Norovirus hits 200 on Grandeur of the Seas

Im scheduled on Grandeur next month out of Baltimore. This news reported this morning by WTOP in Washington DC.

Srry for the passengers and crew on the ship. :(

WASHINGTON — More than 200 people who became ill aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship are back in Baltimore, after a stomach-turning bout with norovirus.

Royal Caribbean cut short the Grandeur of the Sea’s scheduled 9-day cruise trip to Jamaica, after 193 passengers and 9 crew members became ill, apparently with norovirus.

“Those affected by the short-lived illness are responding well to over-the-counter medication administered on board the ship,” says Royal Caribbean spokesperson Cynthia Martinez, in a statement reported by WJZ-TV.

A passenger, identified by WJZ as Krisa, says the experience wasn’t pleasant.

“High fever, extreme stomach flu, I guess you could call it. You’re in your room for more than a day,” she said.

According to the cruise line, when the ship was in Jamaica, CDC health officers boarded to collect samples and evaluate the outbreak.

This not the Grandeur of the Sea’s first battle with norovirus.

Last April, more than 100 passengers on the same ship came down with the gastrointestinal virus.

In May of 2013, the ship caught fire at sea. Nobody was injured.

The ship is being cleaned and disinfected, and the terminal is being cleaned.

Current thread about halfway down the first page.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2161324

Hi Runningtide,

I was one of the hundred that was sick with the Noro Virus last April and the cruise before ours also had the virus. we thought we were on Undercover Boss when we were in the Windjammer because they were pulling musicians and other members of the crew to help out. They took all the pepper and salt shakers off the table. The day we were getting off the ship when we open up the cabin door there was a Bio Hazard bag across from our room and when looking down the hallway there were Bags everywhere. Was on the ship in December and was very careful watching what I ate and drank, made sure my drinks did not have ice in them and also smelled the water if it smelled funny I did not drink it. Very sensitive to smells. The crew was Fantastic and they we're exhausted from the back to back cleaning's, but they always had a smile on there face.

[QUOTE=runningtide;45483841]Im scheduled on Grandeur next month out of Baltimore. This news reported this morning by WTOP in Washington DC.

Srry for the passengers and crew on the ship. :(

WASHINGTON — More than 200 people who became ill aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship are back in Baltimore, after a stomach-turning bout with norovirus.

Royal Caribbean cut short the Grandeur of the Sea’s scheduled 9-day cruise trip to Jamaica, after 193 passengers and 9 crew members became ill, apparently with norovirus.

“Those affected by the short-lived illness are responding well to over-the-counter medication administered on board the ship,” says Royal Caribbean spokesperson Cynthia Martinez, in a statement reported by WJZ-TV.

A passenger, identified by WJZ as Krisa, says the experience wasn’t pleasant.

“High fever, extreme stomach flu, I guess you could call it. You’re in your room for more than a day,” she said.

According to the cruise line, when the ship was in Jamaica, CDC health officers boarded to collect samples and evaluate the outbreak.

This not the Grandeur of the Sea’s first battle with norovirus.

Last April, more than 100 passengers on the same ship came down with the gastrointestinal virus.

In May of 2013, the ship caught fire at sea. Nobody was injured.

The ship is being cleaned and disinfected, and the terminal is being cleaned.

Just because a ship has had Norovirus a few times before, I don't think a connection can be made specifically. It must be just chance that someone comes on with it, whether it is a passenger or new crew member. Someone can pick it up at a port they visited also. We take our chances. I have been on the Grandeur many times successfully. It probaby would take two instances if myself or wife got it , for us to stop cruising.

from my iPad using Forums mobile app

And yet I still see people go into the rest room and not wash their hands when they leave. It's the same people who refuse to take the hand sanitizer when entering the dining room or buffet.

I personally think the crew do a great job trying to keep the ship clean and sanitized but unfortunately it's the guests who are the main problem.

The article is trying to make it seem like it's Royal Caribbean, or the Grandeur's fault, when it's really not. One infected passenger can easily spread it.

The ship is not at fault.. it's a PASSENGER borne illness!

I could not agree more about the wrong impressions the media likes to paint about the virus and RCI. I have sailed several time on RCI and this will be my second on Grandeur. All my trips have been on smaller ships, mostly because you get to know the staff and other passengers more easily . And at least on the smaller ships the staff has been outstanding.

As for the Noro virus, though never having experienced it on board, last January, the morning after a large party of family and friends, my younger Son came down with it that night, and spend the evening sleeping in the bathroom. Next night, my girl friend came down with the exact symptoms, and like my son , also spent the night sleeping on the bathroom floor. I think she got it helping to clean up after my 24 year old Son. (I'll skip the details). The next morning I was at the drug store buying wipes, sprays, various soap and antiseptic pump lotions. I spend the day wiping down any standing surface in the house. Even the cat got a once over :rolleyes: Anyway I managed to escape the same fate that two other household members acquired.

I guess the point is, you do the best you can and follow obvious good advice, but other than that, keep the party going !!!! I have full confidence in RCI and the ships it operates. Looking forward to next month on Grandeur.

For the germophobes...Here's an interesting new technology which is supposed to be able to sanitize a room. I wonder if the cruise line installed them throughout the ship, if they would cut back on the incidents of norovirus?

http://www.viruszero.com/

It looks like you can pick up a portable version on Amazon which should be able to sanitize a cabin.

For the germophobes...Here's an interesting new technology which is supposed to be able to sanitize a room. I wonder if the cruise line installed them throughout the ship, if they would cut back on the incidents of norovirus?

 

http://www.viruszero.com/

 

It looks like you can pick up a portable version on Amazon which should be able to sanitize a cabin.

Filtering air will not sanitize a room.

For the germophobes...Here's an interesting new technology which is supposed to be able to sanitize a room. I wonder if the cruise line installed them throughout the ship, if they would cut back on the incidents of norovirus?

 

http://www.viruszero.com/

 

It looks like you can pick up a portable version on Amazon which should be able to sanitize a cabin.

Sorry, but noro is not an aerosol virus, it is spread by contact. Every certification they have on their site deals with measuring viruses in air samples, and nothing to do with the viruses on the surfaces of the test equipment. Therefore, this ionizer would have no effect against noro virus.

Filtering air will not sanitize a room.

True, but this product is not an air filter, so that's not really relevant.

Sorry, but noro is not an aerosol virus, it is spread by contact. Every certification they have on their site deals with measuring viruses in air samples, and nothing to do with the viruses on the surfaces of the test equipment. Therefore, this ionizer would have no effect against noro virus.

Good points. However, presumably the Hydroperoxy in the air would also come in contact with viruses on exposed surfaces. There doesn't seem to be any mechanism which would protect a virus from Hydroperoxy exposure simply because it happened to be on a surface. Further testing would be needed to confirm this.

Good points. However, presumably the Hydroperoxy in the air would also come in contact with viruses on exposed surfaces. There doesn't seem to be any mechanism which would protect a virus from Hydroperoxy exposure simply because it happened to be on a surface. Further testing would be needed to confirm this.

From a 2011 report by the CDC, use of peroxides against noro is "proposed" but not accepted by them. As they will state, even bleach will not always remove all noro virus on a seriously contaminated surface. Other studies show that peroxide is not effective against non-enveloped viruses like noro. My browser is acting up today, and I'm not getting good links to post, but if you google "hydroperoxide against noro virus" the CDC's MMWR reports are the first hit.

The main problem with disinfecting noro is contact time. I'm not sure the ions produced by this unit would stick around long enough (ions, and "radicals" especially, by their nature tend to react and break down) to sufficiently attack noro. There is a reason that these folks stay away from claims about noro, when if they had found it to be effective, they would be trumpeting it from the mountain tops.

I am currently on the Grandeur and in a cabin that shows indications of having been one that housed an infected person. This is Day 5 of the cruise, I am healthy and not worried...because:

this crew is amazing! They are working around the clock to make sure that no virus can exist on the ship. Every one of them, from dancers, to Loyality Ambassador, to concierges, etc. are out and about sanitizing. They are working in cycles in the food venues to make sure that no guest touches serving utensils. They are pulling very long hours but always have a smile on their faces.

I am so very impressed by them and proud of them.

I am currently on the Grandeur and in a cabin that shows indications of having been one that housed an infected person. This is Day 5 of the cruise, I am healthy and not worried...because:

 

this crew is amazing! They are working around the clock to make sure that no virus can exist on the ship. Every one of them, from dancers, to Loyality Ambassador, to concierges, etc. are out and about sanitizing. They are working in cycles in the food venues to make sure that no guest touches serving utensils. They are pulling very long hours but always have a smile on their faces.

 

I am so very impressed by them and proud of them.

Ok, I'll bite. What exactly indicates that an infected person was in there? Because the only things I can think of are things that would send me running to the hotel director to have the cabin re-cleaned as clearly a good job even for a cabin NOT housing an infected person was not done.

Ok, I'll bite. What exactly indicates that an infected person was in there? Because the only things I can think of are things that would send me running to the hotel director to have the cabin re-cleaned as clearly a good job even for a cabin NOT housing an infected person was not done.

Sorry I didn't explain.

We sailed on the Grandeur 3 weeks ago and stated in this very same cabin. We now have brand new matresses, new pillows, shower curtains, etc. This room was clean before but this time it looks like it was just installed on the ship.

There is NOTHING about this room and ship that would cause me concern.

Sorry I didn't explain.

We sailed on the Grandeur 3 weeks ago and stated in this very same cabin. We now have brand new matresses, new pillows, shower curtains, etc. This room was clean before but this time it looks like it was just installed on the ship.

 

There is NOTHING about this room and ship that would cause me concern.

Oh, ok. Thanks for explaining. :) Definitely NOT what I pictured with the phrase. Now it makes sense.

I am currently on the Grandeur and in a cabin that shows indications of having been one that housed an infected person. This is Day 5 of the cruise, I am healthy and not worried...because:

 

this crew is amazing! They are working around the clock to make sure that no virus can exist on the ship. Every one of them, from dancers, to Loyality Ambassador, to concierges, etc. are out and about sanitizing. They are working in cycles in the food venues to make sure that no guest touches serving utensils. They are pulling very long hours but always have a smile on their faces.

 

I am so very impressed by them and proud of them.

Glad to hear they are taking precautions. Have you heard of anyone having Noro on this sailing?

Glad to hear they are taking precautions. Have you heard of anyone having Noro on this sailing?

Waiting anxiously for this answer...my family is leaving in 5 days for this cruise ship.

Glad to hear they are taking precautions. Have you heard of anyone having Noro on this sailing?

No, I haven't heard of any.

GOOD NEWS: (what I posted above was written before I went to breakfast) When I went to breakfast I saw a huge change in the ship...things were being done the "normal" way ie. people serving themselves,etc. This was also true at lunch. That is a fantastic, positive sign.

In my (guessing) opinion, we are past the problem. WHOOPPEE.

CONGRATULATIONS officers, staff, and crew of the Grandeur....job well done!

I am so proud of this crew.

No, I haven't heard of any.

 

GOOD NEWS: (what I posted above was written before I went to breakfast) When I went to breakfast I saw a huge change in the ship...things were being done the "normal" way ie. people serving themselves,etc. This was also true at lunch. That is a fantastic, positive sign.

 

In my (guessing) opinion, we are past the problem. WHOOPPEE.

 

CONGRATULATIONS officers, staff, and crew of the Grandeur....job well done!

I am so proud of this crew.

Hi BeachNative! My friend Linda and I met you a few years ago on I think Sovereign. You were ever so kind and gracious to us, invited us to sit with you in the lounge. Linda and I are taking a cruise on Brilliance April 25th, and just wanted to check and see if y'all will be on it...I know you love to cruise! Enjoy the rest of your cruise on Grandeur! Leigh