Norovirus Issue and subsequent compensation

[Moeve]

Just listen to you - I was in Quarentine for the WRONG reason I didn't have Noro. In fact I was reacting to a medication but for the safety of the ship,crew and yes all the other passengers I had to stay in quarentine for 1 1/2 days to MAKE SURE!! Should I get compensation? Heck NO!!! It was for the safety of all and that should be EVERYONES aim and object.

[ppicciri]

Let's see....ppicciri made that one post and gone. Troll??

 

To ppicciri and hcf: If you really want to try to get compensation from a company, why not spill hot coffee into your lap. Or file a grievance with the Federal Bureau of Protecting You From Everything. It's part of the Department of Entitlements. Oh, I forgot that agency isn't established.....yet.

 

Final thoughts: Take a good look at the concept of "gross negligence". And at your own expectations of the world around you.

Forgive me for not posting again. Recuperating from a double meniscus operation last thursday 2/11. But I do agree that 50 posts are enough on this matter.

So it sounds like you may be the person to tell me what a "newbie" to Cruise Critic is supposed to do in terms of posting, replying, etc. And I would also expect that you can save the sarcasm for someone who might really deserve it.

a.k.a. The Troll

[Ov3rride]

I think you should sue them....infact Im suprised the lawyers arent in action already. Doesnt usually take this long, does it?

[iheartbda]

Forgive me for not posting again. Recuperating from a double meniscus operation last thursday 2/11. But I do agree that 50 posts are enough on this matter.

So it sounds like you may be the person to tell me what a "newbie" to Cruise Critic is supposed to do in terms of posting, replying, etc. And I would also expect that you can save the sarcasm for someone who might really deserve it.

a.k.a. The Troll

Please don't let one snarky poster dissuade you from posting on CC. The majority of people are usually more than willing to help and give good advice. After being around for awhile, you will learn to "broaden your shoulders" and ignore those kinds of posts.

 

Hope your recovery is going well.:)

[ppicciri]

Please don't let one snarky poster dissuade you from posting on CC. The majority of people are usually more than willing to help and give good advice. After being around for awhile, you will learn to "broaden your shoulders" and ignore those kinds of posts.

 

Hope your recovery is going well.:)

Thank you for your kind note. And yes I have noticed that the vast majority of responders were civil and well meaning. Have a great day. My wife and I are looking forward to the next cruise on the Zuiderdam on March 13th.

Onward cruisers!!!!

[KandJCruising]

We were on a Baltics trip on NCL Jewel in May 08. There had been an outbreak the cruise prior and we were warned prior to boarding and offered the opportunity to cancel if we wanted to. We obviously opted not to. NCL took the standard precautions (wiping every surface down multiple times a day, mandatory hand sanitizing everywhere and no self-service at the buffet or elsewhere) but quite a few passengers still caught it. We didn't, but I understand those that did catch it and were quarantined in their cabins for a couple of days were given some level of OBC. I thought it was a nice touch on the part of NCL, but certainly not required.

[dkjretired]

Sadly, one of the changes that we see taking place in the cruise industry is a cutback on the compensation paid out for NLV quarantive.

The number and frequency of NLV outbreaks on ships has increased at such an alarming rate (but still much lower than on land) that the cruise lines are balking at paying people to suffer from what is essentially the flu.

 

Only a few cruise lines are still refunding missed days due to quarantine. Those will stop shortly as well.

 

Actually both the number of outbreaks and numbers of people affected has decreased in the past several years....Check the CDC web site.

[Philip217]

Why is it "sadly"? Norovirus is a stomach virus. Why should anyone get compensation for something that you caught from someone else, and someone who probably didn't know they were contagious? Many people have had it at one time or another. I hate to tell everyone, but the reason they quarantine people besides how contagious it is, is because 1, some people have no common sense and will not quarantine themselves and 2, it's to appease other cruisers. The fact is, as with most viruses, you are contagious before you show symptoms and the cruiseline is not at any fault when it starts spreading. It's not because handrails weren't wiped down, it's because people who are contagious actually open doors, touch utensils, spend time around other people, etc. I think it's ridiculous to expect the cruiseline to reimburse you for being sick. A hotel certainly won't do it. I certainly wouldn't expect anything except maybe room service so we could eat.

 

It is sad in that the primary method the cruise lines used to convince our very frugal cruisers to report their illness was to make reporting the illness cost-free, by offering free medical treatment.

Then we made it less painful to self-quarantine by offering a per diem refund for those who agreed to self-quarantine, and threatened to deny that per diem refund if they broke quarantine. This helped us to contain the illness and prevent further contamination in public areas.

 

Now there are many infected passengers who will not afford to miss part of the cruise they "have paid so much for". If they stay in their cabins to protect others, they get nothing. So they break quarantine and undo most of our cleaning protocols that are desigend to protect you.

In this age of "Me first, and the he!! with everyone else", too many infected passengers would rather gamble with YOUR health in order to get the most out of their vacation - sick or not.

[madelinerose]

Can someone give us their "take" on this. Thank you.

 

There are threads all over Cruise Critic right now about the virus. It's everywhere, not just on cruise ships. 'Tis the season, unfortunately.

 

I did just discovered that if your blood type is "O", you're more susceptible. I learned something new today. ;)

[BruceMuzz]

Actually both the number of outbreaks and numbers of people affected has decreased in the past several years....Check the CDC web site.

 

The number of outbreaks has indeed decreased. We have better tools on the ships to control them, and the public has finally paid attention and tried to help us a bit.

 

But the number of people affected has increased dramatically. Just a few years ago, we rarely had anyone reporting symptoms except during the Flu and Norwalk Season - essentially from October to March.

Now we have alarming numbers showing up nearly every cruise, all year round. And those numbers are increasing every year.

 

We have become very reactive and creative in preventing that magic 3% reporting threshold, but the actual numbers who are directly affected (suffering symptoms) is way up. THe fact that so many very large ships are now in service also means that we have more breathing room (and more passengers and crew can get sick) before that 3% level is reached.

 

Since we are so reactive, the number of people indirectly affected - with reduced activities and services that kick in whenever we see even the slightest alarming trend - is extremely high, as you can see from all these postings and complaints.

 

Also it used to be the case that Norwalk generally only showed up on ships that carried primarily Americans. Then the Canadians started; lately the Brits have even higher numbers. Now we are seeing quite a few Germans as well.

[lysolqn]

I see red when I see the words "norovirus" and "compensation" in posts here on CC. Not sure why anyone expects cruise lines to compensate pax who succumb to norovirus whilst on a cruise other than it being the result of incredible media hype. No one expects to be compensated for a sore throat, bronchitis, sinusitis, headcolds, coughs, pneumonia, ear infections or the multitude of other maladies humans contract at home or away. Nor do we ever hear about people expecting compensation for noroviruses picked up on planes or in restaurants or hotels. The media has done a stupendous job (and IMHO an enormous disservice to the cruise industry) by chomping at the bit to almost gleefully report outbreaks of the "cruise ship illness" at every available opportunity. When on the occasion there are reports of identical and most of the time far worse noro outbreaks in schools, businesses, hospitals, camps and/or nursing homes around the country (as there are periodically), those reports are presented in a totally different context and with a much less sinister tone.

[dkjretired]

The number of outbreaks has indeed decreased. We have better tools on the ships to control them, and the public has finally paid attention and tried to help us a bit.

 

But the number of people affected has increased dramatically. Just a few years ago, we rarely had anyone reporting symptoms except during the Flu and Norwalk Season - essentially from October to March.

Now we have alarming numbers showing up nearly every cruise, all year round. And those numbers are increasing every year.

 

We have become very reactive and creative in preventing that magic 3% reporting threshold, but the actual numbers who are directly affected (suffering symptoms) is way up. THe fact that so many very large ships are now in service also means that we have more breathing room (and more passengers and crew can get sick) before that 3% level is reached.

 

Since we are so reactive, the number of people indirectly affected - with reduced activities and services that kick in whenever we see even the slightest alarming trend - is extremely high, as you can see from all these postings and complaints.

 

Also it used to be the case that Norwalk generally only showed up on ships that carried primarily Americans. Then the Canadians started; lately the Brits have even higher numbers. Now we are seeing quite a few Germans as well.

 

Noro has shown up for years in areas other than those cruised by Americans. They just don't get the play on American TV as the ships that sail out of our ports. Also, the numbers reported to the CDC in the past 9 years have increased slightly early in the decade but have decreased since mid decade except for one year.

[kluv2cruz]

:o My wife and I recently completed a Med Cruise during which we endured a bout of Norovirus. As a result, we were not able to conduct our tours in Egypt which was the main reason for our taking the cruise.

 

On one hand we feel that the cruise line should offer us some compensation for this situation, since we were healthy when we came aboard and abided by all the personal hygiene requirements. On the other hand, the crew was extremely diligent with antibacterial spraying, we were given medical attention by a nurse and medications for no charge, no hassle for canceling the tours, etc.

 

Can someone give us their "take" on this. This was our 13th cruise but we're still a bit shaken by it. Thank you.

 

Were you on Xmas cruise on Brilliance? We were, and 3 of 4 of us got it bad... until you've had it, it's hard to imagine how nasty it is to be in a teeny cabin with one toilet. We too missed Egypt, and New Year's Eve which was disappointing. My sympathies.

[apollobeach]

Please.....PLEASE tell us you are not serious - you get sick; then, you think you should be compensated?????????????????

 

I got a cold on our last Alaska cruise - call the attorney and we'll sue RCL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If this wasn't so ridiculous and insulting to all of us, it would be hysterical.

[Traveler353]

Please.....PLEASE tell us you are not serious - you get sick; then, you think you should be compensated?????????????????

 

I got a cold on our last Alaska cruise - call the attorney and we'll sue RCL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

If this wasn't so ridiculous and insulting to all of us, it would be hysterical.

 

The OP was a three hit wonder that came, vented and left never to be heard from again. They were just looking to spool people up or for support for their law suit. They never got any support and went away mad.