Life in Quarantine

[C 2 C]

Staff from all departments were involved: Spa..and shops

[C 2 C]

Carpets and upholstery were constantly sprayed

[C 2 C]

Even after the music started in Rendezvous, spraying continued:

[mii]

Thank you for a very imformative review of your experience. I also sail Princess and I started a thread over there to refer them to also read your review. This happens on all cruiselines and your post was very informative.

 

Marilyn

[donnaw]

Ken, you were missed at dinner but Jay provided updates several times a day! We have the most to be thankful for since you were one of the considerate ones who didn't expose those that sat next to you at dinner.

 

Word was that it came on with a group from the Holiday Inn but then some said the port one and others said Mission Hills. The announcement of Noro came at 1:00 PM on Saturday which led us to believe that the passengers probably boarded without realizing that they had it. The crew was spectacular but some passengers still didn't get the point. Restrictions on what passengers could touch (nothing) were very strict but still saw passengers violating them on a pretty regular basis. Late seating was moved to 8:45 to give the time for santizing the chairs and menu's. Instead of just the hand sanitizer stand, 2 crew members stood at each doorway and didn't let anyone through without sanitizing.

 

Arno, thanks for the pics! They did a great job! Fingers crossed that they are code green today so the crew can get some rest!

[Drew B]

Yikes! The fact that you contracted the virus after all of the efforts you made to avoid it is a bit off-putting. I think that should open the eyes of folks who seem to say "It's no big deal. Just wash your hands..." Clearly, even those with excellent hygiene who take care with what they touch are still at some risk...

 

And I must agree with everybody about your inspiringly-wonderful attitude. If you can find something good to say about X's TV selections, you can clearly find the good in ANYTHING!

 

I'm glad you're feeling better, and I hope that you'll be cruising again soon.

[Sheik]

Thank you very much for your great post! Good to hear that you´re 100% better and I greatly respect your attitude.

[MGremmer3608]

I know many others have already done so, but I would like to thank you for this informative, fair and balanced post. I'm sorry that you got sick and I hope you're now feeling better.

 

An acquaintance of ours came down with Norovirus on RCCI's Voyager. He refused to report it (this man is rather difficult and hates being told what to do) but my hubby took it upon himself to let the Purser's desk know. He was kept in his cabin for three days.

 

Again, thanks for the wonderful post and I wish you happiness and health on your future cruises.

[Drew B]

I'm surprised we don't see outbreaks of other contagious diseases. I could see a pink-eye epidemic running rampant on a cruise ship!

[chasetf]

Thanks for the first hand account. We have been on two ships that have had outbreaks (Princess and HAL) and seen the crews roll into action. Fortunately both of us did not come down with it, so it was interesting to hear a "victims" experience. For me it was surprising (but then again obvious) hearing they quarantined your room steward.

[tom_uk]

Ken:

 

Many thanks for posting this account. It can't have been fun experiencing it, but you've turned it into a benefit for all of us here. This was the 'Post of the Month' for me!

 

I have a question, not about procedures, but about the virus itself: once you've had it, do you gain any degree of immunity against it for future infections? I haven't seen this point mentioned at all, anywhere.

[Cracker Ken]

Good question. I wish that could happen. Here's the answer (and more) from the CDC web site:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-factsheet.htm

 

Specific to immunity, the CDC web site says:

 

Immunity to Norovirus

Mechanisms of immunity to norovirus are unclear. It appears that immunity may be strain-specific and lasts only a few months; therefore, given the genetic variability of noroviruses, individuals are likely to be repeatedly infected throughout their lifetimes. This may explain the high attack rates in all ages reported in outbreaks. Recent evidence also suggests that susceptibility to infection may be genetically determined, with people of blood group O being at greatest risk for severe infection.

 

Ken

[Host Karen]

Ken, I think you should be commended for posting your experience, especially in such great detail. I hope that you will change some minds about seeing the ship's doctor when feeling ill, but I doubt it.

 

On our first cruise aboard Brilliance, I contracted traveler's diahrrea, which is a bit different from norovirus. We originally went to the ship's doctor because it was the only way to get a refund on our prepaid excursion. He informed me that (a) it was traveler's diahrrea and not norovirus, (b) I had picked it up from another passenger (it was five days into our 10 day cruise), and © I was immediately quarantined for 72 hours and my husband for 24. The difference between noro and TD, as he explained, was that while I could wait to get to the bathroom, someone with noro could not. Regardless, he didn't want anyone else on the ship to catch it from me, so off to the cabin I went. DH, who didn't show any signs of illness, would be allowed out of the cabin the next day. I was given immodium and went straight back to bed.

 

Guest Relations couldn't have been more helpful. They sent up a huge tray of water, ginger ale, and Coke. We could watch pay-per-view at no charge, and we could order whatever we wanted for any meal (even from the specialty restaurants), but it was all served on paper plates with plastic utensils (I had very little interest in anything but chicken soup). We kept the same cabin steward, but she was assigned an assistant and they cleaned our cabin in the middle of the afternoon using big red biohazard bags (that was embarassing). I was so miserable that I wasn't interested in food or movies, and since I didn't feel better until the 72 hours were over, it really wasn't a hardship for me to be quarantined. DH got off in Curacao and videotaped the town and the floating bridge for me, and I was able to be out and about on our last day, which was a sea day. Not an terrific vacation, but certainly one I haven't forgotten!

 

Since that episode, I have been urging people who feel ill to see the ship's doctor and to accept the quarantine as a preventive measure to protect other passengers. Unfortunately, that often falls on deaf ears since no one wants "their" vacation ruined. I can only hope that after reading your story and understanding that there are passengers onboard who may not be able to tolerate such an illness without terrible consequences, they will agree to a quarantine, if warranted. Some of it is about attitude and some of it is about accepting responsibility. It's possible that someone onboard Brilliance was ill and didn't care and therefore passed it to me. I'm not happy that I was ill, but I'm hopeful that I didn't pass it onto someone else.

 

Let's hope that all of our future vacations are illness free!

 

[moondoggie]

Ken, I got this on Mercury on my last cruise--and the medical staff couldn't have been better. I also had to have IVs because my dehydration was so severe, and there was never a charge for anything. I did the quarantine voluntarily (DH was stuck there with me for 24 hours), but no movies were offered--didn't matter much, because I was sick as a, uh dog, the entire time. I read books during the 48 hours after the end of the symptoms, but we did not allow our steward in the room at all--didn't want to expose him to it. He brought us clean towels whenever we needed them, but other than that, I didn't want to see anyone--or for anyone to see me, either! We had an inside cabin, and I have since decided--windows from now on, just in case!

I would NEVER consider holding X responsible for this, nor did I request any compensation. I'm glad they offered it to you, as it is truly a nice goodwill gesture.

Cruisers, I would TURN IN (aka rat out, tattle on) ANYONE who decided that they could do whatever they wanted because they PAID FOR the cruise, if they had symptoms or were with someone who had symptoms. These have got to be the same idiots who refuse to get out of the way for emergency vehicles on our highways!

Whatever happened to common sense and common courtesy these days?

[Drew B]

The problem with diseases like this is that by the time you know you have it, you've already probably passed it around. Quarantine is certainly helpful in getting the outbreak under control faster, but people really, really need to wash their hands. Yes, you probably think you're doing it to protect yourself from other people's germs, but if you have already contracted the disease yourself, you are also sparing people from getting infected with yours...

[hammybee]

Thank you for one of the all time best posts I have seen on CC.

 

And in the middle of all this, I can't help but wonder if your wife, who was not able to make the cruise, was doing a little jig of her own, to not be there and most likely sick with you. From experience, let me tell you that the only thing worse than having Norvo is having it and traveling with someone who also has it, if you know what I mean.

 

Now use your shipboard credit and take your bride on a cruise.

[motherchic]

Ken, thank you for posting. Your comments were excellent, interesting, informative and what every responsible adult should do.

Thank you for taking the time to share

Happy, healthy next cruise

Nadine

[C 2 C]

Just a couple of other points of interest...

The formal night "Captain's Table" were cancelled throughout the cruise.

Officers and staff members were not allowed to eat in the cafe and were required to eat in the staff mess.

Perhaps there was a fear that guest areas were more contaminated than crew facilities... or that the Cafe and Dining room continued to be "HOT"... or that officers did not want to be questioned or mix with the "tourists"

I found it a bit of a mystery that this continued even after no new cases had been reported for four days.:confused:

[poetic license]

Ken, thanks for your detailed, thoughtful account ... and best of all, advice to EVERYONE who may contract noro in the future. Kudos to you for acting responsibly. I sure wish everyone did!

 

Wishing you and Sonya a Happy New Year!

 

Best,

Nicki

[usha]

Let me add my "thank you" to the long list, Ken. You've written probably the most informative and helpful post yet. I also very much admire your incredibly good attitude about your ordeal.

[GatorPal]

Are on board illnesses happening more often or do you think there's just more coverage of them? I have been on six cruises over approximately 20 years w/o any problems (knock on wood). Really appreciated your insight and comments on your (unfortunate) experience.

[C 2 C]

Are on board illnesses happening more often or do you think there's just more coverage of them?

 

We've been on over 60 cruises and experienced outbreaks on three of them. We've never been sick ourselves but the Mercury Dec 8 incident was the first successful containment that we have experienced.

[blackbird71]

Great write up Cracker Ken

 

Couple more points:

 

Doctors say do not put hand to mouth without washing, Smokers........

 

I have been on three cruise lines since NV has become an issue. Seabourn did something I thought was very smart. At the bottom of the main staircase ppl go down to the restaurant, they placed one of those hand santizing globes. Smart placement.

 

Not for NV but for the old flu, the railroad I am currently on contract at has become very pro-active and it is working. I do not know where you can get them, but they put out a basket of single use hand wipes by Purell. I took them on my Nov cruise. It was very nice to gab 3/4 packets and put them in my pocket for tours.

[SheilaNC]

Purell Hand Wipes and small, pocket size bottles can be purchased at Walmart and, I believe Costco. Walmart also has a less expensive store brand version that we took on our cruise to Alaska (Mercury). Gave a pocket size one to each member of our family (11) and kept wipes in camera bag and tote bags. Accessibility to such things dramatically increases their use and our grandkids were quite religious about it (after they asked ' what gives with the hand santizer' and got an appropriate answer :))

[Wheely]

Howdy, "Neighbor"

 

We're happy to see many people reading and responding to your "Life in Quarantine" posting. You helped many travelers think about what the right way is to handle adversity, not only on a cruise, but in everyday life. We all need to think about other people and how our own actions affect those around us.

 

According to some of the postings here, sadly there are the unthinking few who have the "me" attitude, who do not consider the greater good.

 

You lived across the hall from us for two weeks. It was a pleasure to have met you. Maybe we'll see you on another cruise someday.