I’ve cruised a lot on Holland America. This earlier this month I sailed Holland America serves all the food in the buffet. I like this. They also have handwashing stations before the buffet. Unfortunately, halfway through my cruise, I started experiencing bodyaches and coughing. I went to my cabin and slept. The next day I did not feel better so I went to the Medical Center. I was diagnosed with influenza2. I was required to quarantine for 24 hours which I did. I got a call from the nurse and she said I was released as I was feeling a little bit better. They reimbursed me for my missed excursion, they sent me a letter saying I would get future on board credit. I of course, had travel insurance started to fill out the form and asked whether or not I had submitted the claim to my regular health insurance. I had not so I did so and was surprised when a few days later they approved me. Then offered a direct deposit. It was in my account immediately. After the quarantine, I noticed that they had staff standing by the entrance of the buffet, asking you to please wash your hands. The people just walked on by.
One thing that I pay attention to is after I sit down at the table, you have now touched the arm rests and the back of the chair. And as others have said, the salt and pepper shakers are suspect. Currently we just had our Lido restrictions lifted and can get our food and coffee and drinks ourselves. This happened on day 5 of our cruise as the numbers for sickness are low. But it is red alert for me to be extra careful now.
The gasro- virus was on a ship that I took, it helped alot to have the staff serve the food so no one touched serving spoons. Thank you for the Panama Canal information information.
We boarded a ship, way before COVID, that had come in early for a norovirus cleaning. It was a great cruise. Everything super clean, crew members dishing food for you at the buffet and even the bathroom doors propped open so handles weren't touched. The result was we just bring our own small salt & pepper shakers, in case a cruise goes into this mode, and we don't have to go looking for the shakers that they will not leave on the tables. Had absolutely no other problems.
Thanks so much Allison. We will be going on our first Princess cruise on Coral full transit Panama Canal starting in Fort Lauderdale on March 9. I appreciate your information so much. Thanks for the book review. We’ve been on around 20 cruises but never Princess and I feel somewhat uncertain with”the way things work” on Princess. Your information always reassures me. There’s a lot of “stomach viruses” going around, even off the ships. I think if you take your normal precautions you should do well. God bless.
We're on the Sky Princess and had the same deep cleaning/sanitizing of the entire ship while we were docked at Ocho Rio, Jamaica. Everything went very smoothly, and I am impressed at the diligence of the crew and the obvious forethought and planning that was put into these situations.
Do not cancel if at all possible I’m sure you’ve been thru before however it’s incredible. Just went thru in November we did a back to back starting in Singapore started with the cruise before the Panama Canal supposedly there was noro on board they cleaned constantly and when we got to LA they drained all the tanks. We always eat in the dining room and we didn’t catch anything. And for the Panama voyage there were no cases from what I heard. I work at a hospital and noro is prevalent this year and not just on cruise ships. Several states have been hit particularly hard this year. You just never hear about it unless it’s on a cruise ship.
I was on the Ruby Princess in December during the Norovirus outbreak & there was no self service in the buffet, even if you just wanted a banana. It worked just fine. Wash your hands often with soap & water.
A tip that I used on the sun princess earlier this month was using a Pana or other longsleeve items that I could use to touch railing. I believe in three points of contact when on stairs but I’m always nervous about all of the germs. I would also consider one of those items that you can add to your keychain. Maybe you could wear it on a wristlet and use it to pull doors open. Again, I was so thrilled on the sun, princess that they had so many doors that open and close. In fact in the sanctuary area, you stand in front of the door to go to the restroom you wave your hand. It opens for you when you go inside you wave your hand wants to close and another side to lock. You never touch anything so I’m hopeful that this trend will be more widespread and the future but mostly everybody needs to commit to washing their hands really well.
In regards to so many getting sick.... what if the "sickness" is due to something in the ship such as it's water? I, myself, get sick with any water (juices, ice, sauces, etc) so I do my darnest to avoid such. BUT things like coffee, I still have and by the 8th day, "it gets my stomach" (the problem is "down there" nothing out of my mouth.... just to think about.
Call me crazy but i'm always worried about getting sick on cruise (or anywhere crowded like that). What i do when i go into the buffet is wash my hands first...get all my food, then i also bring some wet wipes with me that i use to wipe down and sanitize my hands again AND wipe down the table quickly before i eat. I know that may be excessive, but it keeps me germ-free!
I was on a Hawaiian cruise on the Ruby Princess this past Nov.-Dec. We had an outbreak of the Norovirus. My husband and I didn't get it. The crew did a great job of beefing up all their cleaning procedures. We observed the crew wiping down the handrails, chairs and tables all day long throughout the ship for the rest of the cruise once the outbreak occurred. I took a picture of one of their little yellow buckets with cleaning solution as one of my memories from this trip as we frequently spotted them. I was very impressed with their effort to keep all of us safe. They were forthcoming about the problem. We had received notice and knew what was going on. We experienced the enhanced cleaning process when we were in port with passengers required to leave the ship. Food at the buffet was served to us, including the drinks. We tried our best to use good handwashing, with use of hand gel frequently. We tried to avoid touching rails and door handles, esp. if using one of the public bathrooms). It was suggested that passengers try to mostly use their cabin bathrooms. At the beginning of the cruise, I had wiped down all high touch areas in our cabin with disinfectant wipes. I personally wouldn't cancel the trip, but that is an individual thing. As I believe you mentioned in one of your videos, you have to travel, esp. at this time of the year, with the awareness that there are a lot of communicable diseases going around. It is always a possibility that you can get sick when you travel. I read the book The Path Between the Seas by Daivid McCullough on a Panama Cruise. I learned so much about the building of the Panama Canal. It really enhanced my appreciation of it.
I would like to recommend The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough. It is a huge book but provides a wonderful insight into the building of the Panama Canal. I read it on my first Panama Canal cruise (a former student worked in one of the shops on the Royal Princess and recommended it to me) and it was so engrossing and good that I reread it before my second Panama Canal cruise. Fascinating read.
We cruised on the Coral Princess 12/19 - 1/4/25. Pacific to Atlanta. At the sink into the buffet a crew member stands & asks everyone to wash their hands. Only had breakfast and lunch at the buffet. Didn't hear of any food born illnesses. Lots of people coughing, if they would wear masks 😷 it would be very courteous to others. 3 of the 4 in our group came down with colds. Dr. gave them antibiotics. The moderator all day thru the transit was fantastic.
I agree! The crew members should serve people in the buffet. Maybe it would help everyone to stay healthy. Great video as always! You sound much better ❤
Gloves is the answer in the buffet serving area. I cannot understand why people at the very least do not wash their hands at the buffet entrances, it’s for their and everyone else’s good. Handwashing needs to be enforced by a crew member like they did after Covid !
Not sure if this was recommended yet, but what I do is open my napkin and place it on the table like a mini table cloth. I also skip using the salt and pepper shakers. If I really felt like washing or hand sanitizer was not going to work for any buffet eating I would probably skip the buffet before I brought gloves, but that’s just me.
The latest science suggests that hand sanitizers do little to prevent spread of norovirus. Its amazing to see how many guests do not wash their hands often. I have even seen guests use the washroom and not wash afterwards. Today i chastised a passenger who reached into a buffet station and picked up a bun by hand, totally ignoring the serving tongs. He was shocked by me and soon ran. So beware, do these things and I will embarrass you and report you to security.
we got it one time at the denver aquarium (had to be there, the only common denominator) we believe it was the tables they have for you to sit to eat our lunch. lesson: clean your table with clorox wipes. its the only thing we all could have touched.
Another great book about the history of the Panama Canel is David McCullough's "The Path Between the Seas". I read it before going on a Panama Canal cruise on the Coral Princess in 2019. It is a complete history of its creation. The cruise will be amazing. We have done it twice, once through the old locks and once through the new locks. The old locks were the best, as you see the old technology still working great today.
Don't cancel. Just be careful. We have been on a cruise where that happened, not as bad, but we didn't get ill. I think it was because we didn't eat much at the buffet. We chose to eat where they served us, hamburgers, pizza and such. Not done on purpose. it just worked out.
Well, I sent an email to you. I have a friend or two on the Sky Princess including myself. We had the same procedures as the Coral. I’ve heard from friends on the Discovery, Volendam, Eurodam & QE2 that are dealing with the same issues. I’m fine, & It doesn’t stop me from cruising.
Thank you Carey! I received it after I had done my video this morning. Now I’m hearing these other ships are having problems too. Take care and stay healthy!
A lot of talk about gloves but please remember that you must still wash your hands before and after donning (putting on) & doffing (taking off) gloves - if not used correctly gloves can still allow transfer of organisms (germs), gloves can be porous & or have small holes. Best way is to avoid touching your face. Also be aware Norovirus is not killed by using alcohol based hand gel. You have to break the cell wall with soap & water. Also Norovirus can be transmitted by aerosoling when people vomit. People with symptoms should isolate early & those caring for them should wear an N95 mask & gloves. Very contagious
Also remember it may not be people spreading norovirus, contaminated food on the ship can cause it and of course, the ship's water supply if not tested at the various stations causes much of norovirus although the cruise lines will always blame the passengers and never themselves.
Personally I will try to avoid the buffet, it’s not my favorite place to eat. I also have mobility issues and trying to serve myself and use a Cain with a crowded buffet can be challenging. I will also bring wipes and masks. I also make sure to wipe down my cabin everyday as well as put my remote in a zip lock bag. I keep my remote in a drawer while I’m out of the cabin. Allison maybe you could give us a demonstration of the proper way to take off gloves and dispos of them. Maybe someone who,is going to be on the cripuise proper to us can keep us updated on the status of Noro.
Celebrity will only add to the overabundance of available river cruises. Therefore, we can expect some river cruise companies to go out of business over the next three years.
Don't cancel, just take your precautions. When I went on my last Alaska cruise, our Holland America ship had an outbreak of intestinal sickness, probably norovirus. We were careful to wash our hands, used paper towels to touch public door knobs, and we didn't catch it. I think that so many people got tired of all the restrictions during the Pandemic that they have rebelled and now they don't take any care, including hand-washing. But just taking sensible precautions is always a good idea.
You are so right Allison. There is lots of room out there for lots of cruises. Celebrity is not going to hurt Viking. I hadn’t heard the news when I saw that my RCCL stock went up so much and my Viking went down. I have never been on a Viking cruise but know how deeply they are embedded with ocean and river cruises in the market. Plus I know a lot of people that will only go on Viking River or Ocean. Love them so much. They have a huge loyal following. I think it is great that Celebrity is branching out too. Always good to be diversified in so many ways. Love all your thoughts and info. I agree with everyone being sick. Especially myself and I haven’t been on a cruise. It is every where. Just do our best to keep from getting it and not let it stop us from something we would be doing.
I believe that the crew should be serving people in the buffet. Wear gloves ok but don’t forget as soon as you leave and take them off you touch say a rail then the virus could be there. Take your own hand sanitizer.
Take a 2nd plate to cover your food while going to your table. It will help to keep it hot while you are going to wash that 2nd time. Keeps others from breathing on your food too. Get those loose fitting gloves, as they will be easier to put on with damp hands. Take your own lysol wet wipes and wipe off your table, before you eat. (I imagine they will be using packets for salt, pepper & sugar). WIPE down your room on entry before touching anything. Do this on the plane too. Wipe the tray table, arm rests, seat belts, window shade etc. Use the papertowel for doorknobs exiting the restrooms, and a knuckle to push elevator buttons. Wishing you well. (Take your own personal meds for gastro along. Get some of those powdered electrolyte pouches to add to bottled water.)
Is Princess going to pride disposable gloves? Crew serving us won't help if crews is part of the problem. They can spread it around as good as anyone ese and believe me, they are far from being any cleaner than the rest of us.
I NEVER eat in the ship buffet. For years I have cruised and have avoided the buffet like the plague. I consider the buffet to be a “trough” the way I have observed passengers who frequent the buffet, and the way they load up their plates and eat it like a bunch of pigs! Never, never will I eat in the buffet!
The gloves sounds like a good idea. When we went to the Panama Canal last year, we got off the ship and did the tour through to the pacific and then a bus back. We arrived back to a very different ship. It felt odd the minute we got on. There was a notice on our bed that there was a norovirus outbreak. Crew were standing at the entrances to the buffet not letting people in until they washed their hands and they had servers serving the food. We were just on the Sun where they served food. Older passengers can be so gross. Haha. So I felt better having the crew serve and wish it was this way in all cruises. I think the gloves is a good idea. We also would hit the elevator buttons with our elbows and took the stairs (not touching the railing) when we could. They were constantly cleaning - even cleaning the walls. You just do the best you can not to touch stuff and enjoy your cruise. Germs are everywhere so take whatever precautions you can think of but enjoy. 🙂
I think wearing gloves while you're serving up your food is a wonderful suggestion. I might make that a practice myself. Also, I was reading some of the comments:: Remembering not to touch the armrests with your hands after you've washed. On My last cruise my cabinmate had an intestinal bug for one day, I was not affected. I am always shocked to notice how many people ignore washing before they go to the buffet line. Yep, definitely using gloves. My next cruise when going to the buffet. I usually may eat in the main dining room limiting my exposure to the tongues and serving utensils in the buffet. Do go on the cruise and just be sensible. Ps noticing your voice is improving, great 👍
HazMat Suit! On the Island Princess right now. Amazing that people still walk by the hand washing stations even with an employee there telling them to wash. You Can't Fix STUPID!
If it crowded wear your mask. Who cares if others look at us? Wipe the table, arm rest, think about where you touch. Wash - wash wash your hands. Same for your pool chair or table. Helping the crew staff by keeping it clean. Get your room wiped when you enter but before wipe down your luggage handles that have been touched by many from where you left it at the dock to your room. Think about bar top areas. And give airplane and your hotel room a big wipe down! Don’t forget the TV remote and cabin phone. Take extra Vit C’s and try to get a good night sleep. No one better laugh at you Allison. We are all too busy laughing with you and Gordon😊.
Hi could you slow down and not be so breathy can hardly catch what you are saying at times? I wonder about Celebrity in River Cruises in Europe there are many lines there already and doubt Eiropeans will be very interested in a US river cruise line, especially from a crowd like RCCL/Celebrity who have a reputation for ripping people off. I would never get on any US owned ship if a European owned one was available
Question: Should we cancel our cruise, or just be extra careful?
amzn.to/4aHojvM
amzn.to/40TwstC
Be careful
Be extra careful, be prepared.
Be extra careful.
I’ve cruised a lot on Holland America. This earlier this month I sailed Holland America serves all the food in the buffet. I like this. They also have handwashing stations before the buffet. Unfortunately, halfway through my cruise, I started experiencing bodyaches and coughing. I went to my cabin and slept. The next day I did not feel better so I went to the Medical Center. I was diagnosed with influenza2. I was required to quarantine for 24 hours which I did. I got a call from the nurse and she said I was released as I was feeling a little bit better. They reimbursed me for my missed excursion, they sent me a letter saying I would get future on board credit. I of course, had travel insurance started to fill out the form and asked whether or not I had submitted the claim to my regular health insurance. I had not so I did so and was surprised when a few days later they approved me. Then offered a direct deposit. It was in my account immediately. After the quarantine, I noticed that they had staff standing by the entrance of the buffet, asking you to please wash your hands. The people just walked on by.
One thing that I pay attention to is after I sit down at the table, you have now touched the arm rests and the back of the chair. And as others have said, the salt and pepper shakers are suspect. Currently we just had our Lido restrictions lifted and can get our food and coffee and drinks ourselves. This happened on day 5 of our cruise as the numbers for sickness are low. But it is red alert for me to be extra careful now.
Washing hand should be mandatory on every Cruise when entering the buffet area.. no hand washing no eating
The gasro- virus was on a ship that I took, it helped alot to have the staff serve the food so no one touched serving spoons. Thank you for the Panama Canal information information.
I love Viking, especially their ocean cruises!
We boarded a ship, way before COVID, that had come in early for a norovirus cleaning. It was a great cruise. Everything super clean, crew members dishing food for you at the buffet and even the bathroom doors propped open so handles weren't touched. The result was we just bring our own small salt & pepper shakers, in case a cruise goes into this mode, and we don't have to go looking for the shakers that they will not leave on the tables. Had absolutely no other problems.
Thanks for the video we are on the Coral right after your cruise. Fort Lauderdale to LA. No buffet for me. Please keep us posted
Ordering the Panama Canal book. Have been considering this cruise.😊
Thanks so much Allison. We will be going on our first Princess cruise on Coral full transit Panama Canal starting in Fort Lauderdale on March 9. I appreciate your information so much. Thanks for the book review. We’ve been on around 20 cruises but never Princess and I feel somewhat uncertain with”the way things work” on Princess. Your information always reassures me. There’s a lot of “stomach viruses” going around, even off the ships. I think if you take your normal precautions you should do well. God bless.
We're on the Sky Princess and had the same deep cleaning/sanitizing of the entire ship while we were docked at Ocho Rio, Jamaica. Everything went very smoothly, and I am impressed at the diligence of the crew and the obvious forethought and planning that was put into these situations.
Do not cancel if at all possible I’m sure you’ve been thru before however it’s incredible. Just went thru in November we did a back to back starting in Singapore started with the cruise before the Panama Canal supposedly there was noro on board they cleaned constantly and when we got to LA they drained all the tanks. We always eat in the dining room and we didn’t catch anything. And for the Panama voyage there were no cases from what I heard. I work at a hospital and noro is prevalent this year and not just on cruise ships. Several states have been hit particularly hard this year. You just never hear about it unless it’s on a cruise ship.
We didn't eat at the buffet on our Panama Canal cruise on the Coral Princess over Christmas. That is an option.
We stay away from the buffet, and are excited to go on Sun Princess and have the staff serving us.
Hi Allison, I always bring gloves for the buffet and wash my hands. So far I haven't been sick after 40 cruises. Enjoy your cruise.
I was on the Ruby Princess in December during the Norovirus outbreak & there was no self service in the buffet, even if you just wanted a banana. It worked just fine. Wash your hands often with soap & water.
A tip that I used on the sun princess earlier this month was using a Pana or other longsleeve items that I could use to touch railing. I believe in three points of contact when on stairs but I’m always nervous about all of the germs. I would also consider one of those items that you can add to your keychain. Maybe you could wear it on a wristlet and use it to pull doors open. Again, I was so thrilled on the sun, princess that they had so many doors that open and close. In fact in the sanctuary area, you stand in front of the door to go to the restroom you wave your hand. It opens for you when you go inside you wave your hand wants to close and another side to lock. You never touch anything so I’m hopeful that this trend will be more widespread and the future but mostly everybody needs to commit to washing their hands really well.
Pashmina not pana 😂
In regards to so many getting sick.... what if the "sickness" is due to something in the ship such as it's water? I, myself, get sick with any water (juices, ice, sauces, etc) so I do my darnest to avoid such. BUT things like coffee, I still have and by the 8th day, "it gets my stomach" (the problem is "down there" nothing out of my mouth.... just to think about.
Allison, I love the fact that you tell us about books for locations on the tour.
Call me crazy but i'm always worried about getting sick on cruise (or anywhere crowded like that). What i do when i go into the buffet is wash my hands first...get all my food, then i also bring some wet wipes with me that i use to wipe down and sanitize my hands again AND wipe down the table quickly before i eat. I know that may be excessive, but it keeps me germ-free!
I was on a Hawaiian cruise on the Ruby Princess this past Nov.-Dec. We had an outbreak of the Norovirus. My husband and I didn't get it. The crew did a great job of beefing up all their cleaning procedures. We observed the crew wiping down the handrails, chairs and tables all day long throughout the ship for the rest of the cruise once the outbreak occurred. I took a picture of one of their little yellow buckets with cleaning solution as one of my memories from this trip as we frequently spotted them. I was very impressed with their effort to keep all of us safe. They were forthcoming about the problem. We had received notice and knew what was going on. We experienced the enhanced cleaning process when we were in port with passengers required to leave the ship. Food at the buffet was served to us, including the drinks. We tried our best to use good handwashing, with use of hand gel frequently. We tried to avoid touching rails and door handles, esp. if using one of the public bathrooms). It was suggested that passengers try to mostly use their cabin bathrooms. At the beginning of the cruise, I had wiped down all high touch areas in our cabin with disinfectant wipes. I personally wouldn't cancel the trip, but that is an individual thing. As I believe you mentioned in one of your videos, you have to travel, esp. at this time of the year, with the awareness that there are a lot of communicable diseases going around. It is always a possibility that you can get sick when you travel.
I read the book The Path Between the Seas by Daivid McCullough on a Panama Cruise. I learned so much about the building of the Panama Canal. It really enhanced my appreciation of it.
We have both read that book; hence our original interest in cruising the Panama Canal. What an impressive book, from an even more impressive author.
I wish the crew were serving food as well. I think you are smart to stay safe. I might do the same thing on my cruise.
Allison we will be using gloves also.
Having been "attacked" by that nasty virus on the Sky Princess in 2019...the cleaning of our cabin was amazing including the pipes under the sink.
I used gloves on our cruise and will continue to wear them! I wish they would have crew serve food also. Glad you sound better!
I would like to recommend The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough. It is a huge book but provides a wonderful insight into the building of the Panama Canal. I read it on my first Panama Canal cruise (a former student worked in one of the shops on the Royal Princess and recommended it to me) and it was so engrossing and good that I reread it before my second Panama Canal cruise. Fascinating read.
We have both read that book; hence our original interest in cruising the Panama Canal. What an impressive book, from an even more impressive author.
I have also read three of his books and certainly recommend this one as well
As for Panama on our WC on Coral last year they had a running cometary as we did the transit
We cruised on the Coral Princess 12/19 - 1/4/25. Pacific to Atlanta. At the sink into the buffet a crew member stands & asks everyone to wash their hands. Only had breakfast and lunch at the buffet. Didn't hear of any food born illnesses. Lots of people coughing, if they would wear masks 😷 it would be very courteous to others. 3 of the 4 in our group came down with colds. Dr. gave them antibiotics.
The moderator all day thru the transit was fantastic.
They can laugh at both of us because I already have my gloves and sanitizer wipes ready to go. It’s been a rough season for illnesses.
I also wear gloves on plane & airport too
Wipe down seats, arm rests, tray, etc
I wash hands multi times x per day
Also, wipe down cabin
Stay well 🥰
Same here. We also wear masks on the plane and when on excursions in small vans/busses as well as in the elevators on the ship.
We will also be bringing gloves for the buffet. We did hear Sky is doing the same thing. Wash before getting food and again before you start to eat.
We are going on Island Princess through Panama Canal from SF for our 53 anniversary in December. I would like link for the third book you talked about
We always bring our own small salt and pepper shakers.
I'm bringing gloves, too!
That 3rd one is awesome. Lent. It out highly recommend
Good idea on the gloves. I took mine on a previous cruise but didn't use them. Instead wash before buffet and after.
You’ll love the Panama Canal, we did it on Royal, Miami to Los Angeles, just loved it!!!
I agree! The crew members should serve people in the buffet. Maybe it would help everyone to stay healthy. Great video as always! You sound much better ❤
Thank you 😃
Gloves is the answer in the buffet serving area. I cannot understand why people at the very least do not wash their hands at the buffet entrances, it’s for their and everyone else’s good. Handwashing needs to be enforced by a crew member like they did after Covid !
Not sure if this was recommended yet, but what I do is open my napkin and place it on the table like a mini table cloth. I also skip using the salt and pepper shakers. If I really felt like washing or hand sanitizer was not going to work for any buffet eating I would probably skip the buffet before I brought gloves, but that’s just me.
The latest science suggests that hand sanitizers do little to prevent spread of norovirus. Its amazing to see how many guests do not wash their hands often. I have even seen guests use the washroom and not wash afterwards. Today i chastised a passenger who reached into a buffet station and picked up a bun by hand, totally ignoring the serving tongs. He was shocked by me and soon ran. So beware, do these things and I will embarrass you and report you to security.
we got it one time at the denver aquarium (had to be there, the only common denominator) we believe it was the tables they have for you to sit to eat our lunch. lesson: clean your table with clorox wipes. its the only thing we all could have touched.
Another great book about the history of the Panama Canel is David McCullough's "The Path Between the Seas". I read it before going on a Panama Canal cruise on the Coral Princess in 2019. It is a complete history of its creation. The cruise will be amazing. We have done it twice, once through the old locks and once through the new locks. The old locks were the best, as you see the old technology still working great today.
We have both read that book; hence our original interest in cruising the Panama Canal. What an impressive book, from an even more impressive author.
Excellent food safety recommendations! I will do the same. Also don’t touch elevator buttons with your fingers. Use a knuckle or a glove! Thank you!
Don't cancel. Just be careful. We have been on a cruise where that happened, not as bad, but we didn't get ill. I think it was because we didn't eat much at the buffet. We chose to eat where they served us, hamburgers, pizza and such. Not done on purpose. it just worked out.
Blue is your color 💙
Well, I sent an email to you. I have a friend or two on the Sky Princess including myself. We had the same procedures as the Coral. I’ve heard from friends on the Discovery, Volendam, Eurodam & QE2 that are dealing with the same issues. I’m fine, & It doesn’t stop me from cruising.
Thank you Carey! I received it after I had done my video this morning. Now I’m hearing these other ships are having problems too. Take care and stay healthy!
A lot of talk about gloves but please remember that you must still wash your hands before and after donning (putting on) & doffing (taking off) gloves - if not used correctly gloves can still allow transfer of organisms (germs), gloves can be porous & or have small holes. Best way is to avoid touching your face. Also be aware Norovirus is not killed by using alcohol based hand gel. You have to break the cell wall with soap & water. Also Norovirus can be transmitted by aerosoling when people vomit. People with symptoms should isolate early & those caring for them should wear an N95 mask & gloves. Very contagious
Also remember it may not be people spreading norovirus, contaminated food on the ship can cause it and of course, the ship's water supply if not tested at the various stations causes much of norovirus although the cruise lines will always blame the passengers and never themselves.
Personally I will try to avoid the buffet, it’s not my favorite place to eat. I also have mobility issues and trying to serve myself and use a Cain with a crowded buffet can be challenging. I will also bring wipes and masks. I also make sure to wipe down my cabin everyday as well as put my remote in a zip lock bag. I keep my remote in a drawer while I’m out of the cabin.
Allison maybe you could give us a demonstration of the proper way to take off gloves and dispos of them. Maybe someone who,is going to be on the cripuise proper to us can keep us updated on the status of Noro.
I ALWAYS use gloves in the buffet.
Celebrity will only add to the overabundance of available river cruises. Therefore, we can expect some river cruise companies to go out of business over the next three years.
Don't cancel, just take your precautions. When I went on my last Alaska cruise, our Holland America ship had an outbreak of intestinal sickness, probably norovirus. We were careful to wash our hands, used paper towels to touch public door knobs, and we didn't catch it. I think that so many people got tired of all the restrictions during the Pandemic that they have rebelled and now they don't take any care, including hand-washing. But just taking sensible precautions is always a good idea.
Interesting fact. President roosevelt visited the canal. It was the first time a US president left the country.
You are so right Allison. There is lots of room out there for lots of cruises. Celebrity is not going to hurt Viking. I hadn’t heard the news when I saw that my RCCL stock went up so much and my Viking went down. I have never been on a Viking cruise but know how deeply they are embedded with ocean and river cruises in the market. Plus I know a lot of people that will only go on Viking River or Ocean. Love them so much. They have a huge loyal following. I think it is great that Celebrity is branching out too. Always good to be diversified in so many ways. Love all your thoughts and info. I agree with everyone being sick. Especially myself and I haven’t been on a cruise. It is every where. Just do our best to keep from getting it and not let it stop us from something we would be doing.
I believe that the crew should be serving people in the buffet. Wear gloves ok but don’t forget as soon as you leave and take them off you touch say a rail then the virus could be there. Take your own hand sanitizer.
Yes, cruising is risky for sooooo many reasons.
Don’t eat in buffet , I will be on a winter break cruise avoiding buffet completely
Take a 2nd plate to cover your food while going to your table. It will help to keep it hot while you are going to wash that 2nd time. Keeps others from breathing on your food too. Get those loose fitting gloves, as they will be easier to put on with damp hands. Take your own lysol wet wipes and wipe off your table, before you eat. (I imagine they will be using packets for salt, pepper & sugar). WIPE down your room on entry before touching anything. Do this on the plane too. Wipe the tray table, arm rests, seat belts, window shade etc. Use the papertowel for doorknobs exiting the restrooms, and a knuckle to push elevator buttons. Wishing you well. (Take your own personal meds for gastro along. Get some of those powdered electrolyte pouches to add to bottled water.)
Gloves will always help, and I think cruise lines should have them available at all entry points for the buffet.
Sounds like that article was written by AI.
Hi Christine, Well, if it was written by AI, someone signed their name to it. 🤷♀️
Is Princess going to pride disposable gloves?
Crew serving us won't help if crews is part of the problem.
They can spread it around as good as anyone ese and believe me, they are far from being any cleaner than the rest of us.
The servers or chefs or cooks should wear masks when handling food. Or they are not allowed to talk or sneeze when handling food.
I NEVER eat in the ship buffet. For years I have cruised and have avoided the buffet like the plague. I consider the buffet to be a “trough” the way I have observed passengers who frequent the buffet, and the way they load up their plates and eat it like a bunch of pigs! Never, never will I eat in the buffet!
The gloves sounds like a good idea. When we went to the Panama Canal last year, we got off the ship and did the tour through to the pacific and then a bus back. We arrived back to a very different ship. It felt odd the minute we got on. There was a notice on our bed that there was a norovirus outbreak. Crew were standing at the entrances to the buffet not letting people in until they washed their hands and they had servers serving the food. We were just on the Sun where they served food. Older passengers can be so gross. Haha. So I felt better having the crew serve and wish it was this way in all cruises. I think the gloves is a good idea. We also would hit the elevator buttons with our elbows and took the stairs (not touching the railing) when we could. They were constantly cleaning - even cleaning the walls. You just do the best you can not to touch stuff and enjoy your cruise. Germs are everywhere so take whatever precautions you can think of but enjoy. 🙂
Are you obsessive-compulsive? It is very common.
I think wearing gloves while you're serving up your food is a wonderful suggestion. I might make that a practice myself. Also, I was reading some of the comments:: Remembering not to touch the armrests with your hands after you've washed. On My last cruise my cabinmate had an intestinal bug for one day, I was not affected. I am always shocked to notice how many people ignore washing before they go to the buffet line. Yep, definitely using gloves. My next cruise when going to the buffet. I usually may eat in the main dining room limiting my exposure to the tongues and serving utensils in the buffet. Do go on the cruise and just be sensible. Ps noticing your voice is improving, great 👍
HazMat Suit! On the Island Princess right now. Amazing that people still walk by the hand washing stations even with an employee there telling them to wash. You Can't Fix STUPID!
Thanks for letting us know the current situation where you are!
If it crowded wear your mask. Who cares if others look at us? Wipe the table, arm rest, think about where you touch. Wash - wash wash your hands. Same for your pool chair or table. Helping the crew staff by keeping it clean. Get your room wiped when you enter but before wipe down your luggage handles that have been touched by many from where you left it at the dock to your room. Think about bar top areas.
And give airplane and your hotel room a big wipe down! Don’t forget the TV remote and cabin phone. Take extra Vit C’s and try to get a good night sleep.
No one better laugh at you Allison. We are all too busy laughing with you and Gordon😊.
Hi could you slow down and not be so breathy can hardly catch what you are saying at times? I wonder about Celebrity in River Cruises in Europe there are many lines there already and doubt Eiropeans will be very interested in a US river cruise line, especially from a crowd like RCCL/Celebrity who have a reputation for ripping people off. I would never get on any US owned ship if a European owned one was available
Allison ~ DITTO re sanitize care in-around buffet washing hands, wearing gloves, removing gloves, washing hands, WASHING HANDS, WASHING HANDS‼️ @letsgotraveltips 🤗