Ebola Virus

[drguzmangarcia]

How is the Cruise Industry

and specifically Royal Carribean Cruise Line handling the

Prevention and Management of the Danger of an Ebola Virus affected passenger?

I am a healthcare worker and would love to know what steps are being taken?

Thanks

[Dawniepoo]

I imagine they are doing nothing but the regular illness questionnaire. They are more likely at this point to leave it up to the airports. This is only a guess on my part.

[Ourusualbeach]

How is the Cruise Industry

and specifically Royal Carribean Cruise Line handling the

Prevention and Management of the Danger of an Ebola Virus affected passenger?

I am a healthcare worker and would love to know what steps are being taken?

Thanks

 

Until there are active cases in the US then I do not think that they will be doing anything beyond what they have been currently been doing with having passengers fill out the medical questionnaire.

 

Currently it is the airports that are accepting incoming international flights that are straying to step up procedures.

 

Behind the scenes no one but RCI knows what procedures they have in place if someone were to present with symptoms on board.

[time4u2go]

How is the Cruise Industry

and specifically Royal Carribean Cruise Line handling the

Prevention and Management of the Danger of an Ebola Virus affected passenger?

I am a healthcare worker and would love to know what steps are being taken?

Thanks

 

Have you asked Royal Caribbean? I doubt many CC people would know specifically what Royal Caribbean or any cruise line is doing.

Edited October 12, 2014 by time4u2go

[Ocean Boy]

How is the Cruise Industry

and specifically Royal Carribean Cruise Line handling the

Prevention and Management of the Danger of an Ebola Virus affected passenger?

I am a healthcare worker and would love to know what steps are being taken?

Thanks

 

What do you feel that they should be doing?

[PCWalton1]

How is the Cruise Industry

and specifically Royal Carribean Cruise Line handling the

Prevention and Management of the Danger of an Ebola Virus affected passenger?

I am a healthcare worker and would love to know what steps are being taken?

Thanks

Not to be rude but I would think if you are a health care worker you would have a better understanding than us layman. [emoji4]

 

But with an open ended question like this one I am sure you with get plenty of the " I think" answers.

 

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[cb at sea]

Well, there ARE active cases in the US...

I don't think taking someone's temperature is going to do much....just because you show no symptoms NOW, doesn't mean you won't show symptoms tomorrow or the next day, if you've been exposed. And that's the problem, you'd have no way of knowing IF you've been exposed. This is a bad thing! The recently diagnosed case WAS a healthcare worker, wearing full protective garb....

Edited October 12, 2014 by cb at sea

[StarSong2001]

Well, there ARE active cases in the US...

I don't think taking someone's temperature is going to do much....just because you show no symptoms NOW, doesn't mean you won't show symptoms tomorrow or the next day, if you've been exposed. And that's the problem, you'd have no way of knowing IF you've been exposed. This is a bad thing! The recently diagnosed case WAS a healthcare worker, wearing full protective garb....

And to finish your sentence.... who they believe broke from protocol when taking the protective gear off. It needs to be taken off and handled very carefully too, so they think that's where something went wrong.

[bigsky]

Dont' know if I'm the only one, but I'm a little nervous about traveling in a few weeks for our cruise :(

[Retired LEO]

How is the Cruise Industry

and specifically Royal Carribean Cruise Line handling the

Prevention and Management of the Danger of an Ebola Virus affected passenger?

I am a healthcare worker and would love to know what steps are being taken?

Thanks

 

I wouldn't be concerned about the cruise industry. It's the airlines that would be concerning. Flight crews are now refusing to clean the aircrafts between flights for fear of coming in contact with something.

[Kamloops50]

We cancelled our Jan 2015 cruise because of the possibility of Ebola.

They put screening on the east coast but forgot LAX & SFO for screening,

Australia currently has Ebola patients. There many flights to LAX and SFO from Asia and Australia. We can't also forget connections from Mexico south as well.

[Kamloops50]

This is kc50's wife, we rebooked immediately for 2 cruises out of Vancouver because we aren't worried about the cruise industry, its airline travel that concerns us. Vancouver is a comfortable 4 hour drive for us.

 

I'm a retired RN, & the cleanliness on board has always impressed me, even during noro outbreaks, which happened on 2 of our cruises. The staff were great, its the people avoiding the sanitizer station at the entrance to food lines that are more of an issue. We were on the Crown Princess recently and several people didn't sanitize, then fumbled around touching multiple dishes. We have never gotten sick but we wash well and use the sanitizer without fail.

 

On the other hand the airline industry which allows a whole 5 minute cleaning routine on the flight turnaround IS a factor to consider. Several recent studies were done on colds & flu transmission on airline flights. Passengers who wiped just armrests & table trays with sanitizer gel & used the gel a few times in flight PLUS avoided touching their faces had an 80 to 90% reduction in colds & flu after the trips versus passengers who didn't.

 

Another germ culture study found a lot of harmful bacteria on those table trays & arm rests, while the soft fabrics didn't have as much. This says the cleaning isn't adequate, but most people with adequate immune systems & reasonable handwashing habits can and do resist them, its not too much of a public health problem. Until something like Ebola enters the picture.

 

Since Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected fluids, those armrests & table trays & even the fabric cushions become more of a risk.

 

It is looking like standard isolation procedures aren't quite enough since at least 3 nurses, possibly 4 have become infected in Western hospitals. 2 Spanish & the Australian plus possibly Dallas. Isolation procedures are designed with a bit of overkill, so that says we need to revamp the procedure as this virus is slipping thru.

 

We are looking forward to some lovely cruises beginning & ending in Vancouver, without fear. For the immediate future we will not travel by air unless absolutely necessary.

 

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[CU64]

This is kc50's wife, we rebooked immediately for 2 cruises out of Vancouver because we aren't worried about the cruise industry, its airline travel that concerns us. Vancouver is a comfortable 4 hour drive for us.

 

I'm a retired RN, & the cleanliness on board has always impressed me, even during noro outbreaks, which happened on 2 of our cruises. The staff were great, its the people avoiding the sanitizer station at the entrance to food lines that are more of an issue. We were on the Crown Princess recently and several people didn't sanitize, then fumbled around touching multiple dishes. We have never gotten sick but we wash well and use the sanitizer without fail.

 

On the other hand the airline industry which allows a whole 5 minute cleaning routine on the flight turnaround IS a factor to consider. Several recent studies were done on colds & flu transmission on airline flights. Passengers who wiped just armrests & table trays with sanitizer gel & used the gel a few times in flight PLUS avoided touching their faces had an 80 to 90% reduction in colds & flu after the trips versus passengers who didn't.

 

Another germ culture study found a lot of harmful bacteria on those table trays & arm rests, while the soft fabrics didn't have as much. This says the cleaning isn't adequate, but most people with adequate immune systems & reasonable handwashing habits can and do resist them, its not too much of a public health problem. Until something like Ebola enters the picture.

 

Since Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected fluids, those armrests & table trays & even the fabric cushions become more of a risk.

 

It is looking like standard isolation procedures aren't quite enough since at least 3 nurses, possibly 4 have become infected in Western hospitals. 2 Spanish & the Australian plus possibly Dallas. Isolation procedures are designed with a bit of overkill, so that says we need to revamp the procedure as this virus is slipping thru.

 

We are looking forward to some lovely cruises beginning & ending in Vancouver, without fear. For the immediate future we will not travel by air unless absolutely necessary.

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Forums mobile app

 

we fly Nov 7........out of LAX....not good.........

starting to wonder if travel ins will pay if we cancel cruise

[Langley Cruisers]

What do you feel that they should be doing?

 

What do you feel they should be doing (if anything)? Might do us well to hear from a physician. :)

 

.

[sanger727]

This is kc50's wife, we rebooked immediately for 2 cruises out of Vancouver because we aren't worried about the cruise industry, its airline travel that concerns us. Vancouver is a comfortable 4 hour drive for us.

 

I'm a retired RN, & the cleanliness on board has always impressed me, even during noro outbreaks, which happened on 2 of our cruises. The staff were great, its the people avoiding the sanitizer station at the entrance to food lines that are more of an issue. We were on the Crown Princess recently and several people didn't sanitize, then fumbled around touching multiple dishes. We have never gotten sick but we wash well and use the sanitizer without fail.

 

On the other hand the airline industry which allows a whole 5 minute cleaning routine on the flight turnaround IS a factor to consider. Several recent studies were done on colds & flu transmission on airline flights. Passengers who wiped just armrests & table trays with sanitizer gel & used the gel a few times in flight PLUS avoided touching their faces had an 80 to 90% reduction in colds & flu after the trips versus passengers who didn't.

 

Another germ culture study found a lot of harmful bacteria on those table trays & arm rests, while the soft fabrics didn't have as much. This says the cleaning isn't adequate, but most people with adequate immune systems & reasonable handwashing habits can and do resist them, its not too much of a public health problem. Until something like Ebola enters the picture.

 

Since Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected fluids, those armrests & table trays & even the fabric cushions become more of a risk.

 

It is looking like standard isolation procedures aren't quite enough since at least 3 nurses, possibly 4 have become infected in Western hospitals. 2 Spanish & the Australian plus possibly Dallas. Isolation procedures are designed with a bit of overkill, so that says we need to revamp the procedure as this virus is slipping thru.

 

We are looking forward to some lovely cruises beginning & ending in Vancouver, without fear. For the immediate future we will not travel by air unless absolutely necessary.

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Forums mobile app

 

Thanks for the info. While I understand your point that it won't necessarily help if someone with ebola is in the seat before you, I like the tip about wiping down the hand rests and tray tables.

[Alohaaloha]

We left AOS this morning after a 2 week Med cruise, and this question was raised at the Captain's Q and A, and the Hotel director answered that as yet, there had been no directive from RCI head office on the subject of Ebola. However, we must appreciate this is a new concern for everyone, and I am sure steps will be being made as we write as how to tackle this should the need arise on a cruise ship.

[Doc Rick]

Unfortunately, the way things are going, it's only a matter of time before there is a cruise related ebola case. You have to understand that this is just my opinion, but things are not being properly handled - specifically by the US government... again just my opinion.

 

You also must not forget that Royal caribbean is incorporated in Liberia and many of it's crew members come from Africa. I would sincerely hope that any RC crew members returning from their extended break home to affected areas of Africa are thoroughly screened and monitored.

 

An ebola outbreak on a cruise ship would be devastating to the company and it's shareholders - I'm sure Royal caribbean is aware of this and will do their best to avoid any such incident, but then again... they also try to avoid the norovirus. My family has owned RCL stock for several years now and we were going to continue to hold, but at my advice we sold at an average of 66.53 a week ago. The stock has continued to decline since. This is not advice to buy or sell a stock security - just my opinion.

 

My wife and I are leaving on a Celebrity cruise in a few weeks, and have a Christmas cruise scheduled on RC this December. At this point we have not had any reason to stop going on cruises, but we will be monitoring this very closely.

 

- Doc

[A&L_Ont]

This is kc50's wife, we rebooked immediately for 2 cruises out of Vancouver because we aren't worried about the cruise industry, its airline travel that concerns us. Vancouver is a comfortable 4 hour drive for us.

 

I'm a retired RN, & the cleanliness on board has always impressed me, even during noro outbreaks, which happened on 2 of our cruises. The staff were great, its the people avoiding the sanitizer station at the entrance to food lines that are more of an issue. We were on the Crown Princess recently and several people didn't sanitize, then fumbled around touching multiple dishes. We have never gotten sick but we wash well and use the sanitizer without fail.

 

On the other hand the airline industry which allows a whole 5 minute cleaning routine on the flight turnaround IS a factor to consider. Several recent studies were done on colds & flu transmission on airline flights. Passengers who wiped just armrests & table trays with sanitizer gel & used the gel a few times in flight PLUS avoided touching their faces had an 80 to 90% reduction in colds & flu after the trips versus passengers who didn't.

 

Another germ culture study found a lot of harmful bacteria on those table trays & arm rests, while the soft fabrics didn't have as much. This says the cleaning isn't adequate, but most people with adequate immune systems & reasonable handwashing habits can and do resist them, its not too much of a public health problem. Until something like Ebola enters the picture.

 

Since Ebola is transmitted through contact with infected fluids, those armrests & table trays & even the fabric cushions become more of a risk.

 

It is looking like standard isolation procedures aren't quite enough since at least 3 nurses, possibly 4 have become infected in Western hospitals. 2 Spanish & the Australian plus possibly Dallas. Isolation procedures are designed with a bit of overkill, so that says we need to revamp the procedure as this virus is slipping thru.

 

We are looking forward to some lovely cruises beginning & ending in Vancouver, without fear. For the immediate future we will not travel by air unless absolutely necessary.

 

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Forums mobile app

 

In theory what you say is very practical, but what about the person who is infected who boards the same cruise as you in Vancouver?

 

I too work in the health care and would practice the same protocol for infection control that I would on any given day. At this point and time I am not even thinking of cancelling my November Oasis cruise.

[BecciBoo]

What a co incidence, after watching the CDC announcement this morning (and we are Texans) I told my husband, wait and see they will be talking about this on the boards and people will be canceling their cruises. Might find some deals....

 

Just sayin....people tend to over react, until we get some really bad news from the CDC, we aren't canceling our cruises. But those who do will have the industry scrambling to fill ships for the next few months. But I am certainly going to be packin my baggie full of Clorox wipes....they said this morning Clorox would kill it.

 

Remember from what countries the crew usually comes...bless 'em. Not downing them, but just saying. The lines should absolutely step it up a notch until we see this thing settling down.,..if we do:(

Edited October 12, 2014 by BecciBoo

[edjny]

Dont' know if I'm the only one, but I'm a little nervous about traveling in a few weeks for our cruise :(

 

You have been listening to TV news far too much. They are really hyping this thing to stir up ratings. Their message; BE AFRAID, IT IS COMING TO GET YOU... :rolleyes:

 

In the unlikely chance that Ebola mutates and starts spreading through the air, then I would be nervous...

 

If you want to be afraid, be afraid of the FLU. That kills thousands every year....

Edited October 12, 2014 by edjny

[BND]

You also must not forget that Royal caribbean is incorporated in Liberia and many of it's crew members come from Africa. I would sincerely hope that any RC crew members returning from their extended break home to affected areas of Africa are thoroughly screened and monitored.

 

 

- Doc

 

The ships are flagged in Liberia for tax purposes. The company itself is based in Miami, FL.

 

Where did you come up with "a lot of it's crew members come from Africa"? The vast majority of crew members come from the Phillippines, India, the Caribbean and parts of Europe. I don't remember ever seeing very many crew members from Africa. Africa is a very LARGE Continent and even there the outbreak is confined to just a few countries.

 

I would hope people wouldn't panic and realize the people who have caught it so far have been those those caring for infected people. In Africa it spreads so much easier because a lot of the population takes care of their own, doesn't have access to the same sanitary conditions we do and many do not trust the medical community and wait til it's too late to seek out care.

[K1200S]

The ships are flagged in the Bahamas, not Liberia.

[papaflamingo]

we fly Nov 7........out of LAX....not good.........

starting to wonder if travel ins will pay if we cancel cruise

 

Not likely. Doubt you can cancel your cruise and be reimbursed because you are afraid that if you travel to the cruise you might come down with an infectious disease, especially considering that the likelihood is extremely remote. I would be extremely surprised if they did so.

[smoosh21]

You have been listening to TV news far too much. They are really hyping this thing to stir up ratings. Their message; BE AFRAID, IT IS COMING TO GET YOU... :rolleyes:

 

In the unlikely chance that Ebola mutates and starts spreading through the air, then I would be nervous...

 

If you want to be afraid, be afraid of the FLU. That kills thousands every year....

 

If you really want to be afraid, be afraid of measles. That is probably where the next serious outbreak in the US comes from that will get millions ill. Too many people out there are anti-vaccine and that is where you need to worry. Ebola is not anywhere near as contagion threatening as things like Measles and Mumps.

I have several friends who work for CDC and Emory and have been dealing with this since the beginning. The newscasters know nothing, they are fools

[kwazi07]

Just sayin....people tend to over react

 

I highly agree. Even though Ebola is much more serious, the US was freaking out when Swine Flu was in Mexico. And the flu spreads VERY easily compared to Ebola. The small thing happened with SARS, bird flu, and even mad cow disease to a certain extent.

 

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