Possible Noro outbreak on Caribbean Princess

[PenguinLife]

It is about 11:00 am onboard the Caribbean Princess second sea day since departing Houston on Sunday, so far this cruise seemed to be going well, except for some bad weather around departure, until the morning announcement by the captain stating that they have seen an increase in reportedgastro-intestional isssues and are suspecting Norovirus. The crew is starting an intense ships cleaning and the captain urged everyone to wash hands with soap and water as well as use the handsanitizer around the ship, if anyone has symptoms they should return to their cabin and call 911.

 

 

Ike

[Colo Cruiser]

Its everywhere.

Enjoy your cruise.

Edited December 15, 2015 by Colo Cruiser

[cruzsnooze]

Many people will not call 911 because they don't want to get quarantined to their cabins. The alcohol based hand sanitizers are worthless against a virus and give a false sense of security. Washing with soap and water is they way to go and don't touch elevator buttons or banisters.

[Thrak]

Many people will not call 911 because they don't want to get quarantined to their cabins. The alcohol based hand sanitizers are worthless against a virus and give a false sense of security. Washing with soap and water is they way to go and don't touch elevator buttons or banisters.

 

I always push the elevator buttons with my knuckle. I've been known to touch the banisters but always wash my hands frequently.

[MickeyGD]

We just disembarked last Sunday, 12/13. My husband was in bad shape with "something" yesterday. I think we have now confirmed his diagnosis..... :(

[Christine Frances]

Many people will not call 911 because they don't want to get quarantined to their cabins. The alcohol based hand sanitizers are worthless against a virus and give a false sense of security. Washing with soap and water is they way to go and don't touch elevator buttons or banisters.

 

This is the assumption because people seem to assume the Purell on the ship is the same stuff you buy in Walmart. It is a special product that most cruise lines use which targets Noro. I was reading about an outbreak on the Oceania boards and curious about the hand gel, I emailed concerns@celebrity.com to find out what product they used for hand sanitizer. I shortly received a call and a follow up email. She also reiterated that and medical costs are free for any gastro related symptoms, that you are given an OBC at a per diem rate if you are confined to your cabin. I was reassured by the email and will continue to use it on the ship. Email follows

 

Dear Mrs. Hamilton,

 

Thank you for your inquiry regarding our hand sanitizer used aboard our fleet. It was a pleasure speaking with you today.

 

In answer to your question, the product we offer to our guests onboard is not the same as the regular over the counter gel. We special order our stock, as most cruise lines do, to include the gel with a formula created to target Norovirus.

 

With this being said, we will do everything we can to avoid the spread of an outbreak on our ships. Please know, the moment the first case is brought to our attention, additional cleaning procedures begin. The level of severity is dependent on guest participation of utilizing the hand sanitizer that we provide, accurate reporting, and adhering to the confinement procedure if determined to be contagious by our Medical Staff.

 

I hope this information helps you on future sailings! If you need anything else, please do not hesitate to contact us back. We are always happy to help.

 

Sincerely,

 

 

 

Elisabeth Buchanan

Celebrity Cruises

[Paula_MacFan]

Washing with soap and water is they way to go and don't touch elevator buttons or banisters.

 

This is one of the reasons we NEVER take the elevator on cruises (in addition to walking off the extra food:)). It grosses me out to be in an elevator with people coughing, sneezing, touching buttons with dirty fingers. I try not to touch bannisters or anything else. I carry around individual wet-wipes and NEVER eat anything with my fingers. We also try to limit use of public restrooms. Last month on the Caribbean Princess I saw some women leave one of the public restrooms without washing.....gross! And no they didn't leave the handicap stall, which I know has its own wash facilities inside with the toilet.

 

So far, knock on wood, I've never been sick on a cruise. We will be back on the Caribbean Princess in February. I hope those sailing on her now stay well and can enjoy the rest of their cruise!

Edited December 15, 2015 by Paula_MacFan

[satxdiver]

Sounds like the last cruise pax brought noro aboard. Hopefully the ship can get it stopped before it gets any worse. We use the stairs and the restroom in our cabin. We wash our hands often with soap and water and stay out of the HC. It is a wise idea to watch what you touch, eat and drink while on shore which is where these viruses come from. We sail on the CB in February.

Edited December 15, 2015 by satxdiver

[mmckm]

I said this on here a long time ago that the hand jell's they use are made to fight noro. People keep saying there no good. Why would they have hand a sanitizer that wouldn't target noro.

[moki'smommy]

While it is great advice to say "Don't touch elevator buttons," "Don't touch hand rails," etc. the norovirus is spread by hand to mouth contact (or other mucous membranes in the body.) Some people need those hand rails, and depressing elevator buttons with your knuckle is fine--provided your knuckle doesn't come in contact with your mouth.

 

Gels help. GOOD soap and water washing is better. But this means really washing, not s 3 second "rinse off" with water. The virus on your hand will not cause disease. The problem comes when your hand comes in contact with a food or other item that enters your mouth (like a straw) or your hand contacts your mouth. A closed environment like a ship or a school makes spread of the disease more common. Bottom line--wash hands thoroughly and often. If you feel better not using an elevator, fine. You'll possibly avoid some respiratory viruses too. But for Noro, you're just as effective by washing your hands after the elevator.

[Mackenzie1]

The most important thing to remember is to keep our hands away from our mouths, noses, eyes and ears. Norovirus is not airborne. It's spread by touching something with the virus, like our fingers, and then transferring the virus to our mouths by putting our fingers in our mouths. By keeping our hands away from our faces, we will not catch the virus.

[eclue]

I always take a bottle of liquid antibacterial soap and keep it in our cabin bathroom and use that for handwashing all the time.....it is a good way to fight off those germs.

We will be back on the Caribbean Princess on Jan 24th....

Stay well everyone.

 

eclue:rolleyes:

[Mommypig]

The most important thing to remember is to keep our hands away from our mouths, noses, eyes and ears. Norovirus is not airborne. It's spread by touching something with the virus, like our fingers, and then transferring the virus to our mouths by putting our fingers in our mouths. By keeping our hands away from our faces, we will not catch the virus.

 

 

Noro virus can aerosolize during a vomiting episode. See below

 

‘Epidemiological evidence has pointed to virus aerosolization during vomiting as a likely route for spreading norovirus, and our work here confirms that it’s not only possible but probable,’ said Lee-Ann Jaykus, a professor of food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences at NC State and director of the NoroCore initiative.

‘When one person vomits, the aerosolized virus particles can get into another person’s mouth and, if swallowed, can lead to infection, she said.

‘But those airborne particles could also land on nearby surfaces like tables and door handles, causing environmental contamination.

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3204795/Sick-Vomitting-robot-throws-green-Jell-o-quickly-norovirus-spreads-AIR.html#ixzz3uROJ7fr5

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

This is why it is so important to stay in your cabin if you feel ill, and to avoid areas where people might have been sick, such as public restrooms.

 

Linda

[Mackenzie1]

Noro virus can aerosolize during a vomiting episode. See below

 

‘Epidemiological evidence has pointed to virus aerosolization during vomiting as a likely route for spreading norovirus, and our work here confirms that it’s not only possible but probable,’ said Lee-Ann Jaykus, a professor of food, bioprocessing and nutrition sciences at NC State and director of the NoroCore initiative.

‘When one person vomits, the aerosolized virus particles can get into another person’s mouth and, if swallowed, can lead to infection, she said.

‘But those airborne particles could also land on nearby surfaces like tables and door handles, causing environmental contamination.

 

 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3204795/Sick-Vomitting-robot-throws-green-Jell-o-quickly-norovirus-spreads-AIR.html#ixzz3uROJ7fr5

Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

This is why it is so important to stay in your cabin if you feel ill, and to avoid areas where people might have been sick, such as public restrooms.

 

Linda

 

Of course, breathing in someone's physical vomit is another way to transmit the virus into the body. It's the same principle, and requires the same caution.

[PenguinLife]

No new announcements here onboard, although there have been some hand outs by our door about what to do, buffet's are full service only and even in the MDR's there is no bread or butter on tables instead they are handed out with tongs. Honestly though I have seen no visible step up on cleaning. I have seen a few people coughing or sneezing, but that may just be me being more alert to it.

 

Ike

[Woobstr112G]

No new announcements here onboard, although there have been some hand outs by our door about what to do, buffet's are full service only and even in the MDR's there is no bread or butter on tables instead they are handed out with tongs. Honestly though I have seen no visible step up on cleaning. I have seen a few people coughing or sneezing, but that may just be me being more alert to it.

 

Ike

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise. Hoping you don't catch anything.....:):):)

 

Bob

[chengkp75]

I said this on here a long time ago that the hand jell's they use are made to fight noro. People keep saying there no good. Why would they have hand a sanitizer that wouldn't target noro.

 

And, again, I'll make a "one and done" here, as I'm tired of hand sanitizer debates. The hand sanitizers are effective against bacteria, which are still out there, and can cause illnesses. If the hand sanitizers were effective against noro virus, I just wonder why the manufacturer doesn't get them on the EPA list of "effective agents against noro virus"? There are no hand sanitizers on this list, but there are one or two "wipes" (but I think medical supply only).

 

I always tell everyone to do whatever makes you feel "safer" or more comfortable, but just know that the hand sanitizers are not effective against noro.

[travelux]

we were on a delayed cruise Nov.30 - Dec.6 and something was wrong then. The first who told us about not feeling well was a waitress. She looked pale and said that she had cramps and upset stomach. Later I felt nauseated and blamed it on ruff seas. My husband felt awful next day and spent half day in our cabin. A couple at our table also mentioned having stomach problems.

[Mrs.Gosse]

While it is great advice to say "Don't touch elevator buttons' date='" "Don't touch hand rails," etc. the norovirus is spread by hand to mouth contact (or other mucous membranes in the body.) Some people need those hand rails, and depressing elevator buttons with your knuckle is fine--provided your knuckle doesn't come in contact with your mouth.

 

Gels help. GOOD soap and water washing is better. But this means really washing, not s 3 second "rinse off" with water. The virus on your hand will not cause disease. The problem comes when your hand comes in contact with a food or other item that enters your mouth (like a straw) or your hand contacts your mouth. A closed environment like a ship or a school makes spread of the disease more common. Bottom line--wash hands thoroughly and often. If you feel better not using an elevator, fine. You'll possibly avoid some respiratory viruses too. But for Noro, you're just as effective by washing your hands after the elevator.[/quote']

 

Thank you for pointing this out. I was going to mention the mouth

connection as well.

[eclue]

We were on the Nov 30 to Dec 6 cruise also - we saw absolutely no evidence of any noro virus on,trip. The food was fantastic.

The seas, in my mind, were not rough at all except for one night on the return trip out of Cozumel. We all have different versions of what rough seas might be.

We are back on that ship on Jan 24th and looking forward to it.

eclue:rolleyes:

[moki'smommy]

we were on a delayed cruise Nov.30 - Dec.6 and something was wrong then. The first who told us about not feeling well was a waitress. She looked pale and said that she had cramps and upset stomach. Later I felt nauseated and blamed it on ruff seas. My husband felt awful next day and spent half day in our cabin. A couple at our table also mentioned having stomach problems.

 

I was on the same cruise and missed this little bit of sunshine. BUT, a waitress who is ill should not have been doing her job. Perhaps Princess needs to do a little re-education here.

[Colo Cruiser]

we were on a delayed cruise Nov.30 - Dec.6 and something was wrong then. The first who told us about not feeling well was a waitress. She looked pale and said that she had cramps and upset stomach. Later I felt nauseated and blamed it on ruff seas. My husband felt awful next day and spent half day in our cabin. A couple at our table also mentioned having stomach problems.

 

 

If they don't self report they can lose their jobs.

[MTJSR]

Which hand sanitizers kill stomach flu viruses (especially norovirus and Ebola)?

 

Answer: Clorox Hand Sanitizer, Zylast Antiseptic, and Germstar Noro.

 

 

About the Product

 

Tested and kills Norovirus (Feline Calicivirus)

Bleach-Free formula kills 99.999% of germs

Bundled with a "Wash Your Hands" reminder magnet

Formulated with 71% ethyl alcohol and premium emollients

 

 

.

Edited December 16, 2015 by MTJSR

[chengkp75]

Which hand sanitizers kill stomach flu viruses (especially norovirus and Ebola)?

 

Answer: Clorox Hand Sanitizer, Zylast Antiseptic, and Germstar Noro.

 

 

About the Product

 

Tested and kills Norovirus (Feline Calicivirus)

Bleach-Free formula kills 99.999% of germs

Bundled with a "Wash Your Hands" reminder magnet

Formulated with 71% ethyl alcohol and premium emollients

 

 

.

 

Didn't want to get drawn into another sanitizer debate, but couldn't let this one go. EBOLA? Seriously? I'm sure all the medical professionals in West Africa are just jumping to use this rather than hazmat suits. And I wasn't aware that Ebola was a "stomach flu".

 

Again, these are manufacturer's claims. Where are the government approvals of the testing to verify the claim. And just like Germstar Noro, the Clorox has "emollients" which Germstar claims improves the virus killing ability. Emollients are defined as skin softening agents, what does that have to do with killing viruses?

[MTJSR]

Didn't want to get drawn into another sanitizer debate, but couldn't let this one go. EBOLA? Seriously? I'm sure all the medical professionals in West Africa are just jumping to use this rather than hazmat suits. And I wasn't aware that Ebola was a "stomach flu".

 

I just don't share your energy to debunk everything posted here. I simply imported a note from an article I found. Adults will investigate the product and see if it works for them.