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Has Boudicca still got norovirus on it?


trinitytrees

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I take bacterial wipes with me and re wipe everything down including the remote control ( do this in hotels as well)

 

Wash hands before and after the toilet, and wash hands again after touching the door to go out - I use anti viral hand foam, which is different from the bacterial hand gels

 

Do people also clean the flushing knob or handle, or the door lock, or the tap. These are the three most vulnerable items after using the loo. Also one has to adjust ones dress, zip ones fly, the list of things that are not sanitised goes on! One can never be 100% sure about oneself or others.

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Do people also clean the flushing knob or handle, or the door lock, or the tap. These are the three most vulnerable items after using the loo. Also one has to adjust ones dress, zip ones fly, the list of things that are not sanitised goes on! One can never be 100% sure about oneself or others.

 

I am OCD so 100% sure I clean everything, and always have hankie in my pocket - one woman asked me one time on a cruise if I was a nurse, when I asked why, she said because of the way I washed my hands - doesn't everyone wash their hands that way

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that's for April can't see any updates or new threats

 

Well I was supposed to sail on 23 May but was advised by FO the day before that Norovirus was on the ship so I cancelled with a full refund. I can't point you to every comment so suggest you do a Google search using Boudicca, Norovirus and any other key words you think pertinent.

 

But I have it IN WRITING, DATED 21 May 2013, and have found numerous comments on the Internet. It ain't no joke!!!:D

 

Suggest you scroll down the page and then select page 4. The thread started in April but has gone on since then.

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So so sorry to hear the answer to my original post is that yes it is still on board the Boudicca. really feel for the passengers that have been and are ill. I really like FO but will not travel on board Boudicca whilst still risk of this virus.

 

I hope FO can solve this once and for all very very soon

 

get well all

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Just got the e-mail version of the notification of a delayed embarkation due to 'norovirus or similar'. They say the medical staff have treated 'a number of guests'. Well, I suppose even the whole passenger list could be considered 'a number of guests'.

 

No option to cancel with refund and no reason to force a cancellation legally, as it is only a short delay, so we will go, but they will be seeing us in court if we catch it.

 

On the positive side it looks like good weather at the weekend.

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They should give you the option to cancel due to change in contract terms with possibility of illness.

 

They are not just going to offer the option are they?

 

If you travel knowing now that there is the possibility of catching the Norovirus, I don't think you will have a leg to stand on if you try to sue later.

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Just got the e-mail version of the notification of a delayed embarkation due to 'norovirus or similar'. They say the medical staff have treated 'a number of guests'. Well, I suppose even the whole passenger list could be considered 'a number of guests'.

 

No option to cancel with refund and no reason to force a cancellation legally, as it is only a short delay, so we will go, but they will be seeing us in court if we catch it.

 

On the positive side it looks like good weather at the weekend.

 

same here, just got my letter :mad: will be packing my mask as well as my wipes and doing a Michael Jackson:eek:

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I want to clarify that my legal advice is completely sound and is independent of any postings on any forum. That is not in anyway a criticism of any other posts or anyone who has posted.

 

 

I have exchanged emails with and had a number of telephone conversations with Fred Olsen over the last week. The first notable point is the information given by them in an email last Friday that approximately 10% of guests in the current cruise reported symptoms of the norovirus in the first week. Also that only 20 were in isolation last Friday and that only 8 were affected yesterday.

 

 

Following my other exchanges with Fred Olsen, (which had included telling me that they will not refund unless someone has another medical condition as I have stated previously), I telephoned this morning.

I asked if I could be assurred that the virus will not be present as people are embarked. I was told it would not be, even after I asked for further clarification of that fact. I also asked if our cruise will in any way be impaired by norovirus (specifying things such as the self service restaurant and availability of pools). I was told that there would be no need for this as the virus will not be present, indeed the ship would not be allowed to sail if the virus was present.

 

 

I then stated that, if there is an impact, then we will pursue a claim. In reply to this I was told, 'That is absolutely fine and is down to your discretion'.

 

 

One point of note is that a significant change has to be made by the holiday company, but if they are insisting that people cannot cancel, then any claims are perfectly valid.

 

 

Perhaps it is time for a group claim.

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Stop telephoning - when I had the problem All exchanges were by email so I have a "legally perfect" record of everything "said" and the name of the person involved.

 

Much too much is discussed on the phone and despite the fact they say "some" calls are recorded, you can bet your bottom dollar that the one you need as evidence does not exist!

 

I have claimed from a few Tour Operators in the past and won every time. They didn't even bother to attend the hearing, and invariably settled the claim.

 

Of course, at the end of the day, each person must make up their own mind as to how they are to deal with these situations.

God Bless all who sail on her, as HM The Queen said!

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As stated on the other site our data is complete and I would not rely on their recordings of telephone calls.

 

Our reason to pursue this is not to gain financially from any claim, but I would much prefer not to be in this situation at all and certainly do not want to risk infection. I do, however, think the company need put in their place.

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It is interesting that no one from Fred Olsen has commented on this thread, it is known they read this, and do comment on various threads from time to time.

 

They can't or won't comment, they would need to comment via their PR department.

 

It boils down to personal hygiene ship/company cannot be blamed 100% - I have been on cruises where passengers refuse to wash their hands, passengers pushing by you to get to the buffet and grabbing food with their hands - taking a dirty plate back to the buffet, and refilling their plate - all leads to contamination of some sort

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I've been reading these posts with interest. We used to cruise with FO but our last experience onboard made us determine never to sil with them again. We had an outbreak of norovirus on board as we boarded. We were told that the mythical 'somebody' bought it onboard with them but we discovered that some of the crew and entertainers were already suffering prior to us being boarded. What really did it for us, though, was that we were meant to call at the Cape Verde Islands and we weren't permitted to board due to the high percentage of norovirus 'sufferers' onboard and sailed to Lanzarote instead, a destination we have visited many times on cruise ships and which we aren't particularly fond of. We could have booked a Canary Island cruise for the fraction of the price that cruise cost. We were offered no compensation. We wrote several times but were only offered a discount on a future cruise. We made it clear we had no intention of cruising with FO again.

 

It's not just the fact that the norovirus was on the ship, it's more the way we were treated, like ignorant school children who wouldn't discover the truth, and offered no compensation whatsoever. We weren't really looking for huge amounts of compensation but felt that the value of the cruise was diminished. I would add we have just been on an Azamara Cruise Club cruise which boarded in Mumbai. Several pages went down with norovirus. NO crew members, officers or entertainment staff were affected which led us to believe it was more a case of 'delhi belly' than anything they had picked up onboard. Scrupulous measures were taken and the Captain personally advised us of the progress of the problem twice daily. Only about 12 people were affected but the way it was dealt with was very professional unlike FO.

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Can't say I have had issues with the people on Fred Olsen ships, in fact we have found them much better than P&O passenger's.

 

The article is on the website of The Liverpool Echo - will post the link in a following post in case it is pulled.

 

 

One small error as the letter notifying passengers for todays cruise mentioned 'a number' of sufferers. The 10% figure was sent to me individually a few days earlier by email in response to my asking them about it. The numbers were confirmed to the Echo by the company though.

 

 

The article did not mention the ongoing situation with the infection, but it would be hard to prove and publications would always have to be be very careful what they put. Don't want to put people and cruise companies off sailing from Liverpool either do we?

 

 

Hopefully it will edge Fred Olsen out of their comfort zone though.

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Here is the link to the local newspaper (Liverpool Echo) article about Boudicca.

 

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/deep-clean-liverpool-cruise-terminal-4065185

 

It is fairly prominent on their home page. Main items above it are the new manger for Everton football club and a Hillsborough article - can't expect to compete with either of those in Liverpool can we? Quite right too.

 

Must go and buy the paper now,

 

Barbara

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Glad to report back no illness or NV on the Bodiccia mini cruise :)

 

Happy to hear it.

 

Sounds like Balmoral may have had some issues on the last cruise as they are delaying boarding tomorrow to allow for a proper clean of the ship and terminal.

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