Norwalk Virus on the 3/26 Victory

[toledo]

My 11 year old son was diagnosed with Norovirus on Saturday by the ship's infirmary. The nurse said, "There have been a few cases". My husband became ill the next day and I became ill two days after disembarking. We met some fellow passengers on our flight back to Detroit and they said several in their party had contracted the virus. When someone from their party visited the infirmary on Thursday, they were told over 200 passengers were quarantined. We had all been careful to wash our hands frequently so this could be a risk to anyone. We had no idea this virus was spreading, as Carnival did nothing to stop it (hand sanitizers near the buffet and dining room, staff serving the buffet, extended hours at the infirmary, etc).

 

Despite all this, we really did have a good cruise. My son even rated it an A+ and that was after vomitting over 15 times. (That sounds strange, doesn't it!?!)

[bellazoemom]

wHAT EXACTLY IS THE NORWALK VIRUS..WHAT DOES IT DO? YIKES!

 

oops, sorry for caps

[charita]

I too was on this cruise and as far as I know, NO ONE was notified that this was going around. Legally aren't they suppossed to inform the guests? We had a good time, but as far as the cruise itself goes, it was not good at all. To all the parents out there of 15-20 something's, can you PLEASE tell your children it is not polite to be pushing people around, not saying excuse me when knocking them out of their way, and to not just take people's towels, using them, and returning them to a chair that was not theirs, or walking all over people's things. I can't believe where people's manners have gone. This was a very disappointing cruise and we will probably not be returning. Thank you

[bucket_O_beer4john]

Charita - that is the reason we no longer cruise during spring break. once was enough.

 

Bellazoemom- Norwalk is the nasty very contagious bug that can spread throughout a ship and , well I guess the nicest way to say it is that it disrupts the digestive tract.

 

Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to typically clear a ship of the virus?

[charita]

I've been on cruises during spring break before, and never had a problem, but this had to be the absolute worse experience! It's just amazing to me that none of these kids had any manners. I wanted to kill them all! And again, we certainly weren't the only ones complaining. We had all those symptoms all week, and couldn't figure out what was going on, not once did we think that they wouldn't notify us of the virus on the ship. This is amazing!!! Carnival is really gone down hill, in my opion.

[Frequent Cruiser MA]

The Norwalk Virus is an intestinal flulike illness. It pretty much has to run its course. Cruiselines are getting a bad rep. over it...anywhere that you have many people, in confinement...dorms, nursing homes, hospitals...etc...schools...there is an increased risk of catching something. The best thing you can do to help prevent from getting it, is to wash your hands frequently...I never wash my hands in the bathrooms...I always use alcohol based hand sanitizer (probably from my years of being in nursing when I would wash, in the hottest water I could stand and using the alcohol based sanitizers.)

 

I didn't think the ship had to notify all the passengers if someone onboard has the illness....what would you have done differently had you known? If you are using good handwashing techniques...you are usually fine. Many people get ill because they get worn down, with the flying, staying up late and getting up early...all this including changes in routines, etc. can lower ones tolerance to fighting things off.

 

Don't flame me...I am just trying to bring forth a little knowledge as to why some people get it and some don't.

[zqvol]

Charita - that is the reason we no longer cruise during spring break. once was enough.

 

Bellazoemom- Norwalk is the nasty very contagious bug that can spread throughout a ship and , well I guess the nicest way to say it is that it disrupts the digestive tract.

 

Does anyone have any idea how long it takes to typically clear a ship of the virus?

The only thing I am going to add is that it can and does spread wherever and whenever people are in close contact. It happens in schools and a lot of other settings, including on board ships.

 

It is not anything new, but like any stomach big it tends to make you miserable for about 48 hours.

[toledo]

Charita-The kids did get a little wild on the cruise. My 15 year old heard someone calling the 02 host a name. She said she would throw him out if he used that language again. My 11 year old said kids in his group were squirting mustard or ketchup on chairs and urging other kids to sit down there. I just told my kids, "I hope you're not hanging around with those kids". I didn't think there were many college kids on the ship. And we really didn't see more that a couple of "intoxicated" passengers.

[salty dingo]

Frequent hand-washing will control spreading the virus. I don't recall hearing of it being spready any way other than by touching something contaminated and then touching your mouth.

 

I was disappointed that Carnival did not have hand sanitizers out near the food stations. They were all over the place on our NCL cruise last year. I don't think alcohol gel could cost very much, especially in bulk, so I don't know why they did not provide that.

 

We brought our own hand sanitizer in small bottles. We tried to remember to put some on our hands right before eating. I highly recommend every passenger doing the same.

 

The norovirus can be prevented and is nothing to be scared of!

[charita]

Hi toledo- i guess were were the lucky ones that they seemed to gravitate toward. At one point out on the deck, the kids parents were bringing them drinks, I was amazed, my parents would have NEVER!!! Guess things have changed a lot. It's just unbelievable how parents of today don't seem to teach and emphasize the importance of being polite and having manners. I'm not saying I'm perfect, but I did learn the words please, thank you, and excuse me, and the importance of it, just my opinion. Thurs-Sat nights had to be the worst of all their behavior by the casino and the club, and toward the back of the boat. They almost knocked someone "older person" over and when my group said something, we got cursed out. Unreal!

[jdcml]

We recently had a family reunion in the mountains. Too many of us to count in one huge cabin. By the end of the 5 days we were there a "bug" (Norwalk or other) had run its course on about 1/2 of us. The kids of course seemed more prone to it than the adults. Its a good reminder though that the small bottles of antibacterial would be a good idea. In reality this would be something to use after you get out of the buffet line too. Doesn't do much good to clean your hands just to touch the utensils from someone that didn't!

 

One more thing to add to the packing list I guess...!

[caprcorn28]

Hey Toledo! Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet you onboard!! So sorry to hear too that you have all been sick!!!

 

See...just goes to show you how a lot of people can have such a DIFFERENT experience on board the same ship. We had a fabulous cruise with this one probably being the best one with Carnival yet. (Toledo - Glad to hear that your son still had fun despite his 'condition' - what a guy!!)

 

Anyone know what the incubation period is for Norwalk? I know that they were playing a 'video' of it on the TV, but I didn't watch it.

 

We did see a lot of those "spring breakers" that had some problems with behavior - but I would say that our experience was about 60/40. More good teens, than bad ones. I would say that we saw many well-behaved teenagers as well as those that had obviously been raised in a barn where the troughs were filled with alcohol. My DH and a couple of other grown men covered the crew members' back that was leaving the area that had been "harassed" by some unruly teens, when the "breaking up" of the fight happened. But then there were some teens there that were trying to talk the unruly ones out of the fight. So, you just have to look at the groups of kids as "individuals." Some great ones, some not so much.

 

OH and you know what I was impressed with that I hadn't seen on one of CCL's ships before - the little hand napkin like things on the backs of the bathroom doors so you didn't have to touch the dirty door handles with your bare hands!! (And there was this lady that I did see that left the bathroom without washing her hands - sorry, I think that is disgusting!! You can wash your hands and use sanitizer...If you are walking out the bathroom after 'doing your business' and not washing your hands, you are infecting the door handle for others.)

[bucket_O_beer4john]

OK! OK! I'm sorry! I KNOW that the virus is not limited to ships, I just didn't get into the other specifics of it. :o Can I request that the limp noodle to be used for my lashing be cooked beyond al dente? :D

 

Norovirus or bratty kids - which would be worse to have around? I think I'd pick the virus - at least you know it'll be gone in 48 hours - the kids will be there all week!

[N.FL Cruisers]

The best thing you can do to help prevent from getting it, is to wash your hands frequently...I never wash my hands in the bathrooms...I always use alcohol based hand sanitizer (probably from my years of being in nursing when I would wash, in the hottest water I could stand and using the alcohol based sanitizers.) -quote]

 

You said you never wash your hands in the bathroom and use alcohol based sanitizer:confused: . Really? I am not a nurse like you, but that doesn't seem very clean. Maybe that was a typo. I always thought that you wash your hands and then put on hand sanitizer. I thought I read somewhere that sanitizer alone does not clean the hands.

 

[carissamorgan]

On our 3/18 Liberty cruise, one of the Carnival channels was continuously playing a infomercial on the virus and how to prevent it. I found it interesting that the antibacterial hand rubs DO NOT KILL the virus. It was recommended to wash your hands alot and try to avoid touching anything that lots of people touched before you- and if that couldn't be avoided then to wash your hands before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Just one of those things that can happen when you have that many people in an enclosed space!

 

Cari

 

Elation May '05

Liberty Mar '06

[centralcalicruzer]

The norovirus is just what is implies: a virus. No amount of antibacterial anything will kill a virus. That being said, I would certainly continue to use antibacterial hand cleaner in addition to frequent washing with soap and hot water, because if you get a viral infection you are just that much more vulnerable to contracting a bacterial infection. Even with all that, there's no guarantee you won't get sick, but if we can educate people to be more careful hopefully the disease won't spread as much.

[Daliaha]

I was on the Victory 3/26.. ( waves at Toledo and cappy28)..

 

The video they showed on our ship ( victory ), on a loop constantly, about how to wash your hands.. what to do.. how long to wash for.. etc.. It ran for the entire length of the cruise.. It also stated in the video that the hand sanitizers did NOTHING against the Nora-VirusAnd were basically pointless. Probably why they didn't have any out at the buffet or in the dining room.

 

Now one thing to note : The Crew had sinks on their side of the buffet lines, and were constantly washing their hands... My husband just comment on that as I'm posting this.. so wanted to add it. (men speak so rarely)..

 

I am sorry you got sick, being sick so far from home isn't fun at all.. Believe me I know all to well. Just something you have to accept may happen on vacation. From the air plane ride to the bus/cab to the boat to the cruise its self... lots of germs.. from lots of states.. not to mention Mexico, grand Cayman or Jamaica.. It happens.. =/

 

-Dolly

[toledo]

Shouldn't Carnival feel obligated to announce an outbreak? After 100 cases? 200 cases? What would we do differently? We wouldn't have been eating at the buffet and instead of washing our hands 6 times each day, we may have washed them 12 times. Also, I would not waited 9 hours before taking him to the infirmary had I known Norovirus was present. I thought it was food poisoning. He vomitted in 5 places around the ship before he could get back to the room. I told a bartender, but it was still there an hour later. I had to find someone in "housekeeping" to get it cleaned up.

[jdcml]

The video they showed on our ship ( victory ), on a loop constantly, about how to wash your hands.. what to do.. how long to wash for.. etc.. It ran for the entire length of the cruise.. It also stated in the video that the hand sanitizers did NOTHING against the Nora-VirusAnd were basically pointless. Probably why they didn't have any out at the buffet or in the dining room.

-Dolly

 

Great info - yippee, one less thing for the packing list... more room for the Mrs. shoes I guess :) .

[Sonnylove]

I'm on Victory on 4/15...Any way to get the Virus now so I don't get it then??? Kinda like a Pox Party? j/k

 

I wish I didn't open this thread.

[selucrey]

Shouldn't Carnival feel obligated to announce an outbreak? After 100 cases? 200 cases? What would we do differently? We wouldn't have been eating at the buffet and instead of washing our hands 6 times each day, we may have washed them 12 times. Also, I would not waited 9 hours before taking him to the infirmary had I known Norovirus was present. I thought it was food poisoning. He vomitted in 5 places around the ship before he could get back to the room. I told a bartender, but it was still there an hour later. I had to find someone in "housekeeping" to get it cleaned up.

You do know that food-poisoning can kill your child don't you ?

Even though food poisoning is relatively rare in the United States, it affects between 60 and 80 million people worldwide each year and results in approximately 6 to 8 million deaths.

[LHP]

I'm on Victory on 4/15...Any way to get the Virus now so I don't get it then??? Kinda like a Pox Party? j/k

 

I wish I didn't open this thread.

 

 

My solution is to sterilize from the inside (ie consume as much alcohol as it takes to kill the thing!!!)

 

Seriously, it is amazing to me how some folks get it and some don't. We have been on 3 "Norwalk" cruises and have yet to get a case of it. Our table mates even came down with it several nights into one of our cruises, but not us. I know they say that the hand stuff doesn't work, but perhaps it is a mental thing. I have a special needs child that has to hold on to every rail going up or down stairs, plays the arcade for hours on end, and basically does everything that would expose him to this virus and yet he doesn't get it. Of course, I do have as strict a rule about using the hand stuff that isn't suppose to help. Things that make you go....hummmm!!

[alphakitty]

I was on the Victory 3/26.. ( waves at Toledo and cappy28)..

 

The video they showed on our ship ( victory ), on a loop constantly, about how to wash your hands.. what to do.. how long to wash for.. etc.. It ran for the entire length of the cruise.. It also stated in the video that the hand sanitizers did NOTHING against the Nora-VirusAnd were basically pointless. Probably why they didn't have any out at the buffet or in the dining room.

 

Now one thing to note : The Crew had sinks on their side of the buffet lines, and were constantly washing their hands... My husband just comment on that as I'm posting this.. so wanted to add it. (men speak so rarely)..

 

I've read otherwise...that hand sanitizers with a high alcohol content do work to combat bacterial and virual infections. This is from the Colorado

State University.

 

kitty

http://www.colostate.edu/orgs/safefood/NEWSLTR/v8n3s06.html

 

How do hand sanitizers work?

 

Hand sanitizers (alcohol gels) have gained popularity because they are convenient and easy to use. The majority of hand sanitizers contain ethanol or isopropanol, or a combination of these two products. Most brands also contain a moisturizer to minimize irritation to the skin. Alcohol works immediately and effectively to kill bacteria and most viruses. Solutions containing 60-95% alcohol are most effective. Higher concentrations are less potent because proteins are not denatured easily in the absence of water. Alcohol gels work by stripping away the outer layer of oil on the skin, thereby destroying any "transient" microorganisms present on the surface of the hands. After use, re-growth of bacteria on the skin tends to occur slowly, thereby effectively keeping "residual" micro-flora that reside in deeper layers of skin from coming to the surface. To be most effective, a dime-size dollop of alcohol gel should be rubbed into the hands for 30 seconds. If hands are dry after only 10-15 seconds, it is likely that not enough sanitizer was used.

A Substitute for Handwashing?

 

Research has shown that hand sanitizers can be as effective as hand washing only in certain situations. The type of soil which may be present on hands can significantly alter their effectiveness. Because dirt, food or anything else on your hands can make the alcohol less effective, it is important to first wash hands with soap and water. Some confusion has occurred as a result of the 2002 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines "recommending alcohol-based gel as a suitable alternative to hand washing for health-care personnel in health-care settings." Because many healthcare workers routinely must clean their hands multiple times per hour, the use of alcohol gels while moving between patients has been shown to favorably impact hand-cleansing adherence by staff due to time saved over traditional hand washing methods. However, the guidelines apply only to hospitals and clinics. These are not appropriate for and do NOT apply to those in foodservice settings.

[BlueHerons]

Shouldn't Carnival feel obligated to announce an outbreak? After 100 cases? 200 cases? .

 

Only the CDC (Center for Disease Control) in Atlanta can declare an outbreak of Norwalk Virus and that only happens after everyone is off the ship.

 

How well did your favorite cruise ship score on the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program?

 

http://www2a.cdc.gov/nceh/VSPIRS/VSPResult.asp

[LauraS]

We have some EXCELLENT resources for you:

 

Norovirus: What you need to know

 

Demystifying Norovirus