Norovirus Q&A With Dan Hanrahan

As reported on Cruise Critic, Celebrity Cruises' Charleston-based Celebrity Mercury experienced a relatively unprecedented bout of sick-ship-syndrome with three successive voyages resulting in at least 10 -- and in some cases 20-plus -- percent of passengers becoming ill.

We sat down with Celebrity Cruises' President Dan Hanrahan and asked him to explain what his team of staffers and crew would do to eradicate the spread of Norovirus onboard.

Here's the Q&A: http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=3756.

Feel free to share your thoughts.

Melissa thank you for posting this.

We are scheduled to sail Mercury in 11 days - March 29th. To say we are a bit worried is an understatement. If the ship is not virus free after this last cleaning than it never will be.

I just hope our sailing isn't canceled.

Anne Maria

Thank you!

We're also leaving March 29 and I'm looking forward to a wonderful honeymoon.

All one has to do is to listen to the news in Charleston to know that the virus is in the population there. College of Charleston is infected as are several other communities. All that is needed is one person board the ship either with symptoms or at the end of the incubation period and that's it! It spreads.

It's not Mercury, not Celebrity, just a fact of a virus that spreads rapidly. If ALL pax would heed the warnings and adhere to the rules, it may not have gotten as bad as it has. The ship is not the bad guy here. It's a victim just as the pax are.

I applaud X for their enhanced cleaning but I do wish that they would pay more attention to the temperature of their food. On the past two cruises most of the food on the buffet line was not hot at all and sometimes even in the MDR. The danger zone for food is either below 40 degrees F or above 140F. Most of the meals were barely lukewarm on the buffet. Time and temperature are very important. That said, I do not know if temp. kills norovirus, but I do know it would keep other "stomach" illnesses down from basic food poisioning.

Also, wearing gloves when serving food does nothing when the server wipes his/her nose or picks up dirty dishes and then grabs a pan of fresh food to serve or then hands over a dinner roll. Gloves do have to be changed and hands washed continually. I don't see it all the time but I also cringe when I see them replacing the food with a new pan and then scraping the old food on top of the new, then they mix it in. If the temp is not correct you have cross contamination.

I do find it interesting that the % of crewmembers is much, much lower then the guest population. To me, that says they are doing something right. I just wish they would work on the time and temp issues. JMHO Scott

I agree, I think they have to look a the food, but also the dockworkers are transmitters too. Think of all the baggage handlers handling the luggage...

Norovirus does not worry me at all. I rely on my own good hygiene practices to keep from getting sick. While I am glad that cruiselines will sanitize the ship as well as employ other measures, I know that good, frequent handwashing on my part as well as never, ever touching my eyes, ears, nose, or mouth with my hands is my best protection. I also limit my consumption of sandwiches and other finger foods in favor of foods that require utensils. I also bring a "pharmacy" with me so that if I were to get sick, I would not need to visit the infirmary for medication.

You've raised an excellent point about the fact that there is a state-wide outbreak: http://www.live5news.com/Global/story.asp?S=12038657. Ships don't get "sick" -- the passengers do. It's just that it is so darn contagious.

All one has to do is to listen to the news in Charleston to know that the virus is in the population there. College of Charleston is infected as are several other communities. All that is needed is one person board the ship either with symptoms or at the end of the incubation period and that's it! It spreads.

 

It's not Mercury, not Celebrity, just a fact of a virus that spreads rapidly. If ALL pax would heed the warnings and adhere to the rules, it may not have gotten as bad as it has. The ship is not the bad guy here. It's a victim just as the pax are.

OnCruiseControl....

What medicines do you bring....related to NORO? Thanks

Noro-Virus is more rampant than we know.

So many people have had this and not reported it.

Is RCL :NYSE Celebrity Cruise Line going now educate the Staff as well passengers with more and basic safety practices?

EG: Washing with Soap and HOT Water, Temperature of foods in the serving trays and at your tables ( HOT Food should be HOT and COLD Food COLD! ), not scraping old food products into new trays..etc..etc...

Besides helping stop the spread aboard the ships of any virus it gives the firm a great PR item too.

Counting the pennies only goes so far Dan.. Ben Franklin did say " A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned " but penny wise and pound ( dollar ) foolish can be as well ..eh.;)

Your post was right on the money! I got sick on the Mercury last December. I observed the waiters scraping dirty dished from several tables and go directly to touching clean coffee cups for our table. I reported this to the officer in charge of food and beverage. I don't know if they have revised the procedure or not. It does no good to tell passengers to sanitize thier hands to enter the dining room, if the waiters continue to touch dirty dishes and not wash their hands.

I applaud X for their enhanced cleaning but I do wish that they would pay more attention to the temperature of their food. On the past two cruises most of the food on the buffet line was not hot at all and sometimes even in the MDR. The danger zone for food is either below 40 degrees F or above 140F. Most of the meals were barely lukewarm on the buffet. Time and temperature are very important. That said, I do not know if temp. kills norovirus, but I do know it would keep other "stomach" illnesses down from basic food poisioning.

 

Also, wearing gloves when serving food does nothing when the server wipes his/her nose or picks up dirty dishes and then grabs a pan of fresh food to serve or then hands over a dinner roll. Gloves do have to be changed and hands washed continually. I don't see it all the time but I also cringe when I see them replacing the food with a new pan and then scraping the old food on top of the new, then they mix it in. If the temp is not correct you have cross contamination.

 

I do find it interesting that the % of crewmembers is much, much lower then the guest population. To me, that says they are doing something right. I just wish they would work on the time and temp issues. JMHO Scott

I have been saying this for years that food in the buffet is not kept at the right temperature. They need to really inspect these areas because you have a lot of people from 3rd world countries working there and there sanitation is not always what it should be. Saw one workers scratching his head with the glove on.

What about the delivery trucks bringing the food into port...could this be a point of entry? If one of these trucks are contaminated it will continue to bring it to the ship. We are booked for April 9 and I have tried to think if the ship has been cleaned thus far what else could it be...so this is my thought.

Missygirl

I survived CCL Mercury Cruise #2 !!! However my husband did not emerge unscathed -- his symptoms started on the last day. During the cruise I also saw plastic-gloved servers doing stupid things -- like touching areas touched by ungloved passengers. In retrospect I should have reported it to a superior. I also saw passengers doing questionable things, like scooping up food that had fallen from their plates or forks onto the table, and returning it to their plates. Scariest moment for me -- having to leave the ship in a group with all the other sick passengers (since my husband was sick) and their companions. I was heavily exposed, but never got sick. Research on the internet reveals that people with blood type B or AB have a natural resistance (not immunity) to norovirus, while those with type A or O are more vulnerable. I'm B, my husband is A, so it seems to work!

From our experience on 3/8 Mercury & from other posters tips:

Prevention: NEVER use the public bathrooms on the ship (think about what has touched faucets). We took a Pepto tablet every morning. Of course wash hands & use alcohol. Keep immune system strong. We take muti & extra Vitamin D.

At first sign of illness: Take Imodium & charcoal tablets/capsules. Charcoal also effective against food poisoning (from previous experience-it worked wonders). We never travel without it.

My wife had stomach pain & diarhea one night, she took above twice & was fine in a few hours. I didn't get sick.

Our approach/experience. Your mileage may vary.

DanL thanks for the tips. I always bring Pepto and Immodium but forgot all about Charcoal. I remember now I did use to always keep them in the house. I will have to pick some up.

Will Mercury use new pillows for this cruise or should we pack new pillows? What treatments will be used for the comforters and blankets?

I'm just wondering whether or not all pillows would be replaced after such an outbreak, and not just the linens.

Wow, fantastic info -- did not know about Pepto or charcoal tablets. Where do you buy charcoal tablets?

This from a criuse journalist who's done something like 150 cruises and had Noro three times (!) though ironically enough -- never from a cruise ship. Who cares where you get it, these tips are terrific for avoiding....

Carolyn

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

From our experience on 3/8 Mercury & from other posters tips:

 

Prevention: NEVER use the public bathrooms on the ship (think about what has touched faucets). We took a Pepto tablet every morning. Of course wash hands & use alcohol. Keep immune system strong. We take muti & extra Vitamin D.

 

At first sign of illness: Take Imodium & charcoal tablets/capsules. Charcoal also effective against food poisoning (from previous experience-it worked wonders). We never travel without it.

 

My wife had stomach pain & diarhea one night, she took above twice & was fine in a few hours. I didn't get sick.

 

Our approach/experience. Your mileage may vary.

Pharma. Grade Charcoal comes in tablets

Ask at your Drug Store and the head Chemist. Yes they have to keep there licenses up so continue with the education process.

Wow, fantastic info -- did not know about Pepto or charcoal tablets. Where do you buy charcoal tablets?

 

This from a criuse journalist who's done something like 150 cruises and had Noro three times (!) though ironically enough -- never from a cruise ship. Who cares where you get it, these tips are terrific for avoiding....

 

Carolyn

 

Carolyn Spencer Brown

Editor in Chief

Cruise Critic

New to board. Hello everyone. Scheduled for March 21 sailing on the Mercury, our 1st Celebrity cruise. We have sailed 7 other times on Royal Caribbean and Holland America. I preferred to reschedule for the April 9 sailing but wife wanted to go March 21. I sure hope we made the right choice. One comment in the Q&A with the president of Celebrity that has me a little concerned is the posssibility of another delay in departure. If the cleaning does not meet the expectations of the CDC or Celebrity, the departure may be delayed again. I wonder when this decision will be made, and will they again offer a full refund? If I drive the 5 hours to Charleston on Sunday and find out then the ship has been delayed again, I'm done. I would expect to be reimbursed for a hotel Sunday night and meals, plus a fulll refund for the cruise.

We just returned from Mercury Cruise Southern Carib March 8-18 that had the 3rd incidence of Norovirus outbreak. Hindsight: Would NOT go out of Charleston again. 2 reasons: Norovirus outbreak in Charleston area being brought aboard and Charleston port not adequate to handle ship with 1800 passengers --with or without problem of Norovirus.

Crew was outstanding. They worked tirelessly and always with smile. Food was excellent. We have sailed Celebrity many times and this was not typical for Celebrity experience. HOWEVER this cruise makes me reconsider if I'd sail with any Celebrity or Royal Carib ever again BECAUSE of the unfair, inequitable treatment of those of us on this cruise who were confined to staterooms after falling ill. We followed rules--stayed in staterooms. Celebrity Management made SERIOUSLY BAD decision (I know--it's a business) of not giving these confined passengers an on-board credit for isolation time AS THEY DID ON TWO PREVIOUS SAILINGS. Our credit is for a future cruise. AND THEN TO ADD TO BAD DECISION, the credit has to be used within one year! The cost to them to give immediate on-board credit for the approximately 350+ passengers in this situation is probably about $50,000, granted not small change. BUT THE ILL WILL AND BAD FEELING FROM BEING TREATED DIFFERENTLY FROM PREVIOUS SAILINGS AND BAD PR has to cost them many, many times the $50K. I heard first hand from many people it is the deciding factor in NEVER sailing with Celebrity again! Now, Mr. Hanrahan, hindsight is 20/20--DO THE RIGHT THING. You have records of who those people are.

I also understand that the previous cruise, the people were offered 25% off future cruise. We are only offered 25% off the value of the cost of the current cruise. Again, we're not being considered valued customers and being treated differently--unfair.

So disappointed in Celebrity's unfair treatment of us.

You are given fair treatment for this concern, I feel that your point that Celebrity/RCL is not fair, is true! I was on the 2nd sailing~~You said you are a repeat cruiser with them, so was I. The repeat cruisers, many on this board might agree or disagree with your post, do not feel bad, some feel we are just trying to talk Celebrity down, that is wrong, you are just trying to be heard! I just hope they don't delete this post.

B-

On the Solstice in February, no issues with illness. However, two nights in a row, I was in the toilet next to the speciality diners and one of the chefs came in (same one both nights - we were obviously on a similar timetable), big funny hat and apron to boot. We both entered at roughly same time but he was out in half the time that I was, luckily I wasn't eating in Murano.

Now I am no expert on this Noro thing, don't know if Uk has a different name for it, and this sin't related to Noro but it does show that we all have different standards of hygene and some people will be more thorough than others. Interesting to see it may be blood type related though. Wonder if I can cruise with B type only (I'm O neg).

Hoffy, I see your last thread on this subject got pulled, that was a tough thread. I think some of the replies were way over the top and that's why it was pulled.