickets mulitiplied by 1000s mean big bucks. Flagger, get real!!!! NMnita

 

No need to get real. Your comment about the coin drops is moot as most slots on ships have gone to the TITO system. Whether it was done for $$$ reasons or not, the added result is the less spreading of germs found on filthy money and coins.

 

Twirling napkins and the flying filth that comes off of them absolutely can contribute to the spread of germs and noro-type virii. It is certainly a practice with all other precautions that are taken that has seen its last days hopefully.