FLU in Alaska

[sleepy99]

We sailed on the Coral Princess July 5th with a group in several cabins; sailing from Whittier to Vancouver. We are a healthy group of people aged 19-65 years. Everyone in my group had sailed many times previously on several cruise lines, but had never sailed Princess. No one was impressed with Princess. The ship is rather worn and boring. Food is not up to par at all. I intend to post a full review at a later date, but I did want to let anyone sailing in Alaska soon to know about the FLU. My son was quarantined for several days during the trip with the flu. Several more in my group also became sick and have missed work now after returning home. The ship's medical staff advised me that they are seeing quite a lot of flu on board. The Captain did make an announcement also and advised us that the CDC was notified. The medical staff told me that the passengers are picking it up on the land tours in the lodges and bringing it on board and spreading it. Apparently this has been going on for several weeks. The trips that start in Vancouver are not as bad, but those starting in Whittier are inundated with FLU. The medical staff is good and I have no complaints with them. My problem is that Princess continues to adhere to passenger self service in the buffet; I would have thought that since this has been going on for weeks they would have had staff serving the passengers, but no such luck. I requested that this be done several times (both at medical and passenger services) and was told they would "look into it". Still the entire cruise remained self service at the buffet! To be honest I did not really see any extra cleaning going on around the ship either, and passengers were coughing and sneezing all over the ship. Waiters were coughing and sneezing also. They should have been wiping everything down constantly and providing masks - they did neither. Also, there were very few Purell stations, other than the buffet and dining room. I am perplexed that Princess did not take more precautions, especially regarding the self service buffet. If you are traveling to Alaska, PLEASE take all precautions.

[fishin' musician]

Curious, does flu = influenza (aches, chills, fever)? or norovirus (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea)?

[sleepy99]

Influenza, cough, fever, body aches, etc.

[SunCityDon]

I also took that Princess trip to Alsaka, finishing up on the Coral Princess on July 12, 2014.

 

Our group of 6 adults all caught influenza while at Princess Wilderness Lodge in Denali. Some also picked up bacterial dysentery (per Princess Medical Dept.).

 

My wife was quarantined until her fever was gone (2 days). We both had it, but I skipped the medical exam and was given prophylactic Tamiflu which I subsequently doubled as I also had fever and chills in the evenings.

 

The captain of the Coral Princess made a very delayed shipboard announcement confirming to everyone what they already knew. When we went to the onboard Medical Office with our symptoms, there were many others there with the same complaints. One of the medical staff told us that the flu began at the Princess Wilderness Lodges in Denali and Mt. Mckinley. We were not told of this danger while at these lodges and I resent Princess for withholding information early on when we could have taken more precautions. surgical masks could have been made available.

 

Nevertheless, the medical crew onboard the Coral Princess were extremely courteous, thorough and professional in every way. We appreciated what they did for us. We still are suffering - days after returning home.

 

On researching this, I discovered from the CDC that only intestinal illnesses are tracked for cruise ships - no records are maintained on influenza.

 

We now have heard from other cruisers on other ships that influenza was rampant all over inland Alaska and that it sometimes takes weeks to fully recover.

 

The incremental effect of spreading the flu post-cruise is that all of the ill passengers boarded planes to pass it on. Our flight to Charlotte sounded like a TB ward with a cacophony of coughs all the way home! The other passengers then brought the flu home with them.

 

Very unfortunate because you are too sick to enjoy the food, drinks, dancing and entertainment when not quarantined in your room. What a waste of money and broken dreams.

[bearbait]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that strain of flu is being generated by other cruise ship passangers. It's not coming from Alaskan residents. Alaska residents don't utilize the Princess Wilderness Lodge and even the majority of their employees come from out-of-state.

 

http://www.epi.alaska.gov/id/influenza/influenza.jsp

[Northern Aurora]

 

........

We now have heard from other cruisers on other ships that influenza was rampant all over inland Alaska and that it sometimes takes weeks to fully recover.

 

......

 

 

I live in Interior Alaska, and I don't believe that influenza is rampant here at all. I don't know of anyone who has had the flu, nor has there been any such news coverage. And Bearbait is correct that Alaskan residents rarely use Princess lodges and their employees are rarely Alaskan residents.

[karatemom2]

I was having a hard time believing this since it is very late for flu but apparently there has been an unusually high number of flu cases this summer in Alaska based on the attached articles that ran in June. I'm glad my family has had flu shots, but will still take all the regular precautions that we always do in terms of hand hygiene. For those who are traveling to Alaska, if you can still find a flu shot in your area it might not be a bad idea.

 

http://www.adn.com/article/20140617/summertime-spike-alaska-flu-cases-prompts-call-vaccinate

 

http://www.alaskapublic.org/2014/06/18/alaskas-summer-flu-activity-increased/

 

[fishin' musician]

Wasn't the winter in Alaska exceptionally warm?

[Northern Aurora]

While I have no doubt that SunCityDon and others have been told that flu is rampant in the Interior, I did a search of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and found the following article:

 

http://www.newsminer.com/features/health/official-says-alaska---flu-season-was-very-normal/article_04b18242-be0a-11e3-8687-001a4bcf6878.html

[karatemom2]

While I have no doubt that SunCityDon and others have been told that flu is rampant in the Interior, I did a search of the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and found the following article:

 

http://www.newsminer.com/features/health/official-says-alaska---flu-season-was-very-normal/article_04b18242-be0a-11e3-8687-001a4bcf6878.html

 

That article was dated in April. The two articles I posted were both from mid-June. This is a fairly recent spike apparently and while I certainly wouldn't use the word rampant, it does appear that the number of flu cases in Alaska is higher than average this summer and the spike likely conincided with the onset of the tourist season when lots of people are coming in to the state for travel or work.

Edited July 16, 2014 by karatemom2

[reney313]

I haven't googled or searched for incidences in the lower 48, but I caught what I assume was influenza about 4 weeks ago. I am finally over it, but it sure did hang around for a long time (thank goodness as I am going to Alaska next week!). I work in a building of around 1600 and it has been going around the last few months. I think there are more than normal cases of it this summer in Missouri, and I suspect other states as everyone has been traveling.

 

I'm hoping that i am now "immune" to this strand but nonetheless, will take a lot of precautions. thanks for the warning. With as many people are in and out of those lodges, often for only one night at a time, I can imagine how hard it is to control.

 

Our cruise is starting in Whittier and I'll make sure to warn my party to be extra careful with handrails, etc. while onboard. I'd hate for anyone to pick it up as it can be miserable.

[amyk757]

I, too, was on the Coral Princess cruise that ended in Vancouver on July 12, but I am surprised by the OP's and others' surprise about the flu being prevalent as Princess sent out an emergency email approximately one week prior to the cruise specifically mentioning the high incidence of flu in interior Alaska.

 

Who brought it there, and who is contracting it is immaterial when you are a short-term visitor, but Princess did notify cruisers in advance of the cruise.

 

Amy

[Philcruze2014]

We were on the Island Princess at the end of May. Attending the evening entertainment I heard a few sneezes and coughs the first night. By the last evening we ended up leaving early as it seemed like everyone had caught whatever it was. They did have hand sanitizers in the dining area and encouraged passengers to use it. But I think the jury is still out as to whether it kills noro virus.

My wife ended up catching a bad cold.

[laughing husky]

As a medical provider in Anchorage.....I have seen very little true Type A or B flu this month...or last...lots of viruses imitate but are not.....and people should have received their flu shot if traveling...it prevents the vast majority of the illness..although it takes a few weeks to immunize ones self....

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Another good reason to get an annual flu shot, what every your age.

 

Mary Lou

[donaldsc]

Check out this site -

 

http://www.google.org/flutrends/us/#US-AK

 

DON

[marysb]

I have it! Flew out of Anchorage overnight and had sore throat and sniffles. Have now spent 2'days in bed. It is definitely influenza and it's a beauty.

When in Denali we were at the Denali bluffs hotel.

[Keith1010]

Sorry to hear about the flu.

 

Sounds like this was not isolated to Princess but affected others.

 

Sorry you didn't care for the Princess cruise.

 

Keith

[bearbait]

Understand the cruise lines won't take responsibility for bringing in or spreading the flu. That would be bad for their business. But it happens every year. The flu isn't coming from being in contact with Alaskans. Our flu season is long over.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Getting the flu shot doesn't always prevent you from getting the flu.

We got our Flu shots first part of September 2013 and by the end of September I cam down with the flu -- confirmed by our family doctor.

[strega7]

We were on June 25 Island princess southbound and our whole group with the exception on the youngest (who had a nasty virus a couple of months before that turned into pneumonia) ended up really sick. I don't know if it was the official Flu or not, but definitely flu like symptoms with fever, aches, chills, cough, liquidy, upset stomach... The first member came down 5 days after we got on this ship, and I have to say I have been on 6 cruises and have never heard so many people coughing in my life, it was gross. The rest came down with it on the way home and it lasted about two weeks, I just stopped coughing. My parents had gotten their flu shot in the fall, and they got it worse than any of us. You just never know, there are bugs everywhere, it is unfortunate when it happens on vacation, but it can happen anytime. I will say that I agree with OP that I felt Princess could have done a little more to help prevent the spread of the bug, serving in the buffet would have helped, or at the dinner tables, don't reuse the settings that are removed from a table if there is an extra spot.

 

We still had a great time while we were all well.

[Tinkerbell]

We also had our flu shot months ago and became very will with the flu on the Coral Princess. We still are having problems with cough etc. it's not pretty! I was surprised they let people self serve at the buffet. I watced people pick at food on their plate put it in their mouth then touch serving spoons! :eek: