I couldn't believe what I saw!

[RuthC]

There should be a universal sign for "Please don't take away my food! I am dining alone and needed to get something". :)

There used to be. If you tipped your chair so that it was resting against the table, the stewards were to understand that you were coming back, and they shouldn't take anything.

 

I don't know if the newer stewards are taught that signal anymore, but it can't hurt to ask.

[mamaofami]

I've seen people leave beach bags and other items along with their food at tables while they've one to get something else like a drink. People come along and just remove their stuff...Several times I've told people that someone just went to get something else.

[jhannah]

Santa baby, just slip some chocolate under the tree. For me.

Ah, Ms. Ruth. I can just hear you singing that in your best "boop-boop-a-doop" voice!

[George W. Bush]

It probably isn't a good idea to use your own utensils to select foods. You may contaminate other dishes with allergens. Pick up some Thai chicken with your spoon, dip that same spoon into the stir fry and you could cause some unlucky allergic to peanuts stir fry eater a lot of misery.

 

 

*rain on parade*

[hammybee]

I've seen people leave beach bags and other items along with their food at tables while they've one to get something else like a drink. People come along and just remove their stuff...Several times I've told people that someone just went to get something else.

 

Finally, the reason why more and more people are being found eating in the toilet, on cruise ships. :D

[chili555]

As a first, I used to put the red line version of the 10K or 10Q in there for "reading" material!!!

One of my early employers actually had a subscription to the Wall Street Journal to the attention of "First Floor Men's Room." Needless to say, the executives were mostly situated on the first floor.

[Oceanwench]

I'm not obsessive about germs, I don't worry where the tongs have been, I'm never sick.

I also don't make it my business to police other people or to teach them proper etiquette.

If I saw something truly alarming, I would discreetly tell a crew member of the transgression. I would not call attention to the person who violated the rules of decency, nor would I call attention to myself by berating that person.

[Love Cruises]

There used to be. If you tipped your chair so that it was resting against the table, the stewards were to understand that you were coming back, and they shouldn't take anything.

 

I don't know if the newer stewards are taught that signal anymore, but it can't hurt to ask.

Ruth C ...when we were on the NOORDAM this past October the waiter in the LIDO was tipping the chairs for people as they returned to pick up a drink or go to the buffet line. I saw this done quite often over the 20 day cruise so I think experienced waiters do go out of their way to do this chair tipping practice.

[DFD1]

I always leave a hat, cap, book or something next to my plate when I'm away from my table. That seems to work. Never have come back to the table to find the food gone and the place cleaned up.

[RuthC]

I always leave a hat, cap, book or something next to my plate when I'm away from my table. That seems to work. Never have come back to the table to find the food gone and the place cleaned up.

Last Summer on the Prinsendam I left a magazine on the table when I went to pick up something I missed. When I got back not only were the dirty dishes gone---so was my magazine! :eek:

I have to give credit, though. When I asked a passing steward about it he didn't know, but he sure found out! He not only found the steward who had cleared my place, he located the missing magazine! :)

Give these guys a chance to shine and they light up the sky! :D

[mamaofami]

On the Noordam last year, we were sitting by the back of the Lido pol having lunch. We didn't notice that there was an empty table near us with two jackets over the back of the chairs. Some people came along and sat down and began to eat. When the owners of the jackets returned with their trays, a knock down drag out fight ensued. The sitting diners won after much name calling.

[RuthC]

On the Noordam last year, we were sitting by the back of the Lido pol having lunch. We didn't notice that there was an empty table near us with two jackets over the back of the chairs. Some people came along and sat down and began to eat. When the owners of the jackets returned with their trays, a knock down drag out fight ensued. The sitting diners won after much name calling.

I can sympathize with both parties here, but a little more with the ones returning with trays. As a solo I frequently have that problem of losing my place when I step away for a few minutes.

I remember a time I left the aft pool area to get a quick something---left my magazines and glasses, only to come back and find three people sitting there eating lunch. I sat back down in my seat as if I had a right to. Because I did!!!

[jhannah]

So in addition to tipping my cabin steward, dining room steward and his assistant, head waiter, wine steward, and concierge ... I now have to tip a chair, too??? :eek: :D

[meidda]

I wonder if at the time of the drill on the first day an educational lecture would be in order. You would think that adults would know better.

[Hixski]

I think the worst thing I have ever seen at a buffet was the teen that picked up the mac n cheese serving spoon and tasted it. She must have liked it because she put it back in and took another bite.:eek: Needless to say I called someone over and they took everything away. She was definately old enough to know better.

[donaldsc]

However, for this next cruise I'm giving serious consideration to bringing and wearing gloves for the Lido and Dining room until I'm actually ready to eat. I have severe allergies to some antibiotics, nothing I've been too worried about as one didn't 'accidentally' take antibiotics.

 

quote]

 

If you wear gloves, make sure that you learn the technique of taking off your gloves w/o touching the outside of the gloves. I worked in a lab where I worked with extremely hazardous materials and we had to be sure never to touch the outside of thje gloves with our bare hands.

 

Otherwise, there is no point in wearing gloves.

 

DON

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

About 25 years ago, a brilliant co-worker kept a huge bowl of jelly beans in his office. The office often worked long hours, on projects and most people let their hair down, after hours. Things like ties and shoes were dicarded for comfort. Some would put on sweats/jeans or other comfortable clothing for what was the second-thrid shift of the day. Those who had stashes of food were always popular.

 

Anyway, the brilliant one's thing was to go barefoot. ( Can you see where this is going? :eek: ). Despite the long hours, much of it was downtime, waiting for batch systems to run their jobs. One late evening, while foraging for food, I happened upon the Brilliant one, in his office. He was picking jelly beans out of the bowl, with his toes.

 

The brilliant one was born in the USA, Ivy League educated and made multiples of 6 figures, back then. And somehow it eluded him that picking jelly beans out of a common bowl, with his toes, was way more than a bit off.

 

Please do not get me started about the guys who ate in the toilet.

 

So you were foraging for food in someones office? Was this allowed?

 

Reminds me of some coworkers who used to put exlax in their "lunch" to find out who the thief was.

 

That will learn ya. LOL

[michmike]

One of the joys of holiday get togethers.. watching my sis-in-law double dip the crudites... gotta love her..

 

laughed at the cup on a chain vending story.. my grand parents had a cottage on a lake in wisconsin... there was a pump at the back of the association property .. and a metal 1 cup measuring cup attached w/ a chain.. everyone used that cup if they wanted a drink.. this was circa 1955.. no one thought anything of it back then.. think I'd go for the cupped hands approach today.

 

Thankfully we all have decent immune systems, cuz you're exposed to all sorts of disgusting stuff during the day that you have no idea about.. just ask anyone whose job takes them into the "back of the house" of restaurants on a regular basis.

[hammybee]

I think the worst thing I have ever seen at a buffet was the teen that picked up the mac n cheese serving spoon and tasted it. She must have liked it because she put it back in and took another bite.:eek: Needless to say I called someone over and they took everything away. She was definately old enough to know better.

 

I wonder how much food gets tossed because passengers contaminate it.

[ekerr19]

Keep in mind the different strains of virus, etc. has greatly increased today from a mere 10 years ago....

 

We took a trip to California with DD when she was a baby to see grandparents and she developed a horrible ear infection - our peditrician said that due to many migrants into the area, she had been exposed to something not yet seen in Colorado (this was outside Fresno when the Hmong community was getting established there) and we ended up bringing it to Colorado. Thankfully she was an infant and not school aged - but we all ended up with it - and it was the worst illness ANY of us ever experienced.

 

I honestly don't know where some of these Lido passengers come from. We never grab, reach or touch food with our hands - even in restaurants we "spear" a dinner roll from the basket with a fork.

[frankie-toronto]

I have been on over 10 cruises and have watched in disgust what people do - pickup and put down food with their fingers and then lick them and pickup something else. Touch all the bread and then dont take any - taste from trays i.e. olives - pickles the like instead of putting it on their plates with forks or tongs. If I see someone close to me doing that I just go and tell them - that is is disgusting and this is how we all get sick on these cruises. I have watched people (mostly men of course) leave the washrooms without washing their hands and head for the buffet and handle food with ther fingers. disgusting is the word - where the hell do these people come from - I guess it takes all kinds in this world - not my cup of tea. My Mother brought me up the right way !!!!

We are off on the world cruise next month and hopefully I dont see any of that kind of nonesense as I will be making lots of comments ... and probably enemies hahahaahh so be it. This is about my health.

ciao

Happy Sailing

[hammybee]

So you were foraging for food in someones office? Was this allowed?

 

Reminds me of some coworkers who used to put exlax in their "lunch" to find out who the thief was.

 

That will learn ya. LOL

 

Oh yeah, foraging for food in the middle of the night is a common activity when people work long hours. He who has food is never loney.:)

 

This is not the same thing as swiping someone's lunch from the common refrigerator. Your co-workers sound like bunch of real funsters.

[Juanita462]

I have been waiting for someone to mention the chocolates in the Explorer's lounge in the evening. We no longer take them as we have seen so many people pick up the candy with their fingers - even with the tongs in plain sight in front of them.

 

The exlax in the lunch reminded me of a man who liked a dish of candy on his desk but had trouble with people helping themselves when he was away from his desk and coming back to an empty container. One day he got some moose droppings, coated them with chocolate and took them to work. He put the dish of "candy" on his desk and warned everyone in the office to not eat any - of course the "candy" disappeared - but that was the last time anyone helped themselves to his chocolates!!! :p

[cusyl]

A woman arrived at the Lido buffet early in the morning in her pajamas and robe, hair uncombed...spread her food over a table for 4 and proceeded to eat her breakfast as if she was at home...NOT a pretty sight. :eek:

[jhannah]

One day he got some moose droppings, coated them with chocolate and took them to work ... that was the last time anyone helped themselves to his chocolates!!! :p

Ewww! I'll have to remember that one! :cool: