I Know People that have Contracted Norovirus and Still Boarded the Ship

[nrdsb4]

And, while we're on the subject of the ships, I would assume that sick crew members remain on board, and there is a limit to how effective any kind of quarantine can be. Somehow they have to get food, crew members generally share their rooms with other crew members, etc. It's not like there is some kind of negative air pressure chamber they can herd all the sick people into to prevent contamination of the ship..

 

It wouldn't matter if they did have such a chamber. It would do nothing to prevent the transmission of norovirus as it is not airborne, but transmitted via the fecal/oral route.

 

 

I really think that this is getting carried to a bit of an extreme. Unfortunately, flu season is called flu season for a reason. .

 

But we are talking about norovirus, not influenza, aka "flu" which is a respiratory illness.

 

You are correct that it is very difficult to contain norovirus even in the face of the best efforts of the cruise lines. Too many people unknowingly spread it and others, as evidenced by this thread, will continue to put their own enjoyment ahead of the general good. No cruise line can fight a selfish or ignorant person who refuses to take the necessary action to avoid spreading this illness.

[PelicanBill]

Argh! I can't believe that everyone is thinking that one passenger boards a ship and spreads norovirus around to epidemic levels. This is a surface contact problem. Think of how long it takes for surface contact to spread to many people, and consider: Are they cleaning the ship well enough? Often enough? Taking care of the surfaces that many people touch, like railings and tables?

 

Watch the food prep and food service areas. Do you see anyone wearing gloves? Are they using a disinfectant cleaner or using the same rag to wipe down every table? How about signs in the rest rooms reminding everyone to wash hands?

 

I looked around and saw none of the safety precautions that seen obvious. The majority of surface contact comes between crew and passengers, not between passengers and other passengers. Think about it and look around when you go on your next cruise. I watched a buffet line person garnishing grapefruit halves by pushing a grape into the middle of the cut half - with bare thumb. Did he wash his hands according to the CDC guidelines? I watched the crew prepare silverware rolls for the cafe area... touching every piece of silverware, rolling it in a napkin. One crew member touches the bathroom sink or door handle, then touches the silverware of 400 passengers. Isn't it obvious?

 

I got sick on the last day of my cruise on Carnival Glory in January. 6 of the 30 people on board that I knew got sick - we were not traveling together, they were roll call members. This was not reported to the news or CDC. I think a lot of people get sick on ships and it never gets reported.

 

And it's nonsense to treat passengers who report being sick by locking them and their family into their cabin, which is apparently done. they won't be getting anyone else sick before they leave. It doesn't spread like that!

[1corona4u]

Argh! I can't believe that everyone is thinking that one passenger boards a ship and spreads norovirus around to epidemic levels. This is a surface contact problem. Think of how long it takes for surface contact to spread to many people, and consider: Are they cleaning the ship well enough? Often enough? Taking care of the surfaces that many people touch, like railings and tables?

 

Watch the food prep and food service areas. Do you see anyone wearing gloves? Are they using a disinfectant cleaner or using the same rag to wipe down every table? How about signs in the rest rooms reminding everyone to wash hands?

 

I looked around and saw none of the safety precautions that seen obvious. The majority of surface contact comes between crew and passengers, not between passengers and other passengers. Think about it and look around when you go on your next cruise. I watched a buffet line person garnishing grapefruit halves by pushing a grape into the middle of the cut half - with bare thumb. Did he wash his hands according to the CDC guidelines? I watched the crew prepare silverware rolls for the cafe area... touching every piece of silverware, rolling it in a napkin. One crew member touches the bathroom sink or door handle, then touches the silverware of 400 passengers. Isn't it obvious?

 

I got sick on the last day of my cruise on Carnival Glory in January. 6 of the 30 people on board that I knew got sick - we were not traveling together, they were roll call members. This was not reported to the news or CDC. I think a lot of people get sick on ships and it never gets reported.

 

And it's nonsense to treat passengers who report being sick by locking them and their family into their cabin, which is apparently done. they won't be getting anyone else sick before they leave. It doesn't spread like that!

 

Are you a Dr.?

[mp3jrick]

Well I am just getting over a bug I got on last weeks cruise.

 

On day one we had a hacker at a table for 10 next to us.

 

By day 10 she had infected 5 at her table 2 at another and myself with my wife and kids now following up at home and that was just dining room contact.

 

Options? Sometimes there aren't choices, granted.

 

But, if you can't stay home, or won't, at least practice personal hygene.

 

My God people, wash your hands and often.

 

See a Dr. before you leave home and get medication.

When you cough or sneeze do so into a kleenex or table napkin.

 

Expelling germs at 500 mph into the palm of your hand just steers it away from you and at others.

 

I was fine until a show seating where I actually felt the breeze on my neck from a hacker behind me. Guess who? The hubby of the hacker who now was helping to spread it. Now if felt the breeze, not enough was done to contain it.

 

Lastly, if you are sick, find another way to nourish yourself beside extended seatings in a cramped dinning room, there are options.

 

Technically speaking, unless a stateroom attendent steralizes every door knob and other surfaces in a stateroom, you stand just as good a chance of picking up something from the prior cruises guests.

No guarantees there i'm afraid, but common sence will go a long way.

[nrdsb4]

Argh! I can't believe that everyone is thinking that one passenger boards a ship and spreads norovirus around to epidemic levels. This is a surface contact problem. Think of how long it takes for surface contact to spread to many people, and consider: Are they cleaning the ship well enough? Often enough? Taking care of the surfaces that many people touch, like railings and tables?

 

Watch the food prep and food service areas. Do you see anyone wearing gloves? Are they using a disinfectant cleaner or using the same rag to wipe down every table? How about signs in the rest rooms reminding everyone to wash hands?

 

I looked around and saw none of the safety precautions that seen obvious. The majority of surface contact comes between crew and passengers, not between passengers and other passengers. Think about it and look around when you go on your next cruise. I watched a buffet line person garnishing grapefruit halves by pushing a grape into the middle of the cut half - with bare thumb. Did he wash his hands according to the CDC guidelines? I watched the crew prepare silverware rolls for the cafe area... touching every piece of silverware, rolling it in a napkin. One crew member touches the bathroom sink or door handle, then touches the silverware of 400 passengers. Isn't it obvious?

 

I got sick on the last day of my cruise on Carnival Glory in January. 6 of the 30 people on board that I knew got sick - we were not traveling together, they were roll call members. This was not reported to the news or CDC. I think a lot of people get sick on ships and it never gets reported.

 

And it's nonsense to treat passengers who report being sick by locking them and their family into their cabin, which is apparently done. they won't be getting anyone else sick before they leave. It doesn't spread like that!

 

You just got through saying that this is a surface contact problem and addressed the very issue of contaminated handrails and how many people come in contact with them (the answer is most people on a ship will touch handrails, elevator buttons, and bathroom door handles many times during a cruise). Then you contradict yourself by saying people shouldn't be quarantined becuase it "doesn't spread like that." Sorry, it most certainly does spread like that. Visit the CDC website - it explains quite clearly how the disease is spread, and how long people are contagious (several days or longer after recovery). The rationale for quarantine is quite sound.

 

Before I'm accused of being a RCI apologist, I will state that I will not go out on a limb to defend their efforts to clean the ship, because I have no idea what, if anything they are doing. It is certainly feasible for a cruise ship employee to spread the disease (particularly if he is involved with food prep).

 

The virus doesn't care if it's on the hands of a crew member or a passenger, however. Infected humans who don't wash their hands or don't wash them properly are causing this illness to spread (though I have not read of any outbreaks of "epidemic" proportions save for one).

 

You are correct that the illness is likely underreported to the CDC. Unless people report to the infirmary, their illnesses are not reported to the CDC. How can the cruise line report illnesses if people don't report to them? They are not allowed to guestimate based on "hunches" or what room stewards tell them. They must be reported by qualified medical personnel who, unless they have ESP, will not be able to make that call unless they examine the patient (actually, a definitive diagnosis requires examination of a stool or emesis sample). I have no idea if the ship infirmaries are equipped to do this sort of testing.

 

This illness is widespread in our society. Because only cruise ships are required to report these outbreaks, people assume that the illness is most often found on cruise ships. This is not true.

[OCruisers]

:eek: Too much is blamed on passengers for bringing Norovirus on ships!

 

When we boarded a HAL ship (Veendam) in January, so many of the crew and cruise staff were ALREADY ill! :eek:

 

Please try to understand that it was the CREW reporting to the infirmary ill the FIRST few days of our cruise. The passengers were not ill until 3/4 days into a 14 night cruise ....

[3redheads]

We just got back from the Disney cruise and they had hand sanitizers everywhere, but I've read that these hand sanitizers do not stop the spread. Only a good hand washing with warm water will??

 

Now, on to trip insurance. Does it cover this or not? I'd sure like to know in case I ever come down with this :(

 

Kim

[Elaine0138]

No problem about cancelling as you can claim on your travel insurance, then rebook something for a bit later. Would have that that was the obvious way to go.

[threeofus]

Aside from the Noro virus....I have heard of a family that took a child with chickenpox on a cruise..and another family who took their child to disney world with the chickenpox.....You know how it is with chickenpox...after a few days the child feels fine but stays inside to prevent the spread....well, these families weren't about to ruin their vacation so off they went.

 

I'll bet it happens everyday. That's the downside of not giving a refund for illness without insurance.

[voyagerclassfan]

I cant speak for others but I was affected by the Norovirus this past 5/15 cruise. Luckily it hit on the final day and after I was already home. Now, as bad as I was, I couldnt imagine having it prior to my cruise and still going. I was just miserable. I dont think I could have even walked to my cabin myself. I just couldnt do it.

[littlej]

This is also a tough call for me, but I think I know the answer. I was on the Voyager cruise May 15-20. When I got home in NJ, I called my mom to tell her, and found out that my very, very dear grandmother had died the day before. My mother had booked tickets for us to fly to Kentucky the next day for the funeral. I was sick that night, but by the next morning, I was queasy, but well enough to fly. I made the decision to cancel because I knew I could still infect people on a closed airplane environment. I can't tell you how difficult that was.

[deaconess]

That must've been tough to stay home....as for cruising....that's what the insurance is for. I'd stay home.

 

I pasted this from the CDC web site....do you think that one should stay away from sea food to help avoid this virus?? I like my lobster:( I assume the ship water is safe based on other threads....I also assume that 95% get it from contaminated surfaces and/or person-person contact, but what about the other 5%?

 

How does food get contaminated by gastroenteritis viruses?

 

Food may be contaminated by food preparers or handlers who have viral gastroenteritis, especially if they do not wash their hands regularly after using the bathroom. Shellfish may be contaminated by sewage, and persons who eat raw or undercooked shellfish harvested from contaminated waters may get diarrhea. Drinking water can also be contaminated by sewage and be a source of spread of these viruses

[MrPete]

....and the saga continues......

[mrg0433]

How would you know it is norovirus? Unless you go to a doctor, you might think it is a flu bug.

Last December we cruised Norwegian and noticed an automated hand spray sanitizing machine outside every venue, including all 10 restaurants and outside the casino. I was shocked when I took RCL in March and only saw one hand sanitizing spray machine as we boarded the ship. Even the buffet in the Windjammer did not have a hand sanitizer at its entrance. I can't understand why RCL wouldn't want to limit germs spreading by people sharing the same food utensils on the buffet line. I listed that on my RCCL suggestions, but never got a respsonse. Hope to see some changes, but next RCL cruise I am definetely bringing my own hand disintectant.

 

On my RCL cruise in March, a waiter seated a woman coughing and hacking right next to me at breakfast. After she coughed on my plate and me, I got up and left. I went back to my room and took a shower and washed my clothes. (What was funny was that the dining room was practically empty for breakfast that morning.)

 

More room service on my balcony--less buffets for me!

[xcheck]

On the subject of insurance, there are many policies with differing terms of coverage. Make sure you don't assume you are covered for things that may not be. Also, keep in mind that a family of five who has insurance may not have coverage for all five if only one in the party is sick and wishes a refund. The other four may not be covered if they are not ill. There is no insurance I know of for trip cancellation for "any reason". I do think that if the cruise line made it easier for those who are ill to reschedule at a later date without penalty, we would have more people take advantage of that. I personally wouldn't cruise while terribly ill (why would anyone want to?). The reason so many people would cruise while ill is really about money. They simply don't want to lose their investment in the cruise and for a large family, that can be quite pricey.

 

The CDC can id norovirus, but I don't know how long it takes to do so. So, they do know when this is on a ship and do track all GI illnesses.

[lex1104]

For those of you who said you would still cruise knowing you had the norovirus, that's irresponsible and messed up! I just got off of a 5 day cruise with Royal Caribbean on the Grandeur of the Seas to Costa Maya and Cozumel where some selfish adult got on knowing he had the norovirus. I spent 12 hours puking my guts up and 3 days in isolation in my room and no one in my cabin could get off in the ports. This not only ruined my entire trip but also the trips of many others. So thanks a lot!

[crusinmama06]

I'm just "praying" that the insurance will be in effect for us.

My daughter is still "under the weather" ( to be polite) and hasn't been the same since we got back from Brilliance in January. I've been taking her to MD (she still has slightly elevated fever and somewhat severe abdominal pains) since we returned. On Brilliance she WAS stricken with something. We're running all different "tests" blood and other on her. Hopefully we'll have some answers by Friday since we go into "total penalty" on Sunday. Her pediatrician is dead set AGAINST her A) getting on a ship where she may not get attention from onboard MD not trained in pediatrics and B) her going to Mexico. I get absolutely NO help from RCCL, even to just register my disatisfaction about Libby not getting to be seen by MD.

We shall see, but as I said earlier... we ALWAYS get cancellation insurance... now I hope that the MDs opinion is honored.. (esp. since we ARE subjecting Libby to some uncomfortable testing).

Carolyn

 

So there is a chance that even though your doc is "dead set against" going on this cruise, you still haven't cancelled? Is that correct?

 

Here's my thoughts/experience on that. Last year my daughter had a seizure on board the DCL Magic after catching something on board. I never wanted to be that far away from home again in the face of a medical emergency. The doctors said she can/should go back back on the cruises because they don't want her to "live in fear". So I compromised, I did not book a cruise this year. We are going to Disney instead next month. I did book a cruise in 2007 until I make sure that she doesn't have any more seizures between now and then.

 

With your daughter being so sick (btw, could this be something like Crohn's/Colitis, it sounds like it is) you should keep her on land for now. At least until she is feeling 100% better.

[Host Karen]

Folks, please note that prior to today's postings, this thread was last active in June 2005, so much of what was previously posted is out of date.

 

Please play nice everyone.

[crusinmama06]

Folks, please note that prior to today's postings, this thread was last active in June 2005, so much of what was previously posted is out of date.

 

Please play nice everyone.

 

Thanks :D I hate when old posts get bumped up to the top.

[threeofus]

This is all I have been trying to say. I agree with you 100%. If RCI would step up to the plate and make this offer I think 90% of their Noro problems would be gone.

 

 

Then no one would purchase insurance.....and everyone would lie and say they had to cancel because of the norovirus.

[iamtrustworthy]

If I was sick before a trip, I'd be sure I went to the doctor. It doesn't matter to me what the condition was (norovirus, sinus infection, flu, etc.). If my doctor advised me not to travel I wouldn't travel.

 

As for losing money, that wouldn't happen because I always get trip insurance.

[Voyager]

Funny thing..

I told the folks at Guest Relations what the nurse had said...

and WE'RE DIAMOND level w/C&A

I had to call up corp. headquarters after a problem w/the explorations personnel and I was given a bit of $atisfaction for the (though it did take several calls and stressing that we were Diamond and were never treated the way we were on board), but I wasn't looking for anything other than medical treatment when onboard since we concerned about Libby's health when we boarded, knowing that her immunity was going to be somewhat compromised (pneumonia and on very strong antibiotics).. we came on board w/large bottle of antibac soap, lysol AND two bottles of purel for the diningroom AND in cabin which we kept on us at ALL times. Made use we used only paper towels and used them while in restrooms and not disposing them (covering handles to leave rooms etc). after we exited. Libby was very careful, but it didn't help. Luckily we had a followup appointment w/her pediatrician the day after we arrived home and had her checked out.

Stay healthy everyone.

Why you would bring Libby on a cruise while still trying to recover from pneumonia is unbelievable to me. Most people are allergic to a lot of antibiotics and should be at home to watch for reactions. Why, if you were concerened about her immune system prior to boarding would you subject her to that? I dont understand your mothering skills or lack there of.

[Luv4dacruise]

You are right Mary Ellen, but it is also amazing to me to see how many people walk right past the sanitizer and go straight to the buffet. It is those people we need to make understand.

 

Please dont flame me, i am just stating my situation. I do still use the hand sanitizer just because i feel weird if someone sees me not using it. However, i am highly allergic to hand sanitizer, after a couple days of using it, my hands are covered in this gross painful rash, and i have to live with that for the rest of my cruise. I do understand why i need to use it, but would personally prefer to just be able to wash with soap and water and not feel weird about using the hand sanitizer.