Worried about carnival sunshine norovirus

[Ninn]

I am pretty worried about the norovirus. We cruise on March 17. We're really strict with hand washing and Lysol wipes. I've had norovirus before and it wasn't fun. I'm wondering if people got sick because they were older and at risk or if it was spreading like wildfire. If any one is on this cruise or the last I'd be happy to hear from you. I'm not sure what we can do other than being vigilant but I'm feeling pretty nervous.

Thanks:)

[Miller_KC]

There is a chance of getting it any time you are interacting with larger groups of people. I've had it twice from hotel stays, but 0 times out of 22 cruises. I wouldn't worry too much. After the cleaning on Sunday the Sunshine will probably be the least likely place to catch it for a while.

[RuthlessBoss]

Sunshine isn't the source of noro, it's people picking it up elsewhere and bringing it with them. What about airplanes, taxis, cars, restaurants, grocery stores. We can't spend the rest of our lives fearing.

[LMaxwell]

Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and warm water.

 

Avoid touching tongs in the buffet with bare hands (use a napkin).

 

Try to use a cloth or napkin to open doors, push elevator buttons, etc.

 

The sort of sanitizer used for hands on cruise ships DOES kill noro. Most typical over the counter kind does not.

 

I generally don't worry about a ship "having noro"; but I sure do worry about the cleanliness and habits of others who have been traveling. Good self-defense is the best offense.

[Podna's]

Sunshine isn't the source of noro, it's people picking it up elsewhere and bringing it with them. What about airplanes, taxis, cars, restaurants, grocery stores. We can't spend the rest of our lives fearing.

 

 

Excellent points! Op enjoy your cruise.

Edited March 7, 2016 by Podna's

[elainmir]

I have always brought my lysol spray, wipes and germ killer with me..I rewipe everything in the cabin..takes about 30 minutes for my little ritual..I hit the remote, light switches , door handles, closet door and drawer handles..I spray it down good! I hit the elevator buttons with a knuckle or elbow if possible...I use germ killer before hitting the buffet line and after I leave it. Yes I practice overkill ROFL:D;)

[Micahs Grandad]

Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and warm water.

 

Avoid touching tongs in the buffet with bare hands (use a napkin).

 

Try to use a cloth or napkin to open doors, push elevator buttons, etc.

 

The sort of sanitizer used for hands on cruise ships DOES kill noro. Most typical over the counter kind does not.

 

I generally don't worry about a ship "having noro"; but I sure do worry about the cleanliness and habits of others who have been traveling. Good self-defense is the best offense.

 

good suggestions

[OCruisers]

You are no more likely to get Noro on Sunshine than you would be on any other ship. ;)

[zoncom]

They can spend hours cleaning/ disinfecting but all it takes is a new embarking cruiser who may not even know they have it to recontaminate the ship again.I got it in my home town, probably at Senior Center.Worst 3 days of my life. I liken it to child birth labor. I rarely use the public ladies rooms on board; over 50 cruises, no Noro.

[Ninn]

Thank you so much for the tips. I'm going to be extra careful and really wipe things down. I do feel better after reading your experiences of not getting sick on all the other cruises and I have yo remember that and not let the outbreak freak me out! Good tip on not using the public lavs, I'm pretty sure that's where I picked up Moro the one time I had it.

Thanks again:)))

[RuthlessBoss]

I have always brought my lysol spray, wipes and germ killer with me..I rewipe everything in the cabin..takes about 30 minutes for my little ritual..I hit the remote, light switches , door handles, closet door and drawer handles..I spray it down good! I hit the elevator buttons with a knuckle or elbow if possible...I use germ killer before hitting the buffet line and after I leave it. Yes I practice overkill ROFL:D;)

 

What did you do enroute to get to the ship? What did you touch? How does one know they haven't touched anything with noro on it? What precautions does one take getting to their cabin to disinfect it? As I said, it's people bringing it onto the ship even if they didn't know it.

[bingo3]

That mess has been going around a few weeks here, stands to reason some will take it on the ships. You can be contagious before and sometimes after symptoms. And some people are contagious and never come down with it themselves.

 

I have subscribed to the drinking 100% grape juice to help keep it at bay. No clue if it really works, but is worth a try and I haven't gotten sick yet, even though exposed. :D

[cb at sea]

HUMANS carry the virus....you can have the virus and spread it BEFORE you have any symptoms....that's why it's so pervasive! You'll feel fine, get on the ship, interact with others, then BAM...you got it...and so do others!

 

It's not the ship...it's the people!

[smarks]

Wash your hands thoroughly and often with soap and warm water.

 

Avoid touching tongs in the buffet with bare hands (use a napkin).

 

Try to use a cloth or napkin to open doors, push elevator buttons, etc.

 

The sort of sanitizer used for hands on cruise ships DOES kill noro. Most typical over the counter kind does not.

 

I generally don't worry about a ship "having noro"; but I sure do worry about the cleanliness and habits of others who have been traveling. Good self-defense is the best offense.

I was on the Sunshine during the outbreak and Carnival was very vigilant about hand washing and started serving on the Lido. Like you, I also thought the hand sanitizer Carnival uses would kill the virus but Carnival put out fliers stating that the sanitizers would NOT kill the virus. So I guess it is just a back up if nothing else is available. We were made to wash our hands to enter the Lido and also when we were leaving. I never saw anyone sick and none in our group got sick from that virus although some of us came down with nasty head colds. I have heard different stories about how many were infected but Carnival got it under control pretty quick.

[Elaine5715]

People shed the Norovirus for over a week after the symptoms have stopped.

[mapsmith]

Sitting here thinking of places to spread noro before getting on the ship. Handles of suitcases that are handled by porters, baggage handlers at the airport, check in agents at the airport.

 

The Check in Agents at the airport, people on the plane, the airplane seat.

 

Check in at the port. THE ESCALATOR AT THE PORT (everyone holds on to the railing)

 

Cabs.

 

Sailing out of Port Canaveral. DISNEY.

 

A report from the CDC came out in the last couple of weeks that states that you are less likely to catch noro on a Cruise ship than virtually any other place where a crowd gathers.

 

(Besides there were only a couple hundred noro cases out of 3000+ passengers and 2000 crew that is a very small number.)

Edited March 8, 2016 by mapsmith

[mzloolue]

I would be more nervous about getting noro too.

 

Everyone who was exposed to the outbreak does not leave the ship.

12 to 48 hours is the incubation period.

People could still be starting the illness for four days into the next cruise.

And shedding virus before they have symptoms.

 

I just read an article that said the virus can live for weeks on hard surfaces and on plates washed under restaurant conditions.

 

And then I read another article about a grocery bag of snacks that was in a hotel room when one girl threw up in the bathroom.

When she flushed the toilet, the virus became air born and contaminated the grocery bag hanging in the room.

The grocery bag later infected a whole soccer team when they ate cookies from a sealed package that had been in the bag.

When the illness was investigated live virus was found on the grocery bag weeks later.

Edited March 8, 2016 by mzloolue

[riclop]

I am pretty worried about the norovirus. We cruise on March 17. We're really strict with hand washing and Lysol wipes. I've had norovirus before and it wasn't fun. I'm wondering if people got sick because they were older and at risk or if it was spreading like wildfire. If any one is on this cruise or the last I'd be happy to hear from you. I'm not sure what we can do other than being vigilant but I'm feeling pretty nervous.

Thanks:)

 

You can get it on any ship.

[Keith1010]

Whenever you travel there is a chance to get this on land or at sea.

 

I would not worry about it but take precautions to minimize risk.

 

Keith

[MCFTJCH2V]

You can get it on any ship.

 

Yes, but the odds of getting on a ship that has just had it are certainly higher. Like some have said, the ship itself isn't sick, but the crew may still be spreading it even with the "wipe down". Be cautious and be wise.

[TerReuv]

Sometimes it seems that those who take the most precautions are the one who get sick. That is because they seem to think that wiping everything down with Lysol wipes is going to kill Noro. It doesn't. They think that using hand sanitizer keeps them from getting Noro. Nope! In fact, the hand sanitizer that everyone wants Carnival to push is going to kill more good bacteria that would fight the Norovirus.

 

My DH and I never use the hand sanitizer and never wipe things down, never use paper towels to open doors, etc. Yet, we never get sick! BIL & SIL use sanitizer all the time, wipe things down, etc and guess who the sickest people in our familiar are? Yep! They are.

 

Please stop acting like you are living in a bubble. Normal good hand washing is the best thing there is to fight Noro. All the extra vigilance being done is killing the good bacteria that helps fight the bad stuff! When are folks ever going to realize that.

 

Sorry, off my soap box. :D

[MCFTJCH2V]

Sometimes it seems that those who take the most precautions are the one who get sick. That is because they seem to think that wiping everything down with Lysol wipes is going to kill Noro. It doesn't. They think that using hand sanitizer keeps them from getting Noro. Nope! In fact, the hand sanitizer that everyone wants Carnival to push is going to kill more good bacteria that would fight the Norovirus.

 

My DH and I never use the hand sanitizer and never wipe things down, never use paper towels to open doors, etc. Yet, we never get sick! BIL & SIL use sanitizer all the time, wipe things down, etc and guess who the sickest people in our familiar are? Yep! They are.

 

Please stop acting like you are living in a bubble. Normal good hand washing is the best thing there is to fight Noro. All the extra vigilance being done is killing the good bacteria that helps fight the bad stuff! When are folks ever going to realize that.

 

Sorry, off my soap box. :D

 

Learned long ago that all these antibacterials do is kill the good bacteria that your natural immune system uses to protect you. That alone should throw the red flag up.

 

And is the reason why those that don't use them don't get as sick as often as those that do.

 

Add the fact that is also messes with the female endocrine system, it's poison in our world.

[TerReuv]

Learned long ago that all these antibacterials do is kill the good bacteria that your natural immune system uses to protect you. That alone should throw the red flag up.

 

And is the reason why those that don't use them don't get as sick as often as those that do.

 

Add the fact that is also messes with the female endocrine system, it's poison in our world.

 

Didn't realize that. My company sells safety supplies and the vendors who bring in the stuff for us to see will even tell you that it kills all the good stuff and really shouldn't be used as a regular hand washing tool.

 

Even when I worked at a daycare, I never got sick. Especially like the BIL & SIL that use the stuff religiously.

[Zeta3]

One other thing that I think people forget to do is avoid touching your face while playing in the casino and be sure to wash your hands after. It is one area of the ship where lots of hands are touching he same things, people sneezing due to smoke, etc.

[cruzeluver]

Just wash your hands frequently and you should be fine. Forget the wipes and trying to sanitize you cabin. For one thing, you can't. There will always be bacteria (the good kind too!) left behind, plus they are ineffectual against noro. Wasting your time and money.