Inspection on Oct 09, 2012 | Score: 76

Housekeeping-Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP)

In the Sea Chef's OPRP, the concentration and contact time for the disinfectant Incidin used during outbreak level 2 for non-food areas was not effective against human norovirus or an acceptable surrogate according to the documentation provided by the ship. Also, there was no documentation provided to determine if the concentrations and contact times used for Incidin during outbreak levels 1 and 3 for non-food areas was effective against human norovirus or an acceptable surrogate.

Galley-Pantry

The light intensity behind and around the ice machine was less than 110 lux.

Galley-Pantry

The food contact surfaces of several service pans stored on clean racks were soiled with food debris.

Buffet-Lido Wine Cellar

A windbreaker was stored in the cabinet under the beer tap along with wine containers and a beer keg. The windbreaker was removed.

Buffet-Lido - Starboard & Port Cold Stations

The consumer advisory posted at the stations where cold smoked salmon and marinated herring were on display was not specific to these foods.

Buffet-Lido - Starboard & Port Egg Stations

The consumer advisory posted at the stations where eggs could be served undercooked was not specific to eggs and did not state that eggs could be cooked to order.

Buffet-Lido - Starboard Cold Station

The spoons used as serving utensils for a bowl of peach pieces and another bowl of mandarin pieces were completely immersed in the fruit and syrup. The food was discarded.

Buffet-Lido - Starboard Cold Station

There were no serving utensils for a bowl of figs and a bowl of dried apples.

Buffet-Lido - Port Cold Station

There was no serving utensil for a tray with crackers and toasted bread.

Food Service General-Waiter Stations

The light intensity at several waiter stations in the Lido and dining rooms could not be raised to 220 lux for cleaning operations.

Buffet-Lido

There were two cups of unprotected juice staged at the clean area of the port/aft waiter station. The crew member at the station stated that the cups were filled for guests at a table but the cups were returned from the table and placed at the clean area of the waiter station after guests did not want them. The juice was discarded.

Food Service General-Decks

There were broken tiles and recessed and missing grout in many of the food areas. These deck conditions allowed for pooled clean and soiled water between tiles. This was observed in lido galley, main galley, crew galley, dish and potwash areas, and buffet lines. There was also carpet on the deck inside the pantry in front of the exit doors from the Lido pantry to the passenger area.

Food Service General-Time Control Plans

The time control plans had general and approximate set-up and discard times. Staff explained that set-up and discard times can vary during sea and port days and port arrival times.

Galley-Hot Galley

The previously cleaned flat grill grease drip pan housing and chute were soiled with grease deposits.

Buffet-Port

The serving utensils for a container with cut cucumbers and another container of cut tomatoes were completely touching the food.

Galley-Port Entrance

The deckhead had many gaps and seams.

Galley-Dishwash

The pressure gauge of the in-use dishwasher measured the pressure at 12 psi. The manufacturer's data plate indicated a required pressure of 20 ± 5 psi.

Galley-Dishwash

There was a soiled serving utensil stored in a rack of the clean storage area. The serving utensil was removed.

Galley-Dishwash

The nonfood contact area of a dressing bowl stored in the clean area was soiled with food residue.

Galley-Dishwash

Several pieces of cutlery stored in the clean area were soiled with food residue. The cutlery was sent back to be rewashed.

Galley-Pantry

The refrigeration pipes in the technical compartment of upright refrigerator #63 had white materials that appeared to be mold.

Galley-Pantry

The refrigeration pipes in the technical compartment of upright refrigerator #63 had broken insulation, making cleaning difficult.

Galley-Artania Restaurant Pantry

In the upper compartment of the ice machine, there was a slotted fastener on the ice thickness probe over the cuber panel.

Dining Room-Menus

The breakfast menu had a consumer advisory but cold smoked fish was not identified as a food that is not fully cooked and eggs were not identified as foods that could be cooked to order and served undercooked. The lunch menu had a consumer advisory but raw marinated fish was not identified as a raw food. The dinner menu was not available for inspection, but staff explained that the menu had a consumer advisory, but undercooked or raw foods were not identified.

Galley-Starboard Entrance

The deck at the starboard entrance from the Four Seasons Restaurant to the galley had gaps and broken tiles, making cleaning difficult.

Galley-Port Exit to Dining Room

The deckhead was heavily soiled with dust at the exit where waiters exit the galley with food for consumers.

Galley-Port Exit to Dining Room

There was aluminum foil covering a gap on the lower left of the door frame.

Dining Room-Linen Locker

The lower part of the right bulkhead had gaps and exposed insulation, making cleaning difficult. Also, the bottom of the locker door frame had gaps and raw wood, making cleaning difficult.

Galley-Dishwash

The pressure gauge of the in-use dishwasher was not working at all.

Galley-Dishwash

The in-use dishwasher had two of the final sanitizing rinse spray nozzles clogged. This was corrected during the inspection.

Galley-Dishwash

Several stacks of plate covers were stored about 1 inch from the technical parts of the in-use dishwasher.

Galley-Dishwash

One of the plastic pallets holding the plate covers was soiled with food residue on surfaces touching the inner edges of the plate covers.

Galley-Dishwash

Several service trays were stored wet and stacked together not allowing them to air-dry.

Galley-Glasswash

There was a continuous and forceful water leak behind the in-use glasswasher coming out of the wash compartment causing many areas of the deck to be wet. This was corrected during the inspection.

Galley-Glasswash

Four crates full of clean dessert cups were stored facing up and unprotected.

Galley-Coffee Station

The nonpotable chilled water lines connected to the back of the ice machine were not uniquely identified.

Galley-

The light intensity behind and around the ice machine was less than 110 lux.

Galley-Garde Manger Walk-In Cooler

There were seams and gaps around the deck/bulkhead juncture.

Galley-Garde Manger Walk-In Cooler

There were several corroded fasteners on the deck/bulkhead juncture.

Galley-Walk-In Cooler #16

The drain line of the evaporative condenser was not sloped to drain.

Galley-Walk-In Cooler #26

The cooling of a hotel pan labeled as containing cubed chicken breast and prepared on October 8 was not documented in a cooling log.

Galley-Walk-In Cooler #17

The drain line of the evaporative condenser was not sloped to drain.

Galley-Walk-In Cooler #43

The deck/bulkhead juncture panel at the entrance had gaps, exposing insulation.

Galley-Walk-In Cooler #43

The bulkhead mounted thermometer of the walk-in cooler was surrounded by aluminum foil providing numerous ledges and projections, making cleaning difficult.

Galley-Bakery

The baguette forming machine had a fabric conveyor belt and a fabric landing that had loose and protruding cloth fibers at the food contact surfaces.

Galley-Bakery

The previously cleaned food contact surface of the fabric conveyor belt of the baguette forming machine had a small metallic piece that appeared to be aluminum foil. It was removed.

Galley-Pastry

There was peeling sealant on the right panel of the left oven and on the left panel of the right oven. There was also some corrosion on the right panel of the left oven.

Galley-Hot Galley

The technical compartments of upright refrigerators #18 and #19 were heavily soiled with dust.

Galley-Hot Galley

The light intensity behind and around the combination ovens was less than 110 lux.

Galley-Hot Galley

The left flat grill had a gap around the grease drip chute inside the housing, making cleaning difficult.

Galley-Hot Galley

The previously cleaned left flat grill was soiled with grease deposits around the grease drip chute inside the housing.

Galley-Walk-In Cooler

The cooling of a large hotel pan of tagliatelle pasta prepared on October 8 was not documented in a cooling log. The staff stated that the pasta was cooled with ice and thus its cooling was not documented. According to the staff, only the cooling of foods cooled in the blast chiller were documented in the cooling logs.

Galley-Dishwash

The wash temperature of the in-use dishwasher was measured at 136°F.

Galley-Dishwash

Soup cups in the clean area were wet and stacked together not allowing them to air dry.

Food Service General-Cutting Blocks

Most of the cutting blocks used in the galleys were scratched and scored, making cleaning difficult. The staff stated that they did not have a machine onboard to resurface them and were waiting to do this job during the next dry dock in November 2012.

Galley-Potwash

The sanitizing compartment of the in-use three-compartment sink had more than 20 pans and lids with several pans and lids being partially or completely out of the sanitizing solution. The compartment was completely full, not allowing the movement of pans and lids in the sanitizing solution.

Galley-Potwash

The inside of several large hotel pans and a pasta strainer stored in the clean area were soiled with greasy residues.

Galley-Potwash

The outside of several large hotel pans and a pasta strainer stored in the clean area were soiled with greasy residues.

Galley-Potwash

The crew members working at the potwash had more than 20 pans and lids in the sanitizing compartment of the in-use 3-compartment sink with several pans and lids being partially or completely out of the sanitizing solution. Staff in the area did not react to this practice stating that their cleaning procedures were delayed and that the partially immersed lids and pans had to be rotated to sanitize the surfaces above the water line. However, in order for the crew members do that, they had to move most pans and lids out of the sanitation compartment into the rinse compartment only when instructed by the inspector to have enough room to completely sanitize the food contact surfaces of the pans and lids.

Galley-Potwash

Several mixing bowls in the clean area were stacked wet not allowing them to air dry.

Galley-Potwash

There was a continuous water drip from the deckhead above the clean storage. The clean storage had a hotel pan and a pasta strainer that appeared not to be impacted. These were removed from this storage.

Galley-Potwash

Three knives were immersed in a sanitizing solution with a concentration of more than 400 ppm.

Galley-Potwash

A covered hotel pan of celery pieces was positioned within millimeters of a pan containing three knives in a sanitizing solution with a concentration of more than 400 ppm. Some celery was unprotected between the lid and the pan in proximity to the pan with the over-potent sanitizing solution.

Buffet-

Several bowls placed out for self-service were wet and dripping heavily.

Buffet-Beverage Station

The inside of the lid of a portable water cooler containing water was soiled with dark residues.

Buffet-Beverage Station

The outside of the portable water cooler was soiled with dark residues.

Buffet-Beverage Station

The outside surfaces of the portable water coolers at the beverage station were scratched and scored, making cleaning difficult. One of the coolers had broken surfaces by the spout.

Galley-Food Workers Toilet Room

There was no 'WASH HANDS AFTER USING TOILET' sign at the crew restrooms for food employees.

Bar-Harris

There were seven slotted fasteners in the food contact surfaces of the upper compartment of the ice machine.

Bar-Harris

The light intensity behind and around the ice machine and the coffee machines was less than 110 lux.

Medical-Crew Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) Isolation

A waiter had an onset of AGE symptoms at 0230 on 26 September and reported to the medical center at 0900 on the same day. The medical notations in this crew member's file stated that the individual had the same symptoms at 0850 on 27 September with the notation 'S/O'. The crew member was treated with anti-diarrheal medication on 26 - 27 September. This crew member was released from isolation on 28 September at 0930. According to the crew member's time card, this individual worked on 28 September from 0630 to 0930, from 1330 to 1530, and from 2030 to 2230. This individual also worked on 29 September with a very similar schedule.

Medical-Handwashing Fact Sheets

There was only basic handwashing and hygiene information given to sick passengers and crew typed on a sheet of paper. No information was given in a fact sheet form and instructions on handwashing procedures were not provided. The inspector printed a German language handwashing fact sheet from the CDC website and gave it to the staff.

Medical-Pantry

There were several dishes, utensils, and drinking cups and mugs that were stored in the medical staff pantry. These items were washed in a two compartment sink with dish soap and a sponge, rinsed, then air dried on a rack. Medical staff stated the dishes were only for medical staff and that all the food, equipment, and utensils needed for passengers were given to them by room service.

Housekeeping-Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP)

The OPRP did not have procedures for notifying embarking passengers of an outbreak.

Housekeeping-Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP)

According to the staff, there were two OPRPs that can be used for the ship if there is an outbreak. One of the plans was from V.Ships and the other was from Sea Chefs. Only the OPRP from Sea Chefs was available for the inspector to review during the inspection. Reportedly, during an outbreak, staff management will decide which plan to use.

Potable Water-Sample Cocks

The sample cocks for potable water tank 3P and 3S were not labeled. Also, there was no handle on the sample cock for potable water tank 14P and a sample could not be drawn from the tank.

Potable Water-Striping

The distillate line from the two evaporators and the permeate line from the reverse osmosis system were not striped blue/gray/blue up to the chlorination point.

Housekeeping-Toilet Room Signs

There was no sign advising users to wash their hands at the handwashing sink for the handicap or unisex bathrooms on deck 9 forward/starboard outside of the spa or at the handwashing sinks in the men's and women's changing stations in the deck 9 spa. Also, there were no signs to exit the toilets rooms using paper towels in the men's and women's changing rooms in the deck 9 spa or in the bridge toilet room.

Potable Water-Tank Variance

There was no documentation for a variance approved in May 2007 to have potable water tanks sharing walls with the hull. The inspector received no documentation of salinity tests that were reportedly done last year. The drawings clearly show potable water tanks share common walls with the hull of the ship. There were also salinity monitors but no one could show the inspector if there were alarms installed or how often the meters were checked.

Medical-Pantry

There were several dishes, utensils, and drinking cups and mugs that were stored in the medical staff pantry. These items were washed in a two compartment sink with dish soap and a sponge then air dried on a rack. Medical staff stated the dishes were only for medical staff and that all the food, equipment, and utensils needed for passengers were given to them by room service. The person in charge saw nothing wrong with this procedure.

Recreational Water Facilities-Turnover Rates

There were no turnover rates calculated for the RWFs.

Recreational Water Facilities-Bather Loads

There were no bather loads calculated for the RWFs.

Recreational Water Facilities-Safety Signs

The safety signs posted at the RWFs did not contain all elements of the sign requirements. New signs were ordered to be installed during dry dock in November 2012.

Potable Water-Tank Maintenance

On 5 July, potable water tank 12C was opened and disinfected with 100 PPM for 1.5 hours and then put back into service at 5 ppm.

Inspection on Feb 25, 2012 | Score: 94

Provisions-Deck 1 - General Frozen Room #19

The light intensity throughout the room could not be raised to at least 110 lux of light. Product was being stored in the room during the inspection.

Food Service General-Lighting

Light intensity could not be raised to at least 110 lux of light behind and around deck mounted and counter mounted equipment in food preparation, service, and storage areas. In particular, behind and around the following: ice machines, coffee and drink machines, combination ovens, dishwash machines, and storage cabinets.

Provisions-Deck 1 - Poultry Defrost Room

The light intensity could not be raised to at least 110 lux of light. Product was being stored in the room at the time of the inspection.

Provisions-Deck 1 - Meat Preparation Room

Lighting at poultry preparation counter could not be raised to 220 lux of light. The counter was in active use at the time of the observation.

Provisions-Deck 1 - Meat Preparation Room

Above the beef preparation table there was an open pipe penetration in the deckhead which led to a technical compartment.

Provisions-Deck 1 - Vegetable Prep Room

Three potato peelers had several slotted fasteners in the food contact area. In addition, the rubber gaskets on the potato exiting lids were peeling and breaking apart.

Food Service General-Backflow Prevention Devices

Backflow prevention devices on potable water lines were improperly installed and/or maintained throughout the food areas. Several hose bib connections had non continuous pressure devices that were attached upside down. These connections were observed in the vegetable prep room, deck 2 port side glass wash, and deck 2 starboard side dishwash area (two). In addition, the relief valve for the reduced pressure device located on the pre-wash spray arm at the deck 2 port side glasswash was capped off. The crew members mentioned that the backflow device was leaking from the relief valve and it was capped off to prevent the leak. This was corrected.

Food Service General-Waiter Stations

The light intensity at several waiter stations in the lido and dining rooms could not be raised to 220 lux for cleaning operations.

Buffet-Deck 8 - Condiment Serving Counter

Both the port and starboard condiment self-serving counters immediately across from the hot lines did not have a light intensity of at least 220 lux while in operation. The light intensity was observed to be less than 100 lux of light when measured with the inspectors light meter.

Buffet-Deck 8 - Consumer Advisory

There was no consumer advisory posted at the self-service food outlets where cold smoked salmon is available.

Dining Room-Consumer Advisory

The dining room menu's did not have an asterisk at the foods that can be served raw or undercooked and a footnote indicating a consumer advisory.

Galley-Beverage Station

Electrical cords from the counter mounted coffee machines were laying on the counter.

Galley-Deck 2 - Main Galley

Water was leaking from the deckhead at an electrical conduit adjacent to the coffee station. This was corrected.

Food Service General-Backflow Prevention Devices

Backflow prevention devices on potable water lines were improperly installed and/or maintained throughout the food areas. Several hose bib connections had non continuous pressure devices that were attached upside down. These connections were observed in the vegetable prep room, deck 2 port side glass wash, and deck 2 starboard side dishwash area (two). In addition, the relief valve for the reduced pressure device located on the pre-wash spray arm at the deck 2 port side glasswash was capped off. The crew members mentioned that the backflow device was leaking from the relief valve and it was capped off to prevent the leak. This was corrected.

Galley-Deck 2 - Potwash Area

The deck beneath the three-compartment sink was rough and chipping making cleaning difficult.

Galley-Deck 2 - Potwash Area

The covers for the two exhaust hoods at the deckhead were missing.

Food Service General-Potwash Areas

Many hotel pans and various baking sheets were stored on top of each other while still wet at both the main and crew potwash. These potwash areas did not have enough drying racks to properly facilitate adequate air drying in order to compensate for the amount of pots and pans being cleaned.

Galley-Dishwash

Excess condensate was collecting on the deckhead at the soiled and clean end of the dishwash machine. Condensate was dripping onto the soiled and clean landing. The machine was in use at the time of the inspection.

Galley-Dishwash

The curtain separating the wash and rinse compartment in the rack type dishwash machine was too long and prevented the final spray rinse from contacting the plate surface. The curtains were rearranged so that the sanitizing rinse was effective.

Galley-Deck 2 - Dishwash

Only 1 of the 6 final rinse spray nozzles were working effectively on the in-use flight type dishwash machine. This was corrected.

Pantry-Harry's Bar

The deck under the coffee machine counter, ice machine, and refrigerator was chipping and peeling and soiled with old coffee residue and coffee beans.

Bar-Harry's Bar

The artificial light at the handwash sink could not be raised to 110 lux of light at all times during operation.

Pantry-Phoenix Bar

The refrigeration lines to the ice machine were not uniquely identified.

Food Service General-Decks

Some sections of food service and food storage were missing deck grouting between deck tiles, missing or cracked deck tiles, and/or non-coved deck-bulkhead junctures.

Potable Water-Microbiological Analysis

The medical staff set the incubator temperature at 37 °F, but the water analysis kit specified a temperature of 35 °F with a variation of 0.5 °F above or below. Additionally, this onboard E.coli test kit is an 18 hour kit which requires the sample water to be first warmed to incubator temperature prior to placing into the incubator, but staff did not pre-warm the sample as part of the preparation for incubation.

Potable Water-Microbiological Analysis

In reviewing the testing records, there was an E. coli positive test result for the potable water which was bunkered from the port on 11 November 2011 in Kusadasi Turkey. There was a log entry for a negative E. coli test from water bunkered on 12 November in Greece, followed by a set of 4 cabins logged as re-tests for the positive port sample from Turkey. There was no re-test specifically from the tanks which were filled on 11 November to verify that water was free of E. coli.

Medical-Gastrointestinal Illness (GI) Surveillance Log

The electronic Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE) Surveillance Log was not exactly as the VSP required log from annex 13 of the Operations Manual 2011. The ship added a pax ill % and crew ill %. There was a medical date field, but no report to medical date and time field. Specimen required was added and no field stating specimen requested was provided.

Medical-Crew Gastrointestinal Illness (GI)

Crew GI cases were isolated for a period of 24 hours after the final GI symptom, regardless of the crew position, according to the medical staff. The company procedures state that crew are to be isolated 48 hours after the final GI symptom, and VSP requires food employee GI cases to be isolated 48 hours after the final GI symptom.

Medical-Crew Gastrointestinal Illness (GI)

There was no form and no record made specifically to document the interview made of cabin mates and immediate contacts of those crew with GI illness.

Housekeeping-Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP)

The written OPRP used as a trigger for the lowest response level (1) an illness rate of 2% or higher in passenger or crew. At this level 1 the passenger buffet was still operated in self-service mode, and the public area disinfection frequency was set at hourly.

Housekeeping-Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP)

It was unclear reviewing the surface disinfectant concentration for Incidin Perfekt product if there was a level with documented efficacy for norovirus or a norovirus surrogate organism. The level 1 concentration was listed as 0.25% for 5 minutes contact, level 2 was 2%, for 10 minutes contact, and level 3 was 3% at 15 minutes of contact. Level 2 is when more cases report from level 1, and level 3 is for 6 or more cases/day more than level 2.

Housekeeping-Outbreak Prevention and Response Plan (OPRP)

The written OPRP listed no procedures in the normal public area disinfection for protection of passengers from respiratory and dermal exposures from the products used. There was no procedure for notifying embarking passengers of the outbreak, if reached. The level 3 procedures called for use of 1,000 ppm chlorine in the galley areas for a contact time of 20 minutes. VSP limits galley chlorine sanitizing to 200 ppm.

Integrated Pest Management-Logs

The trap inspection log had blank spaces for those traps which had no insect present when checked. The programming of this electronic log did not allow for a zero to be inserted in the field. Traps did have notation on the underside when a check was made, but they are eventually discarded, leaving only the absent values in the trap log as a verification that the traps were actually checked.

Integrated Pest Management-Logs

The active pest monitoring inspections for day and night did not list a time for the inspections.

Recreational Water Facilities-Pools and Whirlpool Spa

The single gravity drain in the Copernikus pool was not fitted with an ASME A112.19.8 compliant cover. The two gravity drains in the Artania pool were more than one meter apart, but no alarm was installed at the pool and at another 24 hour occupied space to indicate when the drain was opening. The gravity drain and suction cover for the whirlpool spa were not ASME A112.19.8 compliant. The suction fitting did not have either a safety vacuum release system or automatic pump shut-off as secondary antientrapment methods.

Recreational Water Facilities-Pools and Whirlpool Spa

The whirlpool spa sign was not clearly visible from the pools due to the size of the lettering. The sign was written with pools included. The sign did not list the bather load, prohibit children in diapers, or caution against use by those with diarrhea or vomiting symptoms.

Recreational Water Facilities-Pools and Whirlpool Spa

There was no automated pH and chlorine monitoring analyzers or chart recorders installed for either pool or whirlpool spa, positioned before the compensation tank. Additionally, there was no monitoring of flow rates (no flow meter installed in the pump room), total alkalinity, clarity, or combined chlorine.

Potable Water-Cross-Connection Control Program

Numerous of the 1/2 inch model DVGW listed backflow preventers which were installed on many shower hose connections throughout the ship had no documentation that these devices were backflow preventers, and none were so marked by a plumbing association.

Potable Water-Cross-Connection Control Program

The four reduced pressure assembly backflow preventers installed around the ship were checked in the log, but no test pressure differentials were recorded. The log where the check was listed had some pages specifically for recording the RP testing, but the inspection form was used for documenting these backflow preventers.

Galley-Dishwash Port

One nymph cockroach was observed crawling along the soiled landing table of the conveyor dishwash machine. The machine was not in use at the time of the inspection. No other roaches were observed in the area.

Food Service General-Food Thermometers

Staff were not equipped with sensitive-tip food probe thermometers to test thin food temperatures.