Washing Hands Prevents Illness

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October 15, Global Handwashing Day

The 2020 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Hand Hygiene for All.”  

Global Handwashing Day is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

Source:  Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing
 

Cruise Ships & Norovirus

In past years, cruise industry headlines centered around ships delayed due to the need to have a deep clean following an up tick in the gastrointestinal illness, known as Norovirus.  Perhaps news stories like that have prevented you from enjoying a cruise vacation.

Coronavirus Brought Attention to Handwashing 

Symphony of the Seas

This year’s theme follows the recent global initiative calling on all of society to scale up hand hygiene, especially through handwashing with soap. This year’s theme reminds us that we must work toward universal access and practice of handwashing with soap for now and for a healthy future.

Keeping cruise ships clean and sanitary has always been a top priority for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) members. While this longstanding cruise line practice may sound minor, COVID-19 has reaffirmed the critical importance of hand hygiene to protecting public health. 

Who is to Blame When Norovirus Hits?

The first inclination when you hear about an outbreak would be to blame the cruise line. Clearly, they have let you down - you expected a healthy cruise, and you got sick.   In fact there's a group of passengers that were on sister cruise line's Independence of the Seas that are suing Royal Caribbean International for £500,000 after contracting norovirus while onboard the ship.

The cruise line is responsible - right?

The cruise line IS responsible  for cleaning the ship and providing the facilities for passengers and crew to maintain proper hygiene onboard the ship.   They do that - you'll notice signs posted in all the rest rooms and crew members pointing out sanitation machines and washing stations, such as the one in the picture above posted outside the restaurant entrance.  

Keeping Cruise Ships Clean and Sanitary (Read More)

But, ladies and gentleman - I suspect that YOU are to BLAME.   Did you stop to wash your hands after using the bathroom?   Did you sanitize your hands every time you entered a restaurant onboard the ship.   Did you do so all but one time?   That one time would be enough to kick off this sort of outbreak.

During recent cruises on Disney Dream and Carnival Sensation, we noticed the sanitizing materials and signs.  Sadly, we also noticed many passengers disregarding the signs and avoiding the sanitizing of their hands before entering the restaurant.

Working together, the cruise lines and passengers could Prevent Norovirus and other illness.

USEFUL LINKS ABOUT NOROVIRUS

Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships  -  gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses can be prevented

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.  Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with hand washing.

Norovirus outbreaks, when they occur on a cruise ship, always make the news.  The truth is these outbreaks can occur anywhere there are groups of people in a small area such as nursing homes, restaurants, catered events, hotels, and cruise ships.

Vessel Sanitation Program - prevention and control of spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships  

 

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

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Wash Your Hands Tis the Season

October 15, Global Handwashing Day

The 2019 Global Handwashing Day theme is “Clean Hands for All”  

Global Handwashing Day is an annual global advocacy day dedicated to increasing awareness and understanding about the importance of handwashing with soap as an easy, effective, and affordable way to prevent diseases and save lives.

Source:  Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing
 

Cruise Ships & Norovirus ...Tis the Season

You've heard the stories in the news about cruise ships delayed due to the need to have a deep clean following an up tick in the gastrointestinal illness, known as Norovirus.  Perhaps news stories like that are preventing you from enjoying a cruise vacation.

Who is to Blame When Norovirus Hits?

The first inclination when you hear about an outbreak would be to blame the cruise line. Clearly, they have let you down - you expected a healthy cruise, and you got sick.   In fact there's a group of passengers that were on sister cruise line's Independence of the Seas that are suing Royal Caribbean International for £500,000 after contracting norovirus while onboard the ship.

The cruise line is responsible - right?

The cruise line IS responsible  for cleaning the ship and providing the facilities for passengers and crew to maintain proper hygiene onboard the ship.   They do that - you'll notice signs posted in all the rest rooms and crew members pointing out sanitation machines, such as the one in the picture above posted outside the restaurant entrance.  

But, ladies and gentleman - I suspect that YOU are to BLAME.   Did you stop to wash your hands after using the bathroom?   Did you sanitize your hands every time you entered a restaurant onboard the ship.   Did you do so all but one time?   That one time would be enough to kick off this sort of outbreak.

During recent cruises on Disney Dream and Carnival Sensation, we noticed the sanitizing materials and signs.  Sadly, we also noticed many passengers disregarding the signs and avoiding the sanitizing of their hands before entering the restaurant.

Working together, the cruise lines and passengers could Prevent Norovirus!

USEFUL LINKS ABOUT NOROVIRUS

Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships  -  gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses can be prevented

Wash hands often. Wash hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.  Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer along with hand washing.

Norovirus outbreaks, when they occur on a cruise ship, always make the news.  The truth is these outbreaks can occur anywhere there are groups of people in a small area such as nursing homes, restaurants, catered events, hotels, and cruise ships.

Vessel Sanitation Program - prevention and control of spread of gastrointestinal (GI) illnesses on cruise ships  

 

National Plan A Cruise Month Promotions 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

Follow Us On

        

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat 

Earth Day 2019 Protect Our Species

 Happy Earth Day 2019
April 22nd

Protect Our Species

The world is facing the greatest rate of extinction since we lost the dinosaurs more than 60 million years ago!

But unlike the fate of the dinosaurs, the rapid extinction of species in our world today is the result of human activity!

We love cruising the world's oceans and waterways.  It is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore the earth.  In order to continue doing so, we need to protect the oceans and our land for generations to come.  Each of you can help make a difference in the future of Mother Earth.

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

Earth Day Network’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Earth Day 2019 is dedicated to raise awareness about the accelerating rate of extinction of millions of species and the causes and consequences of this phenomenon. There are many resources on Earth Day Network's site.  Start by downloading their Protect Our Species Primer and Action Toolkit.

What You Need to Know About Coral Reefs 
 and How You Can Help Protect Them

Environmentally Conscious Vacation Experiences

Did you know that Cruise Lines offer an environmentally conscious vacation experience? 

CLIA Cruise Line Members lead, invest, and collaborate to minimize their ships’ impact on the environment.

Help End Plastic Pollution by finding out how many plastic items you consume every year 

and make a PLEDGE to reduce the amount.

Additional Resources:

 (click on the image to enlarge)

U.S. EPA | Earth Day

National Geographic for Kids

4Ocean Earth Day

A Global Concern

When we were in Southeast Asia last year we toured Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.  These signs underscore the need to take action to protect our environment.  We encourage you to start your education on this Earth Day 2019, and take steps to conserve and recycle during your vacations and daily lives.  

Thank you to CLIA, Participating Cruise Lines, EPA, Earth Day Network and their sponsors for efforts to educate and make changes necessary for sustainability.  And thank YOU for doing your part.  

We must work together to protect endangered and threatened species: bees, coral reefs, elephants, giraffes, insects, whales and more.

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Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Earth Day 2018 Protect Our Oceans

 Happy Earth Day 2018 
April 22nd

End Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is poisoning our oceans and land, injuring marine life, and affecting our health!

We love cruising the world's oceans and waterways.  It is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore the earth.  In order to continue doing so, we need to protect the oceans and our land for generations to come.  Each of you can help make a difference in the future of Mother Earth.

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22. Worldwide, various events are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, Earth Day events in more than 193 countries are now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network.

Earth Day Network’s mission is to diversify, educate and activate the environmental movement worldwide. Earth Day 2018 is dedicated to providing the information and inspiration needed to fundamentally change human attitude and behavior about plastics.

Help End Plastic Pollution by finding out how many plastic items you consume every year 

and make a PLEDGE to reduce the amount.

There are many resources on Earth Day Network's site.  Start by downloading their Plastic Pollution Primer and Action Toolkit.  We've embedded one of the videos here to get you started.

According to this video, we use plastic because it is durable and cheap to make. Only 10% of the plastic that is made gets recycled, and more than 70% of the plastic goes into natural ecosystems.

Environmentally Conscious Vacation Experiences

Did you know that Cruise Lines offer an environmentally conscious vacation experience? 

CLIA Cruise Line Members lead, invest, and collaborate to minimize their ships’ impact on the environment.

In last year's Earth Day post we shared Friends of the Earth’s annual Cruise Report Card which compared the environmental footprint of 17 major cruise lines and 171 cruise ships. View a PDF of the latest annual report card here.  Disney Cruise Line was the only cruise line to score an "A" grade in the latest report card posted on their website.

At Disney Cruise Line, we’re dedicated to minimizing our impact on the environment year around and are always looking for innovative ways to increase fuel efficiency, reduce waste and promote conservation worldwide. You can learn more about Disney Cruise Line environmental efforts and check out the entire Behind the Waves video series starring Jenna Ortega here.

(Source: Disney Park Blog)

Additional Resources:

 (click on the image to enlarge)

U.S. EPA | Earth Day

National Geographic for Kids

4Ocean Earth Day

A Global Concern

When we were in Southeast Asia earlier this year we toured Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.  These signs underscore the need to take action to protect our environment.  We encourage you to start your education on this Earth Day 2018, and take steps to conserve and recycle during your vacations and daily lives.  

Thank you to CLIA, Participating Cruise Lines, EPA, Earth Day Network and their sponsors for efforts to educate and make changes necessary for sustainability.  And thank YOU for doing your part.  

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