Norovirus on P&O Artemis and faultly toilets

[thecumbrian]

I was on the 6th FEB 2010 cruise, Barbados to Acapulco via the Panama canal aboard the P&O ship Artemis.

There was an outbreak of norovirus, about 40 passengers were ill. The self service was taken off in the restaurants, which reduced the range of food available. They only have so many waiters to serve.

I never blame a cruise line, its always nearly the passengers and their dirty hands:mad:. I do sometimes wonder if we bring it onboard from the aircraft? The toilets on the planes are not very good and washing your hands in the mini sink is hard, thats if most people bother to wash their hands. The toilet door etc must be alive with germs :eek:

I sat in the self service restaurant one day and watched people coming in as I drank a coffee. The waiter was standing with hand gel for people entering the restaurant. I seen passengers go around him if for some reason he was distracted, one woman held her hand as if he had spat in it. She sat near me and I seen her pat it out of her hand with a napkin:mad:

She said to her husband, "I have just washed my hands in the cabin":confused:

She can't have use door handles, handrails, lift buttons or anything else on her way from the cabin, amazing.:rolleyes:

Now the faultly toilets. It took four days and four attempts to finally fix my cabins toilet. It a vacuum system. It was like a lottery when you came to "flush" the toilet if the vacuum system would work, very embarrasing. The public area toilets kept going faulty and zones of the ship would stop working. But don't worry the new owners of the ship were onboard and my wife after using a public area toilet that was faulty told them that they need to get the ships toilet system repaired, updated.

The ship is starting to look its age and is tired. My cabin bath panel was leaning and held in with silicone. The mirrors in the bathroom were corroded around the edges. Fixtures were looking a bit thread bare. But the ship was clean, apart from some dirty passengers.:D

[ovccruiser]

Interestingly we were on the pevious cruise, ending 6th Feb and had no problems, lucky I guess. Norovirus is everywhere, unfortunately when in the confines of a cruise ship or hospital can spread very easily. I too, can not understand the people who do not or will not use the hand sanitisers, but are probably the first to complain when they are taken ill. C'est la vie

[ovccruiser]

One thing I just remembered, there were hand sanitisers in the self service restaurant, but none in the Coral dining room.

[capasamari]

We were surprised at the lack of hand sanitisers on Ventura over Christmas, there were none at the gangway and none at the door to the main restaurant.

 

Carol x

[jeanlyon]

I agree, there were no hand gels in the Coral Dining room, we noticed it first night on board. We also saw people avoid the waiter with the hand gel in the Self-service. Only got the passengers to blame I'm afraid.

[LibraLass41]

Why are the passengers always blamed for norovirus? Ok, you said 'nearly always the passengers' but hey lets put some of the blame on the 1000 crew - all young , who's habits may not be that wonderful either (I do hope they wash their hands before they serve us! :eek:)

[thecumbrian]

Why are the passengers always blamed for norovirus? Ok, you said 'nearly always the passengers' but hey lets put some of the blame on the 1000 crew - all young , who's habits may not be that wonderful either (I do hope they wash their hands before they serve us! :eek:)

 

Good point about the crew.

I also noticed there was no hand gel in the coral restaurant until passengers started getting ill.

But there are several doors into the restaurant so it gave some passengers the chance to dodge the hand gel :rolleyes:

[Single Cruiser]

Why are the passengers always blamed for norovirus? Ok, you said 'nearly always the passengers' but hey lets put some of the blame on the 1000 crew - all young , who's habits may not be that wonderful either (I do hope they wash their hands before they serve us! :eek:)

 

Because most of the crew never leave the ship, some of the cabin stewards and serving staff are lucky to get a half day every two weeks ashore!

 

Plus the crew know that it puts extra pressure and workload on them if an Outbreak occurs.

 

I know some crew and they have rigorous instructions on hygiene etc. with threats of dismissal if ever caught not following!

 

9 time out of 10 it will be brought on by passengers, this is often quite easy to prove when a group all from the same charter flight all become ill!

[the english lady]

we have travelled on Artemis and a few other ships. I only use the toilets in our cabin while on board,even if it means a walk. I know then only my husband and I have used it. I always use the gel in the various places, and also take my own. We have never been ill ,yet. i think it is the customers who bring it on board, you only have to watch in any public toilet how many people walk straight out.

[Johnthed0g]

At risk of being accused of being repetitive... The gel has NO effect on the Norovirus, as far as I recall it needs to be about 70% alcohol & rubbed on generously for 10 minutes, I doubt the stuff on ships is this surgical grade & it is not dispensed liberally enough either. Doesn't do any harm though, but it is no substitute for regular hand washing.

[Adammara]

Sue

 

I have once seen a member of the restaurant staff use the toilet, and NOT wash his hands.

 

We find Royal Carribean have on duty most of the time at the self service restaurant, but its amazing what lengths some people will do to avoid sanitizing their hands.

 

Richard

[Johnthed0g]

Always makes me chuckle, all this sanitising & washing but when you get a drink the waiter gives you the same pen everyone else has used!!

[ovccruiser]

I am convinced that noro and any other virus is brought onto the ship by one of the passengers who tell porky pies when answereing the noro questionaire. It could also be brought on after a trip ashore, some of the places visited may not have the cleanliness we are accustomed to:D

[Norfolk Brit]

I am convinced that noro and any other virus is brought onto the ship by one of the passengers who tell porky pies when answereing the noro questionaire. It could also be brought on after a trip ashore, some of the places visited may not have the cleanliness we are accustomed to:D

 

I was talking to a scientist yesterday, who also cruises, and this subject came up. His opinion is that it's a mixture of reasons, certainly not just the passengers bringing it on board: according to him there's a reason the staff rarely get it and that's that they've already had it, built up some resistance, but are still able to carry the virus while showing no symptoms themselves. Interesting theory...

 

Mary

[thecumbrian]

Always makes me chuckle, all this sanitising & washing but when you get a drink the waiter gives you the same pen everyone else has used!!

 

I thought about that point myself which applies to all ships and cruise lines. But can't think of a solution myself.

I feel at the end of the day has its been said in some of the replies to this thread use the hand gel, keep washing your hands, be mindful to hygeine when off the ship. But you are on holiday and want to enjoy yourself, take precautions and care and just hope you are luckly. But don't let it spoil you holiday.

But one thing I will do in the future, because I am still convinced the aeroplane toilets on the outward journey is the place where you will pick up a bug. Is use hand gel after using the toilet on the plane.

Would be interesting to know if outbreaks of norovirus is less when sailings are from the UK with a line such as P&O who will have very few passengers from abroad joining the ship after using a plane?

[gillianrose]

Always makes me chuckle, all this sanitising & washing but when you get a drink the waiter gives you the same pen everyone else has used!!

 

I always have my own pen handy and use that one, on and off ship.

[Jill85]

At risk of being accused of being repetitive... The gel has NO effect on the Norovirus, as far as I recall it needs to be about 70% alcohol & rubbed on generously for 10 minutes, I doubt the stuff on ships is this surgical grade & it is not dispensed liberally enough either. Doesn't do any harm though, but it is no substitute for regular hand washing.

 

 

Correct!

[old git]

maybe it's just me but we always take wipes with us and as soon as we go in the cabin we wipe everything,switches,handles,all taps.even the toilet.

getting fussy in my old age.

 

keep smiling people

[Jill85]

Nothing wrong with that, if you feel better for doing it, my mother does the same and always has! :)