30+ people sick on Princess just in SF

[ldubs]

They can culture it.

 

Makes sense. I wonder if they do that. I'm on the Grand in a few weeks. Not particularly worried, but it will be interesting to see if there is any residual action on the part of the staff as a result of this.

 

Here is hoping no one gets sick, either on or off any ship.

 

Take care.

[lady_cruiser]

Yeah. They also didn't cover how much Noro is in local schools, colleges, hospitals, or other public locations. Of course, that wouldn't have made a good story.

 

When you live in a small town like we do and schools are closed because of an outbreak it does make the local news.

 

Ahhh the benefits of living in a small town are great. Until you realize that everyone, and I mean everyone, knows your business :eek:.

[caribill]

I am having a hard time understanding this. The Crown underwent a deep cleaning in LA on Saturday, and the pax were not allowed to board until after 4:30pm. My understanding that the virus takes a couple of days from time exposed until you come down with it. And yet in a little over 24 hours pax and crew had the virus in San Francisco on Monday morning.

 

Boarding passengers could have contracted the virus within two days of arrival for the cruise.

 

Noro is the 2nd most common disease in the USA with about 21 million people a year catching it. It would not be surprising that some of those 21 million are headed for a cruise.

[Scrapchick]

We're on the ship and were told yesterday the numbers affected have stabilized. We have never been told how many people are sick but we expect Code Red restrictions to be in the effect for the entire cruise. Even the drop box for disembarkation forms was taken away.

 

The various media reports are very interesting, especially what Princess has told the media. Wish they would actually tell us the same thing...

 

Oh well. Almost over now and we're not sick yet, thankfully. Not the cruise we were hoping for.

[west coast cruiser]

We're on the ship and were told yesterday the numbers affected have stabilized. We have never been told how many people are sick but we expect Code Red restrictions to be in the effect for the entire cruise. Even the drop box for disembarkation forms was taken away.

 

The various media reports are very interesting, especially what Princess has told the media. Wish they would actually tell us the same thing...

 

Oh well. Almost over now and we're not sick yet, thankfully. Not the cruise we were hoping for.

 

I got off the Crown last Saturday. I think they kept us very well informed and took every precaution.

The media loves to get their hands on stuff like this, especially when the Cruise Lines are concerned. I think I would tend to put more faith in the reports from the ship. Just Saying.

WCC

[rtlk]

Very Very disappointed with Princess this SICK SHIP must get new leadership that can resolve the continued problems..:eek:

[jimdalva]

Very Very disappointed with Princess this SICK SHIP must get new leadership that can resolve the continued problems..:eek:

 

What would you have them do that they are not already doing? Passengers bring it on.

[getupgo]

They don't always put it in the news. We were at the South shore zip line in Roatan and a cruiser off a Princess Cruise asked us if anyone was sick on our NCL ship as and I said no. She said it was bad on their ship. Never heard anything on the news. Princess ships have had a lot of problems this year.

 

Sent from my XT1058 using Tapatalk

[geocruiser]

They do clean the ship. The last thing any cruise line wants is to make the new with a sick ship. The virus can be picked up by people off the ship and brought on. Both PAX and crew get off the ship at home ports and ports of calls and could bring it back on the ship. Every one needs to wash their hands.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/features/norovirus/

Edited April 11, 2014 by geocruiser

[paradiselivin1]

MSNBC currently showing as a tagline that over 100 sick. Not sure what else a cruise line can do when people don't follow good personal hygiene.:eek:

[Salacia]

We're on the ship and were told yesterday the numbers affected have stabilized. We have never been told how many people are sick but we expect Code Red restrictions to be in the effect for the entire cruise. Even the drop box for disembarkation forms was taken away.

 

The various media reports are very interesting, especially what Princess has told the media. Wish they would actually tell us the same thing...

 

Oh well. Almost over now and we're not sick yet, thankfully. Not the cruise we were hoping for.

 

The CDC has just posted the following:

Cruise Ship: Crown Princess

Voyage Dates: April 5-12, 2014

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 122 of 3161 (3.86%)

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 30 of 1176 (2.55%)

-quoted from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/outbreak/2014/april12_crown_princess.htm

[rtlk]

Do a better job, this ship always seems to have these problems..:confused: That is a management problem, change the management, get it done and STOP spinning the real truth, tell it like it is or someone is going to have a serious medical issue because of this SiCK SHIP...

Edited April 11, 2014 by rtlk

[iheartbda]

Do a better job, this ship always seems to have these problems..:confused: That is a management problem, change the management, get it done and STOP spinning the real truth, tell it like it is or someone is going to have a serious medical issue because of this SiCK SHIP...

When are you going to understand it is not a management problem? If it is, as you so firmly believe, what would you have them do? The real truth is, it is brought on board by a passenger.

 

If this ship always seems to have these problems, I guess I was just lucky when I sailed on her with no issues for anyone.:)

[Colo Cruiser]

Do a better job, this ship always seems to have these problems..:confused: That is a management problem, change the management, get it done and STOP spinning the real truth, tell it like it is or someone is going to have a serious medical issue because of this SiCK SHIP...

 

 

Wrong!

[Debbdo]

You hear so much about noro and cruise lines. It's a shame so many people connect the two together. We returned from our cruise 3 weeks ago perfectly healthy. My husband came down with noro Monday (Doctor confirmed). No idea where he contracted it...but he was told that there were several cases at our local hospital over the weekend. Luckily, after a couple of days of TLC, he feels better and so far, knock on wood, I have shown no signs.

 

Debbie

[MauiLvrs]

what would you have them do? The real truth is, it is brought on board by a passenger.

Find the offending folks that bring it onboard and have them walk the plank :eek: :D

[caribill]

If it is, as you so firmly believe, what would you have them do? The real truth is, it is brought on board by a passenger.

 

 

Find the offending folks that bring it onboard and have them walk the plank :eek: :D

 

No, force them to see every performance of "Motor CIty."

[caribill]

From a recent news article:

 

Outbreaks of Norovirus have been reported by nearly a dozen cruise lines sailing from U.S. ports in recent years, including Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Cunard Line and a National Geographic cruise on Lindblad Expeditions.

Travel medicine expert Michael Zimring of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore said the outbreaks, while unpleasant, are usually mild.

 

"These outbreaks happen because you have more people in a small area," Zimring said. "Travel means not always following good hand washing rules, which most people don't follow anyway."

 

In early April, a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship, Grandeur of the Seas, reported an outbreak of Norovirus that sickened 117 passengers and crew during a cruise from Baltimore.

 

Norovirus is the most common cause of contagious gastrointestinal illness, with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as the most common symptoms. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are about 20 million cases of Norovirus in the U.S. each year, resulting in 570 to 800 deaths. It usually clears up in one to three days, the CDC says.

Edited April 12, 2014 by caribill

[Salacia]

From a recent news article:

 

Outbreaks of Norovirus have been reported by nearly a dozen cruise lines sailing from U.S. ports in recent years, including Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Cunard Line and a National Geographic cruise on Lindblad Expeditions.

 

Travel medicine expert Michael Zimring of Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore said the outbreaks, while unpleasant, are usually mild.

 

"These outbreaks happen because you have more people in a small area," Zimring said. "Travel means not always following good hand washing rules, which most people don't follow anyway."

 

In early April, a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ship, Grandeur of the Seas, reported an outbreak of Norovirus that sickened 117 passengers and crew during a cruise from Baltimore.

 

Norovirus is the most common cause of contagious gastrointestinal illness, with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea as the most common symptoms. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are about 20 million cases of Norovirus in the U.S. each year, resulting in 570 to 800 deaths. It usually clears up in one to three days, the CDC says.

 

 

Has it been determined that this outbreak is a result of norovirus? If so, there are several modes of transmission:

 

"You can become infected with norovirus by accidentally getting stool or vomit from infected people in your mouth. This usually happens by

• eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus,
  
• touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus then putting your fingers in your mouth, or
  
• having contact with someone who is infected with norovirus (for example, caring for or sharing food or eating utensils with someone with norovirus illness)." -copied from http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/about/transmission.html
  

Ergo, to put the "blame" solely on passengers for not washing their hands is to dismiss other possible modes of transmission, such as eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus.

[Scrapchick]

Yes, the captain said lab testing had confirmed it was Noro. We just disembarked and this was one cruise I was glad to get off. Definitely a very frustrating week for everyone on board.

[likeadisguise]

Ergo, to put the "blame" solely on passengers for not washing their hands is to dismiss other possible modes of transmission, such as eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus.

 

If the contamination were coming from a central source, I'd imagine a heck of a lot more than 3% of the ship would be infected.

[Salacia]

If the contamination were coming from a central source, I'd imagine a heck of a lot more than 3% of the ship would be infected.

 

Not sure what you mean by 'central source'. I quoted the CDC modes of transmission - one of which is consuming contaminated food or water, and that can happen on land as well as at sea. Passengers and crew members take most of their meals on board -but in port, they might have might something to eat or drink while ashore, and that something might result in exposure to norovirus.

 

Funny thing about viruses, they don't discriminate and they do what they do best - replicate. The trick is for epidemiologist to find the source of the outbreak if possible, and I think that is best facilitated when passengers and crew members report their symptoms and cruise lines release information in a frank and open manner.

Edited April 12, 2014 by Salacia

[luv2cruisin]

I posted this regarding a documented Crown Princess sailing experience in another thread discussing the Norovirus on the Crown before the issue hit the news in North America and prior to the April 5th Los Angeles sailing.... amazing how the rumor mill and mis-information can become rampant (several threads actually), but there are many great preventative and educational suggestions in this current thread (dealing with elevator buttons, contact with handrails on a rocking ship, etc, etc)!

 

*Good For You Applause* to you who have offered suggestions as to how to keep oneself safe in any virus infected environment whether on a ship, plane, school, etc. :)

 

How kewl would that be to have a thread/sticky/?? on CC somewhere that teaches how to be 'sick' safer on any cruise ship. LOL, actually if that exists, this might be a great thread to post the link to :)

 

 

We boarded Crown on Feb 15th for the 49 day South American cruise that disembarked in Los Angeles on April 5th. At some point after our port stop in Trinidad, the captain began daily announcements regarding the Norovirus, precautions to take, what to do if's.., as well as how food venues would be handled, etc. The ship's doctor also sent out letters:

 

 

The captain and ship's crew took and treated this matter very seriously. Although everything was being done, there are always the passengers who won't heed to the warnings or stay in the cabin when feeling ill. The real ick factor hit for us when a passenger vomited in the buffet seating area (several days after the announcements began). One of their companion's mentioned that the person wasn't feeling well that day. The 'hazmat' crew cordoned off the area and did a thorough cleaning of the area.

 

Of course there are several examples of ways that some passenger's didn't comply to some of the warnings; many different ways that would even increase the spread of cold/flu. This includes some behaviors on the part of a small number of crew (yes, we shared these minor concerns with the supervisors on duty).

 

Eventually, Norovirus diminished (I don't know if this meant completely annihilated), but the ship began to once again to run it's day as though no one was sick. However, a cold/flu bug seemed to be taking over (many people with coughing, sneezing, and running noses).

 

 

A couple of days before arriving to Los Angeles, the Norovirus announcements began once again and we received another letter from the ship's doctor. The day before disembarkation for example, the buffet was no longer 'self serve'.

 

 

 

 

Personally, I feel bad for others enduring what we have gone through. Although we were doing everything asked of us to avoid getting sick, there was a continual elusive stress on our part as we were in constant fear of contracting Norovirus which would have kept us from going into port for those 'once in a lifetime' opportunities that this 49 day itinerary provided us. Fortunately, we did not get sick and made it to all of our tours.

 

For any staff/crew of the Crown 49 day sailing that may be reading this, a big thank you for your diligent efforts dealing with Norovirus. We will send Princess some observations we made regarding a very small number of crew/staff, and offer precautions that could possibly be improved.

 

Will we cruise again... YES! Too many things go 'right' on all of the cruises we have done. But as always, we will continue to use our own set of precautions even when the ship is "well" :)

[harrodsfan]

Whenever I read these threads, I wonder how they know it is noro virus, say as opposed to food poisoning? In the past I've heard medical practitioners say that most people who think they have stomach flu are actually experiencing food poisoning. Not trying to create controversy here, just curious.

 

It is an ecoli virus I believe and you can get it through food that is contaminated. I believe that they are one in the same.

[Colo Cruiser]

Whenever I read these threads, I wonder how they know it is noro virus, say as opposed to food poisoning? In the past I've heard medical practitioners say that most people who think they have stomach flu are actually experiencing food poisoning. Not trying to create controversy here, just curious.

 

It is an ecoli virus I believe and you can get it through food that is contaminated. I believe that they are one in the same.

 

You can pretty much get it off anything thats contaminated with the virus. Its not the food its the handlers.