Code Red

[roberts2005]

I was wondering if any HAL's ships have recently had "Code Red" situations. We will be boarding the Noordam in two weeks and have concerns. Half our trip on the Noordam last year was under a Code Red. It put a damper on an otherwise great cruise. Just wondering what the odds are for it to happen again

[GeriatricNurse]

Originally Posted by roberts2005

I was wondering if any HAL's ships have recently had "Code Red" situations. We will be boarding the Noordam in two weeks and have concerns. Half our trip on the Noordam last year was under a Code Red. It put a damper on an otherwise great cruise. Just wondering what the odds are for it to happen again

Veendam, I think!

[CtheW0rld]

Originally Posted by GeriatricNurse

Veendam, I think!

poor veendam. i'm almost starting to feel sorry for her. almost.

[Randyk47]

Originally Posted by roberts2005

I was wondering if any HAL's ships have recently had "Code Red" situations. We will be boarding the Noordam in two weeks and have concerns. Half our trip on the Noordam last year was under a Code Red. It put a damper on an otherwise great cruise. Just wondering what the odds are for it to happen again

While I understand the concern and trying to find out which ships have had trouble the truth is that past history, even as recent as the last couple of weeks, has little bearing on what might happen today or tomorrow. Case in point was a cruise we took a couple of years ago on the Volendam. Absolutely no issues on our 11-day cruise, certainly nothing that rose to the level of a Code Red. The very next cruise got hit by a significant outbreak of norovirus, heavy enough it made the "news" here and in CDC reports. Circumstantially you'd draw the conclusion that passengers boarding after we got off brought the virus with them though obviously there's no way to prove that.

[Krazy Kruizers]

No one can predict when a ship will go into Code Red.

We have been on quite a few ships that were in Code Red when we got on them. And we have been on quite a few ships when the Noro Virus broke out and the ship went into Code Red.

We just made the best of the situation and still had great cruises.

[ej22ndrow]

Don't know if you consider this "recently" but I was on the Zuiderdam
Sept 1-8 and we went into Code Red on Tuesday or Wednesday of our sailing.

[sail7seas]

I really, really dislike Code Red.... Yes, I understand it but I really am unhappy when it is present.

I'm not crazy about Code Orange either but they say it has cut down on on Code Red and illness and I accept what they say but there definitely are things omitted for those days and some of them are things I like. I miss some of the things they take away.

[KirkNC]

Yes lets be sure we understand that virtually all ships start the cruise in a code orange now where you are served food at the buffet etc. That is a preventive measure, not a code red.

[kcscrapper]

Originally Posted by sail7seas

I'm not crazy about Code Orange either but they say it has cut down on on Code Red and illness and I accept what they say but there definitely are things omitted for those days and some of them are things I like. I miss some of the things they take away.

Sincerely curious as I don't know that I've ever cruised in a "code Orange" situation? What are some of the things "taken away"? I've read, here, about HAL staff serving on the buffet at embarkation and 2 days thereafter.

[Typhoon1]

The code Orange for two days is a good step in the right direction. HAL is at least proactive in an attempt to curb Noro.

[innlady1]

Back in '08, on one of our Noordam cruises, the ship went into Code Red on the 3rd day and stayed in Code Red til the end of the 10 day cruise.

Nothing one can do when this happens other than to continue to wash your hands and be careful what you touch in public spaces...and hope that you can avoid it! Looking back, it really didn't impact our cruise a lot.

[PathfinderEss]

We were on the Amsterdam about 4 weeks ago and second day into the cruise we went code Red. We were under that code for almost 7 days. The crew worked extra hard to keep everything clean. Actually I felt the sorriest for them, we got waited on but they have to put in all the extra hours and time to do that. The Captain was so greatful that we got out of it on day 8 that we got free wine with our dinner that night. It was good wine and as much as we could drink, yummy. Thanks Captain.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Originally Posted by kcscrapper

Sincerely curious as I don't know that I've ever cruised in a "code Orange" situation? What are some of the things "taken away"? I've read, here, about HAL staff serving on the buffet at embarkation and 2 days thereafter.

Code Orange is only for the Lido bugget area for 48 hours -- on all HAL ships.

You can not touch anything in the Lido -- everything is placed on your plate / bowls. You can not even get your own water, coffee, etc.

Nothing else if affected on the ship.

[sail7seas]

KK,
That is not exactly accurate.

On Maasdam, they eliminate the taco bar for the whole of Code Orange. It is not that they make it 'no self-serve', they do not offer it at all. Also, pizza is never available. If you ask, they say they'll make one but realistically, not many people are going to hang around.

On Oosterdam, they eliminated the cheese selections at Lido lunch each day of Code Orange. It is not that there is no self-serve,,,,, the area where they usually display it is empty. I asked for cheese and was sent on a 'fool's chase' from here to there rather than someone simply saying they do not offer it during Code Orange.

There are things that are taken away for two days of the seven. If you are on Collector's or b-to-b, you lose it for four days.

[KirkNC]

Good point on the Collector cruises and B2B. I don't recall endure code orange twice but it is certainly possible.

[sail7seas]

Originally Posted by KirkNC

Good point on the Collector cruises and B2B. I don't recall endure code orange twice but it is certainly possible.

Each time a cruise starts, there are two days of Code Orange. It might not be a 'new' cruise for those of us doing Collector's or b-to-b, but it is a new cruise for all those just boarding. When you do b-to-b or Collector's seven day cruises, Code Orange is four days out of fourteen.

Yes, if it keeps people healthy, then great but let's acknowledge there are things that are withheld and omitted. Perhaps it is because they don't have enough stewards/crew to be able to serve the cheese or to serve at the Taco Bar. :shrug:

[beachdreaming]

I just read an article about a vaccination being tested for this. So, maybe that will be something required for every passenger in the future.


http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ICAAC/34781

[Sea King]

Originally Posted by GeriatricNurse

Veendam, I think!

if it's not factual, it is fair to mention any ship by name

[Krazy Kruizers]

Originally Posted by KirkNC

Good point on the Collector cruises and B2B. I don't recall endure code orange twice but it is certainly possible.

We have done quite a few back-to-back and Collectors Cruises.

And when HAL started this new Code Orange back a couple of years ago, we have had the Code Orange for the first 48 hours of the second cruise all the time.

There is no way that the workers in the Lido could identify those of us who are on a second cruise and let us help oursleves while new passengers can't touch anything. It would be impossible.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Originally Posted by sail7seas

KK,
That is not exactly accurate.

On Maasdam, they eliminate the taco bar for the whole of Code Orange. It is not that they make it 'no self-serve', they do not offer it at all. Also, pizza is never available. If you ask, they say they'll make one but realistically, not many people are going to hang around.

On Oosterdam, they eliminated the cheese selections at Lido lunch each day of Code Orange. It is not that there is no self-serve,,,,, the area where they usually display it is empty. I asked for cheese and was sent on a 'fool's chase' from here to there rather than someone simply saying they do not offer it during Code Orange.

There are things that are taken away for two days of the seven. If you are on Collector's or b-to-b, you lose it for four days.

I forgot about the Taco Bar area on the smaller ships.

Strange that you did not have the cheese area for the first 48 hours. I have seen it and have asked for a couple of chunks of cheese on some of the ships.