Back from Infinity Alaska cruise July9th-16th what a mess

:confused: I love celebrity and have been cruising with them for years. This trip was very upsetting. Everything was going smoothly...Ketichikan, Hubbard Glacier....beautiful. When we got to Juneau everything was going well as well until after our excursion when I starting feeling a little nauseous and had to get back to the ship. I became very sick and wasn't able to leave my cabin, therefore not being able to really get to see Juneau. By midnight I was in the ship's hospital with an IV in my arm and a nurse repeatedly poking me with the same needle in the same spot in my hip. I then couldn't leave my cabin for a while and when I finally was able to I was asked to leave the casino because I had been "quarenteened" and had to stay in my cabin for 24hours. By this time it was already over 48 hours since I had been sick so I was allowed to be in the casino. The scary thing is....I was never told to stay in my room for 24hours and I can see how people who were never informed to stay in their rooms would be able to leave immidiately after seeing the doctor, spreading this epidemic further....Finally everything was straightened out and my name was cleared and I could spend money again.

Then the whole thing with the short circut happened and we couldn't go to Sitka and we would arrive home 5 hours late causeing our travel plans home (New York) to get screwed up. That's a whole other terrible story.

Then when we were disembarking the people who had been sick at one point had to all go to one hot disgusting room. One woman had a seizure, others were getting sick....but the crew swore no one in that room was contagious...I was no longer sick and I knew some of these people were still terribly ill.

We were all told to leave together because they didn't want "us" mixing in with the other people on the ship while disembarking..Which doesn't make sense because after we got off the ship we were all pushed together again anyway.

I had to wait an extra two hours to get my luggage because they sent it to the "non-sick" people section. And when my luggage was ready they told me not to worry and just to go get it. I wasn't worried about getting anyone sick, I was fine, for days I had been fine. It was all the people around me throwing up that I was worried about.

So sorry to hear you were ill on your cruise. I know it's not fun...I've had Noro before. It is, however necessary to stay away from others if possible. No one had to tell me that, it's obvious.

I'm sorry that you had that experience. It seems so easy to get that Norovirus. UGHHH! I will be going on my first cruise on the same ship on the weekend. Is there any way this can be taken care of when the cruises go out back to back? :(

I don't know if there is a way to make sure the virus is gone...When we got off the ship they sent people with backpack/bottles full of liquid that they were spraying the ship down with...I assume it was some kind of disinfectant.

Wash your hands!!!

Did they put a big red "A" on your chest? How did they know in the casino that you had been sick? Why would they herd you into a room at disembarkation, and why in the world would you go? I believe I would have told them to pack sand at that point.

When we went on our last cruise (May) we went to the Dr. and got two doses of cipro (4 pills in total). If one of us had come down with the virus we would have taken the cipro, drink Gatorade and took Imodium (i.e. self medicate). With all due respect to the ship's medical staff - I know how little education is needed for someone to be a Dr. overseas and feel much better getting what I need from my Dr. at home to treat myself.

ON a previous cruise my husband came down with Noro just hours after getting off the ship - this was how it was treated and he was on his feet again the next day!

When we went on our last cruise (May) we went to the Dr. and got two doses of cipro (4 pills in total). If one of us had come down with the virus we would have taken the cipro, drink Gatorade and took Imodium (i.e. self medicate). With all due respect to the ship's medical staff - I know how little education is needed for someone to be a Dr. overseas and feel much better getting what I need from my Dr. at home to treat myself.

 

ON a previous cruise my husband came down with Noro just hours after getting off the ship - this was how it was treated and he was on his feet again the next day!

Thanks for the tip! I just left a message for my doctor to see if she'd call in a script for me. Between the lysol, disinfectant wipes (wipe down the room) and hand sanitizer I hope to be as germ free as possible on my cruise!

Thanks for the tip! I just left a message for my doctor to see if she'd call in a script for me. Between the lysol, disinfectant wipes (wipe down the room) and hand sanitizer I hope to be as germ free as possible on my cruise!

Hopefully you won't need it but it is good to be prepared just in case!

I was under the impression that Cipro would not help with a virus. It is an antibiotic for bacterial inflamation?

I always carry Cipro and a Z pac just in case I get a bacterial respritory infection. But, now I am wondering what type of pills the ship's physician gives out for the Norovirus?

Or, is there nothing they can give?:confused::confused:

I was under the impression that Cipro would not help with a virus. It is an antibiotic for bacterial inflamation?

I always carry Cipro and a Z pac just in case I get a bacterial respritory infection. But, now I am wondering what type of pills the ship's physician gives out for the Norovirus?

Or, is there nothing they can give?:confused::confused:

My dr wouldn't give me Cipro. Said anti-biotics won't do anything to a virus. Told me to wash my hands and take immodium! :-)

Cipro won't touch a virus. For a virus you can't do anything but treat the symptoms. Your doctor should have told you that.

Why was the ship's doctor handing it out?

Regards

Why was the ship's doctor handing it out?

 

Regards

Not to mention the fact it is a very expensive drug to be "handing out"!

When we went on our last cruise (May) we went to the Dr. and got two doses of cipro (4 pills in total). If one of us had come down with the virus we would have taken the cipro, drink Gatorade and took Imodium (i.e. self medicate). With all due respect to the ship's medical staff - I know how little education is needed for someone to be a Dr. overseas and feel much better getting what I need from my Dr. at home to treat myself.

 

ON a previous cruise my husband came down with Noro just hours after getting off the ship - this was how it was treated and he was on his feet again the next day!

Then he didn't have noro. If you come down with a virus, don't take Cipro! Norovirus is a virus. Cipro is for bacterial infections ONLY. It will have no effect on noro, or on any other virus.

BTW, how little education is needed overseas to become a doctor? In Europe, Scandinavia, and many other countries the medical education is quite comparable to that here in the U.S.

Why was the ship's doctor handing it out?

 

Regards

When we went on our last cruise (May) we went to the Dr. and got two doses of cipro (4 pills in total). If one of us had come down with the virus we would have taken the cipro, drink Gatorade and took Imodium (i.e. self medicate). With all due respect to the ship's medical staff - I know how little education is needed for someone to be a Dr. overseas and feel much better getting what I need from my Dr. at home to treat myself.

 

 

 

Perhaps I am mistaken, but if I am to read the above correctly, I think it was her own personal doctor that prescribed the cipro, not the "ship's doctor".

I agree with the above..all antibiotics are for bacterial infections and will NOT help with a viral infection such as noro.

I can't believe after all the research into the over-antibiotic-ing of Americans, that some doctors are still handing them out like candy for illness that aren't helped by taking them such as viral infections.

Bottom line is that unfortunately Noro has to run it's course. If you have a severe case of it that immodium won't help, I think IV fluids are in order, but other than that there's not much you can do once you have it.

Did they put a big red "A" on your chest? How did they know in the casino that you had been sick? Why would they herd you into a room at disembarkation, and why in the world would you go? I believe I would have told them to pack sand at that point.

The casino told me that everyone had been sent a list of all cruisers that had been treated for the virus...when I went to get cash from the cashier to play poker they saw that my name was on the list. They waited for me to sit down, put in my blind and fold my hand and then they asked me to go back to my cabin.

Rumor has it Noro is still alive and well on the Infinity. See this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=7215813#post7215813 :( :( :(

I think some of the arm chair doctors should do some research, or at least perhaps we could have a doctor/member ring in on this.

I did a little 'research' and found that antibiotic treatment IS valid for common cases of 'Traveller's Diarrhea'. Several articles on various websites support this.

Here is one excerpt:

" treatment with loperamide (in the absence of dysentery) and a fluoroquinolone, such as ciprofloxacin (500 mg twice daily for one to three days), is usually safe and effective in adults with traveler's diarrhea."

In another excerpt from the same site it's is estimated that perhaps as many as 80% of the cases are caused by a bacterial infection (which would be treatable with an antibiotic).

Perhaps the use of the term 'Noro Virus' is too widespread, and simply covers a myriad of situations. Only your doctor would know for sure.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, but not bad at 'googling'.

http://www.aafp.org/afp/990700ap/119.html

I think some of the arm chair doctors should do some research, or at least perhaps we could have a doctor/member ring in on this.

 

I did a little 'research' and found that antibiotic treatment IS valid for common cases of 'Traveller's Diarrhea'. Several articles on various websites support this. ...

 

Perhaps the use of the term 'Noro Virus' is too widespread, and simply covers a myriad of situations. Only your doctor would know for sure.

 

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, but not bad at 'googling'.

 

http://www.aafp.org/afp/990700ap/119.html

Travelers Diaherria generally is caused by E. Coli or a bacteria called Giardia and is only passed by contiminated Food and Water. It is not NoroVirus. Which is a Virus. Travelers Diaherria is most common in Latin America. Or other area's with substandard hygiene practices. It also goes by the names Montezuma's Revenge, Aztec Revenge etc. Traveler's Diaherria does not in a majority of cases involve vomiting (Giardia can causes severe nausea) and will pass with at the most 2 days of treatement with a quinoline drug (Cipro).

Then he didn't have noro. If you come down with a virus, don't take Cipro! Norovirus is a virus. Cipro is for bacterial infections ONLY. It will have no effect on noro, or on any other virus.

 

BTW, how little education is needed overseas to become a doctor? In Europe, Scandinavia, and many other countries the medical education is quite comparable to that here in the U.S.

In fact it is not. I am an executive recruiter and it is my job to recruit and hire Dr.'s for a large bio/pharma. It is simply a matter of fact that the education/training/both are not even close to being comprable to the U.S. (with the exception of a few countries).

Then he didn't have noro. If you come down with a virus, don't take Cipro! Norovirus is a virus. Cipro is for bacterial infections ONLY. It will have no effect on noro, or on any other virus.

 

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I am not a Dr. so I can't be sure. All I know is that he had all the symptoms of Noro - took the cipro and immodium and had fluids and was fine the next day. I do not trust the ship's dr. so it is very doubtful that I would go there. To each his own - I personally won't do it if you feel comfortable then go right ahead! Happy sailing!!!!

CDC's info on Norovirus:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm

CDC's info on Travelers Diarrhea:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/travelersdiarrhea_g.htm

Lots of good info - should help with the "do I or don't I" take antibiotics debate.

What's going on with Celebrity and this constant virus popping up? my parents just got back from Alaska July 9-16th same time, but on Holland America, and they had a glorious time and absolutely no virus on board their ship. I know it can happen anywhere on any ship, but it does seem a bit often lately on Celebrity. I have to admit I am a bit concerned since we sail on Mercury in Jan. 07, guess I'll be bringing my hand sanitizer and keeping it with me the entire cruise.