Enchantment of the Seas - Feb 19th - Not starting out well. Key West canned & delays

[thelion]

 

But beyond all that, how are some so confident that the passengers are to blame. Have there been previous investigations in other outbreaks, or just observations like I have had?

 

You can bet where I normally don't say anything to the poor hygiene folks normally, I will be more outspoken on my upcoming cruise.

 

That is actually a really good question. I worked on ships during the massive 2006-2007 outbreak on Noro - "the big one." During that time, the CDC and all the lines were investigating the outbreaks. My ship never had an outbreak. There was one difference between my ship and our sister ship: we made (MADE!) passengers sanitize their hands as they passed regular intervals on the ship (Captain's orders) and they had to sanitize before getting onboard. When the crew's hygiene on both ships is tracked and is statistically similar but you force hygiene onto the passengers and you don't get an outbreak it suggests the fault lies with the passengers. In addition, the number of crew ill vs number of passengers ill (I am talking about crew with passenger area access who would be just as exposed) suggests it is primarily passenger spread.

 

And you should be vocal about poor hygiene habits. Noro is nasty and I would not hesitate to remind some grown adult to wash their hands.

 

My point was that posters blamed it on passengers as opposed to the crew.

 

If a ship continued to be 'sick' even after being scrubbed down that could imply that the crew continues to have the sickness and infects new passengers. They (and the equipment/furniture) are the constants in the equation. Just a thought. Also, are some of the crew reluctant to quarantine themselves due to lost income.

 

No, it does not imply that. It implies that the virus is infecting the poor ship! I cannot remember the line but there was one that had to practically gut their ship to get rid of it. And crew do not lose income due to quarantine but they will if they are caught not reporting illness.

[dixieva]

I have been on ships where the hand sanitizer was out at all dining areas from the WJ to the dining room AND there was a staff member there to make sure every passenger used it before entering the eating area. I wish this was done fleetwide on every cruise and not just after the virus has begun spreading.

[thelion]

I have been on ships where the hand sanitizer was out at all dining areas from the WJ to the dining room AND there was a staff member there to make sure every passenger used it before entering the eating area. I wish this was done fleetwide on every cruise and not just after the virus has begun spreading.

 

I remember being the crew member that stood on the gangway making passengers sanitize their hands. Oh the fits some of them threw. They would hold up a whole line of people screaming about how they will just wash their hands later. Nope, sorry. Security had to get involved a few times. You didn't sanitize, you were not getting back onboard - Captain's orders. The only ones excused were very young infants but we had a sink station and we had to witness the infant's hands being washed, too.

[wrp96]

I remember being the crew member that stood on the gangway making passengers sanitize their hands. Oh the fits some of them threw. They would hold up a whole line of people screaming about how they will just wash their hands later. Nope, sorry. Security had to get involved a few times. You didn't sanitize, you were not getting back onboard - Captain's orders. The only ones excused were very young infants but we had a sink station and we had to witness the infant's hands being washed, too.

 

 

I break out from using the hand sanitizers (wish they would allow me to go wash my hands - follow me I don't mind). BUT if it's required, it's required. I use them and then itch. I would rather do that than be responsible for 1) spreading an illness that is just terrible no matter where you get it and 2) holding up a line because I feel I have to argue over an issue.

[Charles4515]

I have to agree with this. I think it's even on the front of the safe not to use your sea pass card to program the opening. Not saying you can't-just that's it's not a good idea.

 

I always use an expired MC or Visa or my grocery store card. Anthing with a magnetic strip will work.

 

I have used my Starbucks card or Costco card. They do recommend not using your Sea Pass card. That is common sense!!!

[jackinav]

Our room was 2544. The smell was from the bathroom drain. It would get so strong it wake us up at night

I have to tell you when I was in the doctors area it was packed with sick people and we had 3 elderly with broken ankles. This was only the third day at sea of a 12 day cruise. I am guessing the virus was on the ship before we got on.

 

We were in 2544 on the January 17th 12-night cruise and there was no odour in the cabin at that point (that we noticed). Obviously we were lucky! There certainly were some strong odours in other parts of the ship on occasion...and one of our table-mates complained about a smell in their aft cabin. It's one thing to put up with it for a night but I don't know how I'd feel about 12 nights! I hope you had many positive experiences to make up for it because an uncomfortable room can easily affect the entire vacation.

 

I noticed that another poster mentioned that if sea-sickness bags were placed around the ship it was a sign of a Noro outbreak, but they were out on the first and last day of our cruise. A few "regulars" told me it's because those are usually the roughest sea days and it's more likely that nausea will

hit when you least expect it. I thought I'd add that for anyone who's on EOS in the future- when they crack out "the bags" it's not necessarily because there's a virus going around.

[G'ma]

Sorry you had a bad cruise but your post was funny!

 

I especially liked: "The Captain didn't know the name of the ship"....

 

Get's funnier and funnier, for sure.

[cosaraquis1]

Anyone on the Enchantment at present time that can report if there are any cases of noro on this sailing & also are they still serving all the food to you in buffet. Thanks !

[CruisinGerman]

Dear friend:

 

My wife and I take a RCCL cruise once per month, approximately.

 

We wash our hands quite frequently, and always wash our hands thoroughly before any meal and in the restroom of the port or local area before we board the ship.

 

You folks in the United States seem to have some fascination over all of those Purell and similar products, while there is no scientific proof that those products, which many of us here in Europe find horrendous with all the alcohol they have in them, are any better than good old soap and water.

 

If you or any security officer ever tried to force me to put that horrid stuff on my hands, I would respectfully request instead that you bring out a traditional wash basin, soap, water and a towel and if you refused, that the security guard accompany me to the nearest restroom and I would gladly wash my hands in front of him or her.

 

However, while I understand the cruise line has the health of all passenger and crew in mind, nobody can force me to put that horrendous stuff on my skin. Sorry.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[kurtp13]

The discussions about hand sanitizing are interesting to me. I am not a worrier but I want to take the right precautions. I understand that conventional hand sanitizers are not really effective against a virus, that hand washing is the recommended practice for prevention. So do ships have the kinds of hospital grade hand sanitizers that I understand are geared toward viruses? I have found them available on the web, but not in a retail store.

[cruisinfanatic]

Dear friend:

 

My wife and I take a RCCL cruise once per month, approximately.

 

We wash our hands quite frequently, and always wash our hands thoroughly before any meal and in the restroom of the port or local area before we board the ship.

 

You folks in the United States seem to have some fascination over all of those Purell and similar products, while there is no scientific proof that those products, which many of us here in Europe find horrendous with all the alcohol they have in them, are any better than good old soap and water.

 

If you or any security officer ever tried to force me to put that horrid stuff on my hands, I would respectfully request instead that you bring out a traditional wash basin, soap, water and a towel and if you refused, that the security guard accompany me to the nearest restroom and I would gladly wash my hands in front of him or her.

 

However, while I understand the cruise line has the health of all passenger and crew in mind, nobody can force me to put that horrendous stuff on my skin. Sorry.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

they can however "politely"

KICK YOU OFF THE SHIP

for not following their guidelines

[Ocean Boy]

Dear friend:

 

My wife and I take a RCCL cruise once per month, approximately.

 

We wash our hands quite frequently, and always wash our hands thoroughly before any meal and in the restroom of the port or local area before we board the ship.

 

You folks in the United States seem to have some fascination over all of those Purell and similar products, while there is no scientific proof that those products, which many of us here in Europe find horrendous with all the alcohol they have in them, are any better than good old soap and water.

 

If you or any security officer ever tried to force me to put that horrid stuff on my hands, I would respectfully request instead that you bring out a traditional wash basin, soap, water and a towel and if you refused, that the security guard accompany me to the nearest restroom and I would gladly wash my hands in front of him or her.

 

However, while I understand the cruise line has the health of all passenger and crew in mind, nobody can force me to put that horrendous stuff on my skin. Sorry.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I have to say that I agree with you. I always wash my hands in the restroom around the corner from the Windjammer before entering. The last thing that I want to do is then smear chemicals that are of questionable effectiveness onto my hands, that I just cleaned, before I eat. It falls along the lines of what I sometimes tell my patients. I can prescribe something for you in order to make it seem like I am doing something for you but it isn't going to help you get over this any quicker. Setting up all those sanitizers certainly make it seem like the cruise line is doing something. Well, they are doing something but whether it is of any benefit is another matter.

[CruisinGerman]

I am not refusing to wash my hands with soap and water.

 

I do refuse to place a chemical on my skin -- there is a big difference.

 

I would like to see any cruise line try to deny my boarding or kick me off the ship because I refuse to place a chemical on my skin while at the same time offer to wash my hands with soap and water in the presence of the security guard.

 

The only chemical that's been proven to fight noro virus is bleach.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

[hpreece]

They can kick you off for any slightist thing. I was told that on own cruise that the security officers aren't RC employees and do whatever they please. I can attest to that as fact when one took my alcohol (that I purchased onboard)and he indicated that I was lucky that it was the last night on board or I would have been kicked off. He indicated that we weren't permitted to consume or open it while onboard.

[hansolosmom]

The discussions about hand sanitizing are interesting to me. I am not a worrier but I want to take the right precautions. I understand that conventional hand sanitizers are not really effective against a virus, that hand washing is the recommended practice for prevention. So do ships have the kinds of hospital grade hand sanitizers that I understand are geared toward viruses? I have found them available on the web, but not in a retail store.

 

They remind me of the ones we have at school, attached to a wall like a soap dispenser. You put your hand under & it released some of the sanitizer - they aren't the pump kinds you see at the store. Not sure what "grade" of sanitizer it is. My son always points out that they don't work as well as hand washing, which is true, but then again if people don't wash their hands properly that doesn't really help either. Personally I'd rather do both if it will help me from getting sick

[Aquahound]

They can kick you off for any slightist thing. I was told that on own cruise that the security officers aren't RC employees and do whatever they please. I can attest to that as fact when one took my alcohol (that I purchased onboard)and he indicated that I was lucky that it was the last night on board or I would have been kicked off. He indicated that we weren't permitted to consume or open it while onboard.

 

This is not accurate. The Captain makes the final decision if a guest is removed from the ship. I work around this industry and know this to be true.

[cruzevirgins]

Well, she finally made it to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel around 11:45am and should be out in open ocean within the hour. I know when I was on Celebrity MERCURY we had cell-phone reception here as well as 3G (Internet) on AT&T up to about 10-15 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. I am surprised we havent heard from anyone onboard yet!

 

This AIS grab taken at 11:45am EST

 

Her track since leaving Baltimore at 3am:

 

What AIS site are you using to track the ships? The techie / map lover in my is very intrigued!

[cruzevirgins]

I am not refusing to wash my hands with soap and water.

 

I do refuse to place a chemical on my skin -- there is a big difference.

 

I would like to see any cruise line try to deny my boarding or kick me off the ship because I refuse to place a chemical on my skin while at the same time offer to wash my hands with soap and water in the presence of the security guard.

 

The only chemical that's been proven to fight noro virus is bleach.

 

Kind regards,

 

Gunther and Uta

 

I believe soap contains a number of chemicals, some quite harsh.

 

Regarding hand sanitizer and norovirus: http://www.handwashingforlife.com/new_norovirus_alcohol_hand_sanitizer

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080825203224.htm

[Bothofus]

I'm very sensitive to anything that is scented, so many hand sanitizers drive me nuts.

 

I tend to wash, sanitize, then re-wash to remove the smell of the sanitizer, hoping the scent of the soap won't linger.

 

At least my hands are pretty clean once this is done :)

 

 

Rachel

[Tony O]

What AIS site are you using to track the ships? The techie / map lover in my is very intrigued!

 

 

Looks like the poster is using Marine Traffic

www.marinetraffic.com

[cruisinfanatic]

Looks like the poster is using Marine Traffic

www.marinetraffic.com

So where is the Enchantment?

 

Would be nice if the OP bothered to check back

[Ninababy88]

The sanitize gel thing was all over the ship.

In fact John and Katrina(loved them) would ask you to sanitize at the Wind Jammer entrance. Then the trombone player served you eggs from the buffet.

I did karaoke and I was not allowed to touch the selection book or the microphone. Really the comedians on the ship had lots of material.

 

Ok and this may sound funny but in Tortola I was in a drug store and one of our elder passengers was asking the clerk for adult diapers. Hmmm I wonder if the no diaper policy extends to adults. ? Forgive me but I was so paranoid that I was checking folks out at the pool... I thought I saw one.

It was a strange cruise.

[webteach]

Hoping OP is having a great cruise and has forgotten all of the hassle and us poor landlocked people!!

[cruisinfanatic]

 

Ok and this may sound funny but in Tortola I was in a drug store and one of our elder passengers was asking the clerk for adult diapers. Hmmm I wonder if the no diaper policy extends to adults. ? Forgive me but I was so paranoid that I was checking folks out at the pool... I thought I saw one.

It was a strange cruise.

TOOO much information!

[dixieva]

I believe soap contains a number of chemicals, some quite harsh.

 

Regarding hand sanitizer and norovirus: http://www.handwashingforlife.com/new_norovirus_alcohol_hand_sanitizer

 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080825203224.htm

 

 

Very interesting articles! Hope Gunther read them both. I'm certain it won't change his mind about using the sanitizer.

 

It's great that some folks stop at the nearest bathroom and wash their hands before entering the buffet or dining room. However not everyone does this so in order to protect all of us everyone needs to use the sanitizer if it's provided. You can't pick and choose who uses it and who does not.