salmonella on board prinsendam.

[irishjim]

Hi Everyone,

We had a wonderful 45 day cruise on our fav ship.We disembarked

in Amesterdam and flew to england for 3 weeks to spend time with family,unfortunatley my wife became very ill after 3 days.she lost aprox 25lbs

in 3 weeks and was unable to visit her family as she was not able to travel.We

came home on the 22nd july as she was starting to improve,since then she is getting better every day TG. We received a letter from HAL that confirmed there was an outbreak on board and other passengers were sick,it did not state how many and could not find the source of the cause? this ship then contuined on its next voyage not knowing the cause.Have written to HAL to see if they have corrected the situation. I really hope the other pax are feeling better,other than that we had a great time

Jim:D

[piscesgal223]

More than a little disturbing to me that they could not figure out what the cause of the outbreak was, and that they went out on *another* cruise. Can you say "potential lawsuit"?I can.

[sail7seas]

Very sorry to hear how ill your wife was but happy she is recovering. Good she didn't have to disembark.

 

It is probable they did every possible thing to track down the cause of the outbreak and if they could not find it, if the number of cases halted at a certain point, what else was there for them to do but to continue her journies? If the outbreak was over, that is the most important thing....... that and hopes all who became ill recover well.

 

Welcome Back.

[Watson's aunt]

A few years ago I got salmonella in Calf. I was at a con I drank lots of orange juice from the hotel. It was fresh OJ BUT NOT pasteurized. I spent a weekend in hell before I went to er. I spent 12 days there. I prayed I would die that weekend I was so sick. The heath dept in my town called me a few weeks later and asked where I was. They had been a out break a few months before I was there. Then again when I was there. The health dept said it was from the orange juice. I just want to warn you it takes a long time 6 months to a year for that posion to fully leave your body. It took me a very long time to drink another glass I also make sure its pasteuired. I went on a cruise Amsterdam June 10-24 I saw they had fresh orange on menu there is no way I was going to drink the OJ as much as I love it. My medical bills were huge because I had to keeep going to dr for blood tests. If you have a pool she can't go in it. I don't but you should look it up as what she can't do. I did sue because this (oj)company knew they had problems and refused to do anything about it. I got enough to pay lawyer 1/3 all medical bills they wanted it even though insurance paid for it. I also bought a small car. Good luck I hope she is better

[Zyzygy]

Given the European authorities' difficulty in tracing the source of the large e coli outbreak earlier this summer, it's not surprising that a ship would have difficulty in tracing the specific source of a salmonella outbreak.

 

That being said, the cruise line did the right thing by sending a letter confirming that there was an outbreak. That is a much more honorable thing to do than trying to claim that it was just norovirus or contracted in port, etc.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome home.

Glad you had a wonderful cruise.

Sorry to hear that your wife got sick at the end and didn't get to see family.

[jakkojakko]

We did the northcape cruise on the prinsendam in june.

6 hours after disembarkation in Amsterdam my wife became violently ill. She spent 2 weeks in hospital with a confirmed salmonella infection. As she only had breakfast that morning on the ship (lido) and nothing else untill the sickness started, it must have come from the ship.

Myself and my mother were fine.

 

We, also received letters from HAL explaining the salmonella outbreak. They didn't know where it came from. In my opinion, it's the eggs.

[kazu]

Welcome home and thanks for your report.

 

Hope your wife continues to improve.

 

Two salmonella incidents?:confused: This is scary. We sail on her in November. I really hope things are going to be straightened out:confused:

[Karennella]

Could it be local eggs? My friend did a Princess cruise in Northern Europe in May/June and they both ended up very sick when they got off. They were still having blood tests when last I spoke to her.

[Randyk47]

The problem with salmonella is that it can come from so many different sources, food being only one of several. Salmonella can be passed on much like the Norovirus so finding a specific direct cause is difficult to almost impossible without huge and complicated resources, certainly beyond what a cruise ship would have, and probably more than most local health departments could handle.

[Watson's aunt]

Since I never eat eggs and I got mine in Calfornia and the state trace it back to the orange farm that was selling the juice they tested it and found the equipment to be load with the salmonella. Also in my case it was a large break out and evey one admitted they drank orange juice. I never drink anything that is not pasteurized.. Also watch out for apple juice. I never ever want to be that sick again and would not wish it on anyone

 

Mary

[jakkojakko]

Welcome home and thanks for your report.

 

Hope your wife continues to improve.

 

Two salmonella incidents?:confused: This is scary.

 

There must be more than 2 cases. I didn't contact Hal untill after their warning letter. That letter mentioned a "few" cases.

I am convinced it must have been something in the food chain. In my opinion not HAL's fault. The ship's restaurant's were very hygienic, as were the waiters.

My wife's breakfast egg was a bit snotty and she said it tasted funny. So I am convinced that that was the cause. She is recovering nicely now, but it was touch and go the first 3 day's. Luckily she doesn't remember them.

[sail7seas]

 

We did the northcape cruise on the prinsendam in june.

 

6 hours after disembarkation in Amsterdam my wife became violently ill. She spent 2 weeks in hospital with a confirmed salmonella infection. As she only had breakfast that morning on the ship (lido) and nothing else untill the sickness started, it must have come from the ship.

 

Myself and my mother were fine.

 

 

 

We, also received letters from HAL explaining the salmonella outbreak. They didn't know where it came from. In my opinion, it's the eggs.

 

 

 

I'm sorry but I'm really confused.

 

Did you, your wife and mother board Prinsendam and then eat breakfast? That would be unusual, it's usually lunch by the time anyone embarks.

 

Or, were you ending your cruise and she had eggs for your last breakfast aboard, you disembarked and she became ill six hours after you left the ship but you had completed your whole cruise? How did HAL know she had become ill if you had already left the ship?

 

Did you advise HAL she had become ill before or after you got the letter telling you of the 'cases'?

 

I'm sorry if these are annoying questions but for some reason, I'm just not 'getting it'.

 

Thanks and happy to hear she has recovered.

[jakkojakko]

MMMmmmm.

 

I said DISembarkation. So that's the end of the cruise!

Her last meal was breakfast (just before DISembarkation) on the ship.

 

HAL did not know she became ill and we received the letter before I reported it to HAL. My wife is thus not counted in the "few cases" mentioned in the letter.

 

My mother also received the letter as , I think, all other cruisers.

 

July 14, 2011

Dear Valued Guest:

On behalf of the officers and crew of the ms Prinsendam, along with our staff here in the corporate office, we thank you for sailing with us. We hope you had an enjoyable cruise.

I am writing today to share some information we want to make you aware of. During your cruise, a few guests became ill with what has now been determined to have been salmonella. We have not determined the source of the illness. As you know, the health, safety and well-being of our guests and crew is our highest priority. Consequently, we wanted you to be aware of this. The symptoms of salmonella include:

•Nausea•Vomiting•Diarrhea (sometimes bloody)•Fever•Abdominal cramps•Feeling generally unwell and/or muscle aches

If you have experienced these symptoms and are not getting better, we suggest you visit your physician and advise him or her of this letter. Your doctor may wish to do a specific test for salmonella. Additionally, our Medical Department has a nurse available to answer your questions between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm PDT, Monday through Friday; you may reach us by dialing 888-425-1329 or 206-626-9834.

Please note that the reported cases are very few and most likely there is no need to be concerned. We still wanted you to have this information. We are sending this letter to you both by email and by regular mail to ensure that it is received. Thank you for your understanding.

Sincerely,

Dan Grausz

Executive Vice President, Fleet Operations

Hollland America Line

[sail7seas]

Thank you

 

I think some of my confusion arose because I think if either I or my DH became so very, very ill six hours after leaving a ship, I would have been in touch with them. I am sure we would have notified them we suspected the egg that was eaten at breakfast was a source of illness.

 

Of course, I don't know where you live but it has to be awful being hospitalized away from home.

Best wishes.

 

[jakkojakko]

We live in holland. She became sick when we arrived at home. She was hospitalized the next day. Salmonella was confirmed after 3 days.

[sail7seas]

Ah, that makes a little bit of a difference.

 

Thus why I commented about 'where is home.' :)

As long as she is better..... that is the most important.

 

 

[goodearth]

Jakkojakko--

Thank you for sharing this information.

[dach]

Scary, but better to know than not to know something else to watch for. Best wishes for a full recovery. I will pay attention to this danger next time I travel.

 

Could it from eggs? I had heard Europe vaccinates all their poultry against salmonella.

[Watson's aunt]

I was home when I got sick. I was at a convention and a bunch of people at the con got sick. I am very careful what I eat. I have had a lot of medical issues but I have never been as sick as I was. Please take my word for it. You do not want this.

 

 

Mary

[Randyk47]

Scary, but better to know than not to know something else to watch for. Best wishes for a full recovery. I will pay attention to this danger next time I travel.

 

Could it from eggs? I had heard Europe vaccinates all their poultry against salmonella.

 

Could be from eggs but the problem is it can be from all sorts of foods even peanuts were to blame back three or four years ago. Dirty food prep areas can transmit salmonella. I had it once from a well known restaurant in San Diego. Never did find out the source and I had fried shrimp which supposedly is not a prime source but possible.

[sansterre]

We were on that cruise. Both of us went home with bad colds but no other problems. However, I talked to some passengers who continued on that cruise and they were not allowed to have things like cream pitchers and salt shakers in the dining room for 5 days. and a few passengers left the ship ill. I suspect some of the crew or passengers must have taken ill that day of departure in Amsterdam. Our last stop was in Bergen - could have been something that was picked up there on shore, or phone product put on shore that day.

DH and I were very concerned boarding the Prinsendam because of all the problems with European cucumbers and tomatoes etc. But seemingly there were no problems until the end of the cruise.

BTW, the "kitchen tour" included food storage and preparation areas and the extra precautions taken to avoid Salmonella was discussed (they spray with a product, but I've forgotten the name of it by now.)

[Bearnaise]

I was home when I got sick. I was at a convention and a bunch of people at the con got sick. I am very careful what I eat. I have had a lot of medical issues but I have never been as sick as I was. Please take my word for it. You do not want this.

Why not? You said you got a small car out of the deal. Not too shabby for a little vomiting and diarrhea.

 

(yeah, before you say it, I have had salmonella - unfortunately it was when I was in college in San Diego and contracted during a long drunken night in Tijuana probably from some mystery tacos, so there was no one I could sue unless I wanted to track down a taco vendor and repossess his cart)

 

To the OP: 6 hours is pretty short time for incubating bacteria so it's probably not the last day's eggs that did her in, likely something she had the day before as 12-24 hours is far more common.

[piscesgal223]

Hearing stories about people getting sick on food in places like TJ is what made me wary of eating in the port stops on my Mexican Riviera cruise 3 years ago. Though my parents, it must be said, ate at a restaraunt in one of the ports and lived to tell the tale(My dad only told me this after the fact because he knew I would be suitably horrified!)

[Randyk47]

Hearing stories about people getting sick on food in places like TJ is what made me wary of eating in the port stops on my Mexican Riviera cruise 3 years ago. Though my parents, it must be said, ate at a restaraunt in one of the ports and lived to tell the tale(My dad only told me this after the fact because he knew I would be suitably horrified!)

 

Interestingly I've eaten all over the world from Africa on a dirt floor to all over Europe to all over North America and the only place I've ever gotten sick from it was in the US. Go figure..... :)