Update of sickness on Voyager

[Cruising89143]

Most passengers travel by air to get to the departure port. Who's to say they aren't picking up something on the plane? Ever sit near someone who is hacking out a lung the entire flight and then days later you are too? Or how about pre cruise hotel rooms? Have you seen the reports on tv about disgustingly filthy hotel rooms are? You can't blame these illnesses on the cruise lines. I'm sure the ship's these days are cleaner than most public areas. People need to realize getting sick is a risk anywhere.

 

You make a very good point here. I agree that airplanes are a breeding ground for sickness with recycled air on most of the planes. I'm also amazed at how many times when I'm on a cruise ship and using the public restroom that people will do their business and leave without washing their hands. That is another way that this starts. Those people deserve to get sick as far as I'm concerned.

[hdawson]

Some good points being made. There is one airline that doesn't recirculate the cabin air. AirTran uses 100% fresh air in the cabins.

[bosco]

Yes, MonaCK. One can become ill on a cruise, or at home.Its bad enough to be ill anywhere, but it doesnt cost an extra 2000 dollars to be sick at home. But thanks for your comments...................bosco

 

nowegian dawn 2003

aos2002

horizon 1998

 

 

theresa L 1948 (fishing boat city island ny.)

squeaky1946 (my rowboat)

[xcheck]

How do you know the sanitation procedures are so perfect? It takes one droplet from vomit to infect. Do you think they steam the carpets in every cabin with a disinfectant? How about scrubbing the toilets and floor, etc. in each bathroom. I would love to believe the crew is skilled at cleaning but since they wear many hats, I'm willing to bet all those in housekeeping are not created equal. In addition, what about the pillows, blankets and bedspeads used on board. Honestly, you don't think the cruise line cleans each of those items or replaces them after an outbreak, do you? :eek: And we all know the cases are often underreported. It's sad because it is all about money once again. The cruise line doesn't want to shut down for a week because of the income lost even though it would appear to be the prudent thing to do when the virus has not been eradicated. I think the CDC bears some blame here by not getting involved. The standards are just too low. I don't know if the crew keeps circulating norovirus or the sanitation is incomplete, but it's certainly reasonable to think the cruise line could do more when the virus remains, cruise after cruise.

[MonaCK]

Yes, MonaCK. One can become ill on a cruise, or at home.Its bad enough to be ill anywhere, but it doesnt cost an extra 2000 dollars to be sick at home. But thanks for your comments...................bosco

 

nowegian dawn 2003

aos2002

horizon 1998

 

 

theresa L 1948 (fishing boat city island ny.)

squeaky1946 (my rowboat)

 

 

Then I highly suggest you get trip insurance.

[bosco]

MONA....

I HAVE TRIP INSURANCE.

 

 

NORWEGIAN DAWN

AOS

HORIZON

THERESA L ........ FISHING BOAT FROM CITY ISLAND

STATEN ISLAND FERRY

SQUEEKY.....MY ROW BOAT

QUACK QUACK.........MY FLOATING RUBBER DUCKIE

GOODBYE FROM BOSCO. HAVE A HAPPY DAY

[familycruzer]

MONA....

I HAVE TRIP INSURANCE.

 

 

QUACK QUACK.........MY FLOATING RUBBER DUCKIE

GOODBYE FROM BOSCO. HAVE A HAPPY DAY

 

I think someone needs a vacation just dont take a cruise.

 

I agree with Mona, you can get sick anywhere. You put 3000+ passengers together on a ship and someone is bound to get ill. Go enjoy your vacation and do whatever you can to stay healty. Even if I got sick it would never stop me from cruising again.

[littlej]

Hi, a lot of good points on this thread, here's my own insight for what it's worth.

What I observed: everyone well and enjoying themselves, until Friday morning, after we finished breakfast in the Windjammer. All guests were instructed to leave their cabins by 8am and wait in one of three places: Studio B, the main theater, or the Solarium pool area. It was cold, windy and rainy out, so my husband and I went to Studio B, since it was aft and closest to the departure point. The area was jammed elbow to elbow. As we were cramming our way into the studio to wait for our color to be called, a woman standing next to me vomited violently without warning. We turned around and slowly tried to make our way back out of the room along with many panicking people. We found a corner in the photo area to put our bags down and recoup, where I discovered a little vomit on my sneaker. I made my way to the ladies room to clean it up as best I could, knowing I had now been exposed to what I assumed was the norovirus. When crew made everyone waiting in the photo area leave and go to one of the three waiting areas, we decided to wait in the rain and cold on deck until we were able to leave. Studio B was not closed, despite the mess. No other waiting areas were opened as alternates, despite the weather.

What I heard: While cleaning up in the ladies room, I heard many people recounting that they and people in their party were sick during the week. One lady had her young son in there, and said he was sick the entire week. Another lady reported that she heard the crew was first to come down with it overnight Thursday/Friday early morning. Some people surmised that the mahi mahi served Thursday night was to blame. I doubt it, though I could be wrong. My husband and I both ate it. He was never sick.

How I felt: Fine, until I watched the woman next to me be sick. I felt a little unease afterward, understandably, but no real nausea. Friday afternoon there were very slight chills, and a tiny bit of nausea. Saturday through much of the day, slight chills, no fever, good bit of diarrhea. By Sunday night, I was fine. My husband was fine.

What I know: Norovirus is spread through contact of human feces/vomit to mouth. This can be done both by contact with food, unwashed or improperly washed hands after bathroom use and contact with public areas, including bathroom door handles, stairway rails and elevator buttons, and failure to wash hands after contact with virus particles before eating or touching your face. Antimicrobial wipes/gel does not kill the virus, though the wipes may help to wipe the virus off the hands slightly. Virus particles can be made airborne through violent vomiting for a very short period of time, but settle quickly. There's not much research to suggest that it can be spread through ventilation systems.

When the outbreak occurs during debarkation, there's not a lot that the ship can do to contain it. At this point, the passengers cannot be isolated in their cabins, and keeping them all in certain areas to wait for their colors to be called increases the chances of spreading the virus exponentially. But the crew needs this to be done to have time to do some extra cleaning before the next set of passengers come onboard. It was just very bad timing. Am I defending RCI? No, I was upset by the way it was handled. I just don't feel I can criticize without having better suggestions to give them.

 

Jenny

[xcheck]

Jenny-Sorry you were sick! One of the most important things passengers can do is report an illness to the cruise ship medical office. If you have already arrived home, please call the CDC to report it. They need the numbers to track and can't take action if they don't know of the illnesses. They do have levels of sanitation which I believe are based somewhat on the counts they get and they do actively track GI viruses. Voyager is currently at the highest level at this time.

[MonaCK]

MONA....

I HAVE TRIP INSURANCE.

 

 

NORWEGIAN DAWN

AOS

HORIZON

THERESA L ........ FISHING BOAT FROM CITY ISLAND

STATEN ISLAND FERRY

SQUEEKY.....MY ROW BOAT

QUACK QUACK.........MY FLOATING RUBBER DUCKIE

GOODBYE FROM BOSCO. HAVE A HAPPY DAY

 

 

Good for you, then.

[Cruising89143]

I'm actually surprised that more people do not get sick with the way that the buffets are set up. Many people do not bother to wash their hands and then go and use the serving utensils in the buffet areas. One person after another touch those utensils and then sit down to eat. I have read where some cruise lines have the sanitizing liquid next to each food station for people to use before serving themselves. I would think that this at least helps and should be used by all cruise lines.

[littlej]

Hi xcheck, good advice. I'll be contacting both the CDC and RCI. I think I was lucky that I only had a mild case.

 

Jenny

[alexkrn46]

Xcheck,

how are you getting these reports? I often frequent cruise junkie and there is nothing posted other than what is here,

Thanks for the heads up, Alex