Norovirus or just lots of sick people??

[sandysaler]

And yes, we were on board and yes, my husband was affected and I was quarantined with him. Norovirus is miserable but not life threatening and as common as the common cold. The problem on cruise ships is that it is a closed community that changes every week or so. In an outside community, Noro runs its course and disappears. On the cruise ship, a new community of susceptible travelers is introduced at the start of each new cruise. Hence, if not sanitized out of existence on the ship it could potentially go on forever.

 

One of my biggest complaints over the way the disease was handled on the ship was the lack of honesty. Denial was rampant. The number of cases were hidden. The outbreak was well underway before there was admission that the increased sanitation and the urgings to wash hands were more than an attempt to keep a healthy ship healthy. Everyone who tried to get information on the numbers involved (and that included myself) were given different information. I was told after our quarantine period that NO crew were infected and fewer than 36 passengers was implied although on the latter I never received an actual number. According to the CDC there were more than 74 passengers effected and 12 crew. And I know from conversations with other effected passengers that many cases were not reported. I talked with one woman who was ill but blamed it on too much wine, and 4 who said that they had suffered from "food poisoning" and didn't need to report that problem because it only lasted one day so it couldn't have been norovirus. Having been on a Holland America ship some years back were there was an outbreak, I appreciated their honesty about the problem and the numbers of cases and think there was better cooperation among the passengers who understood the seriousness of the problem. I think that many passengers aboard the Riviera did not understand the significance of "a number of passengers with GI symptoms" until we were denied entry to Bermuda.

[sandysaler]

According to the CDC website, Marina had a norvirus outbreak last April.

[RJB]

According to the CDC website, Marina had a norvirus outbreak last April.

 

I read that also but it was not widely reported. We were on Marina in Aug. and had no idea that they had an outbreak earlier in the year.

[LHT28]

I read that also but it was not widely reported. We were on Marina in Aug. and had no idea that they had an outbreak earlier in the year.

maybe you were not looking in the right places

It was on the ship from LIMA to NYC then again from MTL to the Baltic

 

here is one thread there are several others

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2214667

[wristband]

Sandysaler is absolutely correct in her criticism. We were also on Riviera Barcelona - Miami and the communication from the bridge and the Goofball Cruise Director Ray Michaels was amateurish and consistently blasé. There was a problem that was spreading and all could see it yet the announcements for our 7 days at sea were a joke - use the hand sanitizers etc - until they raised the concern to "see the doctor for free if you have GI distress symptoms."

 

Too little, too late and the inability to respond in a professional and competent manner was infuriating. Sandysaler is right - many passengers who became ill told me they never notified or went to the Medical Center b/c they did not know they should do so or were fearful of the cost. They self-quarantined until the symptoms passed so the ship doctor would not have tabulated and reported those numbers to the CDC.

 

Funny enough, one gent on our Trivia team got terribly sick, visited the MC after Funchal but was told he had eaten a "bad oyster" at Jacques! He believed that but earlier this week he was wondering if it was in actuality noro.

[hypercafe]

A bad oyster, not saying much for the kitchen.

[LHT28]

sorry but this thread started 3 yrs ago

some of the posts may be relevant to the current Noro

 

If people are too selfish not to seek medical attention when they are sick even if it were to cost them a fee they are just being selfish :rolleyes:

 

that is why most people take travel insurance to cover the unexpected

 

Even when the cruise line announce a problem there are still people who ignore washing their hands or even using the gel stations

Edited December 4, 2015 by LHT28

[English Voyager]

Given the pressure on doctors not to freely prescribe antibiotics, what should one expect to receive by way of medication from a ship's doctor for suspected norovirus?

[LHT28]

Given the pressure on doctors not to freely prescribe antibiotics, what should one expect to receive by way of medication from a ship's doctor for suspected norovirus?

Antibiotics are of no use to treat NORO

keep hydrated

 

http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/hcp/diagnosis-treatment.html

[sitraveler]

we were on the Riviera cruise effected by noro.

 

I just found the following, which confirms our Bermuda stop was prevented by

the Bermuda authorities, contrary to earlier reports.

 

http://bernews.com/2015/11/cruise-ship-visit-cancelled-due-to-outbreak/

[RJB]

we were on the Riviera cruise effected by noro.

 

I just found the following, which confirms our Bermuda stop was prevented by

the Bermuda authorities, contrary to earlier reports.

 

http://bernews.com/2015/11/cruise-ship-visit-cancelled-due-to-outbreak/

Would anyone really think otherwise?