GI outbreak on the Sirena

[Appropriate Bison]

Currently aboard the Sirena docked in Colon Panama (March 15). For the last 3-4 days we have been told we are in "CDC red level 2" status due to a GI outbreak (not norovirus or COVID).  The upshot of this is that all shows have been canceled, the library is closed, as is the guest laundry. All indoor group activities have been canceled as well.  Fitness center, spa and casino remain open, as do all the bars and restaurants.  I think all the excursions have proceeded as planned.  

 

We also missed the first port of call (Costa Maya, Mexico) due to high winds.  So it hasn't been the best cruise.  

[oskidunker]

Well maybe the give you a deal on dry cleaning?

[fdnycruiser]

Of all places it happened in Colon

[mauibabes]

Well you know, IT happens😇🤬

What is worse is if you are the ones who have it.  We were 2 of 4 guests who came down with Covid on a Ponant cruise in the Great Lakes.  Travel is really a “Crap” shoot.

Take care and stay well.

Mauibabes

[durberville]

Oh dear. Stay well, hopefully it will “run its course” 😬 soon. Glad they haven’t cancelled shore excursions. 

[22travel2]

Terrible to hear about this. We will board the Sirena on March 27 to Southampton. Stay well. 

[zodiacsign]

Yikes

[WildWanderers]

Hi All,

 

The only excursions available in Colon were seemingly the Oceania Select called the Colon Oscopy, and the special at the Montezuma race track, called the Trots.  Many people stayed onboard, however, enjoying the newly renamed Terrace Café, now the Poop Deck.

 

Butt seriously, if you have yet to take your trip, consider asking your doctor for a just-in-case filled prescription of ciprofloxacin.  We never travel without it.

 

Cheers from Greg of the WildWanderers

[MEFIowa]

19 hours ago, Appropriate Bison said:

... We also missed the first port of call (Costa Maya, Mexico) due to high winds....

Having been to Costa Maya & Mahahual on Riviera 12/2021, you did NOT miss anything. A "fake" cruise town built in the late 1990s. Mainly a tourist trap of little real value. ("The area was generally undeveloped but has been growing rapidly since construction of a large pier to accommodate cruise ships. Costa Maya is also the name of a subdivision near the village of Mahahual."

[zodiacsign]

20 hours ago, Appropriate Bison said:

 GI outbreak (not norovirus or COVID). 

Have they figured out what it is? Noro happens, but anything else (e.coli? salmonella?) are pretty rare on cruise ships.

[carosou]

I'm hoping that things will have been cleaned up by the time we board on March 27. Keep us informed about what's going on.

 

[Appropriate Bison]

Last day of the cruise - no change to the disinfecting protocols and no recent communications from anyone. 

[Lewis Clark]

Received an email today that our embarkation tomorrow will be delayed due to "operational needs." Can anyone currently onboard give us any more details? What kind of meds should we bring along in case it's still lingering?

[SophieM]

So many bad puns. 🤣 Love it!! Sorry for those on board, though. 

[iowananny]

We were on a TA from Barcelona which embarkation was delayed several hours due to a Nora Virus outbreak on the previous cruise.  They were doing a deep cleaning of the ship.  When we got on there were restrictions that were listed in a previous post.  No laundry rooms, library books not available, no cloth towels in the washroom, even little things like no salt and pepper shakers on the table.  It lasted for about a week because every day a few people got sick, and illnesses had to be below a certain number before things could get back to normal.  There were very few sick people on the ship but they were still taking precautions.  

[Rowayton1]

The communication has been vague to say the least.  We are on this sailing and felt a bit “off” for a day or so, but no big deal.  I did hear that some people (unclear if guests or crew) were quarantined.  It is ironic that the casino, bars, spa and other areas where people congregate, but Oceania makes $$$, are open, while the the shows are cancelled, and areas where people are much more scarce (read laundry, library) are closed.  I will say they are doing a good job cleaning, but the missing port, coupled with the lack of certain amenities, coupled with a lack of transparent communication, is very disappointing to say the least.  

[clo]

1 hour ago, iowananny said:

no cloth towels in the washroom

What is the substitute for a cloth towel???

[1985rz1]

1 minute ago, clo said:

What is the substitute for a cloth towel???

I think iowananny was referring to the hand cloths in the public washrooms, where paper towels are also available. Hopefully not a bath towel, although that possibility conjures up hilarious images in my head.

[iowananny]

Yes, I'm sorry you misunderstood.  And I apologize to all those named Nora.  It was a typo, it was an outbreak of Norovirus.

[Tr1v1alCru1ser]

We’ve been on board when they had a really bad outbreak of Norovirus.  People who had it wouldn’t stay in their cabins until they were over it, so the poor staff were cleaning 24/7.  Eventually, they had to take their room cards away and you had to show your card to enter any of the dining venues.  We even spoke to a couple who got on the ship knowing they had it, and just carried on as normal. 

[zodiacsign]

1 hour ago, Tr1v1alCru1ser said:

  

People who had it wouldn’t stay in their cabins until they were over it, so the poor staff were cleaning 24/7.

Ugh.
And that’s the people they know of. Lots never report it (they don’t want to get quarantined, or be charged a consultation fee by the ship dr).
So however many are reported as ill on board, the real number is higher. I wish the ships would improve messaging (tell people to call in and report it, just to help them trace it in the ship).

But of course they don’t want to mention it, sometimes you only know something’s up when they increase the cleaning and the pepper shakers disappear from the restaurant tables! 

Edited March 17 by zodiacsign
Fixed quote

[oceansandseas]

You were probably on the same cruise as DH and I were on. Even though we were very careful with cleaning hands, I came down with noro. They kept us in our cabin, with the door taped with red tape, for 5 days and gave us very little food on plastic plates. When we got out we had to show card to get into restaurants. Never want to go through that again. Hope it is not that bad for those on board now.

[PhD-iva]

13 hours ago, WildWanderers said:

 

Hi All,

 

The only excursions available in Colon were seemingly the Oceania Select called the Colon Oscopy, and the special at the Montezuma race track, called the Trots.  Many people stayed onboard, however, enjoying the newly renamed Terrace Café, now the Poop Deck.

 

I can’t stop laughing!!!!

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, zodiacsign said:

Lots never report it (they don’t want to get quarantined, or be charged a consultation fee by the ship dr).

Unless something has changed, when we were on an Oceania cruise affected by a GI illness  outbreak and became ill we were not charged a fee by the medical clinic for the consultation or medication. Oceania definitely does not want to discourage passengers from reporting their illness due to fear of rolling up a medical bill.

[zodiacsign]

This is what I mean by messaging. They definitely don’t put in the daily newsletter NOROVIRUS TREATMENT IS FREE!!!!!

so people assume they’ll be charged, as they would be for other medical interventions.