How do YOU stay healthy on a cruise - help needed

[shredie]

I don't know what this means or why people keep writing the letters D and H but seriously it looks offensive and the moderators really need to filter out and ban that word.

 

Some people take the letter D to represent a part of the male anatomy while the letter H to represent the word Head.

 

Can people please stop using this combination. It looks crude and offensive and it in poor taste.

 

You're serious? LOL.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

I don't know what this means or why people keep writing the letters D and H but seriously it looks offensive and the moderators really need to filter out and ban that word.

 

Some people take the letter D to represent a part of the male anatomy while the letter H to represent the word Head.

 

Can people please stop using this combination. It looks crude and offensive and it in poor taste.

 

 

Dude, you woke up on the wrong side of the planet. And please keep your shrimp off my Barbie.

 

Ken

[KarateMan]

We don't bother with cleaning and sanitizing the cabin but we avoid the buffet like the plague.

 

I used to think exactly the same way. Then one day I realised when someone explained why they do it.

 

Imagine all the drawers to store clothes in your cabin. Ask how old is the ship and try to think how many passengers have used them in the years the ship has been in service.

 

Then ask yourself is it possible the steward has cleaned out every drawer and cupboard space.

 

Over time bacteria and germs build up and some surfaces may never get cleaned or touched by cleaning staff. People may not put clean clothes into the drawers and to be perfectly honest you don't know what has been in the drawers.

 

How do you know which draw was used to store dirty undergarments worn by the previous passenger before their washing cycle. Their bags are packed away. It is unlikely they will get out their suitcase to thrown in the dirty jocks or nickers.

 

As I said I used to think like that but it makes sense to help clean and helps contribute to a cleaner ship and prevent the spread of germs.

[KarateMan]

Dude, you woke up on the wrong side of the planet. And please keep your shrimp off my Barbie.

 

Ken

 

I would bet money on the fact that whatever the abbreviation is it is certainly not something polite. It sounds derogatory and has connotations of an insult. By the way if you have seen how teens and people in their twenties communicate with each other these days over mediums like facebook you will see they are using the letters d and h to call someone something rude. The rude connotations are there. They always have been. Particularly the emphasis with capital letters d has always looked like it stands of a part of the male anatomy and H always looked like it stood for head.

Edited October 20, 2014 by KarateMan

[RMM34667]

I got sick once on a cruise. It could have been noro but I was convinced it was food poisoning. I started feeling sick about 3 am. I had been out at the casino till probably 1ish. I went up on deck to get some fresh air but immediately went back down as the deck hands were eyeing me like I was going to jump.

 

Then I got sick.. The only time I remember being that sick was after having dinner with my at the time estranged husband. Starting driving home as a blizzard began (luckily only three miles) and spent the next few hours worshiping the throne (at the time I thought he had tried to kill me). It was exactly the same that night on the ship.

 

Between the horrible bouts I was online googling Noro and food poisoning. Trying to decide if I would contact Medical. My Mom woke up and she started packing the room. I had to tell her - they are not going to kick us off the ship.

 

Anyway fell asleep at 7:30 am (4 1/2 hours later). Woke up at 1pm feeling fine (just like that last experience) of course that time I went down stairs to find the front door open and a foot of snow in the house. And had no idea where my children were. Seems the oldest got the youngest up and got them both off to school.

 

I was at dinner that night feeling just fine. The one thing I remember most was on that cruise I had used the public restrooms more than usual. Although I still think it was food poisoning I now avoid those public rest rooms completely. I will go back to my cabin if I need those facilities!

 

I hope to God that NEVER happens to me again. But if it does I now know I need to contact medical. But I don't think they do tests. You'd be treated the same regardless of if it's Noro or food poisoning. That Stinks and they should have onboard quick tests to find out. But then I guess they would be liable for the food poisoning.

[JuneauWhatIMean]

You might try Google for 'our' translation. Us ladies here in America have been using DH to designate "Dear Husband" for ages. :rolleyes: And trust me, there is very little profanity here on Cruise Critic. Got it now, DH? ;)

[Turbofun]

I used to think exactly the same way. Then one day I realised when someone explained why they do it.

 

Imagine all the drawers to store clothes in your cabin. Ask how old is the ship and try to think how many passengers have used them in the years the ship has been in service.

 

Then ask yourself is it possible the steward has cleaned out every drawer and cupboard space.

 

Over time bacteria and germs build up and some surfaces may never get cleaned or touched by cleaning staff. People may not put clean clothes into the drawers and to be perfectly honest you don't know what has been in the drawers.

 

How do you know which draw was used to store dirty undergarments worn by the previous passenger before their washing cycle. Their bags are packed away. It is unlikely they will get out their suitcase to thrown in the dirty jocks or nickers.

 

As I said I used to think like that but it makes sense to help clean and helps contribute to a cleaner ship and prevent the spread of germs.

 

Same applies to any hotel you might stay in or any friends' or relatives' houses you might visit and stay in.

It's a germ filled world, you can't clean it all.

Be sensible yes, in terms of personal hygeine but, little point in going beyond that, because you have to accept that others won't.

Then, there's all the stuff about kids today aren't developing good immune systems because they've not been exposed to enough thanks to parents obsessive about cleanliness.

[KarateMan]

Same applies to any hotel you might stay in or any friends' or relatives' houses you might visit and stay in.

It's a germ filled world, you can't clean it all.

Be sensible yes, in terms of personal hygeine but, little point in going beyond that, because you have to accept that others won't.

Then, there's all the stuff about kids today aren't developing good immune systems because they've not been exposed to enough thanks to parents obsessive about cleanliness.

 

Possibly. A cruise ship is the only place I have ever unpacked my luggage. In hotels I have always lived out of a suitcase. I lay the suitcase out and have its contents packed in an order I need. I have never had to use drawers or cupboards in a hotel.

 

I keep clean. I tend to avoid hand sanitisers too much as they can be detrimental to your health by allowing superbugs to become resilient to their contents.

 

Another true story that came from a cruise ship is that some other passenger (lets call him a complete nutter) proclaimed he collected the foil wrapped butter and smeared it on his coat-hangers in his cabin to stop the squeaking. How revolting! How would you like butter getting on your clothes because some nut smeared it on a coat-hanger. I suppose it was to easy for him to remove them from the hook and place them on the floor or in a drawer.

 

Though my ideas on cruise ship cleanliness is to have a quick clean out of your cabin when you arrive. It is your home for the next week to six weeks in my case. Best to get rid of any left over germs and it may stop you getting sick on the trip of a lifetime.

[Icantthinkofone]

On returning home from cruises I have suffered !

 

Once with swine flu which meant nearly three months, feeling dreadful, and the next time swollen ankles which Gp said was due to over salted food and the water onboard .

 

I think the restrooms are the main source of infection , whilst I stand at the basin washing thoroughly , it never fails to amaze me how may women just walk out the door bypassing the basins .

 

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE I WOUKD PUT THE INITIALS DH AFTER

[cruzeluver]

I would bet money on the fact that whatever the abbreviation is it is certainly not something polite.

 

How much?:p

 

It stands for "Dear Husband". Sorry its not something more risqué.

[Bonnie J.]

Wash my hands, wash my hands, wash my hands! And I carry a thermos full of ice water with me all day so I can drink a lot of water. I don't have to wait for a bar waiter to bring me water!

[pompeii]

Well, sometimes my DH is dear husband and sometimes he's D "the-part-of-the-male-anatomy" H. It can change from day to day, never know which it will be. Most ladies can probably relate.

[trev71]

Do not touch your nose, mouth and espically your eyes. Unless you have just washed your hands.

 

Also I buy some wipes and wipe down my stateroom. I dont spend hours doing this either just a few mins doing the door handles and remotes and light switches. at least i feel some what better. But nothing is ever 100%

[shredie]

Well, sometimes my DH is dear husband and sometimes he's D "the-part-of-the-male-anatomy" H. It can change from day to day, never know which it will be. Most ladies can probably relate.

 

LOL! :D I wonder what our friend makes of DW, DD, DS, SL, etc. :rolleyes:

[Sandy Sails]

I too always seem to catch a bad cold before/during/after a cruise. I'm very vigilent about washing my hands thoroughly and often. But my husband isn't.

My last cruise I tried so hard to pre-medicate ahead of time, probably a month ahead, with extra Vitamin C, Airborne, etc. But 2 days before the cruise, we were at Disney World and a little girl literally turned her head and coughed all over me! I was outraged! I ran to the ladies room and washed my arm as thoroughly as I could. But 3 days later, on the cruise, it got me again. Geesh!

[SteveH2508]

Vitamin C tablets for the week before we go - hand washing to the point of OCD.

 

Basic common sense when using the buffet (take stuff from the back of the tray etc.).

 

I'm lucky - no self-respecting bug is going to live in me anyway:rolleyes:.

 

Best of all remember...

 

Alcohol kills germs;):rolleyes:

[Floridiana]

My husband is also susceptible to colds on ships. After being coughed and sneezed at in the narrow hallway and once at the breakfast table, all the things recommended here were for naught.

 

However, a 4 week land trip in China and everybody stayed healthy. People with colds wear face masks there! I think we might wear them, too, as a precaution on the cruise between two Asian countries where sick people wear them.

[Mommypig]

I don't know what this means or why people keep writing the letters D and H but seriously it looks offensive and the moderators really need to filter out and ban that word.

 

 

 

Some people take the letter D to represent a part of the male anatomy while the letter H to represent the word Head.

 

 

 

Can people please stop using this combination. It looks crude and offensive and it in poor taste.

 

 

 

 

DH, DW, DMIL, etc. all these acronyms have been in use in texting and internet chat for years.

 

Just like LOL and OMG.

 

You are the one making the association with male anatomy so perhaps the problem is all in your head.

 

 

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[Nebr.cruiser]

If the condition is bacterial, then the "self-medicating" is indicated. True, a virus won't respond to an antibiotic, but there are legitimate reasons to use antibiotics, and the ones I use are doctor-prescribed for a specific sinus thing I get more often than I like. I always have some with me on a cruise. I have learned to tell the difference between a cold and a sinus infection.

 

Me too--I am rarely if ever sick, except for sinus infections that are bacterial. Luckily I have been able to drastically reduce the frequency--down to once or twice a year; actually haven't had one for over a year now--by, first of all, finding out that they are allergy based or a result of allergies and second of all, but recognizing the symptoms and nipping them in the bud before the infection becomes full-blown.

 

 

Other than that, we take no extraordinary measures on cruises, just normal sanitary practices, and so far have been lucky. We have both caught some kind of respiratory illness from flying, though--that's where we try to be extra careful.

[Kylie Pates]

We always take Glen 20 and spray through out the cabin and aircon once a day and of course lots of hand wash good old soap and water can't do any better then that

[jeph]

There are two things I never travel without.

 

The first is a little plastic bottle (airline-approved size) of rubbing alcohol, which, as some other posters have noted, is useful for sanitizing not only one's hands should a tap and sink not be handy, but also for wiping down any surface in your cabin (light switches, drawer pulls, tv remote, phone...) which you might be worried about, with the aid of a bit of paper napkin.

 

The second item is Cold-Eeze lozenges, which use zinc as their active ingredient. (Walmart makes their own version, which will save you a dollar or two, but I find they taste nasty, so I spring for the name brand.) They come 18 to a box-- 6 per day for three days. You're supposed to avoid citrus fruit, which can interfere w the effectiveness of the lozenges, shortly before or after taking one. The only side effect they have on me is that they can mess with your sense of taste a bit.

 

When you're first coming down with a cold, it starts with an irritating post-nasal drip, which soon develops into the full-fledged sore throat that is "phase one" of the cold, later followed by "phase two" (runny & stuffed-up nose) and finishes up with "phase three" (dry itchy throat and lingering cough.) As soon as you feel that cold coming on, start taking the lozenges. Apparently, at that point, all the cold germs are hanging out there in the back of the throat, and the zinc in the lozenges just "carpet bombs" the hell out of 'em over & over. They really work-- at the least, greatly minimizing your symptoms and shortening your cold, and sometimes, if caught early enough, just killing it off altogether before it really has a chance to take hold. To paraphrase the old credit card commercial, "Don't leave home without them!"

[awhfy]

Another vote for Airborne. I traveled extensively for work before retiring & wouldn't think of leaving home without Airborne. I do also carry Mucinex DM, Vicks VapoRub & zinc lozenges, but they're for my DH who always forgets to take his Airborne ;).

 

 

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[pris993]

We generally have stayed healthy following the most common advice offered here. In addition, we generally set the temperature in our cabin to the lowest setting for heat when sleeping to avoid have cold air blowing over us while sleeping. We also book balcony cabins and make sure we get fresh air in the cabin daily.

 

In spite of these approaches, we still catch a bug every once in a while. Had not gotten sick for a number of years until this year. After returning in the spring I came down with a respiratory problem I could not shake, after a couple of weeks got some antibiotics from my doctor.

 

Just returned from another Mediterranean cruise, this week, when we boarded the ship, a 2 week cruise we were both fine, by day two my DH had a bug that had cold symptoms, 2 days later I got it from him, took us a week to recover, enough to enjoy the second week of the cruise. We rested a lot, took meals in our cabin, we had been to all the ports, so stayed on board and to our selves most of the cruise. We knew we would face a long flight back from Rome thru Paris to San Francisco and wanted to be as well as possible for our air travel.

 

The truth is no matter what you do, sometimes you will catch a bug. In our case we were flying Air France and the airline had a strike situations right up til the week we left. So suspect we felt some stress over not knowing until 2 days before we left whether our flight was a go or not. These things happen.

 

I am also suspectible to allergies from mold, I take Claretin for it and that helps. The forced air on ships and airplanes make it hard not to pick up things, even if you are fairly healthy which we are, rarely sick at home.

 

We do our best and make the best of what happens.

[SPacificbound]

I think the most important thing is wash hands, wash hands, wash hands.

Not just a quick squirt of soap and a couple of seconds of washing, but actually scrubbing hands with soap and water for at least 30-45 seconds.

Use paper towel to open door. I use my knuckle on elevator buttons.

 

On cruise ships there is no reason to not take advantage of the hand sanitizer stations in addition to washing hands.

 

Wash hands thoroughly before eating, after the restroom of course, and frequently throughout the day.

 

Learn to not touch your mouth, nose or eyes. Basically I just don't touch my face at all unless my hands have just been cleaned.

 

I do a quick wipe (with large Wet Ones) of remotes, the phone, remote control, door handles, etc. in a hotel room or cabin. It doesn't take more then 2 or 3 minutes.

 

I have not had the "common cold" in at least 3 or 4 years, or any other contagious ailment, until September this year.

 

I had a round of bacterial bronchitis at the very end of our 4 weeks in Alaska, August/September this year. We had been in a car with another couple when being taken to a train station and the lady was not feeling well at all and coughing heavily, and I happened to be sitting next to her in a three across car seat. Sometimes stuff happens, and all usual efforts just aren't going to work.

 

We also take Airborne beginning the day before a trip.

 

I have also found that if I begin to feel like I'm getting a sore throat I take 2,000 mg chewable vitamin C and just let it dissolve in my mouth. It works for me.

 

Living in the south we are accustomed to air conditioning, and for me I feel a cool environment also helps. Having heat going dries out not only my skin but my mucous membranes.

 

My response is due to the questions posed by Knippsel. :)

 

Anyone who thinks I am nuts can just scurry off without comment. :D

[mandylennon]

I use something called "Vicks First Defense" whilst in any crowded environment (usually whilst travelling). It is a bottle of nasal spray that claims it makes a difference to catching the common cold/germs. I don't know much about the science behind it but I do feel I've had many less problems since starting to use it. Since starting to use this in a high-contamination environment I haven't caught a single cold whilst travelling. I have an autoimmune condition which makes me very susceptible to just about everything too and even the common cold can knock me down for weeks so I'm so happy I discovered it, especially when a £10 bottle will last me 6 months.

 

Yes, I to use First Defense. My son had a terrible cold/cough last month and when living together it is difficult to avoid catching the same ailment. As the title says you have to take it as soon as you first experience symptoms, such as a tickly throat. I brought a bottle last week at Tesco it was priced at £4.