Buffet

[Amanda1123]

Hello

I watched a cruise video where someone mentioned that norovirus has been going around cruise ships. I am going on Anthem soon. Does anyone know if the buffet is self serve or are the crew members serving in the buffet? 

[smokeybandit]

Norovirus is quite rare on cruise ships. To date there haven't been any major outbreaks during this noro surge happening nationwide. So there haven't been any buffet changes and I wouldn't anticipate that there would anyway. Just more likely extra attention on keeping utensils clean.

[PL8SWPR]

Buffet is self service again with forced hand washing stations as you enter. 

[Xaa]

Yep, self service on Anthem but you are required to go through the washing station and the Washy Washy lady sings out encouragement.

[barjpoe]

But. there is always the person that does wash hands, then as they're going through the line will eat off their plate, lick their fingers, and then pick up the serving utensil ta take some food.  well they licked their fingers and didn't go back to wash their hands.

[whitsmom]

19 minutes ago, barjpoe said:

But. there is always the person that does wash hands, then as they're going through the line will eat off their plate, lick their fingers, and then pick up the serving utensil ta take some food.  well they licked their fingers and didn't go back to wash their hands.

This is exactly why we don't do the buffet much.  We carry hand sanitizer in our pocket as use it as soon as we sit down if we do choose to eat in there.

[Vancity Cruiser]

38 minutes ago, whitsmom said:

We carry hand sanitizer in our pocket as use it as soon as we sit down if we do choose to eat in there

We also bring sanitizer to use after getting our food and before we begin eating.

[FireFishII]

39 minutes ago, whitsmom said:

This is exactly why we don't do the buffet much.  We carry hand sanitizer in our pocket as use it as soon as we sit down if we do choose to eat in there.

I was going to suggest the same - wash your hands on the way in and use hand sanitizer or hand wipes when you sit down before you start eating. 

[FSUFAN]

3 hours ago, barjpoe said:

But. there is always the person that does wash hands, then as they're going through the line will eat off their plate, lick their fingers, and then pick up the serving utensil ta take some food.  well they licked their fingers and didn't go back to wash their hands.

We were on the Voyager last fall. Some clown who was too good (or just too arrogant) to follow the rules, came inside from the doors near the entrance to the buffet (he'd been out on the deck smoking).  Blew out a big lung full of smoke and then just waived off the "Washie - Washie" attendant.    

[FireFishII]

1 hour ago, FSUFAN said:

We were on the Voyager last fall. Some clown who was too good (or just too arrogant) to follow the rules, came inside from the doors near the entrance to the buffet (he'd been out on the deck smoking).  Blew out a big lung full of smoke and then just waived off the "Washie - Washie" attendant.    

A....., oh, I can't say that on this forum. It is sad that some minority just don't get it when it comes to germs.  I don't know if school science project still does the 'white bread' experiment - where they use white bread as a petri dish to see where germs live and how washing your hands cut down on the germ. I recently saw one science experiment where they wiped the bread all over a tablet. It was totally BLACK by the end of the experiment. 

[Riley]

Agree with both the handwashing and the "sanitize before eating" option... depending on how close the nearest sink is, the DB and I take turns washing our hands an extra time AFTER we've gotten all our food but before we unroll the cutlery and sit down to eat.

[tjcruisers]

Used to like going to the buffet, then over the lockdown started watching Tony and Don (Don't touch my food) and they kind of turned me off it. I did take Tony's tip and bring hand sanitizer with us now

[jeffmw]

Just wash your hands and eat. You encounter way more germs going about your everyday life than in the Windjammer, where at least you can be sure 90% of the people have recently washed their hands (which can't be said for everywhere else you go). The surfaces you encounter everywhere you go, your cell phone, your remote controls -- these things have way more germs and bacteria than a buffet that's cleaned thoroughly and regularly. 

This fear of buffets is mostly driven by optics and myth. 

And norovirus is not a major worry on cruise ships. Most outbreaks happen in healthcare settings, nursing homes, schools, etc. 

[GatorCruiser]

20 hours ago, FSUFAN said:

We were on the Voyager last fall. Some clown who was too good (or just too arrogant) to follow the rules, came inside from the doors near the entrance to the buffet (he'd been out on the deck smoking).  Blew out a big lung full of smoke and then just waived off the "Washie - Washie" attendant.    

Must’ve been a Nole.  I kid , I kid. 

[jeffmw]

41 minutes ago, GatorCruiser said:

Must’ve been a Nole.  I kid , I kid. 

Actually, as a neutral third party with no affiliation to any of the parties involved, I'm sure it was a U fan. 

[Jolly Ogre]

19 hours ago, FireFishII said:

A....., oh, I can't say that on this forum. It is sad that some minority just don't get it when it comes to germs.  I don't know if school science project still does the 'white bread' experiment - where they use white bread as a petri dish to see where germs live and how washing your hands cut down on the germ. I recently saw one science experiment where they wiped the bread all over a tablet. It was totally BLACK by the end of the experiment. 

YES!!  We learned about this in the 6th grade... come on children...please use what is little left of your brains.

[CruiseGus]

On 3/13/2023 at 10:28 AM, smokeybandit said:

Norovirus is quite rare on cruise ships. To date there haven't been any major outbreaks during this noro surge happening nationwide. So there haven't been any buffet changes and I wouldn't anticipate that there would anyway. Just more likely extra attention on keeping utensils clean.

Both the 12 and 19 Feb sailing on Allure were late boarding so the could do a complete "Sanitation Barrier" after debarkation due to cases of Noro.  This was direct from the Hotel Operation Manager, during our consecutive cruiser briefing/meeting as the reason we could not go directly to our cabins.

[smokeybandit]

32 minutes ago, CruiseGus said:

Both the 12 and 19 Feb sailing on Allure were late boarding so the could do a complete "Sanitation Barrier" after debarkation due to cases of Noro.  This was direct from the Hotel Operation Manager, during our consecutive cruiser briefing/meeting as the reason we could not go directly to our cabins.

Yes, cruise lines take noro seriously, so they take extra precautions to prevent it from spreading. But they do that no matter how many cases of noro are on board since it does spread so easily.

[CrznTxn]

Allure last week had extra folks with hand sanitizer at the shows and other venues. At the end of the cruise we had a questionnaire in our room asking if anyone had "intestinal" issues during the cruise. They take it very serious. On another cruise line in the past we knew when there were possible issues as the salt and pepper shakers would disappear and paper condiment packets would show up on the tables.

[Dan Curtis]

On the Jewel, it was served by staff until the last full day and departure morning.

[DragonsFly]

I've been on one cruise with a norovirus outbreak. The first thing to go was any self serve spaces on the ship. The buffet, the drink stations, the ice cream machine, the dinner table bread basket - all of it switched over to crew controlled in a matter of hours (or shorter) from when it started showing up. While it isn't common they take it very seriously. Which I was very glad about since their attention to it meant I didn't get it.

[Ontariocruisers99]

I still can't believe after going through covid the amount of guys that finish going to the bathroom then do the "pretend wash their hands". What is the point of putting a few fingers under the tap, no soap then grabbing a paper towel like you washed your hands? Grown men too, it's unbelievable.

 

Saw it several times on Freedom and Liberty, just disgusting.