Noro on Golden Princess

[keenmolly]

We have just arrived in Melbourne on Golden Princess and yes NOROVIRUS has hit the ship. We have cruised 11 times before and this is the first time with Princess. My husband was confined to our mini suite for 2 days. We could not use our balcony for 8 days out of 14 because of sewerage stench. We could not even open our sliding door as it made us feel ill. Princess offered pitiful compensation which was rejected. Sick ship

[RosieCanberra]

That's a shame keenmolly, how awful. I hope your hubby is well now.

 

Cheers

Rosie

[Pushka]

Just wondering how the sewerage stench happened? Were you in an aft cabin? Did you report it? They can change the vent if its an issue.

 

 

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[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

Docked in Melbourne today. Looks like a great day.:)

[VK3DQ]

 

Docked in Melbourne today. Looks like a great day.:)

 

Hi Folks

 

I should / would have been on that trip .. the ship looks great!

 

As far as the virus is concerned its a shame , but unfortunately some peoples mums never taught them how to wash their hands after using the potty :p

 

As far as the media is concerned they are only there to sell newspapers and the truth is of little consequence

 

 

Best Regards

 

John

[OzKiwiJJ]

Boarding is delayed today as they are doing a deep clean of the ship. Someone posted the notice on the roll call.

[MicCanberra]

Thanks for the pic David.

The deep cleaning may delay the Boarding, but it may not delay the departure.

[keenmolly]

Just wondering how the sewerage stench happened? Were you in an aft cabin? Did you report it? They can change the vent if its an issue.

 

 

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We were in an aft mini suite starboard side E727. We reported it repeatedly to no avail and the stench remained even after we had visits to our balcony from senior staff. We were not the only people to complain as other passengers in our section also could not use their balcony or even open the door slightly to enjoy the sea air.

Passengers were continually mentioning the smell near the Vista lounge on the starboard side. You had to hold your breath when walking through that particular area.

[Pushka]

The aft cabins - there certainly is an issue there and is discussed on the Princess boards here. There is a vent from the kitchen area I believe. It isnt good enough and it is a long standing issue that Princess have been made aware of.

 

 

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[keenmolly]

The aft cabins - there certainly is an issue there and is discussed on the Princess boards here. There is a vent from the kitchen area I believe. It isnt good enough and it is a long standing issue that Princess have been made aware of.

 

 

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If that was a smell from the kitchens then I wonder what I have been eating because it definitely smelt like a septic tank. An overwhelming foul smell.

I must say I enjoyed our dining room

meals and also would like to praise our waiters, they were amazing with nothing being too much trouble. Leah, Nathan & Noel were the best.

Back to our balcony, in the whole 14 days it was not cleaned once and the rust and dirt shows that Golden Princess needs a lot of attention.

[Te Aroha]

This article sure brought a smile to my face when I read it today. It goes to show this can happen anywhere at anytime.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/78139736/Court-cases-cancelled-after-stomach-bug-hits-18-top-judges-during-Chateau-retreat

[Kiwi Kruzer]

This article sure brought a smile to my face when I read it today. It goes to show this can happen anywhere at anytime.

 

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/78139736/Court-cases-cancelled-after-stomach-bug-hits-18-top-judges-during-Chateau-retreat

 

Ha Ha... Sounds just like Norovirus. However , Gastric bug sounds much more up market..:D:D

 

[Pushka]

If that was a smell from the kitchens then I wonder what I have been eating because it definitely smelt like a septic tank. An overwhelming foul smell.

I must say I enjoyed our dining room

meals and also would like to praise our waiters, they were amazing with nothing being too much trouble. Leah, Nathan & Noel were the best.

Back to our balcony, in the whole 14 days it was not cleaned once and the rust and dirt shows that Golden Princess needs a lot of attention.

 

 

Yes - its a sewerage smell that has been reported in these cabins. From the kitchens - from a particular machine. Kinda scary hey!

 

I think your steward was lazy as he is supposed to clean the balcony.

 

 

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[MicCanberra]

Ha Ha... Sounds just like Norovirus. However , Gastric bug sounds much more up market..:D:D

 

 

Lucky the story hasn't spread here yet,

as the Tele would have '523 judges and prostitutes fall sick from Noro virus and forced the lodge to return to the property at least three days early form it's wilderness sojourn.'.:p

[OzKiwiJJ]

If that was a smell from the kitchens then I wonder what I have been eating because it definitely smelt like a septic tank. An overwhelming foul smell.

 

I'm not sure about cruise ship kitchens, but most restaurant kitchens have "grease traps" and those stink to high heaven when they're opened. As bad, if not worse, than a septic tank.

[Ned49]

w

I'm not sure about cruise ship kitchens, but most restaurant kitchens have "grease traps" and those stink to high heaven when they're opened. As bad, if not worse, than a septic tank.

 

Yes I agree with you, I used to work in a kitchen and when the grease trap got emptied it was the worst "septic tank smell" ever. But you would think they would address the problem if passengers keep complaining. Not good to pay for a balcony you can't use.

,

[icat2000]

We have just arrived in Melbourne on Golden Princess and yes NOROVIRUS has hit the ship. We have cruised 11 times before and this is the first time with Princess. My husband was confined to our mini suite for 2 days. We could not use our balcony for 8 days out of 14 because of sewerage stench. We could not even open our sliding door as it made us feel ill. Princess offered pitiful compensation which was rejected. Sick ship

Can I ask what was the compensation offered? I guess the question is what compensation where you looking for?

[icat2000]

If that was a smell from the kitchens then I wonder what I have been eating because it definitely smelt like a septic tank. An overwhelming foul smell.

I must say I enjoyed our dining room

meals and also would like to praise our waiters, they were amazing with nothing being too much trouble. Leah, Nathan & Noel were the best.

Back to our balcony, in the whole 14 days it was not cleaned once and the rust and dirt shows that Golden Princess needs a lot of attention.

Golden Princess I believe isn't much older than the Sun class ships. I think the Diamond Princess is newer. And maybe the Emerald that coming down. Sorry to hear that your hubby was unwell. I have noticed that smell of various Princess ships. It always smells to me like rotting cabbage sometimes when walking around outside of ship.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Golden Princess I believe isn't much older than the Sun class ships. I think the Diamond Princess is newer. And maybe the Emerald that coming down. Sorry to hear that your hubby was unwell. I have noticed that smell of various Princess ships. It always smells to me like rotting cabbage sometimes when walking around outside of ship.

 

Year built-

1995...Sun Princess

1997...Dawn Princess

1998...Sea Princess

2001...Golden Princess

2002...Star Princess

2004...Diamond Princess

2004...Sapphire Princess

2007...Emerald Princess

 

 

 

[MicCanberra]

Year built-

1995...Sun Princess

1997...Dawn Princess

1998...Sea Princess

2001...Golden Princess

2002...Star Princess

2004...Diamond Princess

2004...Sapphire Princess

2007...Emerald Princess

 

 

 

 

Thanks David for the ships info.

 

 

A grease trap is indeed much worse than a septic tank. That said, I find it strange that a grease trap would be venting anywhere on the ship. There would need to be a serious break in the drainage system on board for this to occur.

[Pushka]

The thread I was reading about this on the Princess Boards was started in 2007!

 

Aft suite - dreaded vent or dreaded beam?! http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=669323

 

The noise was the first issue with the vent then others came in with the smell.

Edited March 22, 2016 by Pushka

[Austravels]

Some years ago we travelled on Island Princess and hand sanitisers were all around the ship at all times. We travelled on Golden Princess a few weeks ago and commented to dining staff that there were no hand sanitisers available after day one. Their comment was that once everyone had been on board more than a day there was no need for it unless there was an outbreak. The only times we saw the machines after day one was when we were reboarding after shore excursions. Maybe the recent Noro problems on Golden could have been minimised if hand sanitisation was more common and available. We are travelling on Princess a few more times this year and will be carrying hand sanitisers of our own!

[Kinkacruiser]

Some years ago we travelled on Island Princess and hand sanitisers were all around the ship at all times. We travelled on Golden Princess a few weeks ago and commented to dining staff that there were no hand sanitisers available after day one. Their comment was that once everyone had been on board more than a day there was no need for it unless there was an outbreak. The only times we saw the machines after day one was when we were reboarding after shore excursions. Maybe the recent Noro problems on Golden could have been minimised if hand sanitisation was more common and available. We are travelling on Princess a few more times this year and will be carrying hand sanitisers of our own!

 

I'm surprised, as the sanitiser dispensers have always been there at the entrance to the buffet . For the MDR, you'd each get a personal squirt on entering. I wonder if this isn't another cost-cutting measure.

[keenmolly]

My husband washed his hands like a surgeon all the time. I carried hand sanitiser with us so that if we accidentally touched a handrail or came in contact with someone's hands we were able to "washie washie" straight away. We did not use the lifts nor play in the casino and ate only in the diningroom on a table for two. But alas he came down with NOROVIRUS and confined to the cabin and we are back home now and he is feeling absolutely weak with a hacking cough. Looks like medical attention today. After 11 cruises and always being healthy and enjoying them I think this sailing with Golden Primcess (our first with Princess) may well have changed future plans.

[Aussieflyer]

Whilst the hand sanitisers are useful against some bacteria and are a good idea on board, they do not guard against the actual norovirus as it is a viral infection. Hand washing is the best preventative thing as recommended by health departments and professionals.

Keenmolly I am sorry to hear that, although he seemed to have done everything right, your husband was struck down, though his cough I don't think is a result of noro. I came back from a trip to Singapore in Feb with a cough that would just not go away; suspect I picked it up on the flight over, given it appeared on about Day 3 of my cruise. It finally did stop - several weeks after arriving home.

I think most cruise lines have suffered from noro at some point just as many nursing homes etc have. I contracted noro on Silversea but would never write them off as a potential cruise line for the future.