sick on Mariner?

[FFVictor]

We are going on the Mariner on Aug. 27th Just heard on the news about 200 people getting sick. Does anyone have any info?

 

Thanks

[radtech]

FFVictor - We are cruising tomorrow on the Mariner and right now we heard it is around 120 people that got sick on the Mariner from the norovirus.... We are supposed to be 1/2 hour delay in boarding as we were informed that they need to do a complete cleanup before we board....... We will post when we return to inform future cruisers.....:)

 

 

radtech :)

[concal]

Thanks in advance for posting after you return. I'm on the September 10th Mariner with my 75 year old mother who is freaking out between the norovirus and the missing girl on the other RCCL ship. I'm wondering if I should have booked this trip for her....

Hope you have a great time and avoid any of those nasty germs!!

[cb at sea]

Make sure not to lean on the railings if they are damp. They use bleach to disinfect and it will ruin your clothes! While you are onboard, WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN! That's how this is spread! Don't touch your face--eyes, nose or mouth. If you eat at the buffet, after serving yourself, disinfect your hands before eating. Always use utensils--not your hands! (Kind of hard with hamburgers!) Just keep your hands clean--you shouldn't have problems. You may want to bring some Clorox disinfecting wipes to wipe down the things in your cabin--especially the remote to the TV--its the dirtiest thing in your room!

[Stormlover]

We are going on the Mariner on Aug. 27th Just heard on the news about 200 people getting sick. Does anyone have any info?

 

Thanks

Come check out our roll call thread for AUG 27. ;)

 

Meet & Mingle" > Roll Calls - Mariner of the Seas Mariner of the Seas August 27, 2006

[HB Cruiser]

We were on the Mariner the end of May this year and as much as they cleaned and ALWAYS gave us hand sanatizer as we entered ALL eateries, this is a surprise.

 

Tim & Crystal

[KBD1516]

We are going on the Mariner on Aug. 27th Just heard on the news about 200 people getting sick. Does anyone have any info?

 

Thanks

 

My sister said there was a report on Orlando TV 6 about the virus but I haven't been able to find out much yet. I went on their website but couldn't find the story. local6.com We are going Sep 3 on the Mariner.

[Stormlover]

This is in the Fl Today. ;)

Hundreds sick on cruise ship

By REBECCA ADAMUS

FLORIDA TODAY

 

Enlarge this image

Cruise ship Mariner of the Seas returns to Port Canaveral on Sunday, following a seven-day cruise.

 

 

More than 200 passengers and crew members on a Royal Caribbean cruise that began in Port Canaveral seven days ago will return home Sunday suffering from a gastrointestinal illness.

 

It will mark the second time this year the cruise ship will dock in Brevard County with more than 200 sick passengers.

 

The illness, thought to be a norovirus — which is frequently referred to as a stomach flu — struck 221 of the ship’s 3,660 passengers and six of its 1,202 crew members. One of the ship’s passengers might have brought it on board, said Michael Sheehan, spokesman for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

 

Those stricken received over-the-counter medication used to treat an upset stomach, he said. Common symptoms of the virus include vomiting and diarrhea.

 

Treatment began Wednesday when people showed up at the ship’s medical office complaining of feeling ill. The number of cases increased by Thursday, Sheehan said.

 

Noroviruses affect about 23 million Americans every year, and they typically last two to three days, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since the beginning of the year, the CDC has reported 20 incidents of illness on cruise ships, of which 16 were documented as noroviruses; three were “unknown.”

 

The Royal Caribbean ship, called “Mariner of the Seas,” in January reported a norovirus that hit 276 passengers and 27 crew members.

 

Mariner of the Seas was also involved earlier this year in an incident in which a man fell overboard and was never found.

 

As of Saturday evening, the cruise line reported no new cases of norovirus afflicting passengers or crew members.

 

“The majority of people will be recovered by the time they arrive,” Sheehan said.

 

The ship sailed from Port Canaveral last Sunday, making ports of call in the Bahamas, Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. It’s scheduled to dock this Sunday at 7 a.m. as originally scheduled.

 

[crusinmama06]

Take care on your trip...lots of hand washing

 

here's the link

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14097674/

[cage keeper]

We leave on the Mariner in 8 days for our first cruise. I think I'll go out tomorrow and buy the clorox wipes.

[FFVictor]

I Gotta Tell Ya, This Doesn't Make Us Feel Comfortable, Especially If There Was Another Case On The Same Ship Already This Year. I'm Sure The Crew Is Doing Everything They Can, But It Just Sounds Like Carelessness On Rccl's Part.

 

Victor

[cruisedoctor]

FFVictor, l spend anywhere from 50 to 60 days a year at sea, on various cruise lines. Let me assure you that all the major cruise have become obsessive about disenfecting as much of the public areas, as often as possible.

 

On this latest Mariner sailing only 227 out of 4862 persons aboard became ill (that's only 4.67% of the total) Studies have shown that Noroviruses affects about 23 million Americans every year. Since there are approximately 400 million people in the United States, that means 5.75% become ill as a result of that virus yearly. Your actually LESS likely to get sick aboard ship than during your daily life on land.

 

The Norovirus is caused by poor PASSENGER hygiene. By people who don't wash their hand after using the washroom, or passengers caughing and sneezing into their hands or onto buffet food. The cruise line would have to have a crew member assigned to follow around each and every passenger, immediately disenfecting everything his passenger touches, watching that his passenger washes their hands prior to leaving the washroom, having each passenger wear a surgical mask 100% of the time, and quarantine any passenger that sniffles, sneezes, or caughs at any point during the cruise. The ACLU lawyers would have a field day over such a policy, and you as a passenger wouldn't find it very pleasing. So they so the best job possible.

 

Like most things in life...you need to take responsibility for your own well being.

 

I'm scheduled to sail on the Mariner in September. I wouldn't think twice about doing so.

[Nliedel]

It's truly a small percentage that get sick. Yes, it's a crummy statistic if it's you, but still a very small number.

[JanineM]

We were on Mariner in March, about 6 weeks after the January outbreak, and we're heading out again in September.

 

I once had Montezuma's Revenge in Spain and never, ever want to experience anything like it again. :( So I wash my hands whenever feasible, use the hand sanitizers at the entry to the restaurants, and also carry the single packs of hand wipes. It's just a matter of being aware.

 

I also eat yoghurt every morning when onboard, because someone once told me that the naturally occuring bacteria helps your stomach to counteract foreign bacterias introduced into your stomach. I don't know if that is true, but I like yoghurt so I figure it can't hurt. :)

[mwalsh17]

FFVictor, l spend anywhere from 50 to 60 days a year at sea, on various cruise lines. Let me assure you that all the major cruise have become obsessive about disenfecting as much of the public areas, as often as possible.

 

On this latest Mariner sailing only 227 out of 4862 persons aboard became ill (that's only 4.67% of the total) Studies have shown that Noroviruses affects about 23 million Americans every year. Since there are approximately 400 million people in the United States, that means 5.75% become ill as a result of that virus yearly. Your actually LESS likely to get sick aboard ship than during your daily life on land.

 

The Norovirus is caused by poor PASSENGER hygiene. By people who don't wash their hand after using the washroom, or passengers caughing and sneezing into their hands or onto buffet food. The cruise line would have to have a crew member assigned to follow around each and every passenger, immediately disenfecting everything his passenger touches, watching that his passenger washes their hands prior to leaving the washroom, having each passenger wear a surgical mask 100% of the time, and quarantine any passenger that sniffles, sneezes, or caughs at any point during the cruise. The ACLU lawyers would have a field day over such a policy, and you as a passenger wouldn't find it very pleasing. So they so the best job possible.

 

Like most things in life...you need to take responsibility for your own well being.

 

I'm scheduled to sail on the Mariner in September. I wouldn't think twice about doing so.

 

You're comparing a weekly rate with an annual rate. This is more serious than you're making it.

[Stormlover]

I Gotta Tell Ya, This Doesn't Make Us Feel Comfortable, Especially If There Was Another Case On The Same Ship Already This Year. I'm Sure The Crew Is Doing Everything They Can, But It Just Sounds Like Carelessness On Rccl's Part.

 

Victor

 

It is the flu if one person has it gets on the ship it tends to spread. I work at a high school an we have 2800 kids and it is not uncommon for 100-150 kids to be out sick at the same time. All they have to do is touch the same water fountain,hand rail on the stairs, door knob an it spreads like wild fire. I dont think it is carelessness on rccl's part but probably the sick person who brought it onboard.:eek:

[broberts]

I Gotta Tell Ya, This Doesn't Make Us Feel Comfortable, Especially If There Was Another Case On The Same Ship Already This Year. I'm Sure The Crew Is Doing Everything They Can, But It Just Sounds Like Carelessness On Rccl's Part.

 

The stats I've seen posted indicate that less than 1/2% of the crew got sick. Given the close quarters in which they live I think this is a strong and positive indication of just how aggressive the ship is in its sanitation practices. A CDC inspection score of 99 is also a pretty good indicator.

 

Short of insisting on a health certificate and/or checkup from every passenger I'm not sure what a cruise line can do to stop infected people from boarding.

 

Any carelessness that contributed to the spread of the virus is much more likely to have come from passengers. Those who do not wash their hands frequently, and immediately following every visit to the bathroom or handling of underwear. Those who touch food in a buffet line. Those who put their heads under buffet sneeze-guards to smell the food. Those who carelessly toss serving utensils back into a serving tray so that their handles come in contact with the food. Need I go on?

[Nliedel]

I have nothing to base this on but supposition, but wouldn't the crew develop some immunity over time? Or is this virus that mutable?

[Guest LetMeGo]

Other things that account for the small amount of infected crew members are...

 

The crew in the engine rooms, laundry, and other technical spaces are of a "lower caste" of crewmembers, and very rarely spend time with the others,

 

Almost half of the crew does cleaning for living. They will wear gloves, and use disinfecting substances anyway.

 

The crew members have their own place to eat in, so they won't be affected by the same virus passengers get from restaurants.

 

A lot of the crew work in galleys & restaurants, an area where hygiene has a higher importance anyway.

 

Most of the crew members work in areas where there is no direct contact with the pasengers. If there is a direct contact (waitress collecting empty glasse etc.), I would expect them to want to wash up pretty regularily anyway!

[john & Gerrie nj]

They are the size of small cities--- people wise but not area wise

I can't help think this equation allows the dieases to spread faster.

maybe they neeed to clean the hvac and sanatize it more often.

also the towels and bedding we all share are they laundered at

a temp high enough to clean them properly?

I'm sure RCCL has taken all these things in to account but

there seems to be a lot of it recently and on the bigger ships.

 

just a thought .

 

The worst cruise I was ever on was Fantastic!!!!

[broberts]

Tero, if memory serves, many past shipboard outbreaks had a similar or higher rate of staff incidents.

 

While all you say is true I think that the chances of cross contamination are very high. One small error on the part of cleaning, serving, porter, or dishwashing staff is all it takes. Only rigorus protocols and training keep this from happening.

[Guest LetMeGo]

Tero, if memory serves, many past shipboard outbreaks had a similar or higher rate of staff incidents.

 

While all you say is true I think that the chances of cross contamination are very high. One small error on the part of cleaning, serving, porter, or dishwashing staff is all it takes. Only rigorus protocols and training keep this from happening.

 

Oh I do definitely agree that chances of catching the virus are relatively big, since the ship is so small. I would personally like to think that after a previous incident even on the same cruise line the crew is well aware of the possibility, and take reasonable precautions to protect themselves.

 

The passengers however won't do that, since they don't know what's been going on in the past.

[john & Gerrie nj]

They are the size of small cities--- people wise but not area wise

I can't help think this equation allows the dieases to spread faster.

maybe they neeed to clean the hvac and sanatize it more often.

also the towels and bedding we all share are they laundered at

a temp high enough to clean them properly?

I'm sure RCCL has taken all these things in to account but

there seems to be a lot of it recently and on the bigger ships.

 

just a thought .

 

The worst cruise I was ever on was Fantastic!!!!

[droseball]

Let me just say....I was on this cruise. My family had been warned prior to the cruise about the importance of being extra concerned about hand washing on a small space like this. I always point this out, but had read them the "riot act" so to speak before the trip since I had read about previous outbreaks. Even AFTER the outbreak, I saw many, many people (mostly teens and children) in restrooms LEAVE without washing their hands at all. This is the way things spread. There is nothing the cruise line can do about this. My husband also said the same thing about the men's restroom this week. Just be aware of these things when cruising or in any atmosphere where people will be eating together, especially buffets where everyone is serving themselves. After the first reported case, we (as passengers) could not serve ourselves in the buffet lines, all food in the concierge lounge was discontinued for the remainder of the trip, and the other self serve areas (ice cream) were shut down. I think the crew did what they could and more to help curb the number of people who got sick.

 

Denise

[ggbet]

Thanks in advance for posting after you return. I'm on the September 10th Mariner with my 75 year old mother who is freaking out between the norovirus and the missing girl on the other RCCL ship. I'm wondering if I should have booked this trip for her....

Hope you have a great time and avoid any of those nasty germs!!

I went on my third cruise aboard the Mariner on May 28th , and I would feel comfortable going on the ship today. I am your mother's age and have cruised a lot. I have never been on a ship which took such precautions as I saw on this last cruise. We were met with antibacterial handspray at the entrance to every area where food was served. The norovirus can happen on any ship. Enjoy your cruise on the Mariner!