As of April 23rd, the Infinity is still under a...

precautionary Code Red. There was a major cleaning in Guatemala.

So far, so good. It's unusual having to receive Purell going into shops. But, if it keeps us bug free..that's all the better.

Mike

I am due to go on the Infinity in June. Is there a problem? Why code red?

The infinity has had norovirus since it left the antarctica. They are trying to clean the ship, but I guess it keeps returning so they are taking precautions.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. You should wash your hands carefully and use sanitizer whether or not their is norovirus.

The infinity has had norovirus since it left the antarctica. They are trying to clean the ship, but I guess it keeps returning so they are taking precautions..

One might think that it is related to "The Thing"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084787/

Sorry, couldn't resist referring to an old movie.. ;)

I was on the Infinity in April 2013... Norovirus made our cruise very uncomfortable. What is wrong with this ship?

I was on the Infinity in April 2013... Norovirus made our cruise very uncomfortable. What is wrong with this ship?

It is not the ship's fault that people don't wash their hands and use proper cleaning techniques. The ship and it's wonderful staff work very very hard to keep this stuff under control, but if the passengers don't wash their hands and/or use the sanitizers it will continue to live on.

Five weeks till we board. We didn't enjoy our Eclipse cruise last May as much as usual due to noro virus onboard so I hope it's gone soon for the sake of those onboard now and in the next few weeks! :(

I was on the Infinity in April 2013... Norovirus made our cruise very uncomfortable. What is wrong with this ship?

We were on Infinity April16-30, 2013 (san Diego-FLL). Don't remember any incidences of norovirus. Certainly no public announcements or restrictions or special precautions. Were you on the previous sailing (FLL-San Diego ?)

Apparently the virus went rampant on the 2nd Antarctic cruise (16 Feb- 2 March 2014). Unfortunately, that cruise had a lot of issues with weather as well.

We were on the Infinity sailing from Valparaiso last March. There was a Noro outbreak. My DH was one of those affected. As best as we could tell, the majority of the passengers affected were on the b2b and had come through several climate changes.

We sail her again and hopefully as we go through climate changes again on our itinerary this will not happen again.

I will add that every entrance to every dining venue, except Q'sine the night we ate there was manned with staff armed with hand sanitizer. I can't attest to Bistro on 5 as we did not eat there after the Noro announcement. This type of product has been much discussed...is it effective or not? But each passenger should certainly wash their hands before dining. It's beyond common sense. There were attendants in the closest bathrooms to open doors too for those exiting during the dining hours.

At the same time we were cruising there was a Noro outbreak at a convention hotel in Denver so the issue cannot be totally attributed to cruise ships. Close quarters like hotels and schools are as easily subjected to mass outbreaks of all kinds of bugs.

I will add that every entrance to every dining venue, except Q'sine the night we ate there was manned with staff armed with hand sanitizer. I can't attest to Bistro on 5 as we did not eat there after the Noro announcement. This type of product has been much discussed...is it effective or not?

I've read hand sanitizer doesn't work against noro. I wonder if the hand sanitizer gives people a false sense of security and some don't bother washing their hands and just rely on the sanitizer.

I've read hand sanitizer doesn't work against noro. I wonder if the hand sanitizer gives people a false sense of security and some don't bother washing their hands and just rely on the sanitizer.

Washing your hands after using the toilet or before eating is common sense (which unfortunately is not so common).:(

It's a rare cruise that I don't see somebody licking their fingers while in the buffet line. Granted that when the 48 hours safety point is reached without a noro case being reported and one is allowed to self serve in the buffet, licking fingers is not that big of a deal. I'm always a bit reticent to say anything to the finger licker, because in the past even when trying to be as tactful as possible, I've gotten some pretty nasty responses. One lady told me it was okay for her to lick her fingers, she said "It's okay, I know what I'm doing, I'm a nurse" then proceeded to tell me to mind my own business. (My wife later told me I should explained that I was US Public Health Doc, which was true, but a few years ago) On our last cruise in Feb. I was within elbows reach on a lady who was sampling bits of food with her fingers and then licking them. I guess she just wanted to know how they tasted before making her choice. I half bit my tongue and mumbled about. She asked "what, I didn't catch that". So I repeated it without restrained tongue, and she said "Oh I know, it is such a bad habit of mine" That was one classy lady to be able to say that.

It's a rare cruise that I don't see somebody licking their fingers while in the buffet line. Granted that when the 48 hours safety point is reached without a noro case being reported and one is allowed to self serve in the buffet, licking fingers is not that big of a deal. I'm always a bit reticent to say anything to the finger licker, because in the past even when trying to be as tactful as possible, I've gotten some pretty nasty responses. One lady told me it was okay for her to lick her fingers, she said "It's okay, I know what I'm doing, I'm a nurse" then proceeded to tell me to mind my own business. (My wife later told me I should explained that I was US Public Health Doc, which was true, but a few years ago) On our last cruise in Feb. I was within elbows reach on a lady who was sampling bits of food with her fingers and then licking them. I guess she just wanted to know how they tasted before making her choice. I half bit my tongue and mumbled about. She asked "what, I didn't catch that". So I repeated it without restrained tongue, and she said "Oh I know, it is such a bad habit of mine" That was one classy lady to be able to say that.

You never realise how bad people can be (manners and habits) until you get out of your own home and see them go about their lives. It is then you realise that maybe some of the thingds you do are not so normal (great) yourself.:D

Infinity and the terminal in Miami will undergo sanitizing and boarding will be delayed by several hours for the April 29 sailing.

It looks like Infinity doesn't have anything on the schedule for May 24-29, although I could have read the schedule wrong. I wonder if they'll do a deep clean then?

It will be in Europe for a private tour before our Norway cruise starts on May 30

It is not the ship's fault that people don't wash their hands and use proper cleaning techniques. The ship and it's wonderful staff work very very hard to keep this stuff under control, but if the passengers don't wash their hands and/or use the sanitizers it will continue to live on.

You are right. Some people do not follow basic hygiene. My pet peeve is people not using the serving instruments in the buffet.

There is also a problem with people in the Caribbean buying local food from street vendors. The ship I was on in Jan/Feb had an outbreak after a call in Costa Rica and the captain came on the speaker to tell people not to buy food off the ship.

You are right. Some people do not follow basic hygiene. My pet peeve is people not using the serving instruments in the buffet.

There is also a problem with people in the Caribbean buying local food from street vendors. The ship I was on in Jan/Feb had an outbreak after a call in Costa Rica and the captain came on the speaker to tell people not to buy food off the ship.

Goodness gracious, some common sense should prevail. Risk your holiday health for a cheap bite to eat, no thanks.

Any news from current sailing. Hoping allis now well for you?

It appears that they have just docked in Harwich. Perhaps someone will connect with good wifi and update us.

Be nice to hear that it was a perfect trip. 😄

I was on the Infinity in April 2013... Norovirus made our cruise very uncomfortable. What is wrong with this ship?

Nothing.

Every year Infinity sails South America and has an outbreak of GI/Noro, every year Millenium sails Asia and has an outbreak of GI/Noro (went on for 6 weeks or more this year).

Why? Combination of things - poor hygiene standards from the passengers, airborne germs resulting from the poor hygiene standards in some of the countries visited (think the Chinese spitting habit), passengers sampling the "delights" of local food from questionable vendors, and the list goes on.

Our recent Millenium B2B was under code red when we boarded in Singapore and still the case 4 weeks later when we left in Shanghai.

Apart from GI outbreaks which weren't huge numbers but were an almost daily occurrence, there was also a flu outbreak amongst the crew.

The second two weeks also saw many, many more people coughing from the day they boarded in Hong Kong, yet still they come to the large enclosed public areas like the theatre and MDR, spreading germs everywhere.

Did we catch anything - no. I put that down to a combination of scrupulous hygiene and sanitising, not using self service at any outlet because of the code red, never eating food on the go outside, and moving seats whenever anyone coughing was sitting next to us, oh and a large dollop of good luck!

Just got off Infinity in Harwich this morning. We had a wonderful awesome cruise. After a delayed boarding to give the ship an extra cleaning in Miami, we had a few days of not being able to serve ourselves at drink stations or the buffet. But after getting a 100% rating in New York City, everything was back to normal. I can't believe how hard the staff had to work during this whole ordeal. I give them a lot of credit!

Thanks so much. It will be a relief to all of us who are sailing on the May 30th trip. Did you meet up with some great Cruise Critic Members?

Any new clues for any of us?

Also disembarked yesterday in Harwich after a wonderful Transatlantic- Cruise! Some complained bitterly about the delayed boarding in Miami and that no one could enter the cabins before 5 pm and the resolting delay in Sail away, around 10 pm) ! Well they had to clean the old Lady foreward to aft, up and down. I never entered a cabin bare every single cussion, the bedding without drapping ( very funny looking - like a bedding in military hospital) , no paper, no booklet, no info - just the basics- a very interessting but quite understandable experience.

I avoided Ocean view for the first days because of the lines as no one was allowed self service , but after the good ratings in New York and Halifax everything went back to normal.

The Infinity itself- well now the oldest ship I ever sailed - I must say she sparkles and is spotless clean- absolutley NOT rundown. Okay in some parts one can see that she is not right out of the building dock. ( Handles at some door, a little rust here and there under the overhang, but nothing that could not be easly mended. Cleaning took place all over and around the clock.

In a very first with X , I found inconsistend service people. Some bent over backwards to help and be friendly ( even after the ordeals that had to go through) others were , well, on the brisk and tightlipped side. All Baccio- three four very nice and friendly , one did absolutley not like what she was doing, acording to the misserable expression she showed ( and acted), the guy behind the bar in Cellar Masters had such a misserable experession on his face that almost cryed out. NOBODY SHOULD DARE OREDING SOMETHING FROM ME, some bartenders in the upper decks, same story ! Never happend before! It was not just what I experienced but I overheard others mention, we even discused it at the dinner table. There we had the best waiter ever in all my cruises, also the helpfull and friendly stateroom attendant.

I will do a whole rewview when I come round in my dayly routine.

Michael