Norovirus Issue and subsequent compensation

:o My wife and I recently completed a Med Cruise during which we endured a bout of Norovirus. As a result, we were not able to conduct our tours in Egypt which was the main reason for our taking the cruise.

On one hand we feel that the cruise line should offer us some compensation for this situation, since we were healthy when we came aboard and abided by all the personal hygiene requirements. On the other hand, the crew was extremely diligent with antibacterial spraying, we were given medical attention by a nurse and medications for no charge, no hassle for canceling the tours, etc.

Can someone give us their "take" on this. This was our 13th cruise but we're still a bit shaken by it. Thank you.

Can you prove you got it on the ship....Typically, you will not get any compensation.....

:o My wife and I recently completed a Med Cruise during which we endured a bout of Norovirus. As a result, we were not able to conduct our tours in Egypt which was the main reason for our taking the cruise.

 

On one hand we feel that the cruise line should offer us some compensation for this situation, since we were healthy when we came aboard and abided by all the personal hygiene requirements. On the other hand, the crew was extremely diligent with antibacterial spraying, we were given medical attention by a nurse and medications for no charge, no hassle for canceling the tours, etc.

 

Can someone give us their "take" on this. This was our 13th cruise but we're still a bit shaken by it. Thank you.

No compensation is due or owed to you. Norovirus is a common ailment that can be contracted anywhere. Like a head cold or bronchitis, nobody is responsible.

If you lost any money by not being able to take tours you may have paid for, your travel insurance might reimburse.

It's not the ships fault you got sick.....anymore than it would be their fault if you broke an ankle or had a heart attack or asthma attack.

:o My wife and I recently completed a Med Cruise during which we endured a bout of Norovirus. As a result, we were not able to conduct our tours in Egypt which was the main reason for our taking the cruise.

 

On one hand we feel that the cruise line should offer us some compensation for this situation, since we were healthy when we came aboard and abided by all the personal hygiene requirements. On the other hand, the crew was extremely diligent with antibacterial spraying, we were given medical attention by a nurse and medications for no charge, no hassle for canceling the tours, etc.

 

Can someone give us their "take" on this. This was our 13th cruise but we're still a bit shaken by it. Thank you.

The odds are that you got the bug from another passenger. So as long as the ship was taking reasonable precautions (which it sounds like they were) I can't see that you are due any sort of compensation from the cruise line.

Was the ship in "Code Red" for the cruise prior to yours, or on your cruise? Did you have to fill out the "illness questionaire".

I doubt you will get any compensation, as flying to get to Europe, you can be exposed to Noro Virus.

Whenever I fly to Europe, I always seem to get sick the next day. Not sure if it's Noro Virus or just a cold, or just the airplane air. Mine seems to be more of a cold (no vomiting, etc. as I've read Noro Virus has).

Good luck!

Why should the cruise give you something because you got sick. They gave you medical treatment and you got refunds for the missed activities off the ship. What else to you want? Take some personal responsibility.

Do you have kids? If so, you probably got it from them--the germy little things! Noro isn't a "ship disease"...it's an illness of the masses...schools have it EVERY year. Anyone in a large gathering of people is likely to get it.....they closed several hotels in DC a couple of years ago because it was rampant....

Ships are perfect breeding ground...lots of folks all gathered together...it's NOT the ship's fault...it's the other passengers...or maybe you brought it onboard...who knows?

Sorry you were ill---that's a horrible virus...I've had it (but not on a ship or vacation, thank goodness!) but you survived.

You can get sick anywhere!

For some reason people think the only place they can catch norovirus is onboard a ship and that it's the cruiseline's fault. Neither is true. In fact, norovirus is more common on land in schools and nursing homes than it is aboard a ship. If you do catch it, you caught it from a person, not a cruiseline. The only "precautions" the ship should be taking is normal cleaning. The bigger problem is people not washing their hands. The reason ships go overboard with cleaning when there is an outbreak is becuase it makes people feel good. All it takes is one person who ignores symptoms and exposes others.

For some reason people think the only place they can catch norovirus is onboard a ship and that it's the cruiseline's fault. Neither is true. In fact, norovirus is more common on land in schools and nursing homes than it is aboard a ship. If you do catch it, you caught it from a person, not a cruiseline. The only "precautions" the ship should be taking is normal cleaning. The bigger problem is people not washing their hands. The reason ships go overboard with cleaning when there is an outbreak is becuase it makes people feel good. All it takes is one person who ignores symptoms and exposes others.

Absolutely, 28 million Americans get Noro every year, 4000 get it on cruise ships. Keep things in perspective...

Sorry, you'll not get, nor should you expect, any compensation from the cruise line. Not their fault, not your fault....illness happens, and the norovirus is a particularly contagious little bugger.

That's a shame, but the cruiseline owes you no compensation. Unfortunately, stuff happens!

If you had to take a plane to get to your cruise, how do you know you didn't contract this on the plane, or at the airport or any of a hundred different places where you touched something that was carrying the virus. The ship didn't "give" you the virus, but like they say, "ship happens". You're not entitled to anything.

You'll get some sympathy here. No one is gonna tell you that you deserve any compensation.

Life happens.

:o My wife and I recently completed a Med Cruise during which we endured a bout of Norovirus. As a result, we were not able to conduct our tours in Egypt which was the main reason for our taking the cruise.

 

On one hand we feel that the cruise line should offer us some compensation for this situation, since we were healthy when we came aboard and abided by all the personal hygiene requirements. On the other hand, the crew was extremely diligent with antibacterial spraying, we were given medical attention by a nurse and medications for no charge, no hassle for canceling the tours, etc.

 

Can someone give us their "take" on this. This was our 13th cruise but we're still a bit shaken by it. Thank you.

Welcome to Cruise critic. Now you have a black eye to go with your Noro.

Sorry you got sick, I know I would be pretty "torqued" at the situation if it were me. But I haven't heard of a cruise line giving compensation for Noro. I feel your pain. Seems like every trip we ever took as a family, someone got sick.

Sorry to hear about your illness. If the cruiseline was going to reimburse you they would have done so during your cruise.

Hope you are feeling better.

###

In order to get Norovirus, you would have had to touch something, then touched your face....but you said that you followed personal hygiene suggestions. This just doesn't add up.... either you violated the suggestions by touching public objects, then touching your face, or you didn't (in which case, you wouldn't have contracted the virus).

Most people know to take extra Vitamin D when they know they are going to be exposed to viruses. http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum/index.php?topic=21270

And, most people have had norovirus in their lives, but because they didnt' catch it on a cruise, dont' even think about it. It is simply a gastrointestinal virus. How many of us in elementary school had to stay home for a stomach virus? Odds are at least once it was noro.

The ship is not the reason you got sick, you got it from another person. Would you expect compensation if you caught it in a mall at home? Or if your child got it at school? Just because you got a virus from another person, the place where you got it has nothing to do with it. :confused:

Thats such a bummer,,, ( sorry,, couldn't stop myself) ,,, not just bad enough you had to get sick,, but to miss such an amazing port .. ugh.. how sad.

Unfortunately,, cruiseline owes you nothing. Travel does involve chance, luck and risk,, and you just got unlucky. At least cruiseline covered costs, and refunded shore ex fees.

You will have to go again..

Was the ship in "Code Red" for the cruise prior to yours, or on your cruise? Did you have to fill out the "illness questionaire".

 

I doubt you will get any compensation, as flying to get to Europe, you can be exposed to Noro Virus.

 

Whenever I fly to Europe, I always seem to get sick the next day. Not sure if it's Noro Virus or just a cold, or just the airplane air. Mine seems to be more of a cold (no vomiting, etc. as I've read Noro Virus has).

 

Good luck!

If you got noro or a related virus, you'd know it. Not to be too gross, but stuff would be coming out both ends and you'd feel as if death might be a nice change of pace if you only had enough energy to think about it.

beachchick

The compensation you get from Noro is a little weight loss, thats about all you will get. You can catch diseases from shore trips, on you way to the ship on an aircraft, overnight hotel prior to your cruise or some other bast**d bringing it on board:D Sh!t happens, as they say:D:D

 

Most people know to take extra Vitamin D when they know they are going to be exposed to viruses.

*most* people? I'm a Registered Nurse and I've never heard of that. LOL

I'll get that Vitamin D on the pool deck with a Cocoloco, please!

I think I got noro the day after I got back from my last cruise. Just unlucky. I know I got it from a pax, but it never occured to me that the cruiseline could be held responsible. Im guessing some pax lied on the health form about being sick.

The health form is a joke, who tells the truth, very few I bet if there is a chance they wouldnt be allowed to board.

I think the OP exhibits the extent to which we have become an overly litigious society. People wanting "compensation" for every little inconvenience that they suffer, either real or imaginary. Norovirus could have been contracted anywhere. Despite the popular image that it is a "cruise ship disease" it is not. To paraphrase Seinfeld's Soup N***: "No compensation for you!"

Hey I was in quarentine for 1 1/2 days on the Equinox "Code Red cruise" begining of Jan but it turns out I did not have Noro so was in quarentine for no reason BUT I do understand why this was necessary - to protect other passengers and crew just in case. I would never have dreamed of asking for compensation even though I had a pretty good idea of what was really bugging me.

We are however back to the old story those who are honest and say something get caught in the system because many others are not honest and spread the stuff around the ship.

I know many will say you should have kept quite and not said anything but THAT is exactly the dilemma. What if you are really sick - you are then taking it upon yourself to make others sick and in some cases that can go VERY wrong especially with some many older or perhaps other wise not healty passengers.

Bottom line is if you are not well stay away from other passengers until it is certain you don't have something contagious like Noro.