NCL Spirit Alaska 7/3 - 7/10: Are you sick too?

[borschski]

Got back home Saturday evening from the Alaska cruise on the NCL Spirit feeling great...until 10pm then whoa!

 

Been sick for the last few days with some gastrointestinal malady with sore kidneys, diarrhea, dark urine. Became so concerned that I went to the doctor late today and had a complete blood workup and am getting kidney function tests and hepatitis a screening.

 

Did anyone else get sick too?

[newmexicoNita]

Gee, keep us informed and sorry to see the end of a good thing ruined because you got sick. I guess the only good news is you made it home before this happened. This seems to be a better summer than the past 2 for cruise ships and viruses. Hope this isn't the start of another bad go around with different lines. I think only Carnival has been affected so far this year. NMNita

[brunolvr]

Sorry to hear about your illness. We were on the same cruise as you - NCL Spirit leaving Seattle on July 3rd returning on the 10th. No, neither my husband nor myself became ill. Where did you go after getting off the Spirit? Did you fly back home? Maybe picked up a "bug" on the airplane? I had brought several boxes of antibacterial hand-wipes on our cruise, but only used a few because of all the great "handwashing stations" the Spirit had all over the ship. We noticed the majority of people didn't use them but we sure did - before every meal and after leaving the casino and after getting back on the ship at our ports-of-call. Let me know what the tests show! Hope you're feeling better soon!

[Casshew]

Hi there... sorry you became so ill after your holiday, but better after than during your cruise, right??

 

Hopefully it was an isolated incident and not anything wide spread on the ship.

 

Well, feel better :)

[Laura4cruise]

Hope you get better soon; it's true when you travel you never know what you can pick up--the airplane, the cruise ship, the ports, etc, they could all have sick people.

 

I brought home a nasty cold from my Spirit cruise (it appeared on disembarkation day), but that was last month and certainly nothing to do with your symptoms.

[snoopy_leogirl]

Get well soon! Sorry to hear that you got ill.

[basketballmom]

Are you from MA? There are a bunch of Hep A outbreaks going on around the state. Doesn't sound like you have a norovirus. Hope you are feeling better soon.

[momto3]

We (my hubby and I) were on the Spirit from the 3-10th with my in-laws and some family from Flordia and as far as I know we are all fine. Hope you are ok!

[woodz]

I'm so sorry your sick. I don't want to scare you but those are they same symptoms my mom had when she had hepaititis (along with yellow whites of her eyes.) She got it from a seafood restaurant in our area. I'm sure your Dr. asked where you have been, but if that's your problem you can also call your county health department and see if there have been any other problems in your area. I don't know if there is anything you can do to find out about problems with crew members on the Spirit. It took my mom about 1-2 weeks to get the symptoms you have. The good news, after rest she recovered 100% and she was 70+ years old. On my last cruise (RCCL) in May I woke up our last night so ill I knew it was food poisoning (If you ever get it, you never forget it). I also wondered if anyone else was ill. You were very wise to ask and get this info out for others. Get better soon.

[alonzo14]

I'm so sorry you are sick. I hope it's not hepatitus. Let us know what your bloodwork showed. Hope you get to feeling better soon. Take care of yourself and get plenty of rest!

[Bookish Angel]

Got back home Saturday evening from the Alaska cruise on the NCL Spirit feeling great...until 10pm then whoa!

 

Been sick for the last few days with some gastrointestinal malady with sore kidneys, diarrhea, dark urine. Became so concerned that I went to the doctor late today and had a complete blood workup and am getting kidney function tests and hepatitis a screening.

 

Did anyone else get sick too?

 

There have been quite a few cases of listeria here in the Richmond, VA area in recent weeks. It has been serious enough for the state health department to interview some of the folks who have or have had listeria. I wonder if you crossed paths with someone from this area during your cruise.

[borschski]

Thanks to everyone who replied -- and so quickly (my first experience on this site/board and it's really used, heh?).

 

Was finally able to work today though still under the weather. Doc has pretty much ruled out hep 'a' but final blood work due Friday and I'll update.

 

Here are some of your replies with my comments below 'em:

 

Are you from MA? There are a bunch of Hep A outbreaks going on around the state. Doesn't sound like you have a norovirus. Hope you are feeling better soon.

Nope. Upper Midwest. Don't know yet on norovirus but vomiting is a given with it which I didn't experience.

 

Sorry to hear about your illness. We were on the same cruise as you - NCL Spirit leaving Seattle on July 3rd returning on the 10th. No, neither my husband nor myself became ill. Where did you go after getting off the Spirit? Did you fly back home? Maybe picked up a "bug" on the airplane? I had brought several boxes of antibacterial hand-wipes on our cruise, but only used a few because of all the great "handwashing stations" the Spirit had all over the ship. We noticed the majority of people didn't use them but we sure did - before every meal and after leaving the casino and after getting back on the ship at our ports-of-call. Let me know what the tests show! Hope you're feeling better soon!

Thanks. Glad you were OK. Could've picked up a bug on the airplane, in the airport, or who knows...maybe a store in Skagway? The interesting aspect of what you talked about though (the handwashing stations) are now maritime law and the cruise line is *supposed* to enforce their use. I often saw people skipping them in the buffet line while the crewmember wiped water off of trays. These same people would then go to the trough (er...buffet line) and slap stuff on their plates. Often pretty unappetizing in and of itself and did make me wonder about their personal hygiene practices and that I was next in line to grab the spoon.

 

 

There have been quite a few cases of listeria here in the Richmond, VA area in recent weeks. It has been serious enough for the state health department to interview some of the folks who have or have had listeria. I wonder if you crossed paths with someone from this area during your cruise.

Have no clue about any Virginians though would've avoided them anyway like the plague if I had bumped in to one! (just kidding). My symptoms more closely resemble listeria (now that you point it out) than novovirus. Though that's why I went to the doctor vs. performing self diagnosis (especially since high school biology was my last serious exposure to anything smacking of medical education).

 

-----------------------------------------------

 

Thanks again everyone...

[cindyln]

this is so strange. I sailed on the Spirit 29 May sailing. I felt great on the cruise but 2 days after I got home I became exhausted and had the worse stomach upset after eating. I had to struggle to get out of bed to go to work each day. After 2 weeks of this I became so concerned that I went to the doctor also. All my lab work came back normal and thankfully am now feeling back to normal. My doctor thinks I picked up some type of bug either on the ship or plane.

[basketballmom]

Borschski: Make sure if you have listeria that your physician has the state health department contact the health department from the state/country the ship sailed from (this is usually standard procedure). It could be luncheon meat on the ship that is contaminated or an employee. Hate to see a large outbreak. The cruise ships get enough negative publicity from the noroviruses that tend to spread on the ships. Just read two articles this week in some public health journals.

[newmexicoNita]

I agree with basketball mom but think if there had been an outbreak traced directly to the ship we would have heard more about it on these boards. The most important thing is borschsky it ok; the next most important is "no major breakouts" like in year's past. Actaully NCL has come out pretty good in this respect. They have had viral breakouts, but not to the extent of some lines, thank Goodness. NMNita

[natalunia]

When I see someone use the restroom and not wash their hands (whether on a cruise ship or in public) I want to ask them, "You don't wash your hands after using the restroom?", So that can guilt trip them into it. I haven't done it yet, but do any of y'all ever want to do that?

 

Natalie

 

P.S. We were on the 5-22 sailing of the Spirit and had no problems at all with being sick either on the ship or after we returned home. I hope whatever you are sick with turns out to be minor.

[dosi]

I am such a germophobe now that if someone doesn't wash and I am right there I say something like "boy you must have a lot on your mind, you forgot to wash your hands" or "boy that door handle looked grimey, you might want to wash up...you never know what you might catch!!" I am tired of dancing around peoples stupidity when it comes to cleanliness....however I still have enough manner to stop short of "Hey you pig, wash your freakin filthy paws!!" :D The world needs more diplomacy!!

[patandcd]

oops!

[okfarmerswife]

Just a note that if you wore scopolamine patch for motion sickness that some of the sypmtoms you describe can be withdrawal symptoms. Hope you're feeling better now, whatever it was.

[newmexicoNita]

When I see someone use the restroom and not wash their hands (whether on a cruise ship or in public) I want to ask them, "You don't wash your hands after using the restroom?", So that can guilt trip them into it. I haven't done it yet, but do any of y'all ever want to do that?

 

Natalie

 

P.S. We were on the 5-22 sailing of the Spirit and had no problems at all with being sick either on the ship or after we returned home. I hope whatever you are sick with turns out to be minor.

 

i DON'T HAVE THE GUTS TO ASK, but, like you, would sure like to. It grosses me out. The Secretery to the Pres of the company I used to work for fell into this catagory. NMNita

[Casshew]

II am tired of dancing around peoples stupidity when it comes to cleanliness....

 

LOL

 

On a similar note... if I see someone litter.. like throw down a soda can or something. I say really loudly...

 

"Excuse me!! You dropped something... Sir? yes you .. You dropped something"

 

or alternatively I pick it up and run after them saying.. "excuse me... you dropped this" and I make them take it. LOL :D

[natalunia]

I guess in my area of Texas I don't see many people litter. They scare us into not littering starting from elementary school.... maybe they need to start scaring the little kiddies into washing their hands to ingrain a habit...

 

Natalie

[borschski]

Results are in: no hepatitis of any kind; no listeria; probably virus (though kidney stone was mentioned. Yikes!).

 

Of course, I'm voting for the virus as I've heard passing a kidney stone is worse than childbirth (though my wife would gleefully remind me I had it coming since I used to have a habit of joking to other people that -- during her labor with our first child -- that "Labor was sure a lot of work...I kept having to get up and 'coach' her and I was trying to read the Sunday paper!").

 

Though she loves me and I've stopped this juvenile practice years ago, I'm sure that somewhere deep down her feminine side would be tickled to have me pass a pinhead-sized rock that I hear feels like a basketball.

 

---------

 

By the way on the handwashing thing, I almost always say something. In fact, at a shopping mall a little boy pee'ed and was wiping his hands on his pants and started to walk out of the men's room without washing his hands until I said, "Young man...you should wash your hands." He did, looking sheepish and left. I washed mine while thinking, "That was dumb. Me and some little kid in the men's room and he could've told his Mom that some guy just scared the hell out of me in the men's room. Now THAT would be bad."

 

I walked out and he was there with his Mom a ways away. She mouthed the words to me "Thank you".

 

But I probably won't say anything again to little kids.

[kalamari]

Maybe I'm bolder than most, but I'd rather say something and be embarrassed then I would catch something from someone who didn't wash their hands. I was in a cafeteria once and the person getting my food wiped her nose before handling my food. I told her "You know, please don't take this the wrong way but I think my food will taste better if you wash your hands first. Not sure it would taste good after you wiped your nose with it. I'm sure you'd feel the same". I figure these aren't people I'll ever see again or socialize with so I'd rather play it safe than sorry....Menina

 

 

 

 

 

When I see someone use the restroom and not wash their hands (whether on a cruise ship or in public) I want to ask them, "You don't wash your hands after using the restroom?", So that can guilt trip them into it. I haven't done it yet, but do any of y'all ever want to do that?

 

Natalie

 

P.S. We were on the 5-22 sailing of the Spirit and had no problems at all with being sick either on the ship or after we returned home. I hope whatever you are sick with turns out to be minor.

[newmexicoNita]

Results are in: no hepatitis of any kind; no listeria; probably virus (though kidney stone was mentioned. Yikes!).

 

Of course, I'm voting for the virus as I've heard passing a kidney stone is worse than childbirth (though my wife would gleefully remind me I had it coming since I used to have a habit of joking to other people that -- during her labor with our first child -- that "Labor was sure a lot of work...I kept having to get up and 'coach' her and I was trying to read the Sunday paper!").

 

Though she loves me and I've stopped this juvenile practice years ago, I'm sure that somewhere deep down her feminine side would be tickled to have me pass a pinhead-sized rock that I hear feels like a basketball.

 

---------

 

By the way on the handwashing thing, I almost always say something. In fact, at a shopping mall a little boy pee'ed and was wiping his hands on his pants and started to walk out of the men's room without washing his hands until I said, "Young man...you should wash your hands." He did, looking sheepish and left. I washed mine while thinking, "That was dumb. Me and some little kid in the men's room and he could've told his Mom that some guy just scared the hell out of me in the men's room. Now THAT would be bad."

 

I walked out and he was there with his Mom a ways away. She mouthed the words to me "Thank you".

 

But I probably won't say anything again to little kids.

You are much bolder but smarter than me: I only wish I had said that; I have guts on the websites, but in person I am a pussy cat: good or bad, NMNita