Infinity - Noro Virus?

[aprilivy]

Just had a call from a first-time cruiser (co-worker) who is to leave Seattle on the Infinity today....delayed while they sanitize the ship for a virus.

They treated them all to a bus tour of Seattle and a trip to Pike's market.

She is thrilled they are sanitizing!!!

Gotta love the attitude!:)

[cruiseacecat]

Just had a call from a first-time cruiser (co-worker) who is to leave Seattle on the Infinity today....delayed while they sanitize the ship for a virus.

They treated them all to a bus tour of Seattle and a trip to Pike's market.

She is thrilled they are sanitizing!!!

Gotta love the attitude!:)

Hope your friend stays well. It would be an awful first cruise if she came down with noro. :eek: Sending good wishes to her and everyone else on the ship. Please let us know if you get another report from her.

 

Anne

[texast518]

Hope all is well and trip not delayed too long.

[yayvacation!]

I just got off the infinity today! Full report to come later, we did have an outbreak of what I can only assume was Noro that started on our Skagway day, the ships crew informed us of the outbreak the following day while we were at sea.

 

We were so impressed with the way the crew organized into action, we had sanitizer everywhere, lots of hallways were partitioned off so passengers could only enter and exit through one area of each hallway. The drink stations everywhere where blocked off from guest use and the crew handled all beverage service.

 

Today we saw the crew going into each and every room in masks and some type of spray sanitizer and making sure everything was clean from top to bottom.

 

Overall we were very impressed with the way the whole situation was handled!! Another great job by celebrity!

[yayvacation!]

Oh yeah and they sailed away today at 5pm on the dot we watched from the pier!

[Bet & Peg]

Last July we sailed the Baltic on the Constellation. There had been a Noro outbreak on the 3 cruise before ours. On CC we knew all about it since one of our RC members was on a B2B on the cruise before ours and she kept us constantly informed.

 

She reported much like yayvacation! the fabulous efforts of the crew. She also alerted us to the fact that our cruise would be late in boarding and leaving since Celebrity had hired an outside group to deep clean the whole ship - even the B2B passengers had to pack their luggage to "leave" (their bags were stored by the crew.

 

The docking/sailing day, Celebrity took all the B2B passengers to breakfast in an Amsterdam restaurant and then on a tour of the city. The port building was set up so passengers would check in, get their sea pass and then sit around eating or could take a shuttle bus or tours. Elite, suite, concierge passengers were led into the ajoining hotel's 2nd floor where one ballroom was showing tennis, the other World Cup game - and movies at other times. There was also food & internet available as well as a card room. We had all been given numbers when we first came, and, when boarding time came, the groups were taken by number into the ship. They used all entrances possible - upstairs and downstairs. Our group was led down to the hotel's first floor, across the lobby and through, I guess, a back service entrance to a ship's entrance used during port days to board. There was a group using a similar one in the rear of the ship. They had everyone boarded in about an hour!

 

I really thought the ship's staff & crew had turned lemons into lemonade and done a fantastic job. Now, I also know that many passengers were really upset and mad. But I don't think they really understood how serious Noro could have become if it weren't stopped. On our cruise they was very little evidence of anyone sick - but the passengers really didn't help! Some just didn't want to cooperate and questioned using the wipes, etc.

 

While I praise the officers & crew, I think "Miami" could have been much, much better in their communications!! We only knew about the delayed sailing becuase of CC - even RC members who called Miami were told the ship would sail as scheduled. There was a real mis-communication there!

 

Sorry this is long, but my point is that the officers/crew on the ship are fantastic and can cope with anything!!

[biker1972]

Remember, the Noro virus is extremely common and can be aquired almost anywhere, not just ships. And it can be prevented by the simple trick of hand washing. :)

[aprilivy]

Yes, Noro can be brought under control....pleased to know they sailed on time. She really was thinking of this as a bonus since they got a free trip to the market!

Sad thing is - her husband didn't want to take the cruise because he felt it was too expensive and I'm sure she's getting some grief from him.

Having done the cruise in 2009 - I am sure they will have spectacular new experiences. I was more impressed with seeing the eagles all around than I was with the whales...

If you haven't done the Alaska cruise - I would highly recommend it! We will go back!

[cruiseacecat]

Anyone else back with info?

 

Anne

[ALSG]

Yes, I was on the cruise and there was an outbreak, including my daughter. Tough to tell how prevalent it was, but the Infirmary was buzzing when we visited. There was an announcement about the outbreak and the ship took strong precautions (passengers could no longer self-serve anything - drinks or food; crew members with sanitizers everywhere, etc.). I think they handled it very well.

[cruiseacecat]

Thanks for posting this and sorry to hear about your daughter. Hopefully, she has recovered by now. Not a nice experience, but it does sound as if the crew is working very hard to eradicate this virus. And welcome to cruise critic.

 

Anne

[redhot1]

We were also on this cruise and the captian and crew did an outstanding job in containment. It is a common problem on cruise ships but this is the first time that the I(nfinity has ever had the virus so the captian said. I spoke with him about it and i think they were on top of it right away. They were busy sanitizing and I understand that there were about 78 passengers that were affected. It has a 48 hour incubation period and the sad part is there are going to be some passengers who will get it at home or on the way. Feel bad for them for sure. We talked with about 8-10 passengers who had it or their spouse had it and were quarentined. No fun for sure. We are fine and I feel will will be ok, saw YAYA's post and feel very bad for your dau, not a fun way to spend your time, hope she wasn't a small child as that can be very dangereous for them. Hope she is doing better now. Theres a whole new batch of passengers in our cabins as we speak.:)

[cruiseacecat]

Redhot1, thanks for your response. Maybe Celebrity will see these threads and realize that they have a problem on Infinity.

 

Anne

[dkjretired]

Redhot1, thanks for your response. Maybe Celebrity will see these threads and realize that they have a problem on Infinity.

 

 

 

Anne

 

I think they know, do you really think they don't report this to corporate headquarters....

[Karynanne]

Yes, Noro can be brought under control....pleased to know they sailed on time. She really was thinking of this as a bonus since they got a free trip to the market!

Sad thing is - her husband didn't want to take the cruise because he felt it was too expensive and I'm sure she's getting some grief from him.

Having done the cruise in 2009 - I am sure they will have spectacular new experiences. I was more impressed with seeing the eagles all around than I was with the whales...

If you haven't done the Alaska cruise - I would highly recommend it! We will go back!

 

Hopefully she and her husband will make lemonade out of a possibly "lemon" situation. Noro occurs occasionally, and the staff and crew are extremely efficient at tackling the issue and assuring that your cruise will be enjoying and trouble-free.

[cruiseacecat]

I think they know, do you really think they don't report this to corporate headquarters....

Hi Don,

 

Of course they know, they are just not admitting it to the public yet. I should have used the sarcastic icon. :)

 

Anne

[redhot1]

By law they are required to report every incident to the CDC and they have all sorts of reports and paperwork to them. I spoke with the captian and was telling him I didn't envy all the paperwork he was facing. I am sure they will have to wait to see the exact number of passengers and crew who were struck and then make a public disclosure at that time. From my understanding this was the first time that the Infinity has had the virus. But I still feel theyn handled in in a fast and resposible manner, Noro is a common problem on all cruise lines and some resort areas.:)

[cruiseacecat]

Hi redhot1,

 

Believe me, I understand that it is a tremendous headache for the ships officers, staff and crew. I am certain that they are doing everything possible onboard to take care of this situation. I will NEVER fault the people who work on the ships. My unhappiness lies with the people in the corporate office in Miami, who are much more interested in protecting their bottom line than in being up front with future passengers.

And I believe in order to be forced to report to the cdc, the numbers have to be 2 percent of the passengers and crew. My understanding from the various posts is that they were not there yet on the previous cruise. Time will tell about the current one.

 

Anne

[mjrjrd2011]

I was on the Rhapsody of the Seas Aug 12-Aug 19 and was taking a Seattle city tour on the 19th the same day that Infinity got in. As we passed the Celebrity Infinity, The bus tour guide pointed out that the Infinity had a Red flag which indicated a sickness on board. So it doesn't appear that they were hiding it. I feel bad for the people that get quarantined. If they have a small cabin, I think that would especially stink.

[bighairtexan]

It's funny but noro viruses are 2nd only to the common cold as far as number of incidents. It can run through a resort, a hotel, a school.... but at this point only cruise ships are mandated to report it. There are literally MILLIONS of cases of noro a year in the US and the vast majority are not related to cruise ships.

 

Someone brought it onto the ship in the first place. It didn't spontaneously "combust". And the person/people might not have even known they had it, as the first day or 2 is asymptomatic. They could have gotten it at home or in the hotel prior to the cruise. Or the airplane, the airport, the snack bar, the restaurant, the fast food place, the bar....

[redhot1]

Great point big hair thats exactly how it comes on board and then spreads, corporate is always out to protect their bottm line. I understand their were crew who got it also, so the next sasiling could be affected. But time will tell and I'm sure the figures will come out on the CDC site or this site.:)

[bighairtexan]

You know how just prior to boarding, you fill out a health questionaire. I wonder if someone was feeling a bit "off" would they admit it? Or would they think, "Oh I'll be OK. After all I just flew 2500 miles to get here, and have paid a few thousand for the cruise. I'm getting on."

Don't forget we can also get it in any of the ports we visit. The crew can get it in port or from us. We can get it in our local buffet/brunch/restaurant. People can handle salt and pepper shakers in any restaurant. We can't expect to go into our local cafe and ask the waiter, "would you salt and pepper my eggs? Then add some sugar and stir my coffee?" Ultimately we all have to be responsible for our own health in this regard, whether we're on land or sea. It's everywhere, and ships are probably a LOT cleaner and proactive than almost every place else.

[dkjretired]

Hi redhot1,

 

Believe me, I understand that it is a tremendous headache for the ships officers, staff and crew. I am certain that they are doing everything possible onboard to take care of this situation. I will NEVER fault the people who work on the ships. My unhappiness lies with the people in the corporate office in Miami, who are much more interested in protecting their bottom line than in being up front with future passengers.

And I believe in order to be forced to report to the cdc, the numbers have to be 2 percent of the passengers and crew. My understanding from the various posts is that they were not there yet on the previous cruise. Time will tell about the current one.

 

Anne

 

Anne:

 

Not to make a big deal here, but I have read both threads on this and do not see one report where someone contacted Miami and they denied it. Do you have any contrary information.

 

Thank you

[cruiseacecat]

Anne:

 

Not to make a big deal here, but I have read both threads on this and do not see one report where someone contacted Miami and they denied it. Do you have any contrary information.

 

Thank you

Hi Don,

 

I contacted the resolutions dept. on Sat. afternoon and was told they had not been notified of "any outbreak of any kind" Am going to call again today. In case you have not already guessed, I am booked on the Infinity leaving this friday. It was a last minute decision, and not one of my best.

Just spoke to cpt. club who checked with resolutions and they say they have not been notified about an outbreak at this time. If I cancel, I am on my own. So, there we are.

[ilovetexas]

Those hand sanitizers are good for a lot of things but NOT norovirus, which isn't killed by alcohol. Soap, water and friction is required!!!

 

My kids got sick (along with a lot of other pax and crew) on Disney a couple of years ago. I told them that unless they wanted to spend their last cruise in June like they did the Disney cruise, they needed to wash their hands. Often.

 

It's awful when any ship gets this nasty bug entrenched because it's hard to get rid of. Hopefully Celebrity's sanitation efforts will take care of it before too many more people are impacted.

 

People really should wash their hands more often. :)