Norovirus on Summit in May

[Jim_Iain]

2 hours ago, Laurab23 said:

We were on this cruise. I can't help but wonder how many did not report being ill after they heard others were being confined to their cabins. Not saying that they didn't chose to stay in their cabins,just that they didn't report it. In which case,the true numbers would be much higher. We will never know but I am glad that I am my cabin mate did not have any issues.

 

Laura

 

I would have to agree with you Laura.   The number is only those that were reported and on another social network it appears there were many more that came down with it post cruise. 

 

I found the statistics more interesting in that the number of reported crew members were about 1/3 that of guests.  

 

Washing ... Washing ... washing may prevent one from transmitting it to others but as soon as you touch a serving utensil or surface  that was touched by someone infected all the washing before you entered the OVC is in vein. 

 

I like some others bring surgical gloves with me and use while serving.   Like doctors and nurses when I remove them they are turned inside out so as not to contaminate myself.    I learned anti contamination techniques while living in double door isolation with my daughter during her Transplant.  

 

I love Salads for lunch but always cringe when I have to pick up those nasty dripping salad dressing bottles.

[the penguins]

7 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

As it happens, most often I do wash my hands on ships with sinks (and always if I have not just washed them), and always will use the sanitizer if it's available upon entering.  But I don't like being judged as non-sanitary if I've just washed thoroughly and don't care to do it again.  As it is, by the end of my cruises (and I usually do B2B) my hands are like sandpaper from all the washing and sanitizing. If you see someone licking their fingers and then picking up a serving utensil, then you know they are not being protective.  But I just don't like people ranting and raving that anyone who doesn't stop to wash their hands or bypasses the sanitizer is necessarily unclean.  There is no way to know that.  

Your last sentence sums up the crews dilemma perfectly. If they don't see it they don't know and therefore must assume the worst. 

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, Laurab23 said:

We were on this cruise. I can't help but wonder how many did not report being ill after they heard others were being confined to their cabins. Not saying that they didn't chose to stay in their cabins,just that they didn't report it. In which case,the true numbers would be much higher. We will never know but I am glad that I am my cabin mate did not have any issues.

 

Laura

As the main symptom is vomiting it's pretty hard to hide norovurus from your cabin steward. Affected cabins are marked with a small red dot above the outside door as a reminder to the crew to take extra precautions 

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 hours ago, the penguins said:

As the main symptom is vomiting it's pretty hard to hide norovurus from your cabin steward. Affected cabins are marked with a small red dot above the outside door as a reminder to the crew to take extra precautions 

While an extreme minority can suffer for up to 3 days, the overwhelming majority suffer for no more than a day

[TeeRick]

12 hours ago, Wombservice said:

Unfortunately, it seems as if it hasn’t yet been contained - there are still cases onboard now, and we’re boarding tomorrow.  Sure hope it’ll be eradicated by then!!!

Have a great cruise and just take normal precautions.  Unfortunately noro will never be fully eradicated.

[Wombservice]

16 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Have a great cruise and just take normal precautions.  Unfortunately noro will never be fully eradicated.

Thanks, we will - on our way now!!!

[Laurab23]

6 hours ago, the penguins said:

As the main symptom is vomiting it's pretty hard to hide norovurus from your cabin steward. Affected cabins are marked with a small red dot above the outside door as a reminder to the crew to take extra precautions 

Wish I had known about the small red dot. On our deck there seemed to be three cabins in a row that always had the sleeping sign out. Did make me wonder if they had noro.

 

Laura

[Jim_Iain]

9 hours ago, the penguins said:

As the main symptom is vomiting it's pretty hard to hide norovurus from your cabin steward. Affected cabins are marked with a small red dot above the outside door as a reminder to the crew to take extra precautions 

 

I came down with Noro almost 25 years ago, which is why I'm so careful.  

 

From personal experience I wish my symptoms was just vomiting.    Like most cases I've heard about the main symptoms were projectile vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping, most of the time within minutes of each symptoms.   

 

As you said, with these symptoms you are not going to be going very far from your bathroom, and probably hard to hide from your room attendant.     I was so sick that even after the main symptoms disappeared I could barely eat.... just had no appetite.

[the penguins]

47 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I came down with Noro almost 25 years ago, which is why I'm so careful.  

 

From personal experience I wish my symptoms was just vomiting.    Like most cases I've heard about the main symptoms were projectile vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping, most of the time within minutes of each symptoms.   

 

As you said, with these symptoms you are not going to be going very far from your bathroom, and probably hard to hide from your room attendant.     I was so sick that even after the main symptoms disappeared I could barely eat.... just had no appetite.

You have my utmost sympathy. I wasn't intending to belittle the symptoms only to highlight how difficult it would be for passengers to hide them.

[calicakes]

On 6/6/2023 at 3:10 PM, SPacificbound said:

Wash hands, wash hands, wash hands etc.

its beyond me how people can go poop and not wash their hands. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

5 minutes ago, calicakes said:

its beyond me how people can go poop and not wash their hands. 

 

Unfortunately...

 

[all2me]

Ok….this may sound very distasteful but I am taking a portable/foldable sink I found on Amazon….to wash out our undies and even some tee shirts/tops. Without a tub and those small sinks washing them is tough. They pack easily and light. Yucky part….Thinking that this could be helpful in case of norovirus and symptoms you just mentioned. Hope for laundry only!! 

[NutsAboutGolf]

6 minutes ago, all2me said:

Ok….this may sound very distasteful but I am taking a portable/foldable sink I found on Amazon….to wash out our undies and even some tee shirts/tops. Without a tub and those small sinks washing them is tough. They pack easily and light. Yucky part….Thinking that this could be helpful in case of norovirus and symptoms you just mentioned. Hope for laundry only!! 

 

Work smarter, not harder...I present the hazmat tux!

 

[calicakes]

1 hour ago, all2me said:

Ok….this may sound very distasteful but I am taking a portable/foldable sink I found on Amazon….to wash out our undies and even some tee shirts/tops. Without a tub and those small sinks washing them is tough. They pack easily and light. Yucky part….Thinking that this could be helpful in case of norovirus and symptoms you just mentioned. Hope for laundry only!! 

We take a portable camping pail.  They are super light and inexpensive on Temu or Amazon.  We used one on our last cruise.  We used the shower to fill it up and empty it. 

[Jim_Iain]

8 hours ago, the penguins said:

You have my utmost sympathy. I wasn't intending to belittle the symptoms only to highlight how difficult it would be for passengers to hide them.

 

I agree 100% the symptoms would be hard to hide especially if you can't get more than 5 feet from the bathroom.    My main point was the symptoms were the complete GI Track and not just one component.

[weregoingcruising]

13 hours ago, calicakes said:

its beyond me how people can go poop and not wash their hands. 

Just poop?

[calicakes]

45 minutes ago, weregoingcruising said:

Just poop?

Well, I don't think urine causes the noro. Correct me if I am wrong. 

[the penguins]

5 hours ago, calicakes said:

Well, I don't think urine causes the noro. Correct me if I am wrong. 

You are - always wash your hands after using the toilet period. 

[calicakes]

17 minutes ago, the penguins said:

You are - always wash your hands after using the toilet period. 

Of course, goes without saying.

[floralscent]

This topic got me thinking- do room stewards wear gloves when in our cabins and if yes, do they change them when going into a new cabin? 
 

I’m not blaming cabin stewards for contamination as they are hardworking, delightful individuals but it’s impossible to go from room to room while being 100% safe. 
 

 

[the penguins]

2 hours ago, floralscent said:

This topic got me thinking- do room stewards wear gloves when in our cabins and if yes, do they change them when going into a new cabin? 
 

I’m not blaming cabin stewards for contamination as they are hardworking, delightful individuals but it’s impossible to go from room to room while being 100% safe. 
 

 

Gloves are changed or at least they should be. 

[cruisequeen4ever]

One can do everything right with hygiene and germ prevention, but if it is caught from food consumption, none of that helps. If the previous cruise had an outbreak, a crew member could inadvertently pass it on to incoming pax through food. Also, B2B pax can unwittingly continue the spread. Until a cruise is successful at fighting it, preventions are needed. As others said, 7% is only the reported group. You know that many others likely had it and stayed in their staterooms to ride it out. It’s quite possible they were able to hide it from their steward if they just skipped having him/her clean. 
 

We sailed on a Celebrity Europe cruise with a huge noro outbreak, and it never made it into the news because Celebrity didn’t have to report it while sailing in Europe. From pax reports on here, it continued for 2-3 more sailings before it settled down.  

[bunnyette]

I for one was happy to see servers at the buffet.

[the penguins]

3 hours ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

One can do everything right with hygiene and germ prevention, but if it is caught from food consumption, none of that helps. If the previous cruise had an outbreak, a crew member could inadvertently pass it on to incoming pax through food. Also, B2B pax can unwittingly continue the spread. Until a cruise is successful at fighting it, preventions are needed. As others said, 7% is only the reported group. You know that many others likely had it and stayed in their staterooms to ride it out. It’s quite possible they were able to hide it from their steward if they just skipped having him/her clean. 
 

We sailed on a Celebrity Europe cruise with a huge noro outbreak, and it never made it into the news because Celebrity didn’t have to report it while sailing in Europe. From pax reports on here, it continued for 2-3 more sailings before it settled down.  

Why do you think X didn't report it to the port authority's? Norovurus is a notifiable disease and must be reported. The fact that it wasn't picked up and reported by the papers was the papers choice.

The worst outbreak we have encountered was on Solstice transpacific starting on the Sydney to Hawaii  sector, and finally being brought under control on the Hawaii to Ensenada sector. The ship also underwent a massive deep clean on change over day in Hawaii when all B2B passengers were given the option of a free full day tour of the island or having to leave the ship by 09.00 and not return until 15.00. During the first sector the crew hours were extended to 12 hours a day with everyone (with the exception of the captain) being allocated cleaning duties or other tasks to keep the ship functioning. For example the lads from the Acapello Group opted to serve in the crew restaurant which is normally self service. The Cruise Director and Hotel Director both cleaned in the Al Bacio. 

The crew were finally rewarded with a party which was held around the pool whilst the ship was docked in Ensenada ( the first and only time X has used the port for a change over) and the few passengers, including ourselves, doing B2B were privileged enough to be invited to attend the event.

[Cruzinforpeace***]

On 6/8/2023 at 2:49 AM, the penguins said:

Gloves only work for the staff who have to change them frequently. Gloves are a total waste of time for passengers because as soon as the first surface is touched the gloves are no cleaner than hands. Additionally if you then remove the gloves to eat any contamination is transferred to your hands making the situation worse.The answer is simple - wash your hands often and use the hand gel. 

Hand gel doesn’t stop norovirus.  You must wash your hands and literally wash the virus down the sink to avoid it.