Noro on Caribbean Princess, again

[frankdp]

Yesterday I came down with the dreaded symptoms, self quarantined and reported to medical.  Med has been very helpful with a special diet, meds etc.  

The captain just announced that there is in fact a Noro virus outbreak and special precautions will be taken.   This is two consecutive cruises for CP.  So far, my wife has been spared but that is the only good news.  First for me after 45 cruises.

[Hopperhop]

I am so sorry to hear this.  We were on the last cruise, the one that had to return to port early.  My wife and I were fortunate and did not have the norovirus anytime during the cruise.  

 

I was wondering if Princess would be smart enough to continue to have sink/handwashing monitors in the buffet and also to have the staff dispensing the food so none of the utensils were touched by numerous passengers.  Did they do that or was it back to normal with no handwashing/sink monitors and all of the buffet items being self service?  They started doing that on our cruise after a certain number of passengers had noro but it was pretty much like closing the barn door after the horse was already out.

 

We still had a great time on the cruise even though we did not get to any of the new ports we were looking forward to visiting.  Much better than being in the freezing cold Midwest.  I thought what they did for all of us was quite fair and I know that it must have cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars in addition to the  bad publicity.  Seems kind of penny wise and dollar foolish to not have, at a minimum, the handwashing/sink monitors.  

[frankdp]

Yes, same precautions in effect in the buffet.  I have not even entered the buffet let alone eat there and still got sick.

[Colo Cruiser]

Thats unfortunate........

Noro is on pretty much every cruise to some level.

Sometimes you just don't hear about it.

[voljeep]

hopefully this will be verified ...

[Kenswing]

Hope you get to feeling better.. 

[ExploringTheGlobe]

1 hour ago, frankdp said:

Yes, same precautions in effect in the buffet.  I have not even entered the buffet let alone eat there and still got sick.

 

I'm glad you mentioned this.  I have always figured most everyone who ends up sick ate in the buffet (because of everyone touching the utensils).   My number 1 rule of cruising is never to eat at the buffet (several reasons) so I thought I was mostly safe from getting it.  I guess not!  I'll be on the CB in June.  She is my favorite ship!  Hope you feel better soon!

[frankdp]

53 minutes ago, voljeep said:

hopefully this will be verified ...

Verified by who?

[Thrak]

3 hours ago, frankdp said:

This is two consecutive cruises for CP.

 

Point of reference: CP is Sea Princess.  Caribbean Princess is CB.

[satxdiver]

While a very good source of noro is in the WFM/HC, there are many other sources for the bug.  Places as mundane as the elevator buttons (I like to use my knuckle), chairs and tables on the lido deck and elsewhere, stair railings etc.  I try to keep my hands off things and to wash my hands religiously.  We both have started using only our restroom in the cabin as opposed to using a public one for this reason.  Not always easy to do when nature calls but it can be seriously limited.  I often wondered what they would say if I entered the WFM/HC and put on food handlers gloves before I attempted to serve myself.  

 

Anyway we will be on the CB in August.  We have been on her many times and she is looking good after the sprucing up they did in the last dry dock.  We like the less crowded new layout of the WFM.  Hopefully they will resolve their recent noro outbreaks.

[NoWhiners]

7 minutes ago, satxdiver said:

While a very good source of noro is in the WFM/HC, there are many other sources for the bug.  Places as mundane as the elevator buttons (I like to use my knuckle), chairs and tables on the lido deck and elsewhere, stair railings etc.  I try to keep my hands off things and to wash my hands religiously.  We both have started using only our restroom in the cabin as opposed to using a public one for this reason.  Not always easy to do when nature calls but it can be seriously limited.  I often wondered what they would say if I entered the WFM/HC and put on food handlers gloves before I attempted to serve myself.  

 

Anyway we will be on the CB in August.  We have been on her many times and she is looking good after the sprucing up they did in the last dry dock.  We like the less crowded new layout of the WFM.  Hopefully they will resolve their recent noro outbreaks.

 

Those are all good tips. We carry tissues to use when we touch elevator buttons. We also try and avoid the public restrooms, but sometimes you can't.

 

I would like to note that, despite the Captains' announcement, asking for our cooperation, there are a remarkable number of people still walking around sneezing, coughing, etc, with no attempt to cover their mouths or noses. It is a little scary. Definitely annoying.

 

Fortunately, we spend very little time in big public places, theatre, bars, or Piazza. I hope that continues to help us.

[Thrak]

We sometimes use the stair rails these days (back and knee issues) but we wash with soap and hot water frequently. We always use a knuckle for the elevator buttons. We always wash our hands at the buffet - unless we are just walking through to get somewhere else. (That design is annoying...) We've never had noro on a ship but have caught a couple of horrendous colds. On one 7 day southbound after a land tour in Alaska we boarded in good health. By day two lots of people were coughing and sneezing. We both caught it and had to self-quarantine on the worst days. By the end of the cruise probably 80% of the passengers were coughing. We were sick for quite a long time after we got home. I've had what was likely noro in the past but caught it at the grocery store or somewhere like that. Never on a ship (so far).

Edited February 22, 2020 by Thrak

[gdlamberth]

I'll bite: WFM/HC??? Context suggests HC is Horizon Court buffet.  Am I  right??

[capriccio]

1 hour ago, gdlamberth said:

I'll bite: WFM/HC??? Context suggests HC is Horizon Court buffet.  Am I  right??

 

You're correct on the HC.

WFM = World Fresh Marketplace (the reworked buffet on the Caribbean Princess; it may be on other ships too)

Edited February 22, 2020 by capriccio

[snoozecrooze]

1 hour ago, gdlamberth said:

WFM/HC??? Context suggests HC is Horizon Court buffet.  Am I  right??

WFM AKA "World Fresh Marketplace" which replaced the former layout and design of what was known as "Horizon Court" on the Caribbean Princess. It debuted in 2017 (pictures).

[Times Prince]

Noro symptoms early in a cruise (first 2-3 days) was probably contracted from some other source than the ship (airplane, hotel, restaurant, cab, etc.) due to incubation period of the virus.

 

With regards to colds, we have almost always gotten them from airplanes, and stopped when we started driving to the cruise port avoiding aircraft.

 

Good suggestions from folks above to avoid contamination. They seem to have worked for us.

[Cruzin Grandma]

We are also on this cruise.  One member our party was quarantined because of the virus.  Medical called, medications were sent to the room and the “hazmat” team was sent to clean. Cabin steward is not allowed in room to even bring ice.  On one of the first days on board a department head (not mentioning dept, do not want to get anyone in trouble) told us the captain was disembarking a passenger in St. Thomas for refusing to wash his hands in the buffet and being rude to staff.  Being served in buffet is a bit of a pain but necessary. I have not personally seen anyone object to hand washing in the buffet.  To the OP, have you been in the casino?  That is the only place my friend was that the rest of us did not go.  Also to OP, hope you are feeling better and are able to enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[RocketMan275]

13 hours ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Thats unfortunate........

Noro is on pretty much every cruise to some level.

Sometimes you just don't hear about it.

There are 19-21 million cases of noro in the US every year.  Noro isn't just a cruise ship phenomena.  

[BigGuy25]

We had an outbreak on the 2nd day of our September Mediterranean cruise on the Emerald. They put all of the sanitation procedures in place for the entire voyage ... even took away the self-serve early morning coffee up on the smokers/track walkers deck. One port day they asked us to stow all of our personal items in our cabin so that the crew could sanitize all the cabins while we ashore. In the end only about 50 passengers were affected. We spent a lot of time on our balcony and not in public spaces so we ended up fine!

[frankdp]

1 hour ago, Cruzin Grandma said:

We are also on this cruise.  One member our party was quarantined because of the virus.  Medical called, medications were sent to the room and the “hazmat” team was sent to clean. Cabin steward is not allowed in room to even bring ice.  On one of the first days on board a department head (not mentioning dept, do not want to get anyone in trouble) told us the captain was disembarking a passenger in St. Thomas for refusing to wash his hands in the buffet and being rude to staff.  Being served in buffet is a bit of a pain but necessary. I have not personally seen anyone object to hand washing in the buffet.  To the OP, have you been in the casino?  That is the only place my friend was that the rest of us did not go.  Also to OP, hope you are feeling better and are able to enjoy the rest of your cruise.

Yes, wife and I spend a lot of time in the casino and I suspect that this is where I got it.   So far, my wife is fine, praying it lasts.

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are 19-21 million cases of noro in the US every year.  Noro isn't just a cruise ship phenomena.  

As I always say cruise lines have to keep detailed records of outbreaks and report to the CDC and other agencies.

They get singled out because its on record.

Hotels/Trains/Buses/Airlines and on and on do not. 

If one only knew what was around them on in their travels.

[RocketMan275]

23 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

As I always say cruise lines have to keep detailed records of outbreaks and report to the CDC and other agencies.

They get singled out because its on record.

Hotels/Trains/Buses/Airlines and on and on do not. 

If one only knew what was around them on in their travels.

Precisely.  Cruise lines take a beating because they have to report things that others do not.

For example, recent reports of 22 million gallons of sewage released into Fort Lauderdale waterways.  Cruise Critic posters get irate about relatively minuscule grey water leaks from Carnival but claim 22 million gallons of sewage are nothing to get upset about.  Double Standard?

[burrma]

13 hours ago, Thrak said:

 

Point of reference: CP is Sea Princess.  Caribbean Princess is CB.

So did Norwalk break out again on Caribbean Princess or Sea Princess.  I fully agree; Norwalk is everywhere  and cruise lines have to report it much quicker than others and many places never report it Yes I got it after 158 cruises on recent Caribbean Princess but attention to detail was fabulous;  unfortunately   it could not be controlled because a few people; would not adhere and scrub at entrance way(saw many just walk through with cheap excuse)  plus people  came out of their cabins who were quarantined.  Princess was fabulous to deal with it plus fabulous reimbursement and compensation  for only getting 11 days cruise instead of 14 plus they paid for us to stay at top scale hotels. Way to go Princess. 

[burrma]

2 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are 19-21 million cases of noro in the US every year.  Noro isn't just a cruise ship phenomena.  

 Excellent point and cruise lines handle it the best!

 

[burrma]

3 hours ago, Cruzin Grandma said:

We are also on this cruise.  One member our party was quarantined because of the virus.  Medical called, medications were sent to the room and the “hazmat” team was sent to clean. Cabin steward is not allowed in room to even bring ice.  On one of the first days on board a department head (not mentioning dept, do not want to get anyone in trouble) told us the captain was disembarking a passenger in St. Thomas for refusing to wash his hands in the buffet and being rude to staff.  Being served in buffet is a bit of a pain but necessary. I have not personally seen anyone object to hand washing in the buffet.  To the OP, have you been in the casino?  That is the only place my friend was that the rest of us did not go.  Also to OP, hope you are feeling better and are able to enjoy the rest of your cruise.

 So hope this is true (Princess made them leave ship in St. Thomas) but last week when I was on the cruise; I saw many every day; not stand in line to wash before going to buffet; mentioned it to the attendant and she said: they can't enforce it. As I said; I got it and use to teach health, safety and  importance of good hygiene around food  so a little anal about it's importance plus never visited the casino. Life happens! Can't stay home and live in isolation!