Norovirus exposure!

[Co. Cruisers]

We were on Emerald 11/26/07 - 12/06/07, had about 150 passengers who caught the norovirus. We are now booked on Emerald, 11/30/08 - 12/10/08, :) . Heard very recently that there is a REAL problem with exposure to the norovirus on Emerald. Heard they're having a real problem clearing the ship of the virus. I do realize that there's exposure on any cruise ship on any line and that 150 out of 3200 pax. is a very small %. Anybody else hear anything along these lines?:confused: PS, we have sailed on 9 Princess cruises and have never had a problem or been aware of one until this last cruise. THANKS!!

[Druke I]

Recent newspaper articles would lead me to believe that Norovirus is a much bigger problem in public schools and hospitals than it is on board ships.

[Co. Cruisers]

Recent newspaper articles would lead me to believe that Norovirus is a much bigger problem in public schools and hospitals than it is on board ships.

 

Thanks - I agree with you on that one! Unfortunately most of focus seems to be with cruise ships! Just wondering if anyone heard anything unusual.:confused:

[DetroitMark]

The occurrance on Cruise Ships is most likely at least partly from passengers and crew using the toilet and not washing their hands. People bringing their brat - ... er ... I mean ... children ... on the cruise are more likely the bigger offenders, though.

 

Anytime Dining can be a plus if you're freaked out about it though.

 

Always wash your hands several times daily and use an instant hand sanitizer whenever you are going to handle food and utinsels.

[Pam in CA]

The focus is on cruise ships for a couple of reasons: they have to report it to the CDC; and, it makes for news on a slow news day by the media.

 

You are constantly exposed to norovirus even if you're not in a school or hospital. Every time you take a flight, go to the supermarket, or go into any public, enclosed space. It's not the ship that's the problem; it's the passengers bringing it onboard.

 

I've been on several cruises when extra precautions were taken, such as no bread and butter on the table, no serving yourself in the buffet, etc. I've been on quite a few cruises now and have caught colds but never norovirus. On my cruise this past November, I had a severe gastrointestinal virus/bug but that wasn't norovirus and I caught it at the hotel in Jerusalem. (I've never, ever been in such a filthy, dirty place. It was horrible.)

[vkramer]

Cruise ships can clean all they want, but when you have 3000+ passengers coming from all over the world on to one ship, you are going to have sick people. I agree that washing your hands can be proactive in avoiding outbreaks, but you are not going to stop it.

 

I think that airplanes are more of the culprit in bringing all the sickness aboard the cruise ships.

 

Vicki

[makeyourself]

This is a great link someone else posted on a board:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

 

scroll all the way down and it lists outbreaks by year and date and ship all the way back to 1994. It also describes what the confirmed virus or sickness was on the ship.

 

Its nothing to get too afraid of, but just for reference.

[Co. Cruisers]

Weathergirl; - really good web site and info. - thanks. Thanks also to all who have posted responses. CC is super for good open communicating!

Regards, John We're cruising!

[bubbadog]

if they are having a tough go of it,it might be crewmen having it, just use caution and you should be fine,have a great cruise;)

P.S. the u.k. is really having awful time of it with the noro, hundreds of thousands ill, so it's everywhere you go:))

[Colo Cruiser]

I believe it is always on the ship in one form or another, just sometimes it rears its ugly head with a bigger outbreak then other times. :)

[Co. Cruisers]

I believe it is always on the ship in one form or another, just sometimes it rears its ugly head with a bigger outbreak then other times. :)

 

Hi Colo Cruiser, yep I agree. Another Co. Cruisers here from Berthoud, Loveland, GREAT to see another posting from someone in our beautiful state! :) Regards!

[glenneagle]

We were on the emerald 12/26/2007 sailing.

They brought in 40 extra people to clean before we boarded.the ship was spotless.Only 4 people on our sailing got ill.The sailing before us had 200 ill.

The staff served at the buffet. no salt.pepper shakers left out,no mustard.ketchup ect,No buckets in the casino,all rest room doors left open.

but it worked no virus.

[glenneagle]

We were on the emerald 12/26/2007 sailing.

They brought in 40 extra people to clean before we boarded.the ship was spotless.Only 4 people on our sailing got ill.The sailing before us had 200 ill.

The staff served at the buffet. no salt.pepper shakers left out,no mustard.ketchup ect,No buckets in the casino,all rest room doors left open.

but it worked no virus.

[RockyMtnMama]

Hi Colo Cruiser, yep I agree. Another Co. Cruisers here from Berthoud, Loveland, GREAT to see another posting from someone in our beautiful state! :) Regards!

 

I'm a Loveland Cruiser too! I've been reading that the ship we are supposed to board on Sunday has been dealing with Norovirus.

[Host CJSKIDS]

The occurrance on Cruise Ships is most likely at least partly from passengers and crew using the toilet and not washing their hands. People bringing their brat - ... er ... I mean ... children ... on the cruise are more likely the bigger offenders, though.

 

Anytime Dining can be a plus if you're freaked out about it though.

 

Always wash your hands several times daily and use an instant hand sanitizer whenever you are going to handle food and utinsels.

 

In all honesty I see way more adults leaving the restroom without washing their hands than I do children, so let's not blame it on them. Kids today have it so ingrained in them to wash their hands or to use hand sanitizer than ever before and the ones the I see leave are alway full grown adults!

[DetroitMark]

Oh yeah? Come and stand in the men's room.

 

I'd say it's an equal slice of men and boys doing the hands-in-pocket handwash.

 

Besides I think it's pretty much a scientific fact that kids are a petri dish of germs and virii. Ask someone who works at a daycare center. Heck ask any mom. The reason moms are sick half the time is because they have 7 year olds.

[momosmom]

Is the Norovirus worse this time of year?? Is it the same thing as Rotovirus?

[Co. Cruisers]

Hi RockyMtnMama, from everything I've been reading, all the comments on this post and the link provided by weathergirl, I'd say defintely don't worry about it and have a GREAT cruise! Just take whatever reasonable precautions you can! We're cruising! Regards!

[cruzzers]

Be really clean about washing your hands, especially after touching railings, door knobs, and anything that anyone else could have touched. Don't touch your face and though the hand sanitizers do well, they don't cover everything. Take extra vitamin C and drink plenty of liquids. Eat a KIWI every day and down those juices whenever you get the chance. You will be just fine!

[dforeigner]

Go to www.google.com and do a search for "Norwalk Virus". You will soon find out that this is not a cruise disease. 18 to 23 million people are infected with this virus every year. The noro virus is the second most contagious virus know to humanity. First place goes to Influenza (the flu for the common folks).

[Co. Cruisers]

Take a look at this web site provided by weathergirl - really good and very informative! http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

Regards!

[Colo Cruiser]

Hi Colo Cruiser, yep I agree. Another Co. Cruisers here from Berthoud, Loveland, GREAT to see another posting from someone in our beautiful state! :) Regards!

 

 

 

Have family in Berthoud too. :)

[blindrid]

Lived in Loveland before I moved here......

[cheflauraleh]

Not to scare you, but I got Norovirus on the 8.9.07 cruise on the Emerald. I thought it was a rare incident but apparently not on this ship! I'm not a unsanitary person (in fact I'm somewhat of a germ freak!), but I just picked it up somewhere on the ship. I'm really not sure if the disease affected many people on our cruise because it was not reported on the website provided. We still had a wonderful cruise and it was a very beautiful ship but it's terrible not to be able to go into Venice especially since we were on our honeymoon!

[Co. Cruisers]

Not to scare you, but I got Norovirus on the 8.9.07 cruise on the Emerald. I thought it was a rare incident but apparently not on this ship! I'm not a unsanitary person (in fact I'm somewhat of a germ freak!), but I just picked it up somewhere on the ship. I'm really not sure if the disease affected many people on our cruise because it was not reported on the website provided. We still had a wonderful cruise and it was a very beautiful ship but it's terrible not to be able to go into Venice especially since we were on our honeymoon!

 

Sorry you gto the "bug" and especially while on your Honeymoon, :( . I am hearing that there seems to be more instances of the norovirus on the Emerald, or maybe we're just hearing more about that on this ship, :confused: . Glad you still had a good time. PS, - CONGRATULATIONS on your wedding!!:D

Regards, John, We're cruising!