Independence Norovirus Outbreak?

We dont have insurance . If it was just me and my helathy kids I wouldn't even think about not going but my little one has a chronic bowel disease . Loosing the vacation money is better than spending thousands in hospital bills as last time when he got sick and ended up in the hospital for 6 months.

We want to go so bad

 

 

I wish I could give you my tickets

I think your doing the right thing. As a mom your child comes first. There will be other cruises in your future.

... use a paper towel to open the restroom door. ...

I think this is very important.

Anyone boarding today, please keep us posted. We will be doing the 9 nighter when you return. Thanks

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Coincides with the flu season and other illness typically associated with folks spending more time indoors.

Yes, because more people are sneezing and coughing, so all germs get spread much easier. Touching their nose and face all day long. If they do encounter nora they will get it. Many may just have a cold or flu, but I bet they love to blame it on nora if they can too.

Here at the port. All the agents are wearing gloves. Giving out bottled water. We are staging in the second floor of terminal 29. Sail away will be at 7 and rooms open at 430. We received a 20 obc for lunch. NBC nightly news was interviewing cruisers boarding as well.

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Hope it doesn't spread to the Freedom tomorrow, leaving from T29 as well.

Just off the Indy. Many were indeed sick, and medical was overflowing with ill folks. News is reporting over 200 sick, however it was close to double that based on what every staff member told me. And 25 sick staff. We were told it was a "level 3" issue due to high numbers of passengers sick. It was a very uncomfortable feeling to be on the ship. I have a one and half year old and was so nervous for her to get it. Now while they can't control the actual outbreak, RCI CAN control how they respond. For the most part, I feel they handled it very well and obviously had procedures in place. However, I feel they started putting those procedures into practice too late. And then they were poorly communicated - for example - I sequestered my family in our cabin during the worst days (Wednesday and Thursday) Thursday evening I placed a room service order at 4:45pm. By 7pm (after being told 3 separate times that the food was on the way within 10-15 minutes) I gave up and went to the Windjammer. I was VERY relieved to see that every single station that a passenger could touch something was manned by a crew member (I personally think it should be this way all the time, especially regarding food handling). However, when I attempted to leave with a plate of food for my now very cranky toddler, I was told I couldn't bring food out of the Windjammer to my cabin. They stated that it was the "captains policy" and that it was because if I was bringing food to my cabin for a sick person they should be on a restricted diet. Well, needless to say, standing in the way of a mom trying to feed her hungry child isn't usually a great idea. For the first time in my adult life, I pitched a bit of a fit. I am generally understanding to a fault, but if this was a policy people should have been notified so they could have made other arrangements.

Anyhoo, short story long, YES. There was a significant issue on this sailing. YES, for the majority RCI handled it well and made me feel like they were addressing the issue seriously. But they should have started sooner and communicated better. Just my 2 cents.

Here at the port. All the agents are wearing gloves. Giving out bottled water. We are staging in the second floor of terminal 29. Sail away will be at 7 and rooms open at 430. We received a 20 obc for lunch. NBC nightly news was interviewing cruisers boarding as well.

 

 

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Wonder what those boarding would know about previous cruise?

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Wonder what those boarding would know about previous cruise?

 

 

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Probably something dramatic and "newsy" like - "How do you feel boarding a ship that is contaminated" dun dun dun. :rolleyes:

Preventing Norovirus Infection

https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/preventing-infection.html

Practice proper hand hygiene

Wash fruits and vegetables and cook seafood thoroughly

When you are sick, do not prepare food or care for others who are sick

Clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces

Wash laundry thoroughly

However, when I attempted to leave with a plate of food for my now very cranky toddler, I was told I couldn't bring food out of the Windjammer to my cabin. They stated that it was the "captains policy" and that it was because if I was bringing food to my cabin for a sick person they should be on a restricted diet. Well, needless to say, standing in the way of a mom trying to feed her hungry child isn't usually a great idea. For the first time in my adult life, I pitched a bit of a fit. I am generally understanding to a fault, but if this was a policy people should have been notified so they could have made other arrangements.

 

Anyhoo, short story long, YES. There was a significant issue on this sailing. YES, for the majority RCI handled it well and made me feel like they were addressing the issue seriously. But they should have started sooner and communicated better. Just my 2 cents.

I have never been on a ship before where you could not take food out of the Windjammer and I cannot come up with any reason how doing so would contribute to containing the issue aboard the ship. I don't have a problem with rules unless they don't make any sense. The captain's policy doesn't make any sense from a medical standpoint unless he felt the food was contaminated in which case the Windjammer should have been shut down. Apparently he knows better what you should feed your kid than you do?

I have never been on a ship before where you could not take food out of the Windjammer and I cannot come up with any reason how doing so would contribute to containing the issue aboard the ship. I don't have a problem with rules unless they don't make any sense. The captain's policy doesn't make any sense from a medical standpoint unless he felt the food was contaminated in which case the Windjammer should have been shut down. Apparently he knows better what you should feed your kid than you do?

I could kiss you for this response. I felt like I was doing something criminal or unreasonable and I was so embarrassed by the additional crew that came over and demanded my cabin number. I, too, felt like there was an undertone of "don't take this out to your cabin if you're not sick because you might get sick from it???" Someone told me afterwards that they were using strictly disposables for the infected cabins so that the plates etc didn't come back and infect the galley, but aren't they cleaning those??? And I feel exactly as you do regarding rules. I abide to a fault, but the lack of logic was really confusing. I did tell the staff that I was trying to keep my HEALTHY child in my cabin and not expose her, and that if they demanded that I bring her up and she got sick God help me. At which time I refused to do so and gave them my cabin number and left with my plate of food for her. Thank you for your reassurance.

Hubby and I were on Indy. We did not get sick but met a lot that did. When we left, the ship was being cleaned from top to bottom. I thought the crew worked hard to make things better.

I was nervous about it too...but if you go to the CDC website and see the Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships in their directory, you will notice that almost 100% of the time the outbreaks never span more than one sailing.

Plenty of sailings have had outbreaks roll over into the next sailing. I personally have experienced 2 such cruises. Your percentage guess is misleading.

So...wash your hands frequently and do NOT touch your eyes, nose or mouth....and you should be good!

You do realize if one happens to walk by someone with Noro who is throwing up and you breathe in the mist....you are exposed right? This common example of getting Noro obviously has nothing to do with washing ones hands.

On Indy since yesterday. The crew is doing a good job with making sure everyone uses hand sanitizer and they are controlling food & beverage stations. Still it appears a lot of people are a little nervous. Of course it does not help that the ship herself appears “sick”. She is way overdue for the upcoming dry dock. I’m confident RCCL will address most of the appearance issues than so no reason to list them now. Except for the extreme sewage smell on deck 9 that needs to be addressed soon. RCCL I hope you are “listening”????

On Indy now. No sights or sounds of sickness so far but just a feeling that things are off. This Diamond Plus couple going to look into different cruise lines. Overall everything with Royal - food and cabin quality especially so subpar anymore. Realize this ship going into dry dock but with lack of new itineraries and yucky food it's time for a change. No more Mud Pie or red velvet in Chops was truly a disappointment last evening. Seems like being "loyal to Royal" should be reversed - Royal needs to be loyal to their clients - Those sailing with them for a long time see the difference. Sailing balcony this time but even suite status on Oasis last year felt things were not of quality of years prior. Weather great so far and with lots of family so will enjoy that. AND most of all - no one is sick that I can see so far... so here is to that GREAT news.

On Indy now. No sights or sounds of sickness so far but just a feeling that things are off. This Diamond Plus couple going to look into different cruise lines. Overall everything with Royal - food and cabin quality especially so subpar anymore. Realize this ship going into dry dock but with lack of new itineraries and yucky food it's time for a change. No more Mud Pie or red velvet in Chops was truly a disappointment last evening. Seems like being "loyal to Royal" should be reversed - Royal needs to be loyal to their clients - Those sailing with them for a long time see the difference. Sailing balcony this time but even suite status on Oasis last year felt things were not of quality of years prior. Weather great so far and with lots of family so will enjoy that. AND most of all - no one is sick that I can see so far... so here is to that GREAT news.

Good to hear about healthy ship. On Indy Thursday, diamond plus also.

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Thank you to those on board who are taking the time to let us know what is going on. I will also be on the next sailing, and am eager to hear about what is happening.

 

Many of the precautions being recommended are great, but let's recognize that getting norovirus on a cruise ship with a true outbreak is in many ways outside one's control. If a chef is infected and doesn't take proper sanitary precautions, it won't matter whether you use a fork and knife, your hands, or your feet - you will be exposed. We shouldn't suggest people who are sick right now somehow lack responsibility. Being sick sucks enough.

 

That being said, absolutely be mindful of what you touch and don't turn down the washy washy.

Yes.

I agree, RC needs to be "Loyal" to us as well. Seems like every time we sail there is another perk missing. The latest was the morning stretch and abs class were reduced from 30 to 15 minutes each, and the TV stations on the exercise machines didn't work the whole time. We also experienced the smell of sewage on deck 2. Many of the carpets were filthy....yes she is way overdue for dry dock!

As to the Noro onboard we were not affected along with the 92% others that weren't. Anyone that refuses the hand sanitizer going into the dining rooms should be refused admittance, these are probably the same people that walk out of the bathrooms without washing their hands or cough without covering their mouth.

I agree, RC needs to be "Loyal" to us as well. Seems like every time we sail there is another perk missing. The latest was the morning stretch and abs class were reduced from 30 to 15 minutes each, and the TV stations on the exercise machines didn't work the whole time. We also experienced the smell of sewage on deck 2. Many of the carpets were filthy....yes she is way overdue for dry dock!

 

As to the Noro onboard we were not affected along with the 92% others that weren't. Anyone that refuses the hand sanitizer going into the dining rooms should be refused admittance, these are probably the same people that walk out of the bathrooms without washing their hands or cough without covering their mouth.

Loyal.... but the ships sail at near full capacity.

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Today's online Daily Mail - CHRISTMAS CRUISE HORROR! (Hmmmm...always thought Xmas was on the 25th. Guess I didn't get the memo.) To the article's credit, at least no mention was made of norovirus as "the cruise ship illness", which is all too often the case in the media.

Stick a few hundred or a few thousand people in a closed/semi-closed environment and you run the risk of illness spreading quickly and easily. It happens in schools, offices, nursing homes and summer camps all the time but no one gets their knickers in a knot over it. I get that no one wants a vacation ruined by a stomach bug, but it happens. We've been on cruises operating at Code Red due to noro, including Celebrity's infamous "bleach cruise". The cruise lines do a yeoman's job trying to contain an outbreak, if for no other reason than it's a public relations nightmare for them - and an undeserved PR nightmare at that.

We leave on Anthem OTS in a few days. It "went noro" a couple of cruises ago. Never gave one thought to cancelling and we're not going to ruin our cruise worrying about what may happen. Perhaps the best thing to remember is ships don't make people sick; people make people sick - on land and at sea.

I use Clorox Commercial Solutions hand sanitizer spray and I've never had noro. However, I always practice good hygiene, etc.

I think people need to calm down and realize this is the time of year where things like noro are at its peak. And it's not just on the cruise ships. It causes issues everywhere. People here are freaking out about 100 people catching it on a cruise with something like 3000-4000 people on board. When my kids daycares and schools were effected it was more like 50% of the kids in the class effected. So when I here the numbers like on the ships to me it tells me the ships are doing a good job to contain it.

Honestly right now with those statistics I would rather take my chances on a ship then hanging out at my kids schools lol. I've had noro 3 times (including once while pregnant). All times I caught it from one of my kids who caught it at school or daycare.

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