Code Red on Mariner

[NJBelle]

Hi all, lots of speculation here, so a few facts:

1. I am on the Mariner right now

2. The Passages clearly stated gastroenteritis. (I doubt they have the technical facilities to actually get a NV diagnosis, but seems likes they are going with precautions that cover it - and certainly other communicable diseases).

3. In a cheeky moment, I am the one who introduced Code Brown into this thread. It was an attempt to be amusing. I never stated that anyone official had called it that.

 

Now, opinion : I don’t think there is an environment of secretiveness onboard. They have been open about the Code Red and how to deal with any concern. As I said, they plainly stated gastroenteritis in Passages.

[UUNetBill]

Out of 10 cruises we've had a Code Red and at least one Code Blue on our one Cunard cruise and a Code Blue on a Regent cruise. The Code Red on Cunard was the most intrusive by far. Code Blues rarely affect passengers in my experience. I'm sure the lines feel that the best Code Blue is one no passengers know about.

[Got2Cruise]

Hi all, lots of speculation here, so a few facts:

1. I am on the Mariner right now

2. The Passages clearly stated gastroenteritis. (I doubt they have the technical facilities to actually get a NV diagnosis, but seems likes they are going with precautions that cover it - and certainly other communicable diseases).

3. In a cheeky moment, I am the one who introduced Code Brown into this thread. It was an attempt to be amusing. I never stated that anyone official had called it that.

 

Now, opinion : I don’t think there is an environment of secretiveness onboard. They have been open about the Code Red and how to deal with any concern. As I said, they plainly stated gastroenteritis in Passages.

 

Thank you for taking the time to keep all informed with the facts. I don't understand the need for others 1,000s miles away to chime in with their opinions. Simply confuses things for those of us who are reading to learn how Regent handles such matters.

[wishIweretravelling]

As it was explained to me on Crystal, the prohibition on the Captain shaking hands is largely to protect the Captain. He/she is the last person on the ship one wishes to come down with something ghastly.

 

On my last couple of cruises (Regent and Crystal), I heard a couple of Code Mikes. Which I was told are medical emergencies at sea.

 

On one Regent cruise, I came down with a nasty GI illness. Not only was I ordered quarantined, but so was my perfectly healthy cabin-mate. Our cabin was cleaned by a couple of guys in what looked like hazmat suits for a couple of days. I was pretty certain that my illness came from an errant and piece of lettuce in a sandwich in Cairo (that I didn't see until after I'd had a bite), and the fact that my cabin-mate never got sick seemed to support that. But Regent certainly did take precautions--appropriately so.

[NJBelle]

Thank you, Got 2Cruise!

Appreciate the vote of confidence. When you have sketchy internet in southern South America, it takes some devotion to the facts to want to be sure that the report from “boots on the ground” is taken in hand.

 

Just an update - at the lunch time Captian’s report, CD Paul said that there are still a few passengers suffering from gastroenteritis. He used those words - have no numbers about what few means.

[ellbon]

You can call it whatever the hell you want, but I have done 44 cruises on Azamara and we never had a sick ship!! We had the first 24 hours of cruising with not serving ourselves. The Captain himself spoke of it during boat drill. No officer or guest is allowed to shake hands ever !

 

On Cystral st the CC party and other times the HD and CD wanted to shake hands. Plus other officers. I felt dirty and nit clean after party and went to wash my hands.

 

On this ship both the HD and CD shAke hands or did. Found it gross. Kept on washing hands.

 

Carrying a wash cloth with me as everything is sticky. Keep walking and wiping.

 

Plus praying

[JMARINER]

On the blog for your cruise, someone posted that it was flu related. GI could be norovirus but we won't know until we check reported cruise ship illnesses. The posters also said that only 4 passengers were affected which doesn't sound right either. I seem to recall that there had to be around 12 passengers with an illness in order to go Code Red.

 

I suspect that the codes on ships are different than on land. Maybe someone will remember whether Code Blue is when a passenger needs immediate assistance or if it another color. Haven't heard of "Code Brown" but have unfortunately experienced and read about "Code Red" on ships may times. In any case, when we were onboard the Mariner in September (Alaska) they had to go 36 hours with no new cases before they would cancel Code Red.

 

Maybe a lot of crew are sick too. I think that the determination to call a "code red" has to do with the full ships compliment and not just the passengers.

 

 

There was a long discussion already on when code reds are called last fall. Link

J (612/42)

[Travelcat2]

TC, please inform us where you get your information from. We have never had code whatever on Regent or Crystal.

 

Will be happy to give you the link to the CDC website where "reportable" Code Red's are listed (see below). You likely haven't had a "reportable" Code Red on Regent as they have not had one since 2009. Crystal has had two reportable Reds - in 2010 and 2013. Interestingly, the cruise line that doesn't let passengers serve themselves (Oceania) has had a Code Red almost every year (recent years). Silversea has had one (last year I believe and it was E-Coli rather than Norovirus). I didn't notice anything in recent years for Seabourn so they must be doing something right.

 

The point that I would like to stress here is (and I know that I'm repeating myself), Regent will institute a Code Red when they have a certain number of passengers with communicable diseases - not only reportable ones. So, when most of the ship was sick 4 years ago (Voyager - Bali to Sydney), it was not Norovirus and therefore not reportable. And the flu that was causing so many issues on the Mariner from September - November 2017 was also not reportable. Regent takes extra precautions in order to avoid the spread of any communicable illness.

 

Here is the link https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm#2011

 

As a side note - I find it helpful when people that have experienced Code Red on Regent to chime in - whether they are on the ship currently or not. There is someone currently on the Mariner that reported that it was the flu and I made the mistake of repeating what I read from what I felt was a reliable source.

Edited January 30, 2018 by Travelcat2

[LoonCall]

Was Reading the CDC VSP operations manual for a GI illness to be "reportable" and found this:

 

4.2.1.2.2

 

 

 

 

For cruises lasting longer than 15 days before entering a

U.S. port, the AGE report may include only those reportablecases and total numbers of passengers and crew members forthe 15 days before the expected arrival at a U.S. port.

 

4.2.2 Special Report

4.2.2.1 Special Report Timing

 

The master or designated corporate representative of a vessel withan international itinerary destined for a U.S. port must submit aspecial report at any time during a cruise, including between twoU.S. ports, when the cumulative percentage of reportable casesentered in the AGE surveillance log reaches 2% among passengersor 2% among crew and the vessel is within 15 days of expectedarrival at a U.S. port.

A telephone notification to VSP must accompany the special 2%report.

 

A second special report must be submitted when the cumulativepercentage of reportable cases entered in the AGE surveillance logreaches 3% among passengers or 3% among crew and the vessel iswithin 15 days of expected arrival at a U.S. port.

Given that Mariner won't be entering a US port within 15 days it won't be reportable.

[ellbon]

I asked today,.two separate crew members about crew being sick. Both told me no crew member is sick.

 

This cruiseline needs to stop shaking hands.

[Travelcat2]

Was Reading the CDC VSP operations manual for a GI illness to be "reportable" and found this:

 

4.2.1.2.2

 

 

 

 

For cruises lasting longer than 15 days before entering a

U.S. port, the AGE report may include only those reportablecases and total numbers of passengers and crew members forthe 15 days before the expected arrival at a U.S. port.

 

4.2.2 Special Report

4.2.2.1 Special Report Timing

 

The master or designated corporate representative of a vessel withan international itinerary destined for a U.S. port must submit aspecial report at any time during a cruise, including between twoU.S. ports, when the cumulative percentage of reportable casesentered in the AGE surveillance log reaches 2% among passengersor 2% among crew and the vessel is within 15 days of expectedarrival at a U.S. port.

A telephone notification to VSP must accompany the special 2%report.

 

A second special report must be submitted when the cumulativepercentage of reportable cases entered in the AGE surveillance logreaches 3% among passengers or 3% among crew and the vessel iswithin 15 days of expected arrival at a U.S. port.

Given that Mariner won't be entering a US port within 15 days it won't be reportable.

 

Thank you for posting that. It makes sense since there were around 12 people on our Alaska cruise (last September) when the Mariner went Code Red - the flu. It began a day or two before arriving in the U.S. so had it been a reportable illness, it would have been reported. Although one can assume that anything that happens to ships when they are not going to the U.S. does not have to be reported, I wonder this is the practice for cruise ships. That would likely be a good question for Regent!

 

elbon, the fact that you have done 44 cruises and this is your first Code Red is lucky for you. A person can do only one cruise and encounter it.

 

Interesting ..... https://cruising.org/cruise-Vacationer/industry-facts/norovirus-on-cruise-ships

 

Also interesting - http://fortune.com/2015/04/15/5-cruise-lines-most-stomach-bug-outbreaks/

Edited January 30, 2018 by Travelcat2

[LoonCall]

"elbon the fact that you have done 44 cruises and this is your first Code Red is lucky for you. A person can do only one cruise and encounter it."

 

 

 

 

True TC. elbon I think you should buy a lottery ticket;)

[MalbecWine]

Thanks for sharing TC interesting statistics but it appears that things are improving at least on the luxury lines.

 

Ellbon, sorry you did not enjoy your Crystal cruise and apparently you have complaints about Regent and you praise Azamara where they nickel and dime you. May I suggest you charter a yacht.

[fizzy]

Do they also close the shops, spa, library and casino? Those venues would generate a lot of random touching just like the big puzzle.

[Travelcat2]

Do they also close the shops, spa, library and casino? Those venues would generate a lot of random touching just like the big puzzle.

 

I don't go to the casino but don't think that it is closed or is the library, spa and shops. Hopefully people that take advantage of the spa are not ill when they go there. They probably should close the library but I don't know since I only read on electronic devices (my own). Not sure why the Boutique should be closed as there is minimal "touching" but still there is a chance of contamination if the person performing the treatment does proper sanitation.

[liptastic]

The boutique and casino should definitely be closed while code red is active. Bit of a concern that they don’t see this being an issue actually. Jean.

[nfcu]

And in the casino everyone playing table games are handling the chips which are passed around among all the players and dealers. A good place to catch something if something is going around.

[LoonCall]

I don't recall the computers being shut down. Are they off limits?

[Travelcat2]

I don't recall the computers being shut down. Are they off limits?

 

Computers do not need to be shut down -- they have disinfectant wipes next to the computers. If you use them for the keyboard and mouse and disinfect your hands, you'll be fine.

 

You really can't shut down the entire ship. Besides, if you are sick and touch a handrail or elevator button (even though they are constantly being cleaned), you could still get sick. There has to be some passenger responsibility as well. Passengers still need to wash and/or disinfect their hands - not touch their mouth/nose/eyes after touching any surface of the ship, etc.

[LoonCall]

Computers do not need to be shut down -- they have disinfectant wipes next to the computers. If you use them for the keyboard and mouse and disinfect your hands, you'll be fine.

 

You really can't shut down the entire ship. Besides, if you are sick and touch a handrail or elevator button (even though they are constantly being cleaned), you could still get sick. There has to be some passenger responsibility as well. Passengers still need to wash and/or disinfect their hands - not touch their mouth/nose/eyes after touching any surface of the ship, etc.

(y)

Never used the computer room so couldn't remember whether it was or not.

Elevator buttons and railings are like little Petri dishes in my book😷

It's a tough situation with so many people in close contact all the time. You just have to be vigilant and do the best you can.

[Travelcat2]

Not that it helps a whole lot but I press elevator buttons with my knuckle. Somehow that seems safer than using my fingertips. Agree that elevator buttons are like little Petri dishes. They were cleaning them frequently on the Mariner in November/December (which left them sticky but disinfected - at least for a few minutes).

[NJBelle]

As we prepare for sail away from Puerto Montt, CD Paul just said that current situation still status quo. He said it has to be 48 hours after last person is reported sick (and quarantined of course). He also mentioned that no crew were ill, just passengers.

 

Just an FYI, the passenger laundries remain closed, and some folks are getting a little antsy about their dirty clothes. They may have to break down and send them out! We get a free bag every week, but seems like there should be a discount at least when there are no passenger laundries available. They can’t do free (IMHO) since I guess everyone would send stuff and overwhelm the facilities. Oh well. Can’t speak about the casino even though I just walked through it. It is closed since we have just been in port. For what it is worth, I didn’t see any signs that it would be closed while in Code Red. As far as the library, it is a kind of open room so it is open, but there are signs on the DVDs and the games that they are not able to be checked out and their cabinets are locked.

[mrlevin]

This code red is absolutely ridiculous. It was going to be over yesterday evening but ONE guest reported themselves so the 48 hour clock started again. Tomorrow evening is the earliest it will end. Some of the procedures are asinine.

 

Marc

[PaulaJK]

Marc, I cannot understand how closing the laundry makes sense when they are keeping open the casino, library and shops!

[mrlevin]

Marc, I cannot understand how closing the laundry makes sense when they are keeping open the casino, library and shops!

 

I agree. Nor why no towels in restroom. I have been told it is “protocol “