Cruise Ship: Diamond Princess
Cruise Destination: Alaska
Cruise Date: September 2, 2006
Guest Contributor: Patricia Chiasson
On September 2, 2006, my sister and I embarked on what we thought would be the trip of a lifetime - our Alaskan cruise on the Diamond Princess. Thinking a new big ship would be superior to an older ship, we chose to cruise on the Diamond Princess. And, we did our homework! To say we were disappointed is an understatement! A detailed write-up follows covering some of the reasons why our trip was less than acceptable along with suggestions and comments. Some of the problems described are major - some minor. The minor issues are included because they would be easy to fix, and I have mailed Princess a copy of this review.
Embarkation on the Diamond Princess
When we arrived at the ship, we learned that embarkation had been delayed for a few hours due to the Norovirus. The ship was being sanitized. While we understood the need for such a delay, the lack of compassion for passenger needs was disturbing. In the area where the embarkation process usually began, people were instructed to go outside and walk quite a distance to the very end of the parking area, go up an escalator to the conference center and then get in a long line inching along to the other end of the center where, thankfully, we were able to sit down for the hour or so that transpired before a number provided to us was called. We were processed (i.e. got our ship card). We were then instructed to walk back on that floor to the escalator, go downstairs to the parking area and walk back to where we originally started. Then it was up another escalator to more long lines only to get to another line for customs. 4 hours total.
Due to the number of passengers, there was no way to avoid long lines, however, nobody was checking on those passengers who were in obvious distress. A heavyset gentleman in pain - his wife told us he recently had knee replacement surgery. Older or heavy women with badly swollen ankles. A couple in their 80's - the gentlemen breathing heavily - clearly having trouble walking that distance. Suggestion: In these types of situations, Princess could assign personnel to look for people needing assistance. They should be brought to the head of the line.
Disembarkation from the Diamond Princess
Could anything be worse than embarkation? YES - disembarkation! It was requested by ship personnel that we vacate our rooms as early as possible on the morning of disembarkation. Being compliant people, we left the room at 6 a.m. We noticed that our final bill was not in our mail slot, as we had been told it would be, so we proceeded to the front desk for a copy. After waiting in line, we were told the computers were down. Bills were going to be sent to the corporate office and we could get a copy if we requested it in writing! I'm at a loss to understand why the PA system, used constantly throughout the cruise, wasn't used that morning to inform us the computer was down.
We then sat around for almost two hours, along with a huge number of others, waiting for disembarkation numbers to be called. At some point, I needed to use the rest room. After finding the closest two bathrooms closed, I "ran" to use the restroom at the back of the casino. Closed. Absolutely unconscionable! There was no time to take an elevator to the 14th deck in the hopes something was open near the buffet. Many people were affected. Does one have to get a prescription for Detrol in order to go on a cruise? If getting an early start on sanitizing the bathrooms was the reason, it's a totally unacceptable excuse.
The Norovirus on the Diamond Princess
As you are well aware, the Norovirus is usually contracted by people touching something contaminated and then touching food or their mouths. It is initially passed via human secretions (vomit, feces). Cleanliness is crucial. To that end, people's hands were squirted with sanitizer before they could enter the buffet, food had to be served to us and all the servers wore disposable gloves, etc. Then, the foolishness begins --
A number of times one or more of the public restrooms were closed for cleaning after a passenger became ill in that area. Yellow tape across a restroom and staff in full gear (white hazmat suit, masks, gloves, etc.) was not rare. Clearly, ship management knew restrooms were a problem area. Yet, disposible seat covers were not provided in any of the public ladies' restrooms that my sister and I used, nor was sanitizing gel available in or near any public restroom.
Often, after a passenger became sick, plastic bags of contaminated linens, towels, were left in the hallway - sometimes for hours. Very disconcerting.
The Casino is an especially bad situation. Not once in the many, many hours I took my chances (healthwise) spending time in that Casino did I see anyone cleaning. Not even Las Vegas type hand wipes were available. One is touching machines, one is collecting filthy coins, placing them into buckets and reinserting them into other machines. There was one container of sanitizing gel on the Cashier's counter and that was it.
Other than the food area, sanitization was not evident. We never saw anyone cleaning common areas like the elevators, knobs, handrails, counters, bar or lounge chairs - nor were there any restrictions in the shops or at the art auctions. One could search through stacks of prints or go through articles in the shops, etc. without question or hand sanitation. Reminding people of the virus whenever they were engaging in commercial endeavors was totally ignored.
Bartenders and Servers in the main dining rooms did not wear gloves. Although servers were careful to use tongs while placing bread on your plate, etc., the diners were allowed to touch and pass dishes around - the butter dish, the coffer creamer, etc.
I can only conclude that the "don't you dare pick up your own banana" at the buffet was merely an attempt at calming the masses and a form of damage control. They will never control the virus' shipboard pervasiveness in such a haphazard way.
Page 2 > > More of Diamond Princess Alaska Cruise Review > >
