Amsterdam - March 22 - Norvo Virus

[Krazy Kruizers]

We had no idea that the Norvo virus had broken out on the previous cruise and that we were under Code Red.

We decided not to rush to the pier in San Diego as we have done in the past. We left the Embassy Suites at 11:30. When we walked into the terminal at 11:45 we were not able to go directly to the suite check-in line. Everyone had to line up in a special line to show your cruise documents, get a letter concerning the virus and get a handi-wipe to clean your hands. There were about 150 people in front of us. There were 3 areas for people to go and have their documents checked and you had to sign a paper that asked 4 questions - had you been sick in the last 2 weeks, have you had diarreah, etc. If you answered no to all of them, then you were able to proceed to the regular check-in lines. The letter indicated that on the previous cruise there had been the common gastrointestinal ailment or stomach flu and that a special cleaning crew was on board cleaning the ship. The letter indicated that boarding would begin at 1 PM. The letter also indicated that if you were concerned about this stomach flu and wish to cancel the cruise prior to departure, HAL would reimburse you in full for your cruise fare. They had a nurse in the terminal as well to answer any questions.

[arzz]

I assume that you joined the cruise anyway? Please keep us posted.

[Krazy Kruizers]

At 12:10 we finally proceeded to the suite check-in line, got our pictures taken and other paper work done. At 12:20 we went and sat in the waiting area. By 1 PM the place was getting very crowded and they began making announcements that they hoped to be boarding soon. At 1:30 we got to board the ship but we couldn't get to the Neptune Lounge. All the fire doors were closed. Everyone had to go to the Lido. Within minutes that area was getting jammed with everyone getting onto the ship. At 2:15 we discovered that we could get down to the Navigation Deck by the back stairs where the crew was working to deliver luggage to the cabins. We were only part way down the hallway when we saw 2 pieces of our luggage going forward. That's when we met our cabin steward. One piece of luggage was already in our cabin. Within a half hour, the final piece was delivered. In the meantime we went down to the Neptune Lounge and introduced oursleves to our concierge, Maureen. She was wondering why no one was around. Within a couple of minutes, other suite passengers found their way past the fire doors and arrived at the lounge. We told her about the fire dooors.At 2:45 a general announcement was made that everyone could go to their cabins. Even though people were still getting on the ship at 4 we still had our lifeboat drill at 4:15.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We had no intention of backing out of the cruise.

We were on the Amsterdam in 2002 (22 day cruise) when a major outbreak of the Norvo virus broke out and we were on the Ryndam in 2003 when an outbreak occured. We figured that if we survived those 2 outbreaks, we could again. Neither of us got sick on the previous cruises and we didn't get sick on this one either.

There were Purell hand sanitizers everywhere on the ship - tons of them. The only place we didn't have them was at the entrance to the King's Room. We had to go to the dining room area and use those.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The whirlpools were closed but the swimming pools were open. You had to go to a bar and ask for towels. If you wanted a book from the library, you had to ask for it. No newpapers or magazines were put out. You could not use the music devices because the heaphones were disabled (I don't know what they are actually called) in the library. You could use the computers. In the gym they took away the headphones for the treadmills.

There was no self service in the Lido. There were no salt and peppers, sugars, silverware - nothing on the tables in the Lido - not even flowers. Even the people from the Pinnacle Grill had to help out at breakfast and lunch time. Usually the Pinnacle is open for lunch ($10 per person) on sea days - but it was open only 3 days near the end of the cruise. All the working staff wore gloves here.

In the dining room, either our waiter or his assistant placed rolls and butter on our plates. If you wanted salt salt, they gave you little packets. The waitstaff ground the pepper for you. They handed you the sugar packets and poured the cream. It was the same situation in the Pinnacle. We were surprised that the waitstaff in the dining room and the Pinnacle never wore gloves.

In the casino, you advised to wear gloves - most people didn't.

We didn't have fruit baskets in the cabins and fruits like whole bananas, apples, grapes could not be had anywhere.

There were paper towels in the public restrooms.

No hot or cold appetizers were served before dinner in the lounges. You had to ask for the peanuts and goldfish.

[Krazy Kruizers]

After dinner on March 29th, everyone got a letter in their cabin that begining the next day we would be going back to normal. The hot tubs would be open, we could serve ourselves, etc. We had salt and peppes, sugars, bread baskets and butter back on the tables. We got our fruit basket in the cabin. The library was completely open.

We were now at Code Yellow. Code Green is what the captain hoped we would be by the end of the cruise.

Code Yellow - everything is almost back to normal - very few sick passengers or crew. But they would still be cleaning and sanitizing the ship everyday and all night.

Code Green means that everything is all right according to the CDC.

After returning from dinner on April 3, letters were in our cabins again. The virus had broken out again and we would be going back to the old regime. We were once again under Code Red.

There were a lot of stories going around. Some said that the virus broke out among the crew and passengers after the Dessert Extravaganza the evening before. Others said that many people stopped washing their hands so often. So who knows how it really got started again??

We do know that they delayed passengers getting onto the Amsterdam on April 6 and that the ship didn't leave until 5:25.

[Sillyjilly]

Hi Krazy Kruiser,

I thought they handled the situation very well, and the minor inconveniences did not affect my cruise experience at all.
Hope you had a wonderful cruise. Amsterdam is still my favorite!!!
Jill

[RevNeal]

Wow, KK, thanks for the detailed report. I'm sorry your cruise was so-impacted by the virus but, as you say, you've lived through it before and you did this time.

At the very beginning of your account I half-expected you to say that they were lining people up at terminal check-in and hosing them all down with Purell. Perhaps they should have actually done this, eh!? :eek:

I've, too, have been on several cruises that were under Code Red restrictions, and it is pretty much as you describe (though it seems that a few extra precautions were taken on the Amsterdam than I've seen in the past). It's a shame that they couldn't keep it under control. My bet would be that someone brought it aboard with them, was sick, but kept it a secret and didn't wash well and ended up spreading it when the Code Red was lifted.

[mim100]

Some more newbie questions here....couldn't "they" simply take everyone's temperatures when they're in line for boarding? wouldn't this be a quick and painless way to tell who's got what? or is this a civil rights thing? :confused: sounds like the lines were moving slow enough anyway !

also...if HAL offers refunds to those who choose not to board, does this include the airfare if the flights are booked through HAL? what about hotel room costs for the night before departure?:rolleyes: and what about the cost of the flight home?

[nu2sea]

I find your report very interesting. The Celebrity Mercury also experienced a noro outbreak (also cruising out of San Diego). The big complaint that some Celebrity cruisers had was the lack of communication between the powers that be and the guests. It sounds like HAL did a much better job of letting you know what was going on.

Another complaint was the constant spraying of bleach on all surfaces, causing headaches, nausea, etc., and badly staining clothing if one got too close to a wall, like in an elevator. Apparently the bleach was sprayed on every surface every half hour and not wiped off. Did HAL use a similar method to disinfect the Amsterdamn?

I'm a fairly loyal Celebrity cruiser, but I have to admit the handling of this virus on the Mercury has disturbed me. I don't really know if that is the way viruses are handled throughout the industry or just at Celebrity.

BTW the boarding Mercury passengers were not offered a refund but were offered a credit for the cost of their cruise (to be applied to a future cruise) if they decided not to board. There was no compensation offered for airfare.

Susan

[wrp96]

Some more newbie questions here....couldn't "they" simply take everyone's temperatures when they're in line for boarding? wouldn't this be a quick and painless way to tell who's got what? or is this a civil rights thing? :confused: sounds like the lines were moving slow enough anyway !


The problem with norovirus is you can be contagious even after you've stopped showing symptoms, for a couple of weeks in fact. So taking somebody's temperature is no guarantee that they don't have the virus. I'm guessing that's why they were asking if you've had any of these symptoms in the last 2 weeks.

[Sillyjilly]

I'm not sure what they were spraying on the Amsterdam, but it didn't have a strong smell. I'm guessing it wasn't bleach.

Jill

[Krazy Kruizers]

They didn't use bleach - some other chemical that left a white residue on the surfaces which if you got it on your clothes, the residue came right off. The chemical had to be left on the surface anywhere from 1 - 2 days to be effective.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The letter didn't mention any refunds for HAL air or HAL hotels - just the cruise refund if you didn't want to go on the cruise.

We also thought HAL did a good job about keeping us all informed.

And many of us do believe that a few of the passengers did answer no to all of the 4 questions and did get on the ship sick.

[arzz]

Unfortunately the Noro virus is everywhere at the moment. I just heard on our local news (Chicago area) that there is a lot of it in our area right now and that there have been several outbreaks in nursing homes in the past two weeks. I guess that it is really hard to avoid -- I am just glad that HAL is doing what they can to keep it to a minimum -- and doubly glad that they are not using bleach everywhere and I am very allergic to bleach -- that would definitely do me in were I aboard.

[questor]

Our cruise on the Amsterdam is May 9th. How do we find out what the status of the ship is at that time? I would like to be checking throughout the month. We have been on ships before that have had the virus or have just been cleared and were using precautions to discourage infection.

[nu2sea]

Thanks for the information about how HAL deals with this problem.

Questor, the CDC webpage dealing with outbreaks is: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

Just click on the sailing date of the ship you are interested in for more information.

Thanks again,
Susan

[Robin7]

Unfortunately the Noro virus is everywhere at the moment.

At church yesterday we were told we had fewer people in our congregation than at any time in the last four years. That's A LOT of sick people!

Is Norovirus mostly a winter thing? Does it happen on summer cruises? (A selfish question as our Zaandam cruise is July 28.)

Robin

[Krazy Kruizers]

The Ryndam Alaskan cruise that I listed was a summer cruise - so yes - it can happen any time of the year.

[ore-ee-gun]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it odd that they'd close the hot tubs, take away salt & pepper shakers, towels, newspapers, headphones, etc, yet still keep the casino running with only an advisory to wear gloves?:confused:

[elmorejj]

It`s all about money!! Talk about filthy lucre!..........jean:cool:

[Oceanwench]

Is it just me, or does anyone else find it odd that they'd close the hot tubs, take away salt & pepper shakers, towels, newspapers, headphones, etc, yet still keep the casino running with only an advisory to wear gloves?:confused:

When I was aboard the Westerdam last November, there had been an outbreak the week before, and the ship was still under Code Red.

While many of the things KK described were also in effect on the Westerdam [no self-serve in the Lido, no salt/pepper shakers, Purell stations everywhere], there was no mention whatsoever of wearing gloves in the casino.

I think HAL does an admirable job of trying to contain the virus. However, it unnerved me to be sailing under Code Red conditions, because I kept wondering if I'd get sick. Despite washing my hands constantly and using the sanitizing stations, etc., I thought about all the other surfaces I'd touched ... elevator buttons, the edge of the table in the Lido, the arm of a chair in the Vista Lounge, things like that.

The ship's stores were roped off so pax could only go in one way, and only after a mandatory hand sanitizing.
The jewelry on display was roped off and gloved staff would hold up various items for pax to view.

The stringent rules paid off for us and the code was lifted before the end of the week.

[Robin7]

The Ryndam Alaskan cruise that I listed was a summer cruise - so yes - it can happen any time of the year.

Darn! I was hoping it was a seasonal thing. It does seem that many of the times we've had it in our family, it's been in the winter, but then we also spend far more time indoors in the winter. (And I'm sure the kids pick it up at school.) I know that in the summer when we're at the pool every day, my kids almost never have colds but they seem to have icky noses and coughs all winter long.

We've never had to cruise under any kind of health restrictions, so I guess I'll just cross my fingers and hope it doesn't happen on our next one. You KNOW I'll be using the hand sanitizers and trying not to touch anything. Last time we cruised, I was conscious of trying not to touch the handrails anyway. I hated the thought that I got all ready for dinner then walked down to the dining room and needed to wash my hands again.

Robin

[arzz]

To or-ee-gun: Actually I do not find that so unusual as....

In the dining areas you will eventually put your hands to your mouth and ingest the food you collect -- in the pools you are intimately mixed with the water (especially the hot tubs that are kept at excellent bacterial breeding temperatures), and likely to be splashed in the face or mouth, or to wipe your face from time to time with your hot tub wet hands. Some even submerge their faces in the water.

How many of us lick our fingers during, or after casino play? On the contrary, if you do the slots, for instance, chances are by the time you are done your fingers are quite black and greasy so they are in for a wash or clean with a wipe right away. This is not to diminish the chances of picking up the virus as you handle the chips, machines, dice, etc -- it is just that you are less likely to touch your face before you have a good wash when using this area.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for reminding me about the shops. All the doors were kept closed except one and you had the choice of either wearing gloves or using the Purell. And everyone there except the person in charge of the "Gold & Silver By the Inch" counter who had to measure and put the clasps on the chains.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I had been in the hospital March 12 and 13 and was in a weakened condition when we flew out to San Diego on the 19th. I really worried about getting the virus this time compared to the other times.

But having been through this before, we just followed the same rules we do at home --- WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN!!!! And becareful of what you touch - like the hand rails when the ship is rocking and rolling.

[mim100]

good point...how do they sanitize all those playing surfaces? since I'm still awaiting my first cruise, I've never been in a HAL casino...am I right in assuming there are slot machines, card tables, etc? lots of potential there for germ-spreading.. ( ok just saw arzz's post and got my answer) :)

not sure how much good gloves would be since you're continually touching surfaces with them...reminds me of the Sars scare and wearing masks...5 minutes and they're already considered polluted...

[elmorejj]

A couple of posters mention wearing gloves, i assume these are the latex type. Were they provided for you?......jean:cool: