Getting sick on a cruise- I took home pneumonia from the Spirit: Boston to Bermuda

We all know there is a risk of getting ill on a cruise ship. So many people in such tight quarters. I usually read about gastro-intestinal illnesses.

NCL did a great job with the sanitizer all over the ship (especially with Mr Happy and Mr Nasty). On the Wednesday afternoon (8/11) after we left Bermuda I started to get intense achiness in my thighs. That lasted through Friday (8/13). Once I was home it turned into full body achiness. Didn't have much of a fever but I was laid up in bed pretty much all of last weekend through Monday. Usually achiness for me leads to a flu but the achiness lasts for 1-2 days. But by the 5th day with no other symptoms other than full body big time achiness and dillusional sleeping I went to the doctor knowing I had more than a flu. He said I caught something viral since I had no associated fever. But even then he didn't say pneumonia. He sent me home with Phenergen w/codeine to supress what little cough I then had. Starting yesterday WHAM. Hocking up huge phlegm. Today I am on an antibiotic treating my viral pneumonia. I hope I feel better soon. I have asthma so no respitory illness is good for me.

No blame here. I think every possible precaution was taken. Who knows if I caught it on the ship or on land in Bermuda. Regardless it still stinks. I really hate feeling this strange for so long. Last time I had pneumonia was 30 years ago.

Since I haven't read anything I'm probably an isolated case that probably happens on every cruise - somebody comes home sick.

So has anybody here ever take home a whopper of an illness from a cruise? If so, was it a ship epidemic or isolated?

Bummer.....Hope your recovery is speedy. Thinking back to my Navy days I had a nasty bout of Meningitis in the middle of the Northern Atlantic. I was so ill I only vaguely remember little except the XO and Corpman looking down at me very worried. I managed to live through it and my short stay in an Icelandic hospital room. There is a lot to luck in life. I've been lucky with cruise ships.....

Jingle

One thing my wife recalls when comparing NCL to Princess. She remembers (and so do I) that when on the Crown we noticed crew members constantly wiping down handrails and anything else peoples hands came in contact with. I didn't notice that so much on this recent NCL cruise. Again, no idea if I caught it on the ship or in Bermuda - just an observation.

How weird - one week after getting off a HAL ship this summer to Alaska I was down with pneumonia also. Never had it before - urgent care doctor thought it was just my asthma acting up after two breathing treatments and feeling worse was sent to ER for further testing - that is where I was diagnosed. Doctors think I caught it while on the ship. My advice to you is to REST, REST, REST and more REST. Do not over do it even when you think you can at first because you will rebound - been there done that. Good luck now is the time to get your family and friends to take care of you.

Someone probably brought it aboard the ship and gave it to half everyone aboard the ship, including the crew... Its the same with noro virus and bed bugs too...

Wash your hands religiously, and use NCL's anti-bacteria hand gel whenever the opportunity arises...

OP, I hope you get well really soon. I guess that it could be an isolated incident or maybe something that ended up being widespread around the ship. Who knows? Hopefully some people from the same ship will come back and report here or on the Roll Call for your sailing. I'd be curious to know too. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. :)

So sorry to read you got ill, get well soon.

Looking at it from the bright side, it's better to be ill after your cruise than during it. :)

I know this is slightly off but ... electricron, I LOVE your signature ~_^ 5th Element :D

I'm not a dr, but an antibiotic WILL NOT treat a viral illness.... However you could have developed bacterial pneumonia after having a nasty respiratory virus. I did develop pneumonia after my 1st cruise... Thought it would kill me!! I think the la9k of sleep and lack of precautions on my part led to me getting so sick. I'm learning the limitations of my immune system and how to work with it especially when I travel. It takes hypervigilance for me unfortunately. They say once you've had pneumonia you're more likely to get it again... Don't know if that is true or not.

I was on the same cruise as you and have been fighting a nasty respitory "bug" since returnig home too!

One thing my wife recalls when comparing NCL to Princess. She remembers (and so do I) that when on the Crown we noticed crew members constantly wiping down handrails and anything else peoples hands came in contact with. I didn't notice that so much on this recent NCL cruise. Again, no idea if I caught it on the ship or in Bermuda - just an observation.

I was recently on the Dawn and the Jewel and on both cruises I noticed crew members constantly wiping down the handrails, especially near all the stairs. I remember wishing someone would do that for me at home too!!:D:D

I've never come home sick (knock on wood) and wish you a speedy recovery!

I'm not a dr, but an antibiotic WILL NOT treat a viral illness.... However you could have developed bacterial pneumonia after having a nasty respiratory virus. I did develop pneumonia after my 1st cruise... Thought it would kill me!! I think the la9k of sleep and lack of precautions on my part led to me getting so sick. I'm learning the limitations of my immune system and how to work with it especially when I travel. It takes hypervigilance for me unfortunately. They say once you've had pneumonia you're more likely to get it again... Don't know if that is true or not.

I wondered why I would get an antibiotic for an origianlly diagnosed viral infection. In a few days I'll know if it flipped to bacterial pneumonia - the medicine will help.

I had pneumonia 30 years ago and several bouts of walking pneumonia decades ago.

I was on the same cruise as you and have been fighting a nasty respitory "bug" since returnig home too!

I hope it doesn't grow into pneumonia like mine did.

MetalMan-

First, so sorry you got sick. The way your thread was titled I thought you might be blaming THE SHIP! You weren't, you were very logical. Some pax get sick; it happens.

My mom got very sick on the Jewel. We were seated with a nice couple also from Texas and another pax. He started telling us he had a cold and then he sneezed a real wet one and wiped his gross hands on his shirt. The other couple started making excuses to go to a show first and then eat. Meanwhile our "friend" handed my mother the bread basket. I immedialtely went to the Maitre D and had him move us...

A few days later my mother began feeling puny on our Rome excursion. By that night she was terribly sick and missed Naples, Crete and all 3 days in Athens. My mom has asthma, so the flowers in Funchal and the winds from the Sahara could have contributed. Anyways, it ended up being full blown bronchitis.

This cruise was a catalyst that now we need a suite so we can have our own space, because on that TA we were in an outside only.

My mom had a really good attitde about it... We will return to Athens another time. And we are careful about being seated with others now.

When we were on the Spirit in May, we noticed the crew wiping down handrails with what we assumed was disinfectant on a regular basis. No matter where we may be... work, school, vacation.. it's easy to pick up an illness. I was impressed at how assiduous the crew was in making sure that the ship was sanitized.

Metalman, We are on the Spirit tomorrow and while I am not nervous about catching pneumonia(you can't)I agree it is sooo important to be vigilant about hand washing. I teach special ed pre-school and my hands are like elephant hide, it is important. So sorry you have pneumonia, I end up with double just about every March. :( I never really rest, too worried about my students, but please take care of yourself, rest and hope your wife is feeling better.

Happy Cruising

I seem to catch bronchitis(sp?) quite easily and seem to always come down with it about 3 or 4 days into our cruises. I always assumed it was from the confined area on the airplane. Whatever the reason, I now ALWAYS take an antibiotic with me. If I need it, I'm covered. If I don't, I just keep it for future use. I never want to miss a minute of my precious cruise time down with a "bug." I wish you all happy ...AND HEALTHY cruises!

P. S. DMH15, I would have been soooo grossed out by the "sneezer" at your table. If only people could see a video of their behavior, I wonder if they wouold feel grossed out, too.

I've come off CCL Legend with sinus infection and my SIL came off the Miracle last year with bronchitis. She has COPD and she started with what I thought to be a sinus infection that quickly became bronchitis. I've got pollen allergies and that year on the Legend it was very hot and very humid. I attributed it to being out in the heat then hitting the much cooler A/C inside the ship. My SIL is bringing antibiotics with here this year just in case. I bring along my sinus rinse. That way if I feel the least bit of congestion in my sinuses I'm rinsing away. This thing has kept me sinus infection free for over two years now (knocking on wood).

I'm so sorry for your pneumonia. This goes so far beyond a sinus infection (but my mom's doc said untreated they go to pneumonia:eek:)

My hubby has had asthma since 6 months old --- has your doctor suggested getting the pneumonia vaccine?

Kathy

I believe that ECHINECEA prevents colds and other such ailments. I take some on a cruise and as soon as I feel thet little scratchiness in the throat.I have a feeling AC on ships might be a problem. I book balconies Turn Off AC.I prefer fresh air.I'm sure the vents after a few years are not that clean !!!Probably not so easy to clean in anycase. One good rule to follow is to only use one's cabin facilities ..no where else on ship to avoid contamination.

Sorry for your woes but lots of people does result in many booboos

Take it easy Hope you feel better soon

DH came home with Pneumonia from our Baltic Cruise last May. He got sick during the last 2 days at sea returning to London. The ship's doctor advised him to take some medication, fly home, and see his doctor. He did what he was told, but got off the plane and went to the ER..and was admitted to the hospital for 5 days!!!

I'm not a doctor but flying puts you in a tin can with recycled air sending all the "bugs" throughout the plane. If you flew to get the cruise it may very well have started there. Friends of ours flew with us to Hawaii for a cruise. 4 of us used Zicam nose things (basically Q tips with some type of stuff on them) to keep our nose hairs moistened while flying. 2 didn't. One of the 2 who didn't got very sick while in Hawaii and was sick for over a month after returning home. I think cruise ships do a great job of keeping the ships clean. Hope you get better soon.

We all know there is a risk of getting ill on a cruise ship. So many people in such tight quarters. I usually read about gastro-intestinal illnesses.

 

NCL did a great job with the sanitizer all over the ship (especially with Mr Happy and Mr Nasty). On the Wednesday afternoon (8/11) after we left Bermuda I started to get intense achiness in my thighs. That lasted through Friday (8/13). Once I was home it turned into full body achiness. Didn't have much of a fever but I was laid up in bed pretty much all of last weekend through Monday. Usually achiness for me leads to a flu but the achiness lasts for 1-2 days. But by the 5th day with no other symptoms other than full body big time achiness and dillusional sleeping I went to the doctor knowing I had more than a flu. He said I caught something viral since I had no associated fever. But even then he didn't say pneumonia. He sent me home with Phenergen w/codeine to supress what little cough I then had. Starting yesterday WHAM. Hocking up huge phlegm. Today I am on an antibiotic treating my viral pneumonia. I hope I feel better soon. I have asthma so no respitory illness is good for me.

 

No blame here. I think every possible precaution was taken. Who knows if I caught it on the ship or on land in Bermuda. Regardless it still stinks. I really hate feeling this strange for so long. Last time I had pneumonia was 30 years ago.

 

Since I haven't read anything I'm probably an isolated case that probably happens on every cruise - somebody comes home sick.

 

So has anybody here ever take home a whopper of an illness from a cruise? If so, was it a ship epidemic or isolated?

I've noticed a lot of upper respiratory illnesses in the airlines this year, and as was said earlier, a ship can be tight quarters. Sorry for your illness, I had to stay away from my first grandson this past June because of some upper resp. thing, broke my heart. Barb

I've come off CCL Legend with sinus infection and my SIL came off the Miracle last year with bronchitis. She has COPD and she started with what I thought to be a sinus infection that quickly became bronchitis. I've got pollen allergies and that year on the Legend it was very hot and very humid. I attributed it to being out in the heat then hitting the much cooler A/C inside the ship. My SIL is bringing antibiotics with here this year just in case. I bring along my sinus rinse. That way if I feel the least bit of congestion in my sinuses I'm rinsing away. This thing has kept me sinus infection free for over two years now (knocking on wood).

 

I'm so sorry for your pneumonia. This goes so far beyond a sinus infection (but my mom's doc said untreated they go to pneumonia:eek:)

 

My hubby has had asthma since 6 months old --- has your doctor suggested getting the pneumonia vaccine?

 

Kathy

This thread is amazing. On our first cruise with NCL Spirit my DH came down early on with a nasty URI and then half way through the cruise I got it. In their defense NCL goes out of their way to make the ship as sanitary as possible. Then on my last cruise with CCL Miracle I heard a lot of passengers sneezing and coughing and I ended up coming home with a whopping case of bronchitis and my DIL was sick as well. That was July 10th and believe it or not I have just gotten over it.

I think a lot has to do with the air conditioning vents not being cleaned and people not washing their hands frequently. I wash my hands incessantly and still got sick. We will be sailing CCL Glory late September and NCL Gem May 2011 and I am already taking Echinacea and Vitamin C and plan to take it with me along with personal hand sanitizer.

So sorry you got so sick! We were on that cruise with a large group and no one got ill, just very tired! Best wished for a speedy recovery!

We've done 15 cruises, mostly ones longer than 10 days, on a variety of cruise lines and have been blessed in that neither of us has gotten sick.

I've come home from land vacations though with br

onchitis after staying in a hotel. And I've gotten the flu after an airplane flight (not affiliated with a cruise). So I'm very appreciative of the care that cruise ship crews take in trying to keep illness from the passengers, even though not always successful.

We have 33 days coming up on the Sun and I'm including meds for colds, antibiotics for bronchitis, and flu meds like Dayquil among the items in our medicine kit. Hopefully we won't need them.