Try to stay healthy on the cruise

[Widebay]

Prior to our Celebrity Millenium "transpacific cruise" from Hawaii to Sydney in November I was in very good health, went swimming & paddle boarding in Waikiki, with loads of walking around that vibrant city. I was blown away with Halloween night in Waikiki.

Firstly, I am not blaming Celebrity or any of their crew for what happened to me.

During the latter part of the cruise, I noticed on quite a few occasions, people coughing with wheezy chest conditions, similar to the flu. When dear Wife & I were in the lifts/dining area/and Celebrity Theatre. When anyone sat beside us in the theatre with flu like cold/cough, we immediately moved to another location to escape the dreaded flu. Some passengers heard that one couple was put off the ship at a certain port because of their flu infection.

Anyway, we arrived in Sydney, I seemed okay, we flew home to Qld, then a few days later, the flu hit me like ton of bricks. I was laid up for 2 days in bed. My doctor has prescribed medication, and I am now only starting to improve.

As I said this is no reflection on Celebrity or any other cruise line, its just unfortunate that when you have hundreds of people jammed together on a cruise ship, some bug will come along & hit someone.

Its been 9 days since we arrived home, and still can't shake off this flu, but I am slowly improving.

I never had this problem on our previous cruises - Pride of America around the Hawaiian Islands & Sun Princess South Pacific cruise.

I am thinking of giving cruises a rest for a while, and considering fly & stay holidays in the next 12 months, perhaps Bali or Samoa/Tonga.

[Fouremco]

Prior to our Celebrity Millenium "transpacific cruise" from Hawaii to Sydney in November I was in very good health, went swimming & paddle boarding in Waikiki, with loads of walking around that vibrant city. I was blown away with Halloween night in Waikiki.

Firstly, I am not blaming Celebrity or any of their crew for what happened to me.

During the latter part of the cruise, I noticed on quite a few occasions, people coughing with wheezy chest conditions, similar to the flu. When dear Wife & I were in the lifts/dining area/and Celebrity Theatre. When anyone sat beside us in the theatre with flu like cold/cough, we immediately moved to another location to escape the dreaded flu. Some passengers heard that one couple was put off the ship at a certain port because of their flu infection.

Anyway, we arrived in Sydney, I seemed okay, we flew home to Qld, then a few days later, the flu hit me like ton of bricks. I was laid up for 2 days in bed. My doctor has prescribed medication, and I am now only starting to improve.

As I said this is no reflection on Celebrity or any other cruise line, its just unfortunate that when you have hundreds of people jammed together on a cruise ship, some bug will come along & hit someone.

Its been 9 days since we arrived home, and still can't shake off this flu, but I am slowly improving.

I never had this problem on our previous cruises - Pride of America around the Hawaiian Islands & Sun Princess South Pacific cruise.

I am thinking of giving cruises a rest for a while, and considering fly & stay holidays in the next 12 months, perhaps Bali or Samoa/Tonga.

Sorry to hear that. I suppose if there's a silver lining, it's that you had made it home before coming down with it.

 

Had you taken your flu shots before going on the cruise? I find that CC is filled with threads about the norovirus, but there is little if any discussion of flu. The northern hemisphere winter cruising season coincides very closely to the annual flu season, and the simple preventative measure of a flu shot would save a lot of people the unpleasantness of catching the flu.

Edited November 28, 2013 by Fouremco

[sunshine 229]

Getting the flu is a bummer whether you get it at home, at sea, or in an all inclusive resort in Basli.

I think there are very few places where you can be sure of not contracting it. You could avoid cruises and pick it up from the handle of a grocery cart in your local shopping area or from sitting next to an infected person in your home town theatre.

I hope you recover quickly and avoid getting the flu again for a good long time but I doubt that just avoiding cruising will guarantee that. Personally,I'd worry more about the recirculated air on a plane than I would about my fellow cruisers , as long as I practice normal hygiene such as frequent hand washing.

[Jane2357]

We always get a flu shot the beginning of September and since we started - have not only never gotten the flu but strangely - I've stopped getting my annual bout of bronchitis. I do worry about Noro on a cruise and I'm not sure that I'd know the difference between flu and Noro symptoms. Could someone please tell me the difference.

 

To the OP - I'm sorry you caught the flu - glad to hear you are on the mend.

[Karen@Steve]

Prior to our Celebrity Millenium "transpacific cruise" from Hawaii to Sydney in November I was in very good health, went swimming & paddle boarding in Waikiki, with loads of walking around that vibrant city. I was blown away with Halloween night in Waikiki.

Firstly, I am not blaming Celebrity or any of their crew for what happened to me.

During the latter part of the cruise, I noticed on quite a few occasions, people coughing with wheezy chest conditions, similar to the flu. When dear Wife & I were in the lifts/dining area/and Celebrity Theatre. When anyone sat beside us in the theatre with flu like cold/cough, we immediately moved to another location to escape the dreaded flu. Some passengers heard that one couple was put off the ship at a certain port because of their flu infection.

Anyway, we arrived in Sydney, I seemed okay, we flew home to Qld, then a few days later, the flu hit me like ton of bricks. I was laid up for 2 days in bed. My doctor has prescribed medication, and I am now only starting to improve.

As I said this is no reflection on Celebrity or any other cruise line, its just unfortunate that when you have hundreds of people jammed together on a cruise ship, some bug will come along & hit someone.

Its been 9 days since we arrived home, and still can't shake off this flu, but I am slowly improving.

I never had this problem on our previous cruises - Pride of America around the Hawaiian Islands & Sun Princess South Pacific cruise.

I am thinking of giving cruises a rest for a while, and considering fly & stay holidays in the next 12 months, perhaps Bali or Samoa/Tonga.

 

Sorry you got sick. I've never been sick during or after a cruise but got a really nasty respiratory infection after a flight sitting near someone that was obviously ill. There is no real way to protect yourself from all infections but getting the flu shot is an obviously way to give yourself better odds of coming out unscathed.

[NLH Arizona]

Hope you are feeling better soon. What happened to you can happen on a cruise or while at home. People who get sick, seem to think that they can just go about their lives infecting others. I try to be very careful during cold and flu season. I get a flu shot every year, wash my hands a lot, use wipes on things like grocery carts and use antibacteria gel to keep my hands clean when there is no water. And mostly if I can tell someone is sick, I stay away from them and have been known to make a comment when someone doesn't cover their mouth when they cough or cover their nose and mouth when the sneeze....sorry, I just can't help myself.

 

I've been on over 30 cruises and I've only been sick once, got

phenomia while on a cruise in Norway.

 

I wouldn't discard cruising, as this could happen to you anywhere.

[franksandy]

Leaving on a Hawaii cruise in 8 days.....Its Flu and Cold season...Chances are lots of us will be getting the flu on this cruise...

[Lois R]

We always get a flu shot the beginning of September and since we started - have not only never gotten the flu but strangely - I've stopped getting my annual bout of bronchitis. I do worry about Noro on a cruise and I'm not sure that I'd know the difference between flu and Noro symptoms. Could someone please tell me the difference.

 

To the OP - I'm sorry you caught the flu - glad to hear you are on the mend.

 

Hi, fortunently I have never had noro but do have friends who were

hit with it. From what they have told me? Noro is MUCH more gastro/

stomach related than a flu bug. I think if you got noro you would definitely

know it, if you know what I mean......

I also always get a flu shot at the beginning of the season and

have never contracted it either:)

 

Oh, I am also sorry to hear about the original poster and hope they

feel better soon.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Lois R

[Iamthesea]

I seemed okay, we flew home to Qld, then a few days later, the flu hit me like ton of bricks.

 

More than likely OP, you picked the flu up after the cruise, the airport or in the airplane.

 

The typical incubation period for influenza is 1—4 days (average: 2 days). Adults shed influenza virus from the day before symptoms begin through 5—10 days after illness onset. However, the amount of virus shed, and presumably infectivity, decreases rapidly by 3—5 days after onset in an experimental human infection model. Young children also might shed virus several days before illness onset, and children can be infectious for 10 or more days after onset of symptoms. Severely immunocompromised persons can shed virus for weeks or months.

 

Scary stuff and even more of a reason to get the vaccine.! :eek:

[Kwenz]

We always get a flu shot the beginning of September and since we started - have not only never gotten the flu but strangely - I've stopped getting my annual bout of bronchitis. I do worry about Noro on a cruise and I'm not sure that I'd know the difference between flu and Noro symptoms. Could someone please tell me the difference.

 

To the OP - I'm sorry you caught the flu - glad to hear you are on the mend.

 

The flu is respiratory noriovirus is GI

[baggal]

Hope you are feeling better soon. What happened to you can happen on a cruise or while at home. People who get sick, seem to think that they can just go about their lives infecting others. I try to be very careful during cold and flu season. I get a flu shot every year, wash my hands a lot, use wipes on things like grocery carts and use antibacteria gel to keep my hands clean when there is no water. And mostly if I can tell someone is sick, I stay away from them and have been known to make a comment when someone doesn't cover their mouth when they cough or cover their nose and mouth when the sneeze....sorry, I just can't help myself.

 

I've been on over 30 cruises and I've only been sick once, got

phenomia while on a cruise in Norway.

 

I wouldn't discard cruising, as this could happen to you anywhere.

 

Yes, you can get sick anywhere. Here I sit at my computer at home recovering from a gastrointestinal bug that had me under the weather for 2 days just as I was preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. Even though I felt somewhat better to be able to have guests, I didn't want to possibly serve the norovirus along with the turkey. My daughter helped with the food prep and everyone else pitched in with serving. I probably picked up the bug in a crowded supermarket. Certainly wasn't on a cruise ship but it was just as unpleasant.

[miched]

I get a flu shot but that doesn't always help. It always seems as if I get it after flying. We no longer fly. Have only booked cruises that we drive to.

 

I think that we need the doctors that the hockey and basketball players have. They sit out a game because of the flu and are back the next day.

Edited November 29, 2013 by miched

[NLH Arizona]

Yes, you can get sick anywhere. Here I sit at my computer at home recovering from a gastrointestinal bug that had me under the weather for 2 days just as I was preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. Even though I felt somewhat better to be able to have guests, I didn't want to possibly serve the norovirus along with the turkey. My daughter helped with the food prep and everyone else pitched in with serving. I probably picked up the bug in a crowded supermarket. Certainly wasn't on a cruise ship but it was just as unpleasant.

Glad you are feeling better and were able to enjoy Thanksgiving.

[Widebay]

I had already had my annual flu injections prior to the cruise. My wife & I have been having flu shots for the past 10 years.

 

I questioned my doctor regarding the flu shots, and she said, they only protect against the present or previous flue strains. There are always new strains on the horizon, which you may not be protected against.

 

Not sure how one can compare the chances of catching the flu on a plane compared to a cruise ship......lets think about it, ships carry a "huge" number of passengers to an aeroplane. I can't recall ever catching the flu on a plane, and I have flown to numerous locations including UK/Europe, Singapore, Hawaii, etc.

 

I did see some passengers on our cruise ship wearing face masks, that should have twigged.

[Widebay]

I forgot to mention that my wife is a retired registered nurse. On the cruise we were discussing the norovirus, and she mentioned that in Aged Care facilities it is always a problem, with the elderly not washing their hands properly, than handling food. On our cruise ship you couldn't enter the main Dining Room (Bistro area) without your hands being squirted with the handwash, held by a staff member, who said, "washy washy".

[jackdiamond]

I forgot to mention that my wife is a retired registered nurse. On the cruise we were discussing the norovirus, and she mentioned that in Aged Care facilities it is always a problem, with the elderly not washing their hands properly, than handling food. On our cruise ship you couldn't enter the main Dining Room (Bistro area) without your hands being squirted with the handwash, held by a staff member, who said, "washy washy".

Sadly, some of the medical folks now indicate that that stuff is not really efficacious. It would appear that the best solution is frequent hand washing, never shaking hands, and never using the fingers to punch elavator buttons etc.

[CI66774]

I succumbed to the most dastardly cold on the QM2 during a Southern Caribbean cruise. I also used to work for the airlines. That recycled air is just circulating all of the airborne viruses, etc. I've never been as sick as when I was a flight attendant. Whenever you're in close proximity with people, this happens. It sucks - but that's the reality.

[Jacs]

I copped a horrid cold and then a bout of Bronchitis on our recent cruise from Hawaii to Sydney too. There were people all over the ship coughing, sneezing and spluttering. As soon as I got sick I isolated myself as much as possible, and when I had to go in public areas I coughed into a tissue and threw it away, or into the crease of my elbow so I wasn't touching things with germy hands.

 

I completed a 5 day course of antibiotics (nose swab showed it was viral bronchitis), while I was on them I stayed in my room as much as possible. Only when I'd done to antib's did I feel like I could mix with people. Others weren't so considerate though, spreading their germs everywhere by going to shows and the restaurants and coughing and touching everything. The dr on lard even told me he saw lots of staff not following proper cough protocols :(

[Keith1010]

Unfortunately one of the challenges when traveling with so many people is the higher chance of getting sick.

 

Keith

[Pushka]

We could always stay at home I guess. ;)

 

It surprises me that people are surprised when they succumb to a virus after a plane flight, travel to an area with a different season to their home town, or stay in a crowd of thousands and all sharing the same recycled air.

 

Maybe it's lucky we don't get sicker than we do?

[baggal]

Glad you are feeling better and were able to enjoy Thanksgiving.

 

Thank you!

[Widebay]

Jacs - that's exactly what I had - Viral Bronchitis, and I caught it on the Celebrity Millenium, travelling from Hawaii to Sydney, Australia. It sounds like we were on the same cruise ship, and suffering from the same health problem.

As soon as I arrived home, I visited my specialist GP, who put me onto the proper medication.

 

My only concern was for other passengers & crew who had not yet caught this bug. I am just about over it, but it left a nasty taste in my mouth, about cruising on large cruise liners, with vast numbers of passengers, hence, the reason to travel on a small cruise liner down the track, but not straight away.

 

I think its time I few to Samoa or Tonga for a nice beach holiday.

[Jacs]

^ No I was on the Solstice a couple of weeks before you, seems like there were some viruses running around Hawaii and they came home with both of us :) Sorry I meant to say it was bacterial bronchitis, not viral, hence the antibiotics. It was a viral cold or flu that set it all off though :( I spent the whole 18 nights with some sort of sickness, I managed to avoid the worst of the cold symptoms with cold and flu tablets whilst in Hawaii, but day 2 of the cruise and bang! Bronchitis kicked in. Spent the next couple of days bed ridden with fever, one day I got up for the bathroom and that was it, slept the rest of the time. Then just had the hacking cough that wouldn't quit. Anti B's got that a bit better but then I developed secondary cough caused by the irritation of my throat from the infection :rolleyes: nearly 2 months after returning and I still have a bit of it :(

 

Thank god for travel insurance though, we spent about $600 at the ship drs between me and DH!

[Widebay]

Jacs, whatever, caused it, or whatever caused it, it has left a bitter taste in my mouth about cruising for the next few years. We have decided to give cruising a wide berth for the next 5 years (really can't think of any cruises in south pacific that appeal to us)

 

In the process of booking a fly/stay holiday either in Samoa or Tonga. I heard a guest speaker on our cruise saying that Samoa was probably the birth place for the Polynesian race, prior to moving further afield to Hawaii & Tahiti.

 

In August next year, we may fly back to Hawaii to attend "The Dukes Surfing Festival" (10 days of great surfing competitions, from SUPB, boardriding, swimming races, beach races),.....then fly over to Las Vegas.

Whilst in Waikiki we probably will do a flight over to the island of Molakai to do the mule ride down to Father Damiens Church.

[Jacs]

^ that sounds lovely! I would love to go to Samoa and Tonga, some friends that have been have said its much more the "real" Polynesia as it hasn't been developed nearly as much by tourism. I'm the same in regards to South Pacific cruises, none of the itineraries really appeal to me. If we do do a other cruise in the near future I'm going to beg my dr for some broad range anti b's so if I do get sick with something like that again, I won't have to spend a fortune at the ships dr when I already know what's wrong!