Norovirus on Aurora 2020

[retiredbrit]

 

Question is Norovirus on Aurora at the moment??

My wife and I and many others were struck down with Norovirus on Sagas new ship Spirit of Discovery, Northern Lights sailed Feb 16 to March 2

Norovirus was running wild wild on board with the Captain blaming the passengers for bringing it on board, and also saying passengers were bringing it on board at the Norwegian ports.

We were confined to our cabin for a total of 5 days.  There were so many in a similar situation that room service was restricted to quarantined passengers only. A number of occurrences of public vomiting in the dining rooms occurred 

I see Aurora is doing (or has just completed) a similar itinerary.

We have seen the northern lights 4 years running with P&O at this time of year and never experienced anything like this

The Spirit is a beautiful ship but the level of real hygiene is very poor - passengers had to insist tables and chairs were properly sanitised

The last 3 cruises have had many cases of norovirus - most public activities cancelled, spa and pools closed - the library stripped of books, some of the bands were infected so little entertainment. The ship has engaged at least 2 freelance nurses who were workin day and night

The current 4th Saga cruise is on a Canaries round trip and has been cut short, so that's the forth cruise in a row affected by out of control norovirus.

The reason I have posted this - We have cancelled next years Northern Light Cruise on the new Spirit of Adventure (Saga) and lost our £1600 deposit rather than endure Saga again.  We have booked P&O Aurora no R102 Norway & Northern lights cruise sail 12 March 2021 in a mini suite at around half of Saga's price.

Any information on conditions on Aurora please

regards Alan

[terrierjohn]

20 minutes ago, retiredbrit said:

 

Question is Norovirus on Aurora at the moment??

My wife and I and many others were struck down with Norovirus on Sagas new ship Spirit of Discovery, Northern Lights sailed Feb 16 to March 2

Norovirus was running wild wild on board with the Captain blaming the passengers for bringing it on board, and also saying passengers were bringing it on board at the Norwegian ports.

We were confined to our cabin for a total of 5 days.  There were so many in a similar situation that room service was restricted to quarantined passengers only. A number of occurrences of public vomiting in the dining rooms occurred 

I see Aurora is doing (or has just completed) a similar itinerary.

We have seen the northern lights 4 years running with P&O at this time of year and never experienced anything like this

The Spirit is a beautiful ship but the level of real hygiene is very poor - passengers had to insist tables and chairs were properly sanitised

The last 3 cruises have had many cases of norovirus - most public activities cancelled, spa and pools closed - the library stripped of books, some of the bands were infected so little entertainment. The ship has engaged at least 2 freelance nurses who were workin day and night

The current 4th Saga cruise is on a Canaries round trip and has been cut short, so that's the forth cruise in a row affected by out of control norovirus.

The reason I have posted this - We have cancelled next years Northern Light Cruise on the new Spirit of Adventure (Saga) and lost our £1600 deposit rather than endure Saga again.  We have booked P&O Aurora no R102 Norway & Northern lights cruise sail 12 March 2021 in a mini suite at around half of Saga's price.

Any information on conditions on Aurora please

regards Alan

I have no experience with Saga but if things are as bad as you suggest then I would expect that Saga will be making sure they cure the problem and by this time next year they could be the least likely cruise line to have Noro on board.

[Adawn47]

We were on Aurora a while ago when there was a serious norovirus outbreak. We weren't infected and did everything the Captain advised, washing hands, lift buttons etc. Hand driers turned off salt pots etc removed from MDR tables , menu covers removed. Buffet items served by staff. Everywhere you went you saw surfaces continually washed down. We also had continual daily reports Within 6 days it was clear and things returned to normal. Norovirus is always around not just cruise lines but when an outbreak occurs it's how it's dealt with at the time. There's no guarantee that it won't  occur on another cruise you're on but  Aurora's actions were immediate and effective.

[jeanlyon]

All ships seem to get noro from time to time and so do hospitals, schools etc.  I have been on board Oriana when there was noro, but we never got it.

[jh1809]

I was slightly alarmed when I saw "Norovirus on Aurora 2020", as I'm sailing on her in a few days time.  A question mark at the end would have been reassuring.

[margtee]

4 hours ago, jh1809 said:

I was slightly alarmed when I saw "Norovirus on Aurora 2020", as I'm sailing on her in a few days time.  A question mark at the end would have been reassuring.

JH my feelings as well, I got a bit alarmed as we too are on the cruise leaving next week going to Norway.

[jh1809]

Actually the silver lining is that the increased awareness of the need for hygiene precautions among passengers and crew as a result of the coronavirus publicity probably means that the risk of a norovirus outbreak has been substantially reduced.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, jh1809 said:

Actually the silver lining is that the increased awareness of the need for hygiene precautions among passengers and crew as a result of the coronavirus publicity probably means that the risk of a norovirus outbreak has been substantially reduced.

It doesn't seem to be working on saga's new ship.

[retiredbrit]

Apologies for the missing ? on the heading.

We are still recovering from the lack of proper hygiene on Saga spirit of Discovery nearly a week after getting off.

We have fairly recently sailed on Aurora embarking at the end of a Norovirus attack.  We were very impressed with the careful way P&O sanitised tables / chairs and surfaces - in the Buffet, where we couldn't sit at a table until it had been properly cleaned.

We had to have a stand up row with officers on Sagas ship before they followed proper cleaning routines in the Grill and removed the mini jam pots from the table at breakfast.

Saga passengers are entitled to be upset the current cruise is the forth in a row to have norovirus on  board.  Most things are shut down, and many passengers confined to their cabin for several days (including us on our Northern lights cruise)

 

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, jh1809 said:

Actually the silver lining is that the increased awareness of the need for hygiene precautions among passengers and crew as a result of the coronavirus publicity probably means that the risk of a norovirus outbreak has been substantially reduced.

I would possibly think so as the same precautions  we are advised to take to help against covid19 are exactly the same for norovirus. 

Avril 

[Eddie99]

Of course they are

As a semi-obsessive handwasher myself, I am a little bit amused and a huge bit horrified that there seem to be so many people for whom washing their hands appears a novelty

What have they been doing all their lives?

[Adawn47]

I shudder to think. I'm obsessive about it too. It never failed to amaze me the number of people who would hold money in their mouth. Just think of the places it's been!!! Having a job that involved handling cash my hands used to get filthy. Hence compulsive hand washer.

Avril 

[jeanlyon]

I can't say that I'm a compulsive hand washer, in fact at the office I would only wash them after going to the loo and that's about once a day, so I should probably do it more.  However, in all my 10 years or so of cruising, I have never caught anything, so maybe my immune system is just very good?

 

And I do handle money all the time, cash and people's credit cards.

Edited March 7, 2020 by jeanlyon

[jh1809]

4 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I can't say that I'm a compulsive hand washer, in fact at the office I would only wash them after going to the loo and that's about once a day, so I should probably do it more.  However, in all my 10 years or so of cruising, I have never caught anything, so maybe my immune system is just very good?

 

And I do handle money all the time, cash and people's credit cards.

Not only must your immune system be good, but so must be your bladder if you only needed to go to the loo once during the working day. 😉

[Adawn47]

I once contracted impetigo. The doctor said it was caused by touching my face after handling money. I've been careful ever since. 

Avril 

[jeanlyon]

I remember my mother had impetigo.  She told me it was awful.   Had her face covered in gentian violet!!  Before I was born.

[galeforce9]

On Aurora now. Not aware of any.  

[margtee]

25 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

On Aurora now. Not aware of any.  

Thanks for letting us know, particularly as we are due on her later this week.   Hope you had a good cruise.

 

[galeforce9]

Fantastic cruise thanks.  Northern Lights, snow, cold sunny days -what’s not to like?!

[retiredbrit]

We made the mistake of booking a Northern lights cruise on Sagas new ship, a bad mistake - rampant norovirus - confined to our cabin, no entertainment and no idea how to deal with a common problem- we have booked a Mini suite on Aurora for 2021, at half the cost

[Adawn47]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I remember my mother had impetigo.  She told me it was awful.   Had her face covered in gentian violet!!  Before I was born.

A bit more modern now Jean thank goodness. Just ordinary coloured ointment. Took nearly 2 weeks for it to clear. Horrible. 

Avril