What do you do to reduce onboard illness?

[lahlah57]

3 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Yes, that remote device in the cabin.... with the buttons and crevices, etc., there is NO thorough way to clean it.

We use not the thick ziplocks (which is what we use for most things) but the thinner "baggies", given that "touch" is important on the remotes.

 

And yes, we disinfect everything possible.  We travel with a regular supply of our meds (regular and "just in case"), and now... we make that assortment much larger, with masks and gloves, and anti-viral wipes.

 

We should consider the clear "food handler" gloves.

Those are probably less, er, "noticeable", than our sometimes colorful Nitrile gloves.

 

We also carry our own little bottles of hand disinfectant.  Many of the "general use" dispensers have additives that DH may be allergic to.

 

It's all so much more complicated now...

 

GC

I like the way you think!

[aForestr]

Not to minimize the above mentioned suggestions, your best protection is your own immune system. Before your cruise there are a few steps you can take to insure your immune system is running at peak efficiency. The FLCCC (google it) has a list of protocols that can be utilized.  As they say this is not medical advise, consult your health care provider.  I'm not a Doctor but I did stay at a Motel 6 last night.   

[Keksie]

I do the same things I do at home.  Wash my hands often and drink lots of water.  Then I go places, mingle with crowds, and enjoy life.

[donaldsc]

I continue to do exactly what I have always done on cruises which is "none of any of the above".  As a result of doing absolutely nothing I have never gotten sick on any cruise I have ever taken.  I assume that this may be because my constant exposure to stuff has caused me to develop immunities to stuff.  All of you who are really careful about stuff will probably get sick the first time something breaks through your exposure barriers.  At least that is what I think.

 

DON

[Kristelle]

I'm with last 2 posters - I don't do anything different. I wash my hands the same as  I do at home

 

and I am up to date with recomended vaccinations

 

But  no to plastic bagging remote controls, sanitising stair rails etc

[CDNPolar]

Don't think that it was mentioned here, but just to be sure that everyone knows, hand sanitizer does not kill the Norovirus.  You must wash your hands, and for that recommended 20 seconds or more.

 

The CDC website will confirm this for those that are trusting hand sanitizer as protection from Norovirus.

 

And, if you look at what is the cause of spread of Norovirus, this will only tell you that people on cruise ships do NOT properly wash their hands after using the toilets.

 

We were recently on a river cruise.  On embarkation a few people were coughing on the first few days.  By the end of the 10 day cruise more than 1/3 of the ship was sick including myself.  I immediately started masking as soon as I felt symptoms, but many did not and I don't believe in the larger population that we learned any lessons from Covid.  The number of people that were in the dining room in the morning coughing into their hands, and then up at the buffet and using the tongs... YUCK!  

 

People were walking through the dining room and lounge openly coughing without even attempting to cover their mouths.  Disgusting.  We can be so disrespectful of our fellow humans and again, Covid apparently left now lessons.

 

We are sitting ducks for the next pandemic.

[TV Dad]

Wash your hands often! Hand sanitize every time you think of it. We also do a wipe-down of the cabin with sanitizing wipes when we get into the cabin.

 

My wife refuses to touch any railing. I have no problem with railings.

[Keksie]

1 hour ago, CDNPolar said:

Don't think that it was mentioned here, but just to be sure that everyone knows, hand sanitizer does not kill the Norovirus.  You must wash your hands, and for that recommended 20 seconds or more.

 

The CDC website will confirm this for those that are trusting hand sanitizer as protection from Norovirus.

 

And, if you look at what is the cause of spread of Norovirus, this will only tell you that people on cruise ships do NOT properly wash their hands after using the toilets.

 

We were recently on a river cruise.  On embarkation a few people were coughing on the first few days.  By the end of the 10 day cruise more than 1/3 of the ship was sick including myself.  I immediately started masking as soon as I felt symptoms, but many did not and I don't believe in the larger population that we learned any lessons from Covid.  The number of people that were in the dining room in the morning coughing into their hands, and then up at the buffet and using the tongs... YUCK!  

 

People were walking through the dining room and lounge openly coughing without even attempting to cover their mouths.  Disgusting.  We can be so disrespectful of our fellow humans and again, Covid apparently left now lessons.

 

We are sitting ducks for the next pandemic.

We have learned to notice every cough we hear and to watch others very closely to analyze their actions.  

[K32682]

4 hours ago, donaldsc said:

I continue to do exactly what I have always done on cruises which is "none of any of the above".  As a result of doing absolutely nothing I have never gotten sick on any cruise I have ever taken.  I assume that this may be because my constant exposure to stuff has caused me to develop immunities to stuff.  All of you who are really careful about stuff will probably get sick the first time something breaks through your exposure barriers.  At least that is what I think.

 

DON

 

I do the same which is nothing different than what I do at home. No alcohol wipes, masks, pressing buttons with elbows, constant handwashing, avoiding elevators, etc. IMO, the risk on a cruise ship is no different than a large hotel, long flight, major sporting event, concert or any other situation where people congregate in large numbers. 

[AKJonesy]

I am a handwasher and I try to be aware of what I am touching, then clean my hands.  Maybe it was the MDR menu!  But, on our last 31 day NORO got me and got me good.  Eventually, after being sick so many times in the bathroom, I passed out, hit my head on the toilet, hit my back on the tub and hit my hip on the floor.  When I came to, which was probably seconds later, my husband was standing over me.  It only takes a little touch and forgetfulness.  NORO is nothing to play around with.  

[Joebucks]

I wonder how many people out there think they are staying safe by washing their hands to prevent COVID and using hand sanitizer to kill noro. You just gotta smile and pat them on the back for practicing science. 

 

I've put a big focus on nutrition lately, getting the right minerals and nutrients. Also losing a few lbs. Having a healthy and resilient body will pay dividends in staying healthy and resilient. If I'm going to eat, I'll wash my hands. Other than that, I'm not too worried about it.

[Hlitner]

There is the reality that when you put a large group of folks in a confined space (ie. cruise ship, airport, bar, etc) everyone is going to risk greater exposure to germs/viruses.  Over more than 50 years of extensive travel, we have learned a few simple tricks to lesson (not eliminate) our personal risk, but do accept the reality that socialization (which is something we love on ships and in travel) does come with a risk.  Much of what we do is simply common sense!  For example, we do try to avoid being close to folks who are constantly coughing or sneezing!  Another favorite trick (which anecdotally seems to have been very effective) is to simply avoid elevators as much as possible.  On cruise ships, we often use the stairs to move between a few decks.  Not only does that get us some needed exercise, but being stuck in an enclosed chamber (with minimum ventilation) like an elevator is truly tempting fait.  As a matter of personal habit, DW and I also love to maximize our time outdoors which does provide obvious benefits.

 

Noro (norovirus) is a problem everywhere, but more of a problem when in cruise/travel mode.  For some miraculous reason, DW and I have managed to avoid noro in over 1500 days of cruising and many years of worldwide travel.  Why?  We think it is a mix of common sense and a lot of luck.  The common sense is to routinely wash one's hands with warm soapy water.  As to buffets, we do try to use some common sense but do not go out of our way to avoid the various spreads of food.  I do appreciate that some cruise lines (especially the premium/luxury lines have done much to eliminate much of the risk associated with buffets.  Eliminating or lessoning the sharing of serving utensils does apparently have a big impact in reducing noro risk.  

 

I will mention that we have seen some cruisers who are so "obsessed" with germaphobia that it really impacts their travel experience.  On one Seabourn cruise we met (at a distance) a lovely young couple (in their 30s) who would constantly wear masks, avoid being near anyone, and (we learned from a conversation) spend most of their time in their suite in order to avoid exposure to other folks.  No doubt one can reduce their risk (of catching various diseases) by simply being anti-social and minimizing being near people.  But this couple never went into a bar, did not go to shows, or do anything that increased their exposure to others.  They seemed happy enough (we had our conversation in the MDR between tables) but not sure that kind of life would suit most folks (certainly not me).

 

Hank

 

 

[George C]

I always get the he latest flu and Covid shots, we book suites and don’t do buffets. Wife neglected to get latest Covid shot and got Covid at very end of our cruise two months ago.

[navybankerteacher]

Stay up to date on vaccinations, wash hands frequently, avoid touching things used by others, avoid crowds, wear mask in planes and other crowded places.

[*Miss G*]

54 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

I will mention that we have seen some cruisers who are so "obsessed" with germaphobia that it really impacts their travel experience.  On one Seabourn cruise we met (at a distance) a lovely young couple (in their 30s) who would constantly wear masks, avoid being near anyone, and (we learned from a conversation) spend most of their time in their suite in order to avoid exposure to other folks.  No doubt one can reduce their risk (of catching various diseases) by simply being anti-social and minimizing being near people.  But this couple never went into a bar, did not go to shows, or do anything that increased their exposure to others.  They seemed happy enough (we had our conversation in the MDR between tables) but not sure that kind of life would suit most folks (certainly not me).

 

Maybe one, or both, were at high risk from a pre-existing condition and this cruise was them actually getting out and enjoying life, despite everything.  Sometimes appearances are separate from reality.

[YourWorldWithBill]

As many here have said, washing hands carefully is the single best way to avoid any illness. Doctors and crew members will say that. One good suggestion I found is to use wipes to go over the bathroom sink and other surfaces on arrival.

[K32682]

Do the people who wear masks, avoid elevators, wear surgical gloves, wrap their remote in a plastic bag, push buttons with their elbows, sanitize everything with alcohol wipes do all of these things when staying at a land-based hotel or resort or is the behavior limited to just cruises? 

[DarrenM]

Always wash hands, but that more because it the right and hygenic thing to do for everyone.

 

Just avoid anyone coughing, which irritates the hell out of me when the seemingly do nothing to stop it.

 

No longer drink out of toilet bowls, and wash in the sinks of the public toilets.

 

The last one was just a bit of humour, just in case anyone was concerned.

[ZsaZsa2019]

On average, about how many people on a cruise are masking up?  We travel a fair amount (mostly Disney lately) and have just recently given up wearing masks on planes (no longer at Disney either).  I'll be bringing masks with on our cruise, just curious how common it is.  I know people that cruise a couple times a year and always come home sick,even before Covid was a thing.

[Keksie]

48 minutes ago, ZsaZsa2019 said:

On average, about how many people on a cruise are masking up?  We travel a fair amount (mostly Disney lately) and have just recently given up wearing masks on planes (no longer at Disney either).  I'll be bringing masks with on our cruise, just curious how common it is.  I know people that cruise a couple times a year and always come home sick,even before Covid was a thing.

I didn't see that many on.my last cruise.  Maybe a handful.  I know I will never wear a mask again

[clo]

8 hours ago, K32682 said:

Do the people who wear masks, avoid elevators, wear surgical gloves, wrap their remote in a plastic bag, push buttons with their elbows, sanitize everything with alcohol wipes do all of these things when staying at a land-based hotel or resort or is the behavior limited to just cruises? 

We're definitely back to mask wearing in crowded places like grocery stores.

[clo]

1 hour ago, Keksie said:

I know I will never wear a mask again

Why, pray tell? Covid cases are on the rise.

[George C]

1 hour ago, Keksie said:

I didn't see that many on.my last cruise.  Maybe a handful.  I know I will never wear a mask again

I certainly hope I will never wear a mask again but sometimes things are out of your control. I will continue to get every Covid booster.

[clo]

On 2/4/2024 at 2:04 AM, donaldsc said:

I continue to do exactly what I have always done on cruises which is "none of any of the above".  As a result of doing absolutely nothing I have never gotten sick on any cruise I have ever taken.  I assume that this may be because my constant exposure to stuff has caused me to develop immunities to stuff.  All of you who are really careful about stuff will probably get sick the first time something breaks through your exposure barriers.  At least that is what I think.

 

DON

Probably a good point. I drink tap water over almost all the world with no bad effect. And to my knowledge I've not had covid (but I might not have known).

[aubie1996]

As a microbiologist I can say hand sanitizer does absolutely NOTHING to protect you from Noro. The alcohol can’t penetrate its viral outer layer. Please wash your hands every time you can. You should wash for at least 20 seconds. I sing happy birthday song in my head. This is how I know I have washed long enough. Also Clorox wipes do not kill Noro virus on surfaces unless you have contact for at least 15 minutes