Riviera on Code Red again

[jeffw47]

I am less concerned with getting Noro than i am about how the ship being CODE RED will affect our vacation.

 

We are on now and have not been sick, but I think at breakfast every morning I've had better service at Denny's. These poor wait staff are wore out. Hardly any of them are smiling anymore. I can't remember the last time I asked for butter 4 times! And, I'll not even talk about bringing milk for coffee or cereal.

 

This is our 4th O cruise and I can say this cruise is nothing like the previous O cruises we have been on nor is the service up to par for O for good reason. Kind of reminds me of my one and only Carnival cruise we took many years ago.

I never say never, but I don't have anymore O cruises booked, and right now I'm just not in the mood to book another one. This cruise has left a bad taste for me.

 

One bright note is the comedian was one of the best we've seen after 36 cruises.

[Spotted Drum]

You are correct that your vacation will be impacted with Norovirus on board a ship. We got off the current Riviera cruise because we were refused docking in Aruba. We got off the next stop in Bonaire.

 

Many ship amenities are shut down and there is a general depressing mood among the staff. There are working their tails off and they are weary. Food stations are wrapped in plastic so nobody touches anything. Many surfaces are dripping with dissenfectant. It is not a fun experience. I recommend you cancel.

[wristband]

As for reciting CDC stats: CDC data is based on Riviera's officially "reported" noro cases.

 

I have been on Riviera several times with noro outbreaks. A good number of guests do NOT report their symptoms due to: fear of quarantine, fear of paying the high cost of a doctor consult, not knowing they should seek treatment in the medical center or (as I have done when infected) self-medicating by staying in the cabin/hydrating/taking Immodium etc.

 

If many infected are not documented by the Medical Center then those passengers who did become ill will not be included in stats reported to the CDC. Who knows what the real numbers are? I would guess an additional 25-40% on top of CDC reported cases.

 

For example, in November (the poster recited CDC data for that cruise above), our section of 21 rooms cleaned by the same house keeper had 10 rooms with sick guests at the same time. Some - but not all - sought treatment from the ship doctor. In other words, Riviera will not document anyone who calls to inform management of their distress - only those documented by the ship doctor are reported.

 

Its a catch-22: unless you visit the ship doctor and pay the fee, then a sick pax will not be recorded for CDC purposes. Bottom line: if you rely on CDC data for reassurance and to minimize the numbers affected, think again about how this information is actually recorded and the accuracy of the data with regard to the actual number of sick passengers.

[iamkingofall]

We are on now and have not been sick, but I think at breakfast every morning I've had better service at Denny's. These poor wait staff are wore out. Hardly any of them are smiling anymore. I can't remember the last time I asked for butter 4 times! And, I'll not even talk about bringing milk for coffee or cereal.

 

This is our 4th O cruise and I can say this cruise is nothing like the previous O cruises we have been on nor is the service up to par for O for good reason. Kind of reminds me of my one and only Carnival cruise we took many years ago.

I never say never, but I don't have anymore O cruises booked, and right now I'm just not in the mood to book another one. This cruise has left a bad taste for me.

 

One bright note is the comedian was one of the best we've seen after 36 cruises.

Well , an honest opinion is appreciated . I do like a good comedian .But this is not sounding like a good time . :mad:

[riandei]

You are correct that your vacation will be impacted with Norovirus on board a ship. We got off the current Riviera cruise because we were refused docking in Aruba. We got off the next stop in Bonaire.

 

Many ship amenities are shut down and there is a general depressing mood among the staff. There are working their tails off and they are weary. Food stations are wrapped in plastic so nobody touches anything. Many surfaces are dripping with dissenfectant. It is not a fun experience. I recommend you cancel.

 

canceling will cost us our entire costs ... we don't have that kind of money ... this was a special cruise for us ... we have sailed celebrity for years and saved our $$ to try an UPGRADE ...hahahaha

[cruisegal415]

I've been following this and similar posts with interest as we have booked the June 9th Med cruise from Rome. We have been planning this trip for several years. We do have travel insurance in case it gets cancelled, and I'm not worried about myself getting sick but am worried about not getting in to ports and not getting 100% service. Am I wrong to think (hope?) that when the ship gets to Europe, she will take on a new, and hopefully not as exhausted crew? Also hoping that they take the time to really clean when it gets there?

[Mura]

Crew is regularly replaced but of course we don't know when most will go off on their vacation. I think the basic crew has 6 month contracts whereas officers have shorter contracts. (The General Manager on Marina once told me what his contract time was but I have forgotten.)

 

If your cruise is in June it would seem very likely that you wouldn't encounter any crew members who were on board when the problems started -- I think in November.

 

On our first Oceania cruise it was a B2B. There was a major changeover at the first ending port (LA to Costa Rica) where a majority of the crew left the ship. We had a few days of adjustment as the new people got used to the routine. (Also, the first leg had been undersold, the second leg was NOT.)

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Contract for the crew can last anywhere from 5 to 10 months just depends on what they sign on for

There is never a mass exodus

I think maybe some will be leaving to head to Sirena

[Iamthesea]

We are on now and have not been sick, but I think at breakfast every morning I've had better service at Denny's. These poor wait staff are wore out. Hardly any of them are smiling anymore. I can't remember the last time I asked for butter 4 times! And, I'll not even talk about bringing milk for coffee or cereal.

 

This is our 4th O cruise and I can say this cruise is nothing like the previous O cruises we have been on nor is the service up to par for O for good reason. Kind of reminds me of my one and only Carnival cruise we took many years ago.

I never say never, but I don't have anymore O cruises booked, and right now I'm just not in the mood to book another one. This cruise has left a bad taste for me.

 

One bright note is the comedian was one of the best we've seen after 36 cruises.

 

Your experience at breakfast sounds just like what we experienced. :eek: Syrup for French Toast, sugar and cream for coffee, and OJ for thirst and taking meds,,, came after the food and coffee were cold, and thirst finally quenched with cold coffee. :rolleyes:

 

I really don't know how some of those currently onboard can not feel shorted. :confused:

Edited March 29, 2016 by Iamthesea

[Wren3]

I've been following this and similar posts with interest as we have booked the June 9th Med cruise from Rome. We have been planning this trip for several years. We do have travel insurance in case it gets cancelled, and I'm not worried about myself getting sick but am worried about not getting in to ports and not getting 100% service. Am I wrong to think (hope?) that when the ship gets to Europe, she will take on a new, and hopefully not as exhausted crew? Also hoping that they take the time to really clean when it gets there?

In speaking with a pool staff member on the March 13-20 Riviera cruise, he stated that his crew just started their rotation and he was even looking to extend his rotation due to financial need back home (he was planning on getting married back home in India and needed to save for the wedding). So some on board are there for the long haul it would appear.

Edited March 29, 2016 by Wren3

[MVPinBoynton]

Last night announced no new cases and only 5 still in quarantine.

[RJB]

Last night announced no new cases and only 5 still in quarantine.

Very good news :):):)

[tarn2008]

Very good news :):):)

 

 

This.[emoji106]

[LHT28]

Last night announced no new cases and only 5 still in quarantine.

Maybe the tape on the door & checking cards when entering the dining venues is keeping people from escaping quarantine

Hope you can get a couple of days of noro free cruising

[MVPinBoynton]

Maybe the tape on the door & checking cards when entering the dining venues is keeping people from escaping quarantine

Hope you can get a couple of days of noro free cruising

 

Thanks. They really are being very stringent, so I am glad it is working. We are still thoroughly enjoying our cruise.

[biotech]

You're enjoying your cruise Mike because you have a positive attitude:-)

[MVPinBoynton]

You're enjoying your cruise Mike because you have a positive attitude:-)

 

You are most correct. A positive attitude does make life most enjoyable. And cruises too! :D

[urlaub]

We were a party of three at the beginning of January for a 11 days cruise Miami to Miami. We had no problems on Riviera and also we didn't here about sick guests or crew members. No port was cancelled.

[CleverScubaCruiser]

canceling will cost us our entire costs ... we don't have that kind of money ... this was a special cruise for us ... we have sailed celebrity for years and saved our $$ to try an UPGRADE ...hahahaha

 

riandei - in your position I would go ahead and look forward to the special cruise that you have saved and worked so hard for. The odds that this virus will negatively impact your cruise are very low (despite what you see on this forum). Once the ship goes code green again (which it will) the crew will be all smiles and the level of service will be impeccable. Just look at the comments for the cruise immediately after the Feb. 12 sailing. My husband and I were on the March 3 - 13 cruise. Every crew member that we talked to on that sailing was energetic and smiling. Did we occasionally have to wait for a table to be cleaned/set in the Terrace? Yes. Did we sometimes have to wait for cream or a second cup of coffee in the Terrace? Yes. Did we miss a port of call? Yes - due to heavy seas. Did we have to turn back about an hour after we had left a port of call due to a medical emergency that needed evacuation? Yes. Did we have a horrible cruise? Absolutely not - we had a great time. You can't always count on having the perfect cruise.

 

Keep in mind that if the breakfast service in the Terrace is too slow (especially on port days) that you can fill out your breakfast order card, leave it outside your door the night before and enjoy breakfast in your room or on your balcony.

[Crownimperial]

I quite agree that you should expect to have a good time. I have been on ships with Noro many times. I have gotten it three times. That never spoiled my cruise. Nor did anyone else on the ship even know I was sick. The captain never announced the Noro. There was no Code red. That is only a CDC requirement here in the US ports. Europe and Asia could care less.

 

Even if Noro is in you ship, you have a better chance of getting a cold or a cough. Heck, I even got H1N1 flu one time but it did not spoil my trip. To be sure I tend to be on longer cruises where a missed day or two isn't much.

 

We plan to be on the crossing 4/11 no matter what and we plan to enjoy it.

[LHT28]

I quite agree that you should expect to have a good time. I have been on ships with Noro many times. I have gotten it three times. That never spoiled my cruise. Nor did anyone else on the ship even know I was sick.

so are you saying you had noro but did not report it to the doctor & were out & about ??

[sammiedawg]

We recently took an organized land tour with extended family, we generally had 35 people on board buses and tours. There was a nasty cough spreading amongst the group, most of us had coughs similar to what you often hear on cruise ships.

My kids got sick a lot when they started preschool, then again their first year in a college dorm.

I've been on four or five cruise ships (non Oceania) with Noro on board, we carried on and went about our business. Everyone we met carried on. Had we gotten sick we would have bounced back a day or two later.

 

I'm a healthcare professional and I often hear professional discussions about the "worried well". I think of that terminology a lot when I read these threads.

[Crownimperial]

Lht28,

Of course I reported to the MD and was quarantined. I kept in quaranteen until they released me.

[RJB]

So I would think that we still are code green. Sounds like things are back to normal and will stay that way. We will be there in July and it is coming fast. Keep the ship clean for us. Safe cruse.

[fb0075]

I quite agree that you should expect to have a good time. I have been on ships with Noro many times. I have gotten it three times. That never spoiled my cruise. Nor did anyone else on the ship even know I was sick.

 

And then we wonder WHY!!!!?????

GEEEZZZZ