Serenade - Sanitation issues

[cheaptravel]

We recently completed a voyage on the beautiful Serenade - Barbados route. I had a couple issues with cleanliness while onboard.

 

One afternoon in the Windjammer, my husband unrolled his linen napkin to find a perfectly imposed impression of lipsticked lips. I know there are lipstains out there that promise not to come off, but they certainly came off on the napkin - and are either on it for life or not laundered properly in hot soapy water. At first I giggled, but that quickly changed to feelings of "eeewwwwww." We handed it over to one of the gentlemen waiting tables.

 

My other observance was of the Head Waiter in the main dining room at dinner time. We are monitored heavily as we walk into the eating areas to make sure we use the hand gel - ok, I get that. But then while everyone is eating, the Head Waiter is walking from table to table greeting guests while cupping their eating hand in his. He then walks to the next table and does the same thing, and on and on. I watched him do this every night we ate there. I realize that he was offering a warm and genuine greeting, but he was also passing someone's germs on to me, mine to someone else, etc. At this point, what good did the hand gel do ?? He certainly was not cleaning his hands while hopping from table to table. By the last night I was finally quick enough to not let him grasp my hand again.

We also disembarked from the ship running fevers and feeling pretty sick. I hope the HW's kind gestures did not assist in spreading this illness around.

He should NOT be doing this !!!

[Bakincakes]

On our last RCI cruise the Head Waiter went out of his way NOT to shake hands with pax. If someone tried to shake his hand he would politely decline and explain why.

[cb at sea]

There have been times when we've never SEEN the "head waiter"....just fine by me!

 

Tis the season for colds and flu and noro....schools are in session and kids are germ-factories....and parents/grandparents bring all of the nasty bugs onboard! Ahoy!

[cheaptravel]

On our last RCI cruise the Head Waiter went out of his way NOT to shake hands with pax. If someone tried to shake his hand he would politely decline and explain why.

 

This one on the 9/25 sailing was taking everyone's hands. One night, he even brushed his hand all the way down the front of my blouse to get to my hand that I had in my lap at the moment. This is when I really started getting pissed off.

[pspercy]

You won't shake hands ?

Stay home.

[struther1]

You won't shake hands ?

Stay home.

Shaking hands on a crusie ship is just not smart, IMO. I'm an obsessive hand washer, the guy that uses the towel to open the door in the restrooms. Have seen too many times, on cruise ships and elsewhere people using the restroom and NOT washing their hands, seriously people, are you kidding me. I even have large industrial size hand sanitizer on my desk in my office, to sanatize if I have to shake hands with people who come in. Don't stay home, just don't shake hands. Nod, smile, exchange greetings but leaving the touching at home. Oh yeah, I almost NEVER get a cold.

[Bakincakes]

This one on the 9/25 sailing was taking everyone's hands. One night, he even brushed his hand all the way down the front of my blouse to get to my hand that I had in my lap at the moment. This is when I really started getting pissed off.

 

 

:eek:..that would have made me mad as well.

[superduper123]

We recently completed a voyage on the beautiful Serenade - Barbados route. I had a couple issues with cleanliness while onboard.

 

One afternoon in the Windjammer, my husband unrolled his linen napkin to find a perfectly imposed impression of lipsticked lips. I know there are lipstains out there that promise not to come off, but they certainly came off on the napkin - and are either on it for life or not laundered properly in hot soapy water. At first I giggled, but that quickly changed to feelings of "eeewwwwww." We handed it over to one of the gentlemen waiting tables.

 

My other observance was of the Head Waiter in the main dining room at dinner time. We are monitored heavily as we walk into the eating areas to make sure we use the hand gel - ok, I get that. But then while everyone is eating, the Head Waiter is walking from table to table greeting guests while cupping their eating hand in his. He then walks to the next table and does the same thing, and on and on. I watched him do this every night we ate there. I realize that he was offering a warm and genuine greeting, but he was also passing someone's germs on to me, mine to someone else, etc. At this point, what good did the hand gel do ?? He certainly was not cleaning his hands while hopping from table to table. By the last night I was finally quick enough to not let him grasp my hand again.

We also disembarked from the ship running fevers and feeling pretty sick. I hope the HW's kind gestures did not assist in spreading this illness around.

He should NOT be doing this !!!

My last cruise was in June on the Rhapsody and the crew were instructed not to shake hands as a form of greeting, and they were very quick to explain this to the passengers several times.

[philatiger]

Shaking hands on a crusie ship is just not smart, IMO. I'm an obsessive hand washer, the guy that uses the towel to open the door in the restrooms. Have seen too many times, on cruise ships and elsewhere people using the restroom and NOT washing their hands, seriously people, are you kidding me. I even have large industrial size hand sanitizer on my desk in my office, to sanatize if I have to shake hands with people who come in. Don't stay home, just don't shake hands. Nod, smile, exchange greetings but leaving the touching at home. Oh yeah, I almost NEVER get a cold.

 

 

We must be twins... :D

[reallyitsmema]

This one on the 9/25 sailing was taking everyone's hands. One night, he even brushed his hand all the way down the front of my blouse to get to my hand that I had in my lap at the moment. This is when I really started getting pissed off.

This man brushed his hand all the way down the front of your blouse and you are worried about sanitation?:confused:

[leeselee]

This man brushed his hand all the way down the front of your blouse and you are worried about sanitation?:confused:

 

LOL! :D I just thought the same thing reading that!!!

 

My husband came on board with a cold this past August and did not want to shake hands with anyone and explained that he did not want to spread his cold. The head waiter did grab my hand in both of his and I'd rather he didn't (so did our daughter). The other waiting staff were just as friendly as the HW and did not feel the need to 'touch' us.

 

I am a very warm and friendly person, but what's with all the hand shaking? In business I have to shake hands with everyone I come in to contact with - on holiday - is there any real need to? We are all on holiday, we can just nod, smile and tell each other how pleased we are to meet each other?

 

Just don't me started on kissing strangers on both cheeks - what is all that about??? :eek:

[Greghouseo]

 

Just don't me started on kissing strangers on both cheeks - what is all that about??? :eek:

Depends which cheek;)

[cheaptravel]

You won't shake hands ?

Stay home.

Stay home ... really ?

When did I say I won't shake hands ? I shook many hands while on our cruise. And then if I was going to eat afterwards, I would wash my hands as you should. This is exactly what they have us do with the sanitizer before we walk into the dining areas. But in essence, the HW taking everyone's hands as he moves from table to table is totally disqualifying the effects of the cleaning. When I'm trying to eat I don't think I should have to reclean them because the HW doesn't know how to greet someone with words and a smile alone.

I can't believe I even have to explain myself here.

 

This man brushed his hand all the way down the front of your blouse and you are worried about sanitation?:confused:

At that particular moment, I certainly was caught offguard with his "reach" for my hand, :eek: and that was my breaking point about the whole issue.

 

LOL! :D I just thought the same thing reading that!!!

 

My husband came on board with a cold this past August and did not want to shake hands with anyone and explained that he did not want to spread his cold. The head waiter did grab my hand in both of his and I'd rather he didn't (so did our daughter). The other waiting staff were just as friendly as the HW and did not feel the need to 'touch' us.

 

I am a very warm and friendly person, but what's with all the hand shaking? In business I have to shake hands with everyone I come in to contact with - on holiday - is there any real need to? We are all on holiday, we can just nod, smile and tell each other how pleased we are to meet each other?

 

Just don't me started on kissing strangers on both cheeks - what is all that about??? :eek:

Thank-you for the back-up, lol ! Another point is that I did become very ill with fever by our 6th day at sea, so if I was at all contagious prior to that the HW may have spread the virus to many others.

[Sequim88]

passing someone's germs on to me,

 

I have same sort of issue with the condiments in WJ. Ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, etc... People who may have been eating with hands and licking fingers then touching bottle to put back where they got them from (sometimes people return them) are a great germ vector. Hopefull when staff return them from tables when cleaning they get wiped off. I usually handle them with a napkin. Ate at a local BBQ chain once with variety of squeeze bottles of sauce for ribs and next day had what could only be norovirus. Later it dawned on me the probable cause - sticky suqeeze bottles used by finger licking customers. :eek:

[khm1]

Shaking hands on a crusie ship is just not smart, IMO. I'm an obsessive hand washer, the guy that uses the towel to open the door in the restrooms. Have seen too many times, on cruise ships and elsewhere people using the restroom and NOT washing their hands, seriously people, are you kidding me. I even have large industrial size hand sanitizer on my desk in my office, to sanatize if I have to shake hands with people who come in. Don't stay home, just don't shake hands. Nod, smile, exchange greetings but leaving the touching at home. Oh yeah, I almost NEVER get a cold.

 

I agree with you 100%! I am the same way. I have never gotten sick on a cruise and don't get sick very often. When I do get sick, I usually get it from my 4 year old (hard to avoid close contact).

[Let'sGo!]

Control what you can control, and don't sweat the small stuff.

 

Purell and those other anti-bacterial santizers make really, tiny bottles you can stick in a pocket or purse.

 

Buy them - take them with you - and have a good time.

 

Heck, I figure I'm more exposed to germs in the grocery store than I am on a cruise ship!

[jagsfan]

I buy the Bath and Body Works hand sanitizer which has basil in it. I clean my hands and whet my appetite at the same time.