Concerned about upcoming Harmony cruise...anyone else?

[GTO-Girl]

7 hours ago, LoveTheSoul said:

 

Good advice.  Will put some of this into practice as well - wasn't aware that they had sanitation stations on the ship. 🙂

Sanitation stations are everywhere and easy to use.  The buffet also has actual sinks with soap washing stations before entering.  
 

Just wash your hands often...use the sanitation stations as you pass them...use your knuckles to press elevator buttons...and never touch your face, eyes or nose with your hands.

 

You will be fine....enjoy your cruise!!!  We sail on the Harmony, for the fourth time, on March 22nd and we are excited!!

 

 

[jagsfan]

7 hours ago, minnie00 said:

 

we have been on Harmony and are avid hand washers. flu shots done. we are precautious in general. I have some autoimmune issues so am aware. thank you and will do

 

but I thought this was an airborne virus? 

Evidently droplets in the air from sneezing or coughing is how it’s passed. 

[PhoenixCruiser]

Coronavirus stats.. 24000 infected, 500 deaths... Flu stats.. 26 million infected and this season 10,000 deaths in the US.  Worry about the flu not corona. 

Yes, if those numbers are accurate, which is questionable.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[Tree_skier]

I don't believe any number from the Chinese government. 

 

[Poochie71]

16 hours ago, minnie00 said:

 

we have been on Harmony and are avid hand washers. flu shots done. we are precautious in general. I have some autoimmune issues so am aware. thank you and will do

 

but I thought this was an airborne virus? 

It's not airborne, direct from the WHO website...

The new coronavirus is a respiratory virus which spreads primarily through contact with an infected person through respiratory droplets generated when a person, for example, coughs or sneezes, or through droplets of saliva or discharge from the nose. It is important that everyone practice good respiratory hygiene. For example, sneeze or cough into a flexed elbow, or use a tissue and discard it immediately into a closed bin.  It is also very important for people to wash their hands regularly with either alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

Don't get sneezed/coughed on or touch a surface that someone has someone has.

[Snit13]

9 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

I don't believe any number from the Chinese government. 

 

Well said.  Even the US experts doubt the reporting of Chinese govt.

As of the news this am, there are NO cases in FL and to the best of my knowledge Harmony sails from FL, at least she did when I sailed her in Nov.

[Maverick61]

On 2/7/2020 at 2:05 PM, taglovestocruise said:

Coronavirus stats.. 24000 infected, 500 deaths... Flu stats.. 26 million infected and this season 10,000 deaths in the US.  Worry about the flu not corona. 

 

Those numbers from the Chinese government are pure make believe.  While China controls most of the media and tries to control social media in China, there have been leaks and the actual number of cases and deaths are massive.  The last one showed 154023 infections and 24589 deaths from Wuhan

 

https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3871594

 

This is backed up by a number of stories leaked out of Wuhan about morgues dealing with 100's of bodies a day

[thrifty99]

Hi Minnie - we were also on the shortened Harmony cruise back in September and are booked on the Harmony again in April. 
 

Just be extra careful / aware on your Harmony cruise.  I’d suggest avoiding food served with shared utensils (Windjammer self serve stations) and stick with food served by crew. I see too many clueless passengers coughing into their hand and then grabbing a serving utensil. 
 

As others said, use sanitizer as much as possible and don’t touch your face with your hands. 
 

With the additional restrictions on who can travel and health screenings you are probably safer on your upcoming cruise than we were on the Majesty 2 weeks ago. 
 

Have a great cruise!!!

[2chiefs]

Drink a Corona and relax....

[lalalisa]

7 hours ago, thrifty99 said:

Hi Minnie - we were also on the shortened Harmony cruise back in September and are booked on the Harmony again in April. 
 

Just be extra careful / aware on your Harmony cruise.  I’d suggest avoiding food served with shared utensils (Windjammer self serve stations) and stick with food served by crew. I see too many clueless passengers coughing into their hand and then grabbing a serving utensil. 
 

As others said, use sanitizer as much as possible and don’t touch your face with your hands. 
 

With the additional restrictions on who can travel and health screenings you are probably safer on your upcoming cruise than we were on the Majesty 2 weeks ago. 
 

Have a great cruise!!!

Eek!  I might throw some gloves in my luggage and use one every time I go to the buffet.  We plan to eat there almost all our meals.

[TNcruising02]

36 minutes ago, lalalisa said:

Eek!  I might throw some gloves in my luggage and use one every time I go to the buffet.  We plan to eat there almost all our meals.

I always wash my hands with soap and water after I handle the utensils and make my plate at the buffet.

[Illbcruzn4life]

On 2/7/2020 at 1:52 PM, LoveTheSoul said:

Mine as well - this will be our first cruise.  We booked on the Allure for last October but we cancelled 2 weeks out due to my father had fallen suddenly ill and passed 3 days before our cruise date. We made the right decision at the time and decided to try cruising once again. And now, the Corona Virus. Oh well, things happen, but I am staying up to date on it as much as possible.  There are things that you can prepare for and some things that you just can't - that's just life.   

 

Good advice.  Will put some of this into practice as well - wasn't aware that they had sanitation stations on the ship. 🙂

just got off Harmony today. While the weather didnt cooperate the trip was great.

 

 

[ChinaShrek]

On 2/7/2020 at 1:41 PM, LoveTheSoul said:

Seriously?  So they should just stick their head in the sand?

 

It's good to learn as much as you can and be prepared as much as possible...and also okay to be concerned.

 

That just creates more anxiety.  Ignorance is truly bliss when it comes to pandemics.

[ReneeFLL]

8 hours ago, lalalisa said:

Eek!  I might throw some gloves in my luggage and use one every time I go to the buffet.  We plan to eat there almost all our meals.

We eat in the Windjammer a lot. One thing that I do is to never touch any buffet serving utensils with my left hand. If I want to eat some bread or touch any of my food I will only use my left hand for that. Right hand for utensils and left hand for food. 😀

[ReneeFLL]

7 hours ago, TNcruising02 said:

I always wash my hands with soap and water after I handle the utensils and make my plate at the buffet.

So do you go back to the washing station or bathroom before you eat?

[mcatmcat]

46 minutes ago, ReneeFLL said:

We eat in the Windjammer a lot. One thing that I do is to never touch any buffet serving utensils with my left hand. If I want to eat some bread or touch any of my food I will only use my left hand for that. Right hand for utensils and left hand for food. 😀

But your are touching your plate ( a plate that has being there expoused to others passengers fingers with the same hand that you use to eat some bread or touch any food, and I assume you also grab a cup of water that has been there expoused to other Passengers  with your left hand right ?  
to be honest the best idea is to get some really clear gloves or just stopping going to a cruise ship all together. 

 

 

[lalalisa]

8 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

We eat in the Windjammer a lot. One thing that I do is to never touch any buffet serving utensils with my left hand. If I want to eat some bread or touch any of my food I will only use my left hand for that. Right hand for utensils and left hand for food. 😀

That sounds like a good plan.  The others that say they go wash their hands....so what do you do with your plate of food? lol  Seriously though, I'm not too worried about it.  I always visit the buffet multiple times and have never gotten sick on a cruise (knock on wood).  

[2chiefs]

42 minutes ago, lalalisa said:

That sounds like a good plan.  The others that say they go wash their hands....so what do you do with your plate of food? lol  Seriously though, I'm not too worried about it.  I always visit the buffet multiple times and have never gotten sick on a cruise (knock on wood).  

This is a good topic. Some folks take it to the extreme and some don't take it serious enough. I suppose there is some middle ground that makes sense. I've seen some nasty habits to cause concern but I can't let it ruin my vacation. We wash our hands, get our food and then sanitize our hands with sanitizer  before we eat. The only alternative is to stay away from buffets altogether and trust that the crew is trained and committed.

 

Remember back when the buffet in the windjammer was all served by crew? You had to walk down the line with your tray and point!

 

High anxiety can ruin a vacation.....

Edited February 10, 2020 by 2chiefs

[TNcruising02]

9 hours ago, ReneeFLL said:

So do you go back to the washing station or bathroom before you eat?

Lately, the ships I have been on have those automatic hand washing machines near the buffet. Those were Carnival ships. If Royal doesn't have anything like that near the buffet area I will just bring the individual hand wipe packets.

Edited February 10, 2020 by TNcruising02

[2chiefs]

1 hour ago, TNcruising02 said:

Lately, the ships I have been on have those automatic hand washing machines near the buffet. Those were Carnival ships. If Royal doesn't have anything like that near the buffet area I will just bring the individual hand wipe packets.

RCI has them too. We noticed that they retrofitted them in the WJ on the Adventure OTS on our last cruise...

[TNcruising02]

Just now, 2chiefs said:

RCI has them too. We noticed that they retrofitted them in the WJ on the Adventure OTS on our last cruise...

Great! I hope Harmony has them too. I use the heck out of those and it's so convenient when they are right by the buffet.

[mom2tcdx2]

I am on the same sailing as you I believe, you mentioned you had 22 days before sailing.  We are on the March 1 sailing.  We have six of us traveling, and only 2 of them are flying, the rest of us are driving.  We have no potential of cancelling and are really looking forward to this trip.  Really beginning to want to pack, just looking into the weather and deciding what clothes to take.  

 

My mother mentioned maybe carrying some little hand sanitizers with us even, which normally we don't do that.  Might look into some things to just help wipe down the cabin, which again isn't something I normally worry about.  

[minnie00]

On 2/9/2020 at 6:11 AM, thrifty99 said:

Hi Minnie - we were also on the shortened Harmony cruise back in September and are booked on the Harmony again in April. 
 

Just be extra careful / aware on your Harmony cruise.  I’d suggest avoiding food served with shared utensils (Windjammer self serve stations) and stick with food served by crew. I see too many clueless passengers coughing into their hand and then grabbing a serving utensil. 
 

As others said, use sanitizer as much as possible and don’t touch your face with your hands. 
 

With the additional restrictions on who can travel and health screenings you are probably safer on your upcoming cruise than we were on the Majesty 2 weeks ago. 
 

Have a great cruise!!!

 

I remember all your posts while we were all waiting to go. thank you for the tips 🙂

[minnie00]

8 minutes ago, mom2tcdx2 said:

I am on the same sailing as you I believe, you mentioned you had 22 days before sailing.  We are on the March 1 sailing.  We have six of us traveling, and only 2 of them are flying, the rest of us are driving.  We have no potential of cancelling and are really looking forward to this trip.  Really beginning to want to pack, just looking into the weather and deciding what clothes to take.  

 

My mother mentioned maybe carrying some little hand sanitizers with us even, which normally we don't do that.  Might look into some things to just help wipe down the cabin, which again isn't something I normally worry about.  

 

yes March 1st. we are flying to this time I am taking the clorox wipes and wiping down the seat and trap on plane and carrying stuff with me like I always do. good thing about the ship are the random hand sanitizer stations around the ship.

 

flying is another incubator so just being positive. wow we go soon 🙂

[mom2tcdx2]

1 minute ago, minnie00 said:

 

yes March 1st. we are flying to this time I am taking the clorox wipes and wiping down the seat and trap on plane and carrying stuff with me like I always do. good thing about the ship are the random hand sanitizer stations around the ship.

 

flying is another incubator so just being positive. wow we go soon 🙂

 

My husband works Saturday and he is at a job he just started last October, so a little light on vacation time.  We will be driving down Saturday evening after he gets off,  while 2 of our group are flying out of Richmond, VA Saturday afternoon.  Normally my husband and I would prefer to fly. Getting really excited, I think Royal is trying their best to help make sure that we don't potentially have any who could have the virus on the ship.  Though honestly I really have no idea how many passengers might even have been booked from China on our sailing.