Norovirus strikes 31-day cruise to Vancouver

[jakkojakko]

Passengers getting off a Holland America cruise from Asia to Vancouver this morning say they had to deal with an outbreak of norovirus during the month-long voyage.

When the MS Volendam docked in Vancouver this morning, passenger Jim Ball told CBC News that during the 31-day cruise, pools and hot tubs were drained, and shared books kept off limits as the crew tried to contain the norovirus outbreak.

 

The rest of the article:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/05/01/bc-noro-virus-cruise-vancouver.html

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the information and link.

Sorry to hear that they had to deal with the Noro Virus on their cruise.

[kazu]

Thanks for the link - OMG - I feel for those passengers. That really takes a lot of the fun out of a Transpacific

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Thanks for the info ..

[KirkNC]

This is one of these stories that makes me shake my head, 29 out of 1,220 people had noro per the article or a little more than 2%. To me that is not exactly a raging outbreak. I know if you are one of those unluckily ones it is no fun but to me the media over plays these stories (imagine that :eek:). I wonder what the percentage is in a school, hospital or work place.

[jakkojakko]

It would not deter me to go on this ship. However do not forget these are the official numbers given by HAL. The impression on the ship itself suggests the numbers were higher:

 

"It had to be quite high, because it seemed like you would never sit at a table at dinner without someone having had it," said Faye.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been on quite a few different HAL ships when they were in Code Red.

The worse one was the Hawaiian cruise -- 5 days over and 5 days back ay sea. Pools closed, library closed, activities cancelled, even the beauty salon had to be closed for several days, etc.

It is not nice being on a "sick" ship for days and days.

[DixieQuilter]

This is one of these stories that makes me shake my head, 29 out of 1,220 people had noro per the article or a little more than 2%. To me that is not exactly a raging outbreak. I know if you are one of those unluckily ones it is no fun but to me the media over plays these stories (imagine that :eek:). I wonder what the percentage is in a school, hospital or work place.

 

I was on the first 15 days of this cruise and there is no way that the numbers reported (29 out of 1220 people) were correct. I was in a group of 50 where 1/2 of the group had the illness. My cabin mate had the illness but because of my extreme precautions (constant hand washing, hand sanitizing, refusing to touch any surfaces, never using elevators, etc) I did not. It however changed my outlook - even now almost 3 weeks later, I have trouble touching surfaces in public areas and am constantly using hand sanitizers. If you think this was a fun cruise, think again. If you read the comments to the news article, another cruiser states essentially the same thing with numbers more like 600 passengers and 30 crew including the Captain. If the CDC wants to get an accurate count, they need to survey the passengers, because 2% is hogwash (pardon my French). One of my group who had the illness went to the clinic to get paperwork for a travel insurance claim. She said that there were 3 LARGE stacks of forms to be given to sick passengers who needed to file claims and she was told by medical personnel that they had never seen an outbreak this bad. In addition, our release from the ship in Shanghai was delayed 2 hours because of Chinese officials concern for disease we might be carrying. This was after we had to fill out a hastily prepared health questionnaire the night before - not at all a normal occurrence.

[RuthC]

I had friends on this entire cruise, and received many e-mails so I could sail along as they went.

From what they tell me, the biggest difficulty was that many, many passengers who were ill broke quarantine. It was almost as a game to them to see what they could get away with! :eek:

One of their tablemates was ill, but that didn't stop him from going to dinner (how??? :confused: you're so weak, and really don't want to eat). Others went on shore excursions, potentially spreading germs to a lot of people. One night a section of the dining room was closed off due to "a protein spill".

My friends told me of the increasing frustration in the Captain's voice as he issued announcements. I was half expecting him to put people off in Kodiak, thus making an example of them and getting compliance at the same time. I wouldn't have blamed him.

[sail7seas]

I'm so sorry to hear this whole business.

 

Sorry the virus was aboard and even more sorry the selfish, inconsiderate idiots didn't think of anyone but themselves.

 

Had those that were ill obeyed quarantine, which HAL makes as comfortable and accomodating as possible, they could have avoided so many more becoming ill. It could have avoided even those who remained healthy from having a drastically impacted cruise.

 

Sailing in Code Red 'stinks'.......

I'd like to see the names of those they know violated quarantine put on a 'do not sail list' and they never be permitted to cruise HAL again. I'd go so far as to suggest that list get shared with all cruiselines.

 

SELFISH IDIOTS!

 

[DixieQuilter]

I got off the ship at Kobe on 4/15, but wondered about the remainder of the cruise. Some of our group were continuing on to Vancouver. Not sure if it was the same "protein spill", but I remember a similar incident at dinner on the last night so the illness was definitely not contained when we made port in Kobe. I wondered what they would do with the people who got sick right before they were supposed to disembark. I also heard of incidents where people broke quarantine but dont know of any specifics. My cabin mate strictly followed quarantine and even re-quarantined herself when she thought she had had a relapse.

[Brooklyn Rose]

That's a good idea but not sure how it could be implemented or tracked. I was on the second-half of this cruise and thankfully we were not affected. However, I will not forget how long and hard the crew and staff worked with constantly washing down all the public areas. It had to have been tough working your regular job PLUS working extra hours scrubbing and cleaning.

 

[

Sailing in Code Red 'stinks'.......

I'd like to see the names of those they know violated quarantine put on a 'do not sail list' and they never be permitted to cruise HAL again. I'd go so far as to suggest that list get shared with all cruiselines.

 

SELFISH IDIOTS!

 

[kazu]

I had friends on this entire cruise, and received many e-mails so I could sail along as they went.

From what they tell me, the biggest difficulty was that many, many passengers who were ill broke quarantine. It was almost as a game to them to see what they could get away with! :eek:

One of their tablemates was ill, but that didn't stop him from going to dinner (how??? :confused: you're so weak, and really don't want to eat). Others went on shore excursions, potentially spreading germs to a lot of people. One night a section of the dining room was closed off due to "a protein spill".

My friends told me of the increasing frustration in the Captain's voice as he issued announcements. I was half expecting him to put people off in Kodiak, thus making an example of them and getting compliance at the same time. I wouldn't have blamed him.

 

This sounds all to familiar Ruth:eek: Same thing on our Prinsendam cruise. People breaking quarantine and being abusive to staff. Captain Gundersen came on and he was quite stern (and deservedly so).

 

We did get it licked before the TA portion thank heavens and I'm not sure how they managed to get everyone to behave. But either his talk worked or security went into full mode, thank heavens.

 

It's a shame that a few who won't follow the rules spread the virus and affect the cruise for everyone else:D

[Copper10-8]

Some people can have all the lights on and still be in the dark:cool:

[startwin]

I agree that a hard line has to be taken when passengers violate the quarantine rules. However, I have a hard time understanding how anyone infected with Noro can can even make it out of the cabin, let alone to dinner:confused: My DH once picked up Noro in the hospital - believe me, you pretty much can't leave the bathroom.:( It is totally debilitating (sp?).

 

I was at the cruise ship terminal watching the Volendam embark in Vancouver on Wednesday, and noticed that the stewards were very late finishing up cabin cleaning (they would come out and get the chairs from the balcony, then close the balcony door), and we heard an announcement that rooms were ready around 3 pm. Normally you can go straight to your cabin on boarding, even at 11:30 am. So now I know why.

[DixieQuilter]

It is real easy to blame it all on people breaking quarantine, but who is going to call HAL to task for issuing false information - 2% my eye! I did not get the disease because I exercised extreme caution (plus I have a cast iron constitution), but I saw plenty of people not exercising the basic precautions that one would expect in that situation. I saw people unnecessarily touching the plastic shield in the buffet line, touching cereal boxes that they were not taking, and a woman returning a banana to the top of the buffet line because it wasn't the proper ripeness. I certainly hope the banana was thrown away, but who knows. Other people reported "well" people not washing their hands in the public restrooms. In addition, people can be contagious in the hours before they exhibit symptoms.

[Vict0riann]

That's what always worries me - people being contagious before they exhibit symptoms. We had a code red on a smaller ship that shall remain nameless, and we could see people behaving badly all the time - thinking they were healthy, I suppose, but they might have been spreading germs everywhere. Also, I overheard one man telling a group at his table in the Lido that he had been sick the day before, but now he was "fine". I was so mad. I mentioned it to the CD, and he threw up his hands. He and the Captain both came down with it. It is hard to give up 3 days of your trip for maybe 6 hours of vomiting and the other, but think of the others on board, please. And, of course, at the end of the cruise, even those staying on had to go off for the day while deep-cleaning took place, which must cost a lot.

[PathfinderEss]

Some people can have all the lights on and still be in the dark:cool:

 

I think you sums it up quite nicely, thanks Copper.

[srpilo]

Does anyone know if leaving Kobe for the transpacific the ship was absolutely full ?

 

 

Just curious if the 2% is related to the ships capacity or to the actual passenger total onboard, whatever that happens to be this cruise. Alot of the previous TP's didn't sail full . Anybody know if she sailed full this year?

 

Srpilo

[Copper10-8]

Does anyone know if leaving Kobe for the transpacific the ship was absolutely full ?

 

 

Just curious if the 2% is related to the ships capacity or to the actual passenger total onboard, whatever that happens to be this cruise. Alot of the previous TP's didn't sail full . Anybody know if she sailed full this year?

 

Srpilo

 

The numbers reported to CDC are related to the actual pax/crew count, not to empty cabins. Can't help you with that actual pax count from Kobe, Japan

[JJandJJ]

We're boarding the Volendam on Wednesday, May 8...I'm hoping that the good cleaning the ship received in Vancouver last week stopped the outbreak. I had Noro a couple of months ago (I work in a hospital) and it is not something I care to experience again! Kudos to HAL for trying to stop the virus in its tracks, despite non-compliant patients!

[celle]

It would not deter me to go on this ship. However do not forget these are the official numbers given by HAL. The impression on the ship itself suggests the numbers were higher:

 

I was on Volendam for the full 31-day Kobe to Vancouver cruise.

 

It's possible that the 2% quoted was the number when Volendam arrived in Vancouver - by which time the Code Red had been lifted and all the sanitary precautions seemed to be working, at last.

 

Certainly, I heard unofficially that the percentage was closer to 20% at one time, and that the Chinese authorities had issued instructions that Volendam would not be allowed into Shanghai unless the numbers had decreased to below 10%.

 

I caught the virus, despite taking all precautions, and I was in isolation for the 2.5 days preceding Shanghai. I was deemed better (and I was) and I was released from isolation on the evening before we reached Shanghai, so I guess I was one of the people contributing to the improved statistics.

 

As others have said, cruising on a ship with norovirus is not fun - but it is bearable, and our cruise was not a total disappointment. We could not help feeling sympathy and respect for the crew members, who worked long hours with no time off, to try and get on top of this outbreak.

 

As well as continuously cleaning the ship, HAL sent a crew member on each shore excursion. This crew member treated our hands with Purell as we got back on the buses. While we were off the bus, visiting an attraction, the crew member cleaned all surfaces that we had touched on the bus, including the hand rails, seat backs, overhead lockers, etc.

 

Despite all the crew's efforts, the infection continued to be spread on board, principally by the inconsiderate passengers who did not isolate themselves. I met one, who told me he had been ill, but had not isolated himself, because he had "just a touch of food poisoning". I felt like making him walk the plank! However, Karma, or poetic justice, came into play and he later had a more serious recurrence and was compulsorily quarantined.

 

Like others, I do wish the media did not make such a big thing of norovirus on cruise ships. It happens in schools, hospitals, rest homes - anywhere that large groups of people are together.

[rafinmd]

I had friends on this entire cruise, and received many e-mails so I could sail along as they went.

From what they tell me, the biggest difficulty was that many, many passengers who were ill broke quarantine. It was almost as a game to them to see what they could get away with! :eek:

One of their tablemates was ill, but that didn't stop him from going to dinner (how??? :confused: you're so weak, and really don't want to eat). Others went on shore excursions, potentially spreading germs to a lot of people. One night a section of the dining room was closed off due to "a protein spill".

My friends told me of the increasing frustration in the Captain's voice as he issued announcements. I was half expecting him to put people off in Kodiak, thus making an example of them and getting compliance at the same time. I wouldn't have blamed him.

 

I wish he had; it would serve them right. I also like the idea of a "do not cruise" list.

 

Roy

[Typhoon1]

Part of the reality of cruising. No need to panic as they did in 2001.

[Iwant2BatC]

Holland America used to announce that passengers would not be charged a fee by the medical office when reporting gastro-intestinal symptoms. I think that policy encouraged people to report and to act more responsibily. Now, the medical office charges $64 for a nurse to come to your cabin and take your temperature and offer lomotil. Many people don't report because they don't want to pay that fee. I was on that cruise and although I reported symptoms immediately - housekeeping did not get the word from medical for 36 hours! In the meantime, my cabin steward was in and out of my cabin and my soiled bathroom linens were mixed with the general population. It just seems like the first call medical should make is to housekeeping so that "super" procedures can be put into place. I agree about the policy of ALL passengers in a cabin where one is ill being quarantined was not well implemented. I know it began to go through the crew. At one point 6 girls were out of the spa (only three were ill but the roommates had to be quarantined too). I didn't feel well for 8 days out of the 14 day cruise. Awful!