Azura - Norovirus

[Patsy Flower]

Our friends have just returned from Azura and were onboard during the period 12th - 26th December.

 

During this time norovirus was rife on the ship and the usual restriction of crew serving food in the self service restaurant was constantly taking place. There were some days when the restrictions were lifted but it did affect the cruise considerably.

 

Does anyone know if the ship is now clear or if a deep clean has taken place?

 

We will be sailing on Azura on the 23rd January and although we hope the ship will be noro free we will be taking plenty of medication just in case.

[the english lady]

Unfortunatley with the best will in the world at this time of year there is always a lot of coughs colds flu noro around.

Just needs a couple of people to not feel quite right, but we don't want to not go on holiday, to board, be in confined spaces for all of the above to go around like wildfire.

It can be deep cleaned as much as possible , but its humans who carry it.

Through choice I always take anti VIRAL foam from boots (not anti bac) and I only ever use the toilet in the cabin-even if its a long walk away.

I do have to hold onto the rails on the stairs, and I do press buttons in the lift with my finger..but I am hoping the line above protects me.

[Host Sharon]

As English Lady says - it is rife this time of year - two of our local hospital wards are closed with it.

 

All you do is observe scrupulous hygiene - wash hands while humming Happy Birthday to yourself twice.

 

By the way EL I now push lift buttons with my knuckle (bent finger), even at home, but like you have to use rails on stairs. Just never ever put your hands into your mouth.

[mds143]

As English Lady says - it is rife this time of year - two of our local hospital wards are closed with it.

 

All you do is observe scrupulous hygiene - wash hands while humming Happy Birthday to yourself twice.

 

By the way EL I now push lift buttons with my knuckle (bent finger), even at home, but like you have to use rails on stairs. Just never ever put your hands into your mouth.

 

Ha ha, your last paragraph made me laugh. I stopped using the end of my finger to activate lifts after reading about that on the Azura in November.

 

In fact I now use anything I can find to activate Buttons instead of my finger.

(Well almost anything, obviously:D)

 

I get some funny Looks at work when using the lifts!

I was beginning to think I'm overdoing it, but I see now I'm not alone. So thanks for that.

 

My hygine has improved a lot due to cruising. I'm much more careful about washing my hands after touching stuff.

[Scriv]

Just never ever put your hands into your mouth.

 

 

Recently at the Muster Drill on Aurora, the Captain spoke about hygiene and mentioned washing hands frequently and properly ( is it for 20 seconds or 2 minutes?) was the most effective way of keeping viruses at bay - and also not putting your hands in or touching your mouth.

 

As he said that, he said he wondered how many of us at that very moment were or had been touching our mouths - and many of us, including me, were doing just that!!! Food for thought.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Scriv

[Mr Blue Sky]

Ha ha, your last paragraph made me laugh. I stopped using the end of my finger to activate lifts after reading about that on the Azura in November.

 

In fact I now use anything I can find to activate Buttons instead of my finger.

(Well almost anything, obviously:D)

 

I get some funny Looks at work when using the lifts!

I was beginning to think I'm overdoing it, but I see now I'm not alone. So thanks for that.

 

My hygine has improved a lot due to cruising. I'm much more careful about washing my hands after touching stuff.

 

Hi all these made me smile,,as our daughter is a microbiologist and graduated

Last year, she does all these oddities all year round, pushes doors

open with her elbows, tissues for lifts, does not touch handrails, and if anyone sneezes :)

but she deals with this virus on a daily basis her tip wash hands for 20 seconds

and keep fingers away from touching your lips/mouth.

And just remembered slightly paranoid I know but use a wet wipe in cabin to clean remote control,

door handles and phone in cases the previous occupants had the virus, I won't go into too much detail

, but she has shown me a video of how far this germ travels !!! By the way this hasn't put her off cruising she went for two weeker on Ventura in the summer and survived :)

 

Mrs Blue Sky

[cruisebore]

We boarded Azura on the 28th November and we thought the ship Noro free as there had not been any problems in the first week. However into week two it hit the ship and full precautions were in place when we disembarked on the 12/13 December.

 

Cb

[majortom10]

We have seen older people pushing buttons in lifts with the bottom of their walking sticks which must be full of germs and filth and is very unhygienic and very selfish thing to do.

[daiB]

Please remember that on any cruise ship on any line the usual number of people who are affected will be less than 100 and more often less than 50. So on Azura that would be less than 2%.

 

There is a website which records all incidents like this and they give the numbers.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[kruzseeka]

We have seen older people pushing buttons in lifts with the bottom of their walking sticks which must be full of germs and filth and is very unhygienic and very selfish thing to do.

 

 

Yes very thoughtless - and often seen pointing using their sticks too without any concern for the potential for poking anyone in the vicinity!!

 

On the matter of hygiene though as OTT as it sounds I think sensible precautions as described by other posters makes good sense. One activity I was alerted to on a recent cruise was after sanitising at the entrance I sat down and put my hands under my chair seat to pull up to the table (I know - I should have let the waiter help!). How many other people did exactly the same thing - and had any of those evaded or ignored the hygiene requests to wash hands/sanitise? Suffice to say I now try to remember to have a discrete application of the Boots anti-viral foam once settled before selecting my bread roll!!!! You can't eliminate risk but in the interests of trying to avoid picking up an infection, it all helps. Healthy cruising everyone!

Edited December 30, 2014 by kruzseeka

[Tarbie]

We were on this cruise. Arriving at Birmingham Airport we were given an information leaflet confirming that Noro was on the ship and that "deep cleaning" was taking place. The same notice was given to us at Barbados on arrival! The Captain reiterated his concern and gave out repeated advice to be vigilant and wash hands frequently.After 3 days we were allowed to serve ourselves in the buffet but this was withdrawn the next day. Three days before the end of the cruise all restrictions were lifted!

 

So at the end we assume that the ship was Noro free

 

 

Tarbie

[cruisebore]

Tarbie

On a totally different matter. Where there any well known entertainers on board for the Xmas cruise?

We had Philip Brown singer and John Martin comedian, whilst not household names talented entertainers.

 

Cb

[soobs]

We were on the Ventura 5th Dec - 19th Dec, one morning in the buffet a man was filling up his water bottle the gentleman behind him pointed out the note on the machine asking you not to do it, he said I don't know why not so I explained why not at no point did he stop he just carried on. I saw him go back 10 minutes later to do the same with another bottle - we wonder why germs spread around obviously this man thought rules were not for him.

 

All it needs is a little thought if I filled up my bottle then I used a cup to fill the

bottle.

[Tarbie]

Tarbie

On a totally different matter. Where there any well known entertainers on board for the Xmas cruise?

We had Philip Brown singer and John Martin comedian, whilst not household names talented entertainers.

 

Cb

Tom O'Connor comedian, Clem Curtiss ex Foundations, not the top of the pile by a long way but acceptable(just) and Zoe Tyler? Loose Women fame, west end stage singer who was very good. Had not heard af any of the other artists including Michael Buble, Elton John and Phil Collins lol All tribute artists but quite good.

 

Tarbie

[cruisebore]

Thanks Tarbie

 

We last saw Tom about 3 years ago and he seemed a little unsteady on his feet, but still a very entertaining comic.

 

Cb

[dsrdsrdsr]

Yes very thoughtless - and often seen pointing using their sticks too without any concern for the potential for poking anyone in the vicinity!!

 

On the matter of hygiene though as OTT as it sounds I think sensible precautions as described by other posters makes good sense. One activity I was alerted to on a recent cruise was after sanitising at the entrance I sat down and put my hands under my chair seat to pull up to the table (I know - I should have let the waiter help!). How many other people did exactly the same thing - and had any of those evaded or ignored the hygiene requests to wash hands/sanitise? Suffice to say I now try to remember to have a discrete application of the Boots anti-viral foam once settled before selecting my bread roll!!!! You can't eliminate risk but in the interests of trying to avoid picking up an infection, it all helps. Healthy cruising everyone!

 

I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you really are wasting your time trying to eliminate all germs from your existence. Don't you realise the waiters are just as full of germs as everyone else? They bring you a plate, you eat from it - touching the plate with your fingers on occasion - and the waiter takes the plate away and brings you another. And he does not spend the full 2 minutes washing his hands in between picking up your plate and your neighbour's. He is riddled with germs. Not enough to cause me trouble, certainly, but if you spend your life avoiding germs, it doesn't take many for you to get infected.

[Missus Makkem]

Never mind the Menus , salt and pepper...could go on and on.

 

Its life.

[jeanlyon]

We have seen older people pushing buttons in lifts with the bottom of their walking sticks which must be full of germs and filth and is very unhygienic and very selfish thing to do.[/quote

 

There probably isn't any norovirus on the end of a walking stick! LOL It's probably a lot safer than using your finger.

[JenniC]

We have seen older people pushing buttons in lifts with the bottom of their walking sticks which must be full of germs and filth and is very unhygienic and very selfish thing to do.[/quote

 

There probably isn't any norovirus on the end of a walking stick! LOL It's probably a lot safer than using your finger.

 

BUT if they have used it outside, which they probably have it could have come in contact with dog urine or excrement....:mad::(

[jeanlyon]

Still isn't going to give you norovirus! LOL Dog urine is actually quite OK, although the dog poo would be pretty nasty.

[majortom10]

We have seen older people pushing buttons in lifts with the bottom of their walking sticks which must be full of germs and filth and is very unhygienic and very selfish thing to do.[/quote

 

There probably isn't any norovirus on the end of a walking stick! LOL It's probably a lot safer than using your finger.

 

What a silly comment to make there are more germs on the bottom of a walking stick which is constantly in touch with filthy floor surfaces without ever being washed and certainly never safer than the end of anyones finger. It might not give you noro virus but certainly other gastrointestinal illnesses and as for your statement that dog urine is ok would hate to follow you in a buffet and the obvious lack hygiene standards you have.:rolleyes:

Edited January 4, 2015 by majortom10

[jeanlyon]

What a stupid statement. Nothing wrong with my hygiene standards at all. The subject was norovirus and you said people use walking sticks to push buttons in the lift. That will not give you norovirus. It might have some other germ on it, but not that.

Edited January 5, 2015 by jeanlyon

[Keld]

Hello

 

We boarded Azura on the 26th Dec and there was no norovirus. Through our cruise the captain spoke about additional hygiene measures and reporting any illnesses to the ships doctor but as far as we are aware there were no cases. The buffet restaurant operated as usual and according to a relative of one of the medical staff who was on board nobody was confined to cabin during the cruise.

 

There were a lot of people with colds and coughs, my other half is still trying to get rid of his 'Azura bark'

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[dgs1956]

Hello

 

We boarded Azura on the 26th Dec and there was no norovirus. Through our cruise the captain spoke about additional hygiene measures and reporting any illnesses to the ships doctor but as far as we are aware there were no cases. The buffet restaurant operated as usual and according to a relative of one of the medical staff who was on board nobody was confined to cabin during the cruise.

 

There were a lot of people with colds and coughs, my other half is still trying to get rid of his 'Azura bark'

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

 

Yes, we were on from 27 December and agree with comment. The "Azura Bark" as you say was prolific and not even a cough lozenge available in the shop. The poor hygiene standards amongst passengers con tinue with people re-filling glasses and bottles, re-using plates in the buffet and not washing hands after toilet etc etc.

[JustOxford]

We had a party of 12 on from 26/27 Dec, no sign of nurovirus, I for one always use every gel station I pass in or out, but succumbed to a 'cabin cough' the last three days which did not help on the plane. But, it seemed I was not alone with the cough on the plane, with lots of people coughing, guess those who did not have it will soon, sorry.

The Dreamliner plane was very comfortable, first time ever I did not have problems with my contact lenses.