Norovirus Outbreak Hits Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship

[flexsmom]

Actually there's a thread on the Regent board about one of their ships in Australia that is battling the same. Said to be 10% there, too, although as you say, smaller in total numbers since fewer pax and crew.

 

Oops - to be fair to Regent, the thread posts 2% publicly known. Ship was delayed for sanitizing.

[Retiringworkingstiff]

Apparently, there has been a serious spike in the number of passengers/crew reporting ill. According to the most recent CDC report:

 

Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 577 of 3050 (18.9%)

 

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 49 of 1165 (4.2%)

copied from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/outbreak/2014/january21_explorer_seas.htm

 

Very sorry for those affected. Best wishes to all concerned. -S.

I don't know much about NORO but let's just hope everyone get back safely.

[cruzinlady1947]

I think they better soon develop a portable pocket sized gel or cream that does kill the norovirus. It is hard to wash you hands with soap and water, go into the dining facility, pickup the menu, then go back out to wash your hands again. I even use something to pull out the chair without touching it. It is really hard to keep your hands free of germs all the time. Sometimes the bathrooms aren't at a convenient place to go when you need one. Maybe they should just have disposable gloves everywhere. :rolleyes:

 

Don't want to even think about the germs in the casino.

 

Gwen :)

[BeagleOne]

So what are the people with airline tickets going to do, I wonder? Will RCI pay for their hotels, or to change their tickets? I wonder how excited the hotels will be to have hundreds of sick and potentially sick people coming in.

[Jimbo]

Someone posted on FB that they are receiving $400/cabin.

 

I don't think just that is going to fly over to well, I think the $400 or $500 is good but also they should also get aleast 50% the next cruise for this situation.

[Carnival_Brides]

So what are the people with airline tickets going to do, I wonder? Will RCI pay for their hotels, or to change their tickets? I wonder how excited the hotels will be to have hundreds of sick and potentially sick people coming in.

 

As the hotels in the area are preparing for the Super Bowl a few miles up the interstate, I can't imagine they're excited.

[caribill]

What I saw was that if soap & water was not available, that alcohol hand sanitizers would "greatly reduce" the germs. It didn't say that it "Killed" the virus.

 

 

Exactly, it "washes" some of the virus particles off of your hands.

 

But it does not make them disappear. They are in the air or on nearby surfaces.

[BeagleOne]

As the hotels in the area are preparing for the Super Bowl a few miles up the interstate, I can't imagine they're excited.

 

Oh, good point, I bet there aren't many hotel rooms available. I wonder what percentage of passengers live in the general area and drove to the port.

[Kosi]

So what are the people with airline tickets going to do, I wonder? Will RCI pay for their hotels, or to change their tickets? I wonder how excited the hotels will be to have hundreds of sick and potentially sick people coming in.

Good point!

[PORT ROYAL]

I don't think just that is going to fly over to well, I think the $400 or $500 is good but also they should also get aleast 50% the next cruise for this situation.

 

My thoughts and prayers are with the poor people on the ship

But consider the generous offer by RCL of $400.00 from today as a non-refundable OBC. You are now confined to cabin with the virus for 48 hours and get off the ship on Wednesday morning. :mad::(

Or am I missing something?

[Annefran]

This is just awful. I hope everyone is OK on Explorer. Unfortunately the norovirus is extremely bad and highly contagious this season. My SIL who works in a Surgery Center had it very badly last week and had to go the ER because she was so dehydrated. Wash, wash your hands and just use common sense to try to avoid, not much else you can do about it. We always bring Lysol wipes to wipe down our cabin when we get there; remote control, door knobs, light switches etc. They say to try to only use your cabin's bathroom and avoid public restrooms when possible. I don't touch the railings or elevator buttons (use my knuckle or elbow). After a while it can make us all paranoid for sure! :rolleyes::eek:

 

So sorry the passengers had their vacations cut short too. I'm sure RCI will try to make up for it best they can.

[3CatsInMA]

Maybe there's some room in the Bud Light Floating Hotel (NCL Getaway) for the Explorer pax ;):D

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/25/nyregion/welcome-or-not-4000-football-fans-will-be-afloat-at-a-hudson-river-pier.html

[jaybird from SC]

As others on here have stated, I have to wonder if the hand sanitizer doesn't give people a false sense of security:

 

"I don't need to wash my hands. There's hand sanitizer!"

Using hand sanitizer does not give me a false sense of security but if it works it works...why not try it? The thing that does give us a false sense of security is to think that everybody washes their hands after using the bathroom-men included), to think that everyone washes their hands before going to the serving lines, to think that some folks will postpone their cruise when they are knowingly sick with the attitude that it is my cruise, I paid for it, and I am going even though I know I am sick. We must remember....it is NOT the ship that is sick...it is brought on by people. All over TV and in the papers you hear people blasting the ship. Well, it's not the ship! Think folks! Lots of germs, lots of people, close quarters all reasons why germs spread quickly.

[jaybird from SC]

While we are speaking of passing germs in various ways....On a recent TV show they reported that in addition to doorknobs, light switches, remotes, etc., the #1 carrier of germs is a restaurant menu... Think how many people have handled one of those in a day?

:eek:

Edited January 27, 2014 by jaybird from SC
spelling

[Alan13]

Not an odd post at all:confused:

 

With 20 plus cruises on your belt you must have experienced the amount of Guys who use the ships pubic toilets without washing their hands before leaving!

 

Thats why i always use paper towel on exit door handle and elbow to keep it open!

 

Without being rude, In my experience the greater number with the worst toilet hygiene seem to be some of the more senior guys.

 

How anyone could leave a flushing cubical and walk straight out is beyond me but as I say in my experience it is pretty common on all the ships I have been on.

 

Thanks for posting this. On every cruise I've been on I use the bathroom outside the Windjammer to wash my hands before eating breakfast or lunch. I have seen so many men using the urinal/stalls then leaving without washing their hands. Up to now I've just gotten mad and not said anything. But I will speak up from now on.

 

We've all seen bad behavior in public spaces. But on a cruise where people have spent thousands of dollars and you can't even wash your hands. Come On!

 

Washing your hands before and after each meal is still better than the sanitizers.

 

Alan

[romanroxy]

I have observed some ladies walk out of the restroom without washing hands. Then touch the restroom door...

 

I sometimes wonder about HOW many people touched that buffet serving spoon as they passed through the buffet line, then eat a roll, fruit, french fries, etc...

 

Hopefully, the serving spoon didn't fall into the food....sometimes I see this happen.

 

Every buffet I ever go to, I always use a napkin to grab the serving utensil...plus, I make another trip to the restroom to wash my hands before eating.

[foxgoodrich]

Exactly, it "washes" some of the virus particles off of your hands.

 

But it does not make them disappear. They are in the air or on nearby surfaces.

 

That's correct according to my doc - hand sanitizer does kill bacteria, but not viruses. My understanding is that alcohol based sanitizer makes your hands somewhat inhospitable to viruses by creating a virus-unfriendly environment on your skin. So in the event you do come in contact with virus cells, there's a chance they won't like you!

 

My understanding is that Noro is spread by surface contact - it's not airborne. And it's a tough virus - it can live for weeks on a surface.

 

And…I hate to say this…but even those of us who routinely and regularly wash our hands every time we should wash may not be doing the best job of it. How many of us actually continue scrubbing our hands for at least 20 seconds, or long enough to sing Happy Birthday twice?:eek: That's what the CDC says makes for an effective hand wash. (Using soap is important too as soap helps to lift microbes off your skin so they can be rinsed away.)

 

Judy

[rsail203]

We will be getting $400 to $800 obc depending on cabin cost plus 50% future on another cruise. The worst part is that they are forcing us all off on wed after 4 pm in the dark and cold in nj, so they can clean the ship for the next cruise. Some people with cars can't drive in the dark. Who knows what they'll do.

It's a bad situation for everyone.

Rich

[Phlybice]

Worst breeding ground for germs is under the dining room chair where you grab to pull yourself in.

And then you touch all the things headed for your mouth.

[cruzsnooze]

I don't believe 50% off another cruise is enough. It should be a replacement cruise or 100% of your fare back to apply to another cruise. They should also pick up any change fees the airlines are charging people who have to fly home.

[ilovetexas]

I didn't read all 19 pages of this but I hope those of you onboard either 1-get better quickly or 2-manage to salvage your vacation with a future one. Or both!

 

WAY too many people don't wash their hands after using the bathroom. Or they don't wash them properly. I started with my kids when they were small. If the hands weren't washed correctly (I can hear how much time elapses between a toilet flushing and a door opening!) they had to disinfect every doorknob, light switch and cabinet/drawer handle in the house. It irritated them but hey, repetition aids learning!

[cruzinlady1947]

 

Hopefully, the serving spoon didn't fall into the food....sometimes I see this happen.

 

I have seen people place the tongs in the food. Especially the salad. I hate when this happens. I avoid taking the salad if I see the tongs in it. Of course, someone might have done it earlier without me seeing it. :rolleyes: I've also seen someone drop the tongs on the floor and place them back in the food.:eek: Guess it would be better to get my salad in the MDR during lunch. But, only on sea days. :(

 

Gwen :)

[TheMiz]

Worst breeding ground for germs is under the dining room chair where you grab to pull yourself in.

And then you touch all the things headed for your mouth.

 

 

You are close but a study has shown ( in my area and area restaurants ) the worse and it is double anywhere else found and this includes restrooms right down to the bowls seats and no seats was the menus on each and every place they checked. We now also re wash our hands after we order our meals.

[Jimbo]

We will be getting $400 to $800 obc depending on cabin cost plus 50% future on another cruise. The worst part is that they are forcing us all off on wed after 4 pm in the dark and cold in nj, so they can clean the ship for the next cruise. Some people with cars can't drive in the dark. Who knows what they'll do.

It's a bad situation for everyone.

Rich

 

Compensation........Just as I thought in an earlier post I made 45 minutes ago. Under the conditions that seems pretty fair.

 

I bet if the weather is good and the seas are favorable you will get there before 4pm on Wednesday.

 

Thank you for the report from onboard.

 

Jimbo:)

Edited January 27, 2014 by Jimbo

[Merion_Mom]

We will be getting $400 to $800 obc depending on cabin cost plus 50% future on another cruise. The worst part is that they are forcing us all off on wed after 4 pm in the dark and cold in nj, so they can clean the ship for the next cruise. Some people with cars can't drive in the dark. Who knows what they'll do.

It's a bad situation for everyone.

Rich

 

Thank you for taking the time to find this thread and post the information.

 

See you on the Quantum! ;)