H1N1 swine flu Zaandam June 8th

[Arwen]

News has it that the Zaandam had 5 crew members tested for the swine flu and the results came back positive. This, on a Alaska cruise and reported on June 8th.

For now, HAL (Carnival Corp) is not talking to the media. The cruise lines are taking a huge hit due to the poor economy, the initial outbreak of swine flu in Mexico, and now the threat of the H1N1 virus continuing to spread.

This isn't good for the company or the pax and it will really stretch HAL. To me, it seems close to impossible,at this point,for them to "keep up" with the burdensome issues going on and the requirement for intense cleaning and passenger monitoring.l

My hubby and I were on the Volendam for our New Zealand/Aussie cruise last January and while the food was wonderful, I found that our cabin wasn't very clean.

I don't blame the stewards because I do believe they are stretched to the limit.

Several months ago, I wrote about my issues with our cabin...the left over stale smoke odor that was imbedded in the shower tile surround, the stinky shower curtain. The night before we were to disembark (it was a 14 day cruise), I had to get on the floor and pick up our shoes , etc. Yuck, there was lots of hair all over and it was very dirty!!! I took our lint roller and rolled it on the floor, and believe me, it appeared that it had been a long time since vacuuming had been done. Yuck! My hubby was sure he had seen our cabin steward with the vacuum, but I never did. :confused:

I believe that HAL should be hiring subcontracted PRO CLEANING CREWs to board their ships and do a thorough DEEP cleaning before a cruise. I do not believe that the stewards should be doing this work. It is not fair to ask that of them!! I believe this is a good deal of why HAL ships are having virus issues.

My husband and I have an upcoming 33 day Hawaii Circle Cruise booked and I am now having second thoughts. I was not happy by the cleanliness of the ship on our last cruise.

I filled out the survey after our last cruise suggesting the idea of hiring sub contracted "deep cleaning crews". If H1N1 rears its ugly head with a vengence this coming fall, then we will cancel.
Arwen
:(

[cruisinmom68]

We disembarked off the Zaandam last friday and the day of depature there was a lovely little letter under our door. Informing us that several crew had tested positive and one passenger had undergone testing. The letter stated the CDC has been informed so I imagine there will be some follow up.

I just thank God this wasnt 2 months ago. They made all passengers in Australia stay home for a 7 days. So the hype has definately worn down. From talking to other passengers getting off the boat as well none of us are worried about it even in the slightest.

[bellamom6]

We disembarked off the Zaandam last friday and the day of depature there was a lovely little letter under our door. Informing us that several crew had tested positive and one passenger had undergone testing. The letter stated the CDC has been informed so I imagine there will be some follow up.

I just thank God this wasnt 2 months ago. They made all passengers in Australia stay home for a 7 days. So the hype has definately worn down. From talking to other passengers getting off the boat as well none of us are worried about it even in the slightest.
Just wait....we just got off the Westerdam 5/31 sailing, huge outbreak. Guess what we came home with, the flu. Our 7yr DD was the most hit. More of an inconvience than anything. Club HAL mysteriously closed our 3rd day. I knew why, one of the crew told me. However, it was not until we got off the ship, we were notified, not good.

[lakeboji]

The geniuses in Seattle that decided that less stewards could clean more cabins should be assigned to cabin cleaning at each port. It was obvious on our Panama Canal cruise that they were having trouble getting to all of the cabins and doing a thorough job.

[suse]

Stale smoke smell in the shower? Gross. Do people really smoke in the shower? :eek:

[diathoney]

Stale smoke smell in the shower? Gross. Do people really smoke in the shower? :eek:
They smoke while sitting on the pot (toilet). This means the door is most likely closed so the odor has a chance to hang around. Bleah.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry to hear that HAL now has to worry about the H1N1 virus among the crew and on their ships.

We got off the Westerdam on May 10 - no sicknesses on our 21 day cruise.

And our cabin stewards did an excellent job of cleaning our cabin every day. We also did 20 days on the Noordam in Feb -- again the cabin stewards did an excellent job. No complaints.

[seabreezer]

Just wait....we just got off the Westerdam 5/31 sailing, huge outbreak. Guess what we came home with, the flu. Our 7yr DD was the most hit. More of an inconvience than anything. Club HAL mysteriously closed our 3rd day. I knew why, one of the crew told me. However, it was not until we got off the ship, we were notified, not good.


Swine Flu? Respiratory type flu or gastroenteritis?

[vbmom87]

The geniuses in Seattle that decided that less stewards could clean more cabins should be assigned to cabin cleaning at each port. .

I second that suggestion!!!!

[bellamom6]

Swine Flu? Respiratory type flu or gastroenteritis?
Respiratory. Our DD tested + for Type A which is consistent with H1N1. Over 40 dining staff down with it, Club HAL shut down, all their crew under quarantine. None of us were "officially" notified until getting off the ship with a note. I heard it from the crew after pushing the issue. We were only given a phonecall telling us Club HAL was being shut down b/c of the flu, that is it! Now, we are home sick, recovering. Very strange, the way they handled it.

[sail7seas]

We had two confirmed cases of H1N1 in our community. I went to the grocery store, the cleaner, the bank, fruit and veggie store and pharmacy. I wonder if some of those folks in these stores with me may have been exposed from the two sick teens?

I'm sure I read this strain of the flu is less severe thankfully than the usual seasonal flu that comes every year.

Sure, I am sorry to hear anyone becoming ill with anything but of all the things to get, sounds like swine flu is very survivable..... so far. I know there is some fear it might 'morph' before the next flu season this fall/winter.

Don't people get the flu every season on cruise ships? :confused: Doesn't normally rate headlines.

Hope everyone is well and healthy and enjoys their cruise, including crew.

[bballprncess]

With all that the cabin crew have to do, I don't blame them for not being able to be as thorough as we would like them to be in cleaning the cabins.

That being said, is it overboard or rude to bring your own lysol wipes and decide to wipe down my own cabin when I board the Westerdam in 4 weeks? If it protects my mother and my daughter who I am travelling with, then I don't mind doing it at all. We already travel with our own pillows to for comfort and protection, but I'm wondering if I should take this additional step.

Do you think a lysol wipe down would help at all? Or due to the contact with other public areas, would it be a fruitless effort?

Thank you for all considerate opinions! :)

[grsnovi]

Don't people get the flu every season on cruise ships? :confused: Doesn't normally rate headlines.

Hi Sail,

We're headed to the Baltic soon and as of today there have been about 100 cases confirmed in the six countries we'll visit (vs close to 20,000 here in N.America - USA, Canada and Mexico) so I should feel much safer.

Unfortunately, I'm worried about WHO raising the pandemic level to 6 and what THAT might do to international travel in general (despite the fact that at the current level no international travel restrictions are recommended).

Hi bballprncess, I think that if taking your own Lysol wipes makes you feel more comfortable - go ahead (we're taking some).

[GatorV]

I always take my own hand wipes, why not wipe down the cabin and door knobs(in and out) often? They are prime offenders and touched every time the steward comes in your cabin. i sail in Jan and will for sure be packing them right along with my mosquitoe spray and hand sanitizers!
Remember, a level 6 means it is more wide spread not that it is a more dangerous/strong virus

[sail7seas]

GRSNovi....... I understand your concern and certainly hope there is no such WHO declaration. Early with the first cases of H1N1, it seems even the experts expected much more severe disease and illness but it seems so far to be no more (perhaps less) severe than seasonal flu. Given that seems to be the case, WHO may not be as quick to declare Pandemic, Maybe?
Hope you have a wonderful cruise/trip. Enjoy and stay healthy. :)

[papergypsy]

With all that the cabin crew have to do, I don't blame them for not being able to be as thorough as we would like them to be in cleaning the cabins.

That being said, is it overboard or rude to bring your own lysol wipes and decide to wipe down my own cabin when I board the Westerdam in 4 weeks? If it protects my mother and my daughter who I am travelling with, then I don't mind doing it at all. We already travel with our own pillows to for comfort and protection, but I'm wondering if I should take this additional step.

Do you think a lysol wipe down would help at all? Or due to the contact with other public areas, would it be a fruitless effort?

Thank you for all considerate opinions! :)
We sail on the Zuiderdam on Saturday, and I just went to the store for "final provisions". I have included 2 tubs of Clorox Disinfecting Wipes - the one in the green container tha says "kills Cold and Flu Viruses". We will be wiping down the door knob and then ALL surfaces in the room as soon as we enter.

[sail7seas]

<snip> ....

That being said, is it overboard or rude to bring your own lysol wipes and decide to wipe down my own cabin when I board the Westerdam in 4 weeks? If it protects my mother and my daughter who I am travelling with, then I don't mind doing it at all. We already travel with our own pillows to for comfort and protection, but I'm wondering if I should take this additional step.

Do you think a lysol wipe down would help at all? Or due to the contact with other public areas, would it be a fruitless effort?

Thank you for all considerate opinions! :)


If it makes you feel better to lysol wipe your room, why not?
Actually, with a closed door, who would even know you did so?
I don't see how it could do any harm.

[CowPrincess]

Personally I think it is smart to clean the surfaces you touch -- let's face it, how often do you think the little switch for the makeup mirror gets well-cleaned? Or the switch in the bathroom for the hairdryer? Or the lever that moves the tabletop up and down? Or the phone buttons, receiver, etc? I took Clorox wipes, "did" my cabin, and left them beside (beside, not IN, the Bible) when I left the ship.

[Jemima]

The crew uses kinds of wipes as part of their cleaning and sanitizing. We saw these in use on our last cruise. I'd be concerned that my product might conflict with theirs. Frequent hand washing and common sense work best.

[HAL_PR]

News has it that the Zaandam had 5 crew members tested for the swine flu and the results came back positive. This, on a Alaska cruise and reported on June 8th.

For now, HAL (Carnival Corp) is not talking to the media. The cruise lines are taking a huge hit due to the poor economy, the initial outbreak of swine flu in Mexico, and now the threat of the H1N1 virus continuing to spread.:(

Hi All~ We are communicating with guests, crew and media about flu symptoms and H1N1. This is what we provided to the media.

During the seven-day May 29 Alaska sailing of ms Zaandam, a few crewmembers tested positive in a shore-side CDC lab for H1N1 flu. Following established protocol, the affected crewmembers were immediately isolated in their cabins when initial cold and flu-like symptoms were reported. They were treated and have recovered. No passengers aboard the cruise that ended June 5 in Seattle were identified with the virus. There are no affected crew or guests identified on the current sailing.

As a precaution, special onboard measures were taken, including treatment of high-traffic areas throughout the ship with a chemical that has proven effective in killing the flu virus.

Guests disembarking and embarking Zaandam were notified of the situation. As well, guests on all cruises are routinely asked to fill out a pre-embarkation health questionnaire. No one elected not to sail on the June 5 cruise as planned and Zaandam departed from Seattle as scheduled.

Neither CDC nor Health Canada has asked Holland America Line to take any special measures as a result. Both agencies are satisfied with the steps taken and acknowledge that thousands of cases of H1N1 flu are occurring throughout the United States, Canada and the rest of the world.

A complete list of protocols can be found on our website at www.hollandamerica.com (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/www.hollandamerica.com).

Further information on influenza can be found on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/www.cdc.gov).

At Holland America Line, the safety and comfort of our guests and crew is our top priority. Travel agents and guests with questions may contact 1-800-577-1728.

~Sarah_at_HAL

[CowPrincess]

The crew uses kinds of wipes as part of their cleaning and sanitizing. We saw these in use on our last cruise. I'd be concerned that my product might conflict with theirs. Frequent hand washing and common sense work best.

My common sense tells me that the crew doesn't have time to clean everything that I'm going to touch in my cabin.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

We have been using Clorox wipes in our ship cabin and hotel rooms for a couple of years now. Preventitive measure, sure but it makes us feel better. Not all surfaces can be cleaned by crew. I have heard that actress Faith Ford has a regular disinfective procedure in any hotel room in which she stays.

Barbara

[LAFFNVEGAS]

OK this is driving me nuts, it is as if we are all blaming HAL when your likely to get it just staying at home. You have no idea if the teenager packing up your order at McDonalds has been ill, nor do you know how many people that were sick that pumped gas at your local Chevron then you came along to fill your tank. Everyone has just as good of chance of getting it at home as they would on the ship. Exception is the ship must report the illnesses when your local restaurants and fast food places do not. You could be standing in line at the bank and the guy in front of you coughes or sneezes. We cannot all live in a bubble but we can Wash our Hands, Wash our Hands Wash our hands.

I would be willing to bet there are far more people in everyone's community that have the H1N1 or a simliar form of it but how many actually go to the doctor???? Most let it run it's course and purchase cold and flu medicine at their local Walgreens.

[mamaofami]

I just heard on the NBC evening news that the head of the World Health Organization is about to declare the swine flu a pandemic. It will be the first pandemic in 41 years. I guess this flu is here to stay and we're ll going to have to deal with it; at home, at work, and on vacation.

[SDHALFAN]

With all that the cabin crew have to do, I don't blame them for not being able to be as thorough as we would like them to be in cleaning the cabins.

That being said, is it overboard or rude to bring your own lysol wipes and decide to wipe down my own cabin when I board the Westerdam in 4 weeks? If it protects my mother and my daughter who I am travelling with, then I don't mind doing it at all. We already travel with our own pillows to for comfort and protection, but I'm wondering if I should take this additional step.

Do you think a lysol wipe down would help at all? Or due to the contact with other public areas, would it be a fruitless effort?

Thank you for all considerate opinions! :)


I don't think that it is at all rude to bring one's own Lysol wipes to "sanitize" the cabin - I do it all the time and so far nobody has complained.;)

Now, here's another tip, and I wish that I could take credit for it but I can't - on some of the ships (hopefully it's all of them), and especially during a Code Red, there are some sort of sanitizing wipes parked close to the door of the Ladies' Restroom to wipe down the door handle as one is leaving: I was a little put out one evening that I couldn't get into the Ladies' Restroom because there was a lady wiping down the handle of the entrance to the room. "Light Bulb"! - what a stupendous idea, and why didn't I think of it first? I thanked her for her thoughtfulness and have been copying her brilliant idea ever since. Nothing wrong with having disinfected hands when one enters the restroom (before touching door handles or faucets) and then again when one leaves - waaaay less germs going around.

Valerie:D

[bballprncess]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

That leaves me with just one question - original or orange scented wipes!!!??? Just kidding!

Happy cruising to all!

[Australian family]

This Swine Flu is really costing Carnival big time, as it was a P&O ship here in Australia - Pacific Dawn that had the outbreak, they refunded 75% of fares to passengers and gave a 25% discount for the next cruise.

From what I am reading about state of cabins, I agree that they should be bringing in professional cleaning crews on a regular basis to give the cabins a thorough clean, not necessarily between every cruise.

To me it sounds like the poor cabin stewards are expected to do far too much. Personally I would prefer to pay a few extra dollars for a professional clean of cabins.

[SDHALFAN]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

That leaves me with just one question - original or orange scented wipes!!!??? Just kidding!

Happy cruising to all!


Oh, go with the orange scented wipes, they smell better.:D Have a wonderful cruise.

Fair winds and following seas.

Valerie:)

[bellebaby]

For those of you that have cruised recently:

Is HAL using the CLIA Public Health Quiestionnaire to screen for H1N1 and other flu like symptoms as part of the check-in/boarding process?

Thanks.

B

[bigwally]

You know, we all just need to get this damn thing. Get it over with, and hope to gain some level of immunity for the next time it comes round in a more lethal form. Yes, some people will die this time round, and that's terrible, but people die of the flu every single year.

All this namby-pamby, knee-jerk, pandemic bull**** is just postponing the inevitable.

[sail7seas]

Is HAL using the CLIA Public Health Quiestionnaire to screen for H1N1 and other flu like symptoms as part of the check-in/boarding process?



HAL has been using a health questionnaire for a long time now. The questions pertain more specifically to gastro-intestional symptoms.

[duck tune]

DH and I embarked on the Zaandam May 29. The questionnaire did include specific questions related to respiratory symptoms in addition to the usual gastrointestinal questions. We never once saw anyone, crew or passenger with obvious illness and were satisfied with the letter we received under the door informing us of the few episodes of flu. We have been home 4 days now with no signs or symptoms of illness. However, we do practice handwashing to the extreme and as Laffenvegas said you have just as much chance of getting sick in your hometown as on a cruise ship. Viruses do live several hours on surfaces.

[bellamom6]

With all that the cabin crew have to do, I don't blame them for not being able to be as thorough as we would like them to be in cleaning the cabins.

That being said, is it overboard or rude to bring your own lysol wipes and decide to wipe down my own cabin when I board the Westerdam in 4 weeks? If it protects my mother and my daughter who I am travelling with, then I don't mind doing it at all. We already travel with our own pillows to for comfort and protection, but I'm wondering if I should take this additional step.

Do you think a lysol wipe down would help at all? Or due to the contact with other public areas, would it be a fruitless effort?

Thank you for all considerate opinions! :)
I brought Clorox wipes AND Lysol spray and we still got H1N1 on the Westerdam. You can pick this up anywhere. I think being in a confined space just accelerated things a bit. We are fine and recovering, more of a pain.

[bellamom6]

For those of you that have cruised recently:

Is HAL using the CLIA Public Health Quiestionnaire to screen for H1N1 and other flu like symptoms as part of the check-in/boarding process?

Thanks.

B
They are. We were all fine and feeling fine when filling it out. Again, even though we are sick, I would still have gone in a heartbeat! I could have just as easily picked this up grocery shopping here or my DD at camp if we had not of gone. My only disappointment was the way HAL did not inform passengers how many of the crew were indeed sick. Especially parents who had are kids directly exposed. I would have isolated my DD much sooner to protect other passengers, but that is just me.

[bellamom6]

OK this is driving me nuts, it is as if we are all blaming HAL when your likely to get it just staying at home. You have no idea if the teenager packing up your order at McDonalds has been ill, nor do you know how many people that were sick that pumped gas at your local Chevron then you came along to fill your tank. Everyone has just as good of chance of getting it at home as they would on the ship. Exception is the ship must report the illnesses when your local restaurants and fast food places do not. You could be standing in line at the bank and the guy in front of you coughes or sneezes. We cannot all live in a bubble but we can Wash our Hands, Wash our Hands Wash our hands.

I would be willing to bet there are far more people in everyone's community that have the H1N1 or a simliar form of it but how many actually go to the doctor???? Most let it run it's course and purchase cold and flu medicine at their local Walgreens.

I agree with you ( we were on the same sailing). However, I do disagree with the way the crew handled the outbreak on our sailing. The employee in club HAL was sick and knew she was sick before we even left. Why was she allowed to be in Club HAL around the kids? They have the Purell all over the ship which we used like water. However, when you are in a confined space and someone has the virus and is coughing/ sneezing, washing your hands will not help anyone. We just wish we would have been given more information and not just a phonecall to the cabin telling us Club HAL was closed due to a flu outbreak with the Club HAL staff. Many of the kids in Club HAL were in the high risk category, my DD in that group with asthma. So having more information on the type/ strain, we could have taken more measures to protect her.

None of that information was given b/c they did not want to create a panic on board the ship. This came directly from the Front Desk Supervisor AND the ships Doctor. My husband is a MD himself and they would not tell him anything as well. So, do we "live in a bubble" absolutely not, if we did, we would not be traveling at all period. However, when there is a outbreak in a small confined space, any cruise line should inform passengers so that IF they were directly exposed, like all the kids who were in Club HAL, the parents can do what they need to do to keep the virus from spreading.

Like I said, our DD developed a 103.5 fever our last night. This is right in the incubation period from when she was exposed. We did the right thing and self quarantined all of us. Did it damper our vacation, sure did. Will we cruise HAL again, we are over Thanksgiving. Do we blame HAL , no we do not. Just sucks when we really looked forward to some "adult" time and ended up having our own "Camp HAL" in our stateroom for our cruise. We did still have a great time!

[Bakincakes]

If you are really going to use wipes in your cabins ask your MD or dentist if you can have some of the ones they use. They are much stronger and kill off many more "bugs" than the stuff you buy in the store.

I take a baggie full of them on every cruise and wipe down our cabin with them.

Hand washing is extremely important as well. But if a virus is airborne and you breathe, all the wipes in the world aren't going to help.;)

[Lyncruiser]

Of course one can get the flu or a norovirus anywhere. But, the crowded and confined conditions aboard ship exacerbate an outbreak, making full disclosure of an outbreak and careful cleaning extremely important. T

[swalm22]

I belief onboard a ship, are the most clean place you can find on your vacation.
You have much more chance to get the flu on an airplane because if someone has the flu the air refreshing will circulate it all over the place. Yes wash always your hands is very important all small things can help to slow down the flu, but is never a guarantee. And keep in mind, it's also not easy for crew members to keep it under control if it happen.

Lets hope that dam bug will dying soon.

[cat22]

Personally I think it is smart to clean the surfaces you touch ........

We always use wipes, and keep them in the backpack when we are in port. We also wash our hands or use wipes after handling the menus in the dining room.

cat22

[lakeboji]

We don't pay hundreds or thousands of dollars to be cabin cleaners. That is supposed to be part of the services in the cabins. HAL seems to lose sight of the fact that we are paying customers. :mad: In Feb the cabin steward was still cleaning cabins on the Navigation deck at 7PM. He can't be doing a thorough job if he has that many to clean. They are staffed so thin that they cannot deal with adversity. Note that entertainers were serving in the Lido according to some postings. :eek:

[bellebaby]

I just heard on the NBC evening news that the head of the World Health Organization is about to declare the swine flu a pandemic. It will be the first pandemic in 41 years. I guess this flu is here to stay and we're ll going to have to deal with it; at home, at work, and on vacation.

Yes, it appears that we will have to deal with it. Here's hoping we all stay healthy whatever measures we and others choose to take.

B

[cruisinmom68]

Just a quick update... from a May 29th passenger. Neither my husband nor I have any signs or symptoms of being sick. So all is well but we were not worried either. I was actually more focused on getting my plane home safely after the trip. That went well also. :)

You are correct about the cabin stewards. Its pretty sad when they knock on your door and ask you to leave so they can clean your cabin and its 2:30 in the afternoon. We had been up at 4 am to see the arrival into Glacier bay so we needed a little nap so we could enjoy the rest of the evening.

[suse]

Entertainers were serving food in the Lido?

[SeaMatesNYC]

Entertainers were serving food in the Lido?

During Code Red, all available (clean) hands are often pressed into action as the buffet is no longer - you are served by staff standing by the stations - including coffee, tea, water, etc. Only problem with it is some folks think, even with a line behind them, that it's a fine time to engage the dancer or singer in a discussion of last night's show!:rolleyes:

[hammybee]

Do people really smoke in the shower? :eek:

Do people really smell their grout? I guess it absorbs all sorts of odors.

[hammybee]

OK this is driving me nuts, it is as if we are all blaming HAL when your likely to get it just staying at home.

I am outside of Chicago and I believe that Illinois is leading the country in the swine outbreak and deaths. If a child sneezes, parents head to the nearest Trauma Center for a diagnosis. ERs are overwhemed because people are increasingly prone to panic about just about everything.

I would not hesitate to board any cruise ship/cruise line. I know they are cleaner than most places I frequent.

[suse]

Well, yes, I suppose if it stinks. I've never had that happen to me yet, though. It's pretty strange.:eek:

[suse]

And about all the panic:confused:, I think I'll just stay away from my local Wal Mart. I don't go there anyway but they probably have alot of germs. In case I was going to go there.

[hammybee]

I believe that HAL should be hiring subcontracted PRO CLEANING CREWs to board their ships and do a thorough DEEP cleaning before a cruise. I do not believe that the stewards should be doing this work. It is not fair to ask that of them!! I believe this is a good deal of why HAL ships are having virus issues. :(

Consumers are doing to cruise lines what they did to the airlines when they embraced no frills air transport. Now we sit squashed like sardines and complain about it and pine for the way it used to be. Most consumers will not pay more to get more.

Most passengers choose a cruise by price. It's unreasonable to expect the same levels of service and comfort that once existed, if we are not willing to pay for it.

I am fortunate that I have not experienced a dirty cabin on any cruise line/ship. I cannot say the same for airports, airlines, hotels or restuarants......common before most cruises.

[hammybee]

And about all the panic:confused:, I think I'll just stay away from my local Wal Mart. I don't go there anyway but they probably have alot of germs. In case I was going to go there.

Why Walmart and not Costco or Sam's Club?

What about:

Gas stations where you pump your own, or
Grocery store carts, or
That pew in front of you, in church, or
Silverwear at your local restaurant, or
All children, everywhere, or
Your mail, or
The next hand you shake.

None of us know who came before us and what that person touched along the way .....

[suse]

Point well taken. I may as well stay home. Forever. But, you are right, I will still look at the mail. I've never been to Cosco or Sam's either. Although, I am sure they are very nice. I like the little gourmet crazy stores. And Whole Foods, don't you? Kind of like really good cruise food.

[esther e]

HAL has been using a health questionnaire for a long time now. The questions pertain more specifically to gastro-intestional symptoms.



Unfortunately, the forms are only as honest as the persons filling them out.:(

[DizzyDallasDi]

Just a quick update... from a May 29th passenger. Neither my husband nor I have any signs or symptoms of being sick. So all is well but we were not worried either. I was actually more focused on getting my plane home safely after the trip. That went well also. :)

You are correct about the cabin stewards. Its pretty sad when they knock on your door and ask you to leave so they can clean your cabin and its 2:30 in the afternoon. We had been up at 4 am to see the arrival into Glacier bay so we needed a little nap so we could enjoy the rest of the evening.

I'm glad to know you're well. I'm a little confused about your stewards asking you to leave so they could clean your room. I've stayed in my cabin all day (more than a couple of times) and never once did anyone knock on my door and ask me to leave. That being said, I did have the "privacy please" sign out so I'm sure that deterred them. I remember one evening, I was not going out and so I told my steward to do his thing while I enjoyed my balcony. He was more than willing to clean up while I was around. I really hope they didn't "ask you to leave" so they could clean. They are more than capable of doing that around you, I'd think.

Diane

[RevNeal]

Hi All~ We are communicating with guests, crew and media about flu symptoms and H1N1. This is what we provided to the media.

During the seven-day May 29 Alaska sailing of ms Zaandam, a few crewmembers tested positive in a shore-side CDC lab for H1N1 flu. Following established protocol, the affected crewmembers were immediately isolated in their cabins when initial cold and flu-like symptoms were reported. They were treated and have recovered. No passengers aboard the cruise that ended June 5 in Seattle were identified with the virus. There are no affected crew or guests identified on the current sailing.

As a precaution, special onboard measures were taken, including treatment of high-traffic areas throughout the ship with a chemical that has proven effective in killing the flu virus.

Guests disembarking and embarking Zaandam were notified of the situation. As well, guests on all cruises are routinely asked to fill out a pre-embarkation health questionnaire. No one elected not to sail on the June 5 cruise as planned and Zaandam departed from Seattle as scheduled.

Neither CDC nor Health Canada has asked Holland America Line to take any special measures as a result. Both agencies are satisfied with the steps taken and acknowledge that thousands of cases of H1N1 flu are occurring throughout the United States, Canada and the rest of the world.

A complete list of protocols can be found on our website at www.hollandamerica.com (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/www.hollandamerica.com).

Further information on influenza can be found on the CDC website at www.cdc.gov (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/www.cdc.gov).

At Holland America Line, the safety and comfort of our guests and crew is our top priority. Travel agents and guests with questions may contact 1-800-577-1728.

~Sarah_at_HAL

I want to thank Sarah at HAL for posting this on our board and on this thread. I'm more than a little bit surprised, however, that in two pages no one has acknowledged the post.

Thank you, Sarah.

[woody73]

The geniuses in Seattle that decided that less stewards could clean more cabins should be assigned to cabin cleaning at each port. It was obvious on our Panama Canal cruise that they were having trouble getting to all of the cabins and doing a thorough job.

We were on the Volendam from March 19 to May 27, doing a back-to-back from Sydney to Vancouver (63-nights), then a Glacier Bay inside passage cruise (7-nights). Over that time, we saw a huge reduction in crew. Many crew contracts were terminated early along the way. As a result, the room stewards and their services were stretched thinner and thinner.

On May 20 in Vancouver, after the muster drill, the captain announced Code Red as they had boarded passengers with gastro intestinal illness.

The room stewards had so many cabins to clean, it was impossible for them to do it properly, especially with illness present.

Woody

[knitlady037]

I asked my steward about crew getting sick when we sailed on the Zuiderdam during a code red. He said it usually is the newest crew members that get sick. He felt that after being on the ship for a while that they built up an immunity from constant exposure to all kinds of germs.

[DutchByAssociation]

I want to thank Sarah at HAL for posting this on our board and on this thread. I'm more than a little bit surprised, however, that in two pages no one has acknowledged the post.

Thank you, Sarah.

I'm sure she would appreciate that Rev.

As Sarah oversees the Twitter page, Facebook page, has her own PR duties, etc I tend to be the one that will mention if something on here starts to fall into PR's domain.

And while there are certain topics that I will bypass, seeing information in the original post stating that HAL was not talking to the media (when the CDC and Health Canada both said we didn't even need to hand out a notice to all disembarking guests and a press release had been issued) seeing that info which was simply not true I felt obligated to advise her of this topic.

I'm glad that she (as I am not an "official voice of HAL") was able to share what she did.