ship cleanliness

[leeuwarden]

:eek: :( sept 21

this morning it was reported on cnn that the sunprinces has 11 people that came down with that cruise ship illness, i would like to know how i can be assured the celebrity does everything to avoid that, we are going on the 3-10 cruise to mexico.

 

christina

[plvogel]

Cruise ships are floating petri dishes. If one person brings a virus on board, it will spread. The best protection is to wash your hands thoroughly and often. Celebrity is constantly cleaning and disinfecting their ships, often with bleach. They have avoided any significant outbreaks of norvovirus, but it could happen. I wouldn't worry about it. Go and enjoy yourself, and wash your hands alot!

[springtxbill]

Eleven people out of 1500-2000 is a very small percentage. If you go to any school, there will be more than that out sick with a similar illness on any day. :)

[Cruise Junky]

Don't know who reported 11, but it was all over the news in Vancouver and they had 80. Agreed it's still a small percentage.

[lougee1043]

:eek: :(

, i would like to know how i can be assured the celebrity does everything to avoid that, christina

if you controlled a cruise line wouldnt you do everything possible in your power to avoid an outbreak that could in the long run cost you 100s of thousands of dollars especially if you had to give refunds and take your ship out of sailing for a major cleaning -----well every cruise line does ------------rest easy every thing possible is done on a daily possible -----remember its not the cruise line or the ship that creates this type of problem -- its the pax that boards that creates the problem and the cruise line takes the blame

[xranger39@aol.com]

Christina-

On the 4 Celeb. cruises I have been on, I can say without hesitation that cleanliness on the ships is first priority. Handrails are being washed and wiped down constantly, elevators are never full of handprints, the aqua spa always has a bleachy smell to it, your cabin is cleaned twice a day, there are always people mopping, polishing, etc.

Germs will travel no matter what......but because most of the ship is confined, the cruiseline does everything it can to keep passengers from that type of problem.

I've gotten sick after visiting a hospital once before (and you know how much sanitizing is done in them), but never from a cruise ship!

Don't worry about it...go and have fun!

[greeneg]

The most important thing is still the easiest thing:

 

WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY AND THOROUGHLY!

 

Hands transmit a lot of diseases..........

[Andy]

:eek: :( sept 21

this morning it was reported on cnn that the sunprinces has 11 people that came down with that cruise ship illness, i would like to know how i can be assured the celebrity does everything to avoid that, we are going on the 3-10 cruise to mexico.

 

christina

 

Hi Christina !

 

While NO Cruise line can promise you that you wont get sick, I can tell you that Celebrity does an outstanding job of keeping their ships as clean as possible. I ALWAYS see people cleaning constantly, at all hours of the day and night ! I really do feel Celebrity tries their very best to try to make sure nobody gets sick.

 

As others have said, it is CRUCIAL that you wash your hands as often as possible. In addition, I always carry a very small bottle of Purell (Hand Sanitizer) with me, should I feel that extra precautions should be taken. They now make them in individual packets, which are very easy to travel with.

 

These illnesses, do not happen very often. While it is a concern, I would try not to worry about it very much.

 

Regards,

Andy

[chessbriar]

I have watched closely over the last 3 years the outbreaks of Norwalk. First off I question the accuracy of the outbreaks. They are looking at symptoms, upset stomach and diareaha. Does anyone ever get travelers diareha? Rocking ship, ever get a little quezy?

 

Any way where I meant to go was over the last 3 years X has had no reported outbreaks and RCCL has had just 1. HAL has had the most followed by Princess, Carnival, and Disney. But all cruise lines do a great job of keeping clean.

 

Best advice, wash hands regularly. After using restroom and before and after eating. That's your best protection. If you are truely worried about getting it, book a balcony. That way when you are quarantined to your room, you can still have the ocean air.

[tbelian]

First off I question the accuracy of the outbreaks. They are looking at symptoms, upset stomach and diareaha. Does anyone ever get travelers diareha? Rocking ship, ever get a little quezy?

 

 

As do I. In order to verify presence of the Noro virus, it must be done through testing a stool sample. Based on what my Dr's office told me, this test takes about a week ... to culture the sample, and then to examine. This is also based upon the turn around time from the lab. I doubt the ships have the capability to do the appropriate test. I'm sure it does happen, but I really doubt it's as bad as gets reported. The cdc does not require an 'official' report under 3%.

[TriGirl]

We've been on at least two cruises where there were some cases of Norwalk virus and never got sick. Like the other posters said, wash your hands frequently and use the antiseptic gel dispenser they have at the buffet lines. Celebrity, like all cruise lines try their best to minimize infections, but when you have 1000+ passengers confined to the same areas you're bound to have some cases.

[Tatka]

Sun Princess.

 

The ship will go through a "super-sanitization" for any traces of Norwalk-like virus when its arrives at Vancouver today. 101 passengers and 14 crew were reported ill by September 17. The cruise left Whittier September 13.

 

You can find all events here http://www.cruisejunkie.com/events.html

[new_cruiser]

I have watched closely over the last 3 years the outbreaks of Norwalk. First off I question the accuracy of the outbreaks. They are looking at symptoms, upset stomach and diareaha. Does anyone ever get travelers diareha? Rocking ship, ever get a little quezy?

I got food poisoning on a business trip to Colorado. Believe me, there is no way I would mistake it for the effects of seasickness or a little diarrhea from travel stress (time changes, changes in diet, etc). It isn't just a little queasy or a few extra trips to the bathroom. The body wants to get as much as possible out of its system by the fastest path and keeps trying to do it even after there is nothing left. Very very nasty.

 

I know high school kids on a youth group trip who got something in Miami (though not on a cruise). They got sick on the flight home and it was so bad that the plane had to make an emergency landing and hospitalize some of them. Young healthy people - not the old and weak.

 

I'm also pretty sure that the diagnosing of an outbreak as Norwalk involves actual testing of samples.