How to avoid the spread of illness?

[odragon]

I have been studying about the Norovirus and other illnesses that I might come across during the cruise. I know the buffet is a bad idea overall, and I plan to take pepto, and hand sanitizers (Bath and Body works sales yippie!) with me everywhere on the boat. And avoiding any raw meats or shellfish...

 

Is there something else I should protect myself and my S.O. with so our first cruise will not become a disappointment?

[sail7seas]

The very best precautions we all can take is to wash our hands well and often with plain, ordinary soap and hot water AND to keep our hands away from our eyes, nose and mouth. You can have filthy hands but if the virus cannot enter your body through a 'portal', you will not become ill from Noro like virus. Just have the virus on your hands will not infect you unless you have an open wound or such.

 

[Langley Cruisers]

The buffet is not overall a bad idea, and I know you've read that this is how it can often spread. That is correct, but that doesn't mean you have to forego the buffet completely. Vigorous hand washing with soap and warm water is the best line of defence against this virus, so it stands to reason that after you have gone through the buffet, you excuse yourself to the washroom, wash your hands, and then try your best not to touch anything on the way back to your meal.

 

You will never not be exposed to some dirt and germs... I mean, what about that cutlery you use with your freshly-washed hands? Right? Just use common sense, push elevator buttons with your elbow or knuckle, do not touch your hands to your face.

 

There are many threads here about Noro, plus the Internet is a wealth of information. Just be careful, try not to worry yourself silly, and enjoy your cruise. :)

 

EDITED to add: there are literally thousands of people on these message boards who have cruised many times and never gotten sick, ourselves included. Those who do get ill on a cruise ship make up a very small percentage of cruisers. There is more likelihood you will get Noro at home, either at the mall, church, nursing home, hospital, movie theater, etc. We just hear about it more often when it affects cruise ships.

.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Langley Cruisers

[leaveitallbehind]

As Karen mentioned, the instances of any illness on board - in particular noro - is an extremely small percentage of passengers to the total of all passengers at sea every year on all the ships at sea. There are more significant risks for infectious viral contact on airplanes, schools, etc. The difference is when there is an outbreak on board a ship everyone remains in a confined space over a relatively long period of time which which can magnify the issue. With the other instances, once an exposure occurs, the individual moves on to another environment - likely spreading the virus - with no real way of tracking it.

 

In the majority of cases with ship board outbreaks, the virus is brought on board by an already infected passenger (who likely is not yet displaying symptoms) and then spread to others. Taking the recommended precautions - with common sense cleanliness - on board is about all you can do to protect yourself.

 

Certainly the recent outbreaks are focusing a lot of attention to this now, but it really is not a big threat and certainly not one I would be concerned will ruin your cruise. Count me in with those who have never been affected. I know it can happen at any time on any cruise, but we have gone 21 years plus cruising regularly with not ever being affected by this.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

Edited February 2, 2014 by leaveitallbehind

[calliopecruiser]

The five most important things you can do to avoid gastrointestinal illness:

 

Wash your hands properly and frequently

Wash your hands properly and frequently

Avoid undercooked meat and seafood

Avoid handshakes

Wash your hands properly and frequently

 

Norovirus is a bug that is better dealt with by a proper hand washing with soap and water than with alcohol-based hand sanitizers. While those work great for many bugs (like flu viruses and bacteria), it seems Norovirus isn't one of them.

 

It's also important to wash your hands properly, which many people don't do: Wash your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds (count it out and you'll see it's longer than you think it is); I've read some recommendations - including from the CDC - to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself 2 times, which is about 20 seconds. Also remember while you're washing your hands to wash in between your fingers, not just the palms and backs of your hands, so run your soapy hands along the sides of your fingers, not just the upper and lower surface.

 

You should remember with hand sanitizers to use the same techniques of including between your fingers, not just the palms.

[odragon]

The reason I mentioned hand sanitizers is that I work in retail, so working with my hands is a necessary thing. I get the flu shot yearly too. So working with the public, I am exposed to a lot to begin with. You wouldn't believe how many mom's and dad's hand me their used tissue after their kid used it and asked me to throw it away for them.

 

I am not an alarmist but I just don't like getting sick at all. I would rather avoid it as much as possible. But thanks for all the input. Now that I know hand sanitizers do not work at all.

[Donray]

I have been studying about the Norovirus and other illnesses that I might come across during the cruise. I know the buffet is a bad idea overall, and I plan to take pepto, and hand sanitizers (Bath and Body works sales yippie!) with me everywhere on the boat. And avoiding any raw meats or shellfish...

 

Is there something else I should protect myself and my S.O. with so our first cruise will not become a disappointment?

 

Don't get off the ship once you get on. Most cases of Noro are caught at ports and brought on the ship by the passenger.

 

The only time I had it was from the gym I think.

[Hlitner]

Don't get off the ship once you get on. Most cases of Noro are caught at ports and brought on the ship by the passenger.

 

The only time I had it was from the gym I think.

 

Hmmm. But what about all those other passengers that do get off the ship and carry germs/viruses back onboard?

 

Ok, it is fascinating to see all these posts about Noro avoidance. So here is our own anecdotal info (as worthless as other anecdotal info). DW and I have spent more then 3 1/2 years on ships as cruise passengers and have never caught Noro or anything else other then the common cold. All we do for avoidance is wash our hands, as often as possible, with normal soap and water and avoid touching our faces. And we would point out that another CC poster, "Brucemuzz" who works on cruise ships 9 months a year as a Hotel Manager, has never had Noro. And Bruce would tell you the same thing, he just washes his hands with soap and water and avoids touching his face.

 

A lot of this other stuff, like trying to sanitize your own cabin is likely being obsessive to the extreme. The cabin stewards clean the cabins thoroughly between cruises (with stronger chemicals then you can carry aboard). And even if you could actually make your cabin sterile, that would be lost as soon as a steward (who touches things in every cabin) comes in to turn down your bed or clean. And even if your cabin remained sterile, as soon as you left your cabin any advantage is lost.

 

Hank

[RJ2002]

Wash your hands frequently

Avoid the public bathrooms onboard

Don't touch your face with your hands

If possible, avoid the buffet

[sail7seas]

The five most important things you can do to avoid gastrointestinal illness:

 

Wash your hands properly and frequently

Wash your hands properly and frequently

Avoid undercooked meat and seafood

Avoid handshakes

Wash your hands properly and frequently

 

Norovirus is a bug that is better dealt with by a proper hand washing with soap and water than with alcohol-based hand sanitizers. While those work great for many bugs (like flu viruses and bacteria), it seems Norovirus isn't one of them.

 

 

<snip>

 

.

 

 

AND keep your fresh, cleanly washed hands away from your face. Do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth. That is how the virus enters your body in most cases.

 

[sail7seas]

I never use the tongs or serving pieces placed on the various trays/plates in Lido buffet. I always stop before I go to a self service area of the buffet and get a clean spoon/fork to use without touching the one used by many ahead of me.

 

[Hlitner]

I never use the tongs or serving pieces placed on the various trays/plates in Lido buffet. I always stop before I go to a self service area of the buffet and get a clean spoon/fork to use without touching the one used by many ahead of me.

 

 

Like :)

[RJ2002]

I never use the tongs or serving pieces placed on the various trays/plates in Lido buffet. I always stop before I go to a self service area of the buffet and get a clean spoon/fork to use without touching the one used by many ahead of me.

 

 

Good idea! Will have to remember this...

[zoncom]

I did 25N on ship using public restroom once. I think thats the space with most germs, since NORO is derived from fecal matter.

[sail7seas]

I never use the tongs or serving pieces placed on the various trays/plates in Lido buffet. I always stop before I go to a self service area of the buffet and get a clean spoon/fork to use without touching the one used by many ahead of me.

 

 

 

If I am unable to quickly locate clean utensils, I take a paper napkin and hold the tongs/fork/spoon on the buffet trays with the paper napkin. There is no way I am touching those serving pieces with my bare hands.

 

[JimAOk1945]

I never use the tongs or serving pieces placed on the various trays/plates in Lido buffet. I always stop before I go to a self service area of the buffet and get a clean spoon/fork to use without touching the one used by many ahead of me.

 

 

Great idea and one that I never thought of. It makes perfect sense!!!!

[CaroleSS]

odragon.....I see that you are new to Cruise Critic. You will find lots of useful information here.....welcome!

 

I will put a different spin on the "illness" conversation. People will give you all sorts of suggestions. I will provide you with a small factoid.....21 million people contracted the norovirus in 2013.....only 3,000 of those were on cruise ships.

 

Health care facilities account for almost 64% of those outbreaks, but you never hear about them. Restaurant/banquet facilities account for another 20%.

 

Anytime you get a large number of people together in a small confined space, illnesses will happen. I might suggest you just relax and enjoy your vacation. Wash your hands with soap and water often and keep your hands away for your face, but don't obcess over it. People will suggest all sorts of things.....almost to the

Pint of vacuum sealing yourself into a plastic bag!!!!!

 

Another quick factoid....did you know that falling coconuts kill more people than sharks?? We always hear about the sharks, but not the coconuts. Do you suppose the old news adage....if it bleeds it leads.....is at play with sharks AND noro??

 

As you can surmise by now.....I don't let the headlines ruin my vacation at all!!!! Hope you adopt a similar attitude!

Edited February 2, 2014 by CaroleSS

[SPacificbound]

In addition to washing your hands with plenty of soap and hot water for a minimum of 20 seconds, I add to that, spend another 5 seconds and wash under your finger nails. And as said many times, keep your hands away from your face unless you have just finished washing your hands. :)

[ehfl]

The best thing you can do is to make sure you have a healthy immune system. Most people have an immunity to noro from recent exposures, it being one of the most common viruses in the environment.

 

Don't live in a sterile bubble, or you will weaken your immune system, leaving you open to exposure.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

I wash my hands frequently with soap and hot water, both on and off a cruise ship. I also accept the purrell when offered, even though it does not work against viruses. I worked in a public contact position for 26 years before retiring and have been on 11 cruises. I don't remember having Norovirus at home, and have never had it on a cruise. I don't live in a "bubble", just take common sense and recommended precautions.

 

 

Mary Lou

Edited February 3, 2014 by CHEZMARYLOU

[sail7seas]

The best thing you can do is to make sure you have a healthy immune system. Most people have an immunity to noro from recent exposures, it being one of the most common viruses in the environment.

 

Don't live in a sterile bubble, or you will weaken your immune system, leaving you open to exposure.

 

 

No one has an immunity to Noro Viruses. They mutate rapdily and having had a case in the past is no help in preventing one in the future. It takes a very tiny amount of virus to enter the body to cause illness. Far more virus is needed for flu than for Noro.

 

[kitty9]

Those hand sanitizers from Bath and BW don't kill the Noro virus. There are very few sanitizers that the public can purchase that will kill the virus.

 

Here are a few suggestions.

 

1. In the buffet, I take a clean cloth or paper napkin and use that to handle the utensils. I don't use that napkin for anything else.

 

2. I use my elbow or knuckle to hit the buttons on the elevator.

 

3. I use a paper towel in the public restrooms to open the outside door after I've washed my hands. Throw that towel away asap.

 

4. I wipe down the buttons on the slot machine in the casino with bleach wipes. Some say bleach does help to kill viruses.

 

Here's one interesting thing. I've been reading a lot of news stories on the outbreak on the RCI ship, and those stories have included interviews of passengers. One passenger said he started to feel sick on embarkation day and had a full blown attack on the first full day. This is interesting because according to the CDC, Noro has an incubation period of 2 to 4 days, which means this passenger may have already had the virus when he boarded the ship, and for all we know, he and his wife, who was also sick, could have been ground zero for this outbreak.

 

Unfortunately, too many people board ships fully knowing they're sick. Heck, on one of my cruises a young couple boarded the ship with a very sick infant. On the third day out, this baby got so sick that she needed to be intubated because she couldn't breathe. We had to make a stop at an unscheduled island to get this baby off the ship and to a hospital. There's a reason for travel insurance.................