Isn't this the best way to get everyone sick? Captain shaking hands

[AmazedByCruising]

My last cruise we went to the Captains welcome toast. After the talks, he lined up with several seniors and people would walk by, shake hands and say hello. (After that, the large Dutch part of the guests got to enjoy raw herring, and some Americans must have run to the toilet after learning what was actually served :D)

 

I'm not a virologist. But if I wanted to design a way to get everone on the ship to have Noro or worse, I'd think the best way is a ceremonial where a large portion of the ship would stand in line to either infect or get an infection from the same 5 hands.

 

It's a nice gesture, I liked saying thanks to the Master for his informative announcements, and I didn't get sick. Then again, it's not that hard to implement the Japanese way of shaking hands. A big sign "Don't shake hands please. Bow instead."

 

It could even be one of those things you'd tell people who never cruised, and it would certainly not dimish the fact that you got to meet the Captain.

[gailforce2000]

My last cruise we went to the Captains welcome toast. After the talks, he lined up with several seniors and people would walk by, shake hands and say hello. (After that, the large Dutch part of the guests got to enjoy raw herring, and some Americans must have run to the toilet after learning what was actually served :D)

 

 

 

I'm not a virologist. But if I wanted to design a way to get everone on the ship to have Noro or worse, I'd think the best way is a ceremonial where a large portion of the ship would stand in line to either infect or get an infection from the same 5 hands.

 

 

 

It's a nice gesture, I liked saying thanks to the Master for his informative announcements, and I didn't get sick. Then again, it's not that hard to implement the Japanese way of shaking hands. A big sign "Don't shake hands please. Bow instead."

 

 

 

It could even be one of those things you'd tell people who never cruised, and it would certainly not dimish the fact that you got to meet the Captain.

 

 

 

100% agree. Even at our church when we give the sign of peace to each other during the service our Pastor even says don’t shake hands because it’s flu season instead just give a greeting and say peace be with you so even in our church we don’t shake hands during flu season very easy way to spread viruses

 

 

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[Underwatr]

The last few cruises we've done on Queen Mary 2 the Captain hasn't shaken hands with anyone.

The potential issue is exacerbated by the fact that the Captain's reception is normally early in the cruise, before any incipient cases of gastrointestinal illness that may have been brought aboard by a new collection of passengers have had a chance to manifest themselves.

[CruiserBruce]

Many Captains and other officers at the public events don't shake hands, for these exact reasons. It is far from universal in the cruise business.

[John Bull]

The last few cruises we've done on Queen Mary 2 the Captain hasn't shaken hands with anyone.

.

 

Many Captains and other officers at the public events don't shake hands, for these exact reasons. It is far from universal in the cruise business.

 

My experience too, on a number of cruise lines

 

JB :)

[mom says]

Much ado about nothing. While it seems that on our last cruises the Captain has not shaken hands, you still have choices if he does.

- don't get in line.

- get in line, shake hands, then immediately go wash your hands before eating or drinking anything

- get in line, greet the Captain, and say " please excuse me for not shaking hands" Declaring your status as a germaphobe is optional.

[CruiserBruce]

Much ado about nothing. While it seems that on our last cruises the Captain has not shaken hands, you still have choices if he does.

- don't get in line.

- get in line, shake hands, then immediately go wash your hands before eating or drinking anything

- get in line, greet the Captain, and say " please excuse me for not shaking hands" Declaring your status as a germaphobe is optional.

 

Agree...we have seen this type of issue raised before by this poster.

[navybankerteacher]

100% agree. Even at our church when we give the sign of peace to each other during the service our Pastor even says don’t shake hands because it’s flu season instead just give a greeting and say peace be with you so even in our church we don’t shake hands during flu season very easy way to spread viruses

 

 

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And I understand that many/ most Catholic curches suspend the use of the common wine chalice for communion.

[pris993]

Agree...we have seen this type of issue raised before by this poster.

 

After 70+ cruises over past 30 years... I can't get excited about this at all.

[Ashland]

For us a smile and a head nod have always worked well.:)

[Keith1010]

I wish everyone would avoid shaking hands and hugging during at least certain times of the year. Yes on more and more ships the Captain no longer shakes hands. I know on the cruise line we sail on often the practice of the Captain shaking hands stopped many years ago.

 

Keith

[Kristal Blade]

On our recent Royal Caribbean cruises the captain wore gloves on the nights he was meeting and greeting passengers.

 

On Celebrity the captain did a fist bump, no hand shaking. If anyone offered a hand to him he politely told them he only did fist bumps. It was all good fun and solved the germy issue.

 

As previous,y mentioned. Just don’t do it!

 

 

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[Extra Kim]

I don't get the point of shaking hands with the captain. If you do, do you shake hands with the pilot and the busdriver too? If not, why?

[Underwatr]

If the bus driver threw a reception with a receiving line (and an open bar) I might feel obliged to shake his hand.

[DirtyDawg]

After 70+ cruises over past 30 years... I can't get excited about this at all.

 

A a person with 0 cruises over the past 70 years would'nt get exited about this at all too.

 

If someone is worried about Noro on a cruise don't step on the ship. Alternatively, lock yourself in your cabin for the week and eat packaged food you brought with you. Or just don't shake the captain's hand. If you happen to touch the exposed hand of another human being go Washy Washy and rid yourself of the Germie Germies.

[DirtyDawg]

If the bus driver threw a reception with a receiving line (and an open bar) I might feel obliged to shake his hand.

 

If it was just a recieving line I wouldn't feel obligated, but an open bar deserves a hand shake. :D

 

Of course if the bus driver thew a reception with both it might deserve a prayer s well because who the heck is driving the bus during all this!:eek::eek:

[Wayfairers]

I do wish shaking hands would disappear and just greet each other with hello. Personally I avoid the line to shake hands with the captain, because I agree with Extra Kim, I just don’t get the point of it. The captain didn’t pay for the open bar - we did when we paid the cruise fare.

 

 

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[navybankerteacher]

It's a faint shadow of the old tradition when "prominent" passengers got to dine at the captain's table: a bit of an ego trip - but something tough to take seriously in these days of mass market 5,000 passenger ships.

[sparks1093]

This is why I wash my hands frequently and before eating.

[floridalover5623]

100% agree. Even at our church when we give the sign of peace to each other during the service our Pastor even says don’t shake hands because it’s flu season instead just give a greeting and say peace be with you so even in our church we don’t shake hands during flu season very easy way to spread viruses

 

 

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I stopped it on my own just for the same reason. No use in taking any chances especially just before a cruise.

[SRF]

It's a faint shadow of the old tradition when "prominent" passengers got to dine at the captain's table: a bit of an ego trip - but something tough to take seriously in these days of mass market 5,000 passenger ships.

 

Hmm, we were invited to dine with the Captain on our cruise in August.

 

Maybe you just aren't prominent enough. joking :D

[gerelmx]

The handshake and the kiss on the cheek should be avoided

[AmazedByCruising]

After 70+ cruises over past 30 years... I can't get excited about this at all.

 

Others seem to get all excited about lanyards, I'm interested in how ships work. Mechanical, legal, logistics, and yes even how they try to keep their passengers healthy.

 

CDC, deep cleaning, code red, pepper & salt shakers, health forms, quarantaine, a very big part is about Noro. And then the Captain, on this ship at least, doesn't even use the simplest method of prevention. I knew on other ships it doesn't happen.I was wondering why apparently there's no policy about this.

[AmazedByCruising]

Much ado about nothing. While it seems that on our last cruises the Captain has not shaken hands, you still have choices if he does.

- don't get in line.

- get in line, shake hands, then immediately go wash your hands before eating or drinking anything

- get in line, greet the Captain, and say " please excuse me for not shaking hands" Declaring your status as a germaphobe is optional.

 

The point is that after this event, almost everyone on the ship is just 2, 3 handshakes away from each other. If the first in line had Noro, everyone is that far from a possible infection. Even chosing not to take part doesn't change those odds.

 

It must be a lot of Purell to undo that.

[AmazedByCruising]

Agree...we have seen this type of issue raised before by this poster.

 

The lines take it seriously shown by the examples I just posted, but I forgot about the irritating videos during muster and on the TV about washing hands. How is that much ado about nothing?