Sick on the Wonder

[connes1]

I just got off the Disney Wonder last Friday (6 night western Caribbean) and have heard several people have gotten sick. This includes upper respiratory and nausea. I also heard that many folks were sick on the panama canal cruise in September. Does anybody know of there have been other Cruses on the Wonder where people are getting sick?

[Shmoo here]

I just got off the Disney Wonder last Friday (6 night western Caribbean) and have heard several people have gotten sick. This includes upper respiratory and nausea. I also heard that many folks were sick on the panama canal cruise in September. Does anybody know of there have been other Cruses on the Wonder where people are getting sick?

 

Unfortunately, there are people who get sick on every cruise. It comes with thousands of people in the same enclosed space, coming from different areas, some of whom don't know they are sick when boarding (could have caught something on the flight in), as well as those who lie on their health questionnaire ("I paid a lot of money for this vacation, and I'm going, no matter what" attitude). As well as any bugs that can be picked up by those same passengers while out on shore excursions.

 

I'm in the ranks of those who typically catch any little virus that floats past me, and I've gotten off at least 1/3 of our cruises with a cold (some really bad, others just a nuisance).

 

The best we can do is wash, wash, wash those hands, and never put your hands anywhere near your face (even if clean).

 

Sorry you were sick.

[wdwlvr]

Got off the first of the Southern Caribbean cruises on the Magic in late September and woke up the last morning to a sore throat. A number of us ending up getting sick (coughing, sneezing, etc). when we got home.

 

Unfortunately cruise ships are like floating petri dishes - germs everywhere.

 

The cruise line does it best to keep things clean and we did everything we could (hand washing, wipes, etc.), but it is bound to happen.

[connes1]

Somebody on the Facebook group mentioned DCL maybe more susceptible because of the amount of kids. I guess playing in kids club together.

[wdwlvr]

Somebody on the Facebook group mentioned DCL maybe more susceptible because of the amount of kids. I guess playing in kids club together.

 

That could be it, but having toured the kids club this trip (it was the first time we were on the Magic since it had been in the major dry dock) I was impressed by the hand washing stations they had for the kids.

[Katgoesonholiday]

Personally, I have found that kids tend to be little conduits for viruses until they are around 7 years old when their immune system has finally built up immunity to sufficient things. Cleanliness helps but its inevitable that when you have younger kids around then stuff will be passed around.

 

That said, I think it is just as likely that its the adults. Its not at all uncommon for a parent to be rushing round and running themselves ragged before a trip only to get sick the minute they start to relax. It used to happen to me every single time!

 

This is why nowadays I always make sure I plan to get everything finalised well in advance, prioritise early nights in the last few weeks before a holiday, exercise daily, and I take zinc and Vit C and multivitamins in the last month. Since I started doing that I have had trips with multiple plane flights, massive jet lag and completely changing seasons and I still haven't got sick.

 

We are now 40 days out from our next holiday (going from summer to winter with all the associated germs and viruses) and I have just started the kids on multivits and additional daily exercise (walking to school plus an evening walk before bed). In a few weeks I will add Vit C and zinc. And on the first day we arrive in our destination we will be getting the flu vaccine. That, along with hand washing, is the best I can do to protect my family and so far its worked well.

[Ex techie]

DCL score highly in this category, and especially high considering the 2 of the other's are Adult oriented high class lines and DCL probably has a larger than average percentage of cruisers in the kids bracket of the market:

 

Cruise line Total number of inspections Inspections with perfect score

Costa 30 37%

Oceania 26 27%

Disney 48 21%

Crystal 31 16%

Seabourn 38 5%

 

 

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/6-most-hygienic-cruise-lines-2014-01-30

 

ex techie

Edited October 22, 2014 by Ex techie

[moki'smommy]

DCL probably has more issues to contend with than most lines due to the guests who are determined that a sniffle won't interfere with their vacation. They falsify the boarding questions about illness and walk onto the ship. Just like in any other closed environment (school, workplace), the virus spreads around to others.

 

DCL has a great inspection record as well as a history of almost never reaching reporting status--on a ship, if 3% of the population is ill (commonly defined as having contacted medical), it must be reported. In contrast, a US school is not obligated to make a report until 10% of the school's population is absent (presumed ill.) Yes, we all realize that people may not report a cough or sniffles to medical, but others will report things that they would not have seen a doctor for at home. (paid for trip insurance, may as well use it??)

 

It happens...but unless large numbers of passengers are involved, it could just as easily have come from the supermarket or plane. And on a short cruise, a guest may not even be thru the incubation period before leaving the ship--thus the "I got off and got sick" which becomes even harder to trace.

Edited October 23, 2014 by moki'smommy

[Hidden Minnie]

About 20 of us from our Facebook group on last week's Fantasy came home with stuffy noses and scratchy throats. The ship was immaculate, the crew was strict about handing out sanitizing wipes. It could have come from anywhere - Orlando airport, an excursion bus, a baggage handler at the port, the hotel we stayed at the night before sailing, someone at the Falmouth re-entry security station... who knows?

[CI66774]

This happens on any ship and on any cruise line. I was on day 8 of an 11 day cruise on the Queen Mary II and came down with the worst cold. I had just closed on a house and was working 80 hours per week up until the cruise. Then I drank like a fish the moment I boarded. No wonder I succumbed. I confined myself to my cabin but, boy, was I happy to get back home and in my own bed. Another time I fell ill about three hours before boarding. I flew back home and didn't go on the cruise (insurance reimbursed me fully). Now I never go on a cruise stressed. I take a couple of days off before I leave and a couple days off after I return. I also bring this Clorox commercial solutions spray with me and clean things I touch. Haven't gotten sick since (even being around a little germ catcher like my daughter). Parents with kids develop an immunity of sorts against viruses, etc. after awhile. I used to get sick five/six times a year when she was younger. I don't get sick at all now.

[bsddsc]

about 8 years ago my husband and I both got the norwalk type stomach virus on a 4 day cruise. Ever since then, I pack Lysol spray in my carry on bag. The first thing we do when we get to our cabin is spray every surface, inside drawers, telephones, remotes, door handles .. everything.

 

You never know what causes that stomach virus, but its 10 times worse on a moving ship, I can tell you that first hand. We know its just a crap shoot when it comes to catching things on a ship, but wash your hands frequently like everyone says.

 

I have a friend who cruises 3 times a year and she gets sick at least once a year. Its mostly colds, like many of the other here have written about. Not much you can do about it.

[sippican]

Not all wipes, sprays and/or hand sanitizers kill the stubborn norovirus and others.

These articles may be worth reading.

 

http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/Home/which-hand-sanitizers-kill-stomach-flu-viruses

http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/Home/which-hand-sanitizers-kill-stomach-flu-viruses

[taryngirl]

I was on the Wonder Oct. 1-6th and we had no issues at all!