Cruise ship

[Bill Seddon]

Outside of most if not all ships restaurants is a guy/girl with hand gel and they insist you get a dollop of this gel.Isnt it a fact that some people dont take personal hygene seriously enough.I have seen many men go for a pee and dont wash there hands,eat some nuts from the bar and then cross contamination occurs.Spreads like wildfire throughout the ship.Most paxs who have the virus are then confined to there cabins.They may not even be at fault,but thats the end of there cruise for a few days at least.Preparation of food bought in some visiting ports are put right onto the ship,and may put the ship at risk.Your right about buying food from a cafe ashore Capt Kong.This could be where the problem can originate,then shipping company get the blame.I have no sympathy for the ships who are nearly all owned by a few main players.But when did we ever have frequent outbrakes of viruses way back when we where at sea.Nowa days its all about profit and loss which should be without cutting corners.I do a few cruises and on the whole am pleased with the quality of hygene,but god forbid if I ever need an apsrin,then your in for a big surprise.a vist to the Doctors and boy o boy you will pay BIG TIME!!!

[Captain Kong]

I had never heard of anyone being sick in all the tramps, tankers and liners , Cunard and CPR in all the years I was at sea, These new liners with all the latest gadgets seems to happen quite regular, It has happened several times when I was on QE2 and QM2, with passengers going down down vomiting.Many people never was their hands at all after the toilets. I was in one on the QE2, the toilet door opened and a Waiter came out, the stench was awful and he had obviously had a good crap. he walked out without washing his hands and into the Caronia Restaraunt and started serving. I told the Matre D and he went and threw him out. I never saw him in the Restaraunt again.
Also the same applies when the bloods go into dodgy cafes in some dodgy places. 20 of them went on a trip in Panama and a couple of days later they all went down with the wild sh8s, and blaming the ship.
One time on QE2 in 2001 on a trip to Cape Town, I had six paracetamol off the Doc, bill was $100
I always take a full medical kit with me everytime I go, All the tablets, BP ones, Pain killers, Ointment etc, bandages , plasters , and even a sling in case I break an arm or shoulder and a fold up walking stick. The sling came in handy two years ago when I broke my shoulder in the Antarctic, lasted until I got home four weeks later, never spent a penny on Doctors.
Cheers,
Brian.

[Keith Tindell]

Hi, Could not agree more, re hygene in the gents, not just on cruise ships, in the gents toilets all round. I would think easy 50% of guys going for a pee do not wash their hands afterwards, the thing that i hate is to know that the guy in front of you did not wash his hands, and then find to get out of the toilet it has a handle that you must touch. Its not the answer but i pull my jersey down over my hand to open the door, jersey contaminated i know. Regards keith

[Terry Wilcox]

I have read your comments, and on thing springs to mind.... I served 22 years in the M.N. and not once did I come across "FOOD CONTAMINATION". Is it these times that we have had so much trouble? We do not know where the food has come from before it has been shipped onto the vessel, also there are so many additives added to the food. I work as a Chef and I have not had any trouble, I know where our meat and others come from. Take care.... Terry.

[happy daze john in oz]

I am of the opinion that the main problem lies in the ports of call the ship goes to. Never had any problem when cruise ships go to places such as Wellington, but go to some of the Asian ports and even having something as simple as a beer ashore can bring you undone. Hygine in some countries is way off the mark and so many go ashore and bring back a bug which goes through the ship.

[Glan Phillips]

what the hell has this to do with cruise ships...??????

Glan

[Captain Kong]

On Channel Five in the UK last night was Paul Mertons trip on the largest Cruise ship in the world , the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean.
6,300 passengers, 2,500 crew. I certainly would not sail on that one.
Can you imagine a boiler room explosion, and evacuating nealy 9,000 panicking screaming people.?
Can you imagine crossing the Western Ocean in winter and the 100 foot wave?

And it was full of obscenely FAT Americans wallowing around the decks like Elephant Seals.
The wheel house just seemed to be one big empty space and the Master looked like a young lad or is it me getting older.
Cheers
Brian

[Ivan Cloherty]

On Channel Five in the UK last night was Paul Mertons trip on the largest Cruise ship in the world , the Allure of the Seas, Royal Caribbean.
6,300 passengers, 2,500 crew. I certainly would not sail on that one.
Can you imagine a boiler room explosion, and evacuating nealy 9,000 panicking screaming people.?
Can you imagine crossing the Western Ocean in winter and the 100 foot wave?

And it was full of obscenely FAT Americans wallowing around the decks like Elephant Seals.
The wheel house just seemed to be one big empty space and the Master looked like a young lad or is it me getting older.
Cheers
Brian

Saw the same programme Brian, made me shudder, had the same thoughts, how the hell would you evacuate nearly 9000 souls, some who could barely walk never mind clamber into a lifeboat or even get up the stairs in a hurry. Those alleyways in the accommodation were so narrow, two obese but not overobese could not pass and three in formation in front of you would scupper your chances of survival. Some never left the bar, had no interest at all in exploring the ship or even seeing the sea, so why bother.

Admittedley the Captain did look "oh so young" but that is just us getting older, but liners have probably been his life and put him on one of our "old cargo" ships and it would possibly horrify him what we thought was great, "dirty hands" what the hell are those. And where were the open air bridge wings "What! you expect me to go outside !! it's raining!" what do they do for fresh air. I see no point in going on a ship like that, it's just a hotel that moves. Yuk!

[Glan Phillips]

Brian.....Master of the 'Allure of The Seas'.....Captain Hernan Zini is 41, born in Argentina, is ex Argentinian Navy, served on board cargo ships, tankers etc....joined RCCL in 1991 as 2nd Officer.

Cheerrs,
Glan

[Glan Phillips]

RCCL has two female Masters..........Captain Karin Stahre-Janson (42)....Master of the 'Seranade of The Seas' and Captain Liz Lauritzen.....Master of the 'Vision of The Seas'.

And I may add....both are "easy on the eyes" !!!

I had a female Staff Captain back in 1991 who later became a pilot at a major U.S. port.

Cheers,
Glan