air conditioning

[brisan]

Help!!!!!!!!!! I would like to know how other people react to the air con. I always seem to get any bugs that are going and last cruise I got bronchitis. How do I avoid the germs?

[2Cruise4Ever]

Take "Airborne." You can find it in any drug store (some grocery stores, too). Also, go to GNC and ask for any immune-boosting herbs/vitamins. Zinc is my fave. And, one thing I do immediately upon entering my cabin is wipe down every surface with anti-bacterial wipes. The room stewards do a good job at cleaning, but I know they don't wipe down the tv remote, the door handles, the drawer handles, etc. I got sick on my first cruise, but not since I started this ritual.

 

Happy Cruising!

[Keith1010]

When you travel the odds of getting sick increase quite a bit.

 

One thing you can do is wash your hands frequently and carry an anti bacterial solution with you so that you can also use that when it is not possible to get to a restroom to wash up. Keeping the hands clean is very important in terms of getting at germs.

 

Keith

[clarabell]

I haven't heard of any thing you can do regarding the air conditioning. However, I always take a can of Lysol and spray down all handles, knobs, flat surfaces, anything people touch in our room. Then carry a small travel size bottle of Purell in our bag for our hands after we have touch surfaces outside our room (elevator buttons, hand rails, etc). Lysol and Purell can kill viruses and bacteria, where as antibacterial wipes don't kill viruses.

[STiVo]

Take "Airborne." You can find it in any drug store (some grocery stores, too).

 

I'm not exactly sure that I buy the Airborne hype. My wife uses it, and I don't yet she gets sick more often. I personally think that just as many people find it useful as do not. Are there any studies about this stuff that prove it is helpful? If so, I might start using it, but my gut tells me that it the product preys on my fears of getting sick.

[threecats]

Help!!!!!!!!!! I would like to know how other people react to the air con. I always seem to get any bugs that are going and last cruise I got bronchitis. How do I avoid the germs?

 

When I first moved to the US, I would get a real bad cold every year as soon as it got warm enough for airconditioning to be turned on. My body just wasn't used to these sudden temperature changes from outside to inside, because airconditioning is used much less, and usually set to a higher temperature than in the US. After more than 10 years, it doesn't bother me any more.

 

The best way to try and avoid getting sick is to keep warm, i.e. make sure you always have something to put on when you go inside and set the temperature in your cabin higher that the default. I would also recommend some immune system boosters like anti-oxidants (vitamin C, etc) or herbal supplements.

 

Of course, enhanced attention to personal hygiene is always a good idea when there are so many people sharing a limited amount of space. Whether you want to go so far as to clean your cabin upon arrival, as has been suggested, is up to you.

[shell03]

I always get sick after flying and when staying in hotels due to the a/c (some of the best), yet I did not get sick on our recent trip on NCL Dawn. I can only attribute my good fortune to the fact that I brought a supply of disinfecting wipes and used them daily, along with the antibacterial gel that was available on the ship. Not even a sniffle!:)

[silentbob007]

Does Airborne really work? Who knows ... it is not a cure-all, but some people swear by it. I've used it on my last two trips, especially on the days of my flight and haven't come down with anything. It is really just a super shot of vitamin C and echinacea anyway, and if it makes me feel more confident about staying healthy, I guess it's worth it. I definitely would not spend the money to take it daily, however.

[Keith1010]

My wife and I had considered airborne but after reading some medical reviews on it and doing some additional research we have decided to pass on it.

 

Instead, we will continue to drink lots of fluids such as water, eat the right things, take vitamins and wash our hands as often as practical (the key being to wash thoroughly).

 

Why did we decide to pass on Airborne? For us it was because the amount of vitamin C is way too high. It is 1,670% of what it needed and that doesn't include whatever else you take or eat that contains vitamin C. In short, too much of anything is not good and from what I've read I think that it is way too much vitamin C.

 

Anyhow, we will continue to take the precautions that we currently do knowing that nothing is 100% effective against getting sick.

 

Keith

[brisan]

Thanks for all your tips. I'm not sure if Airborne is available in the UK but I have taken all the other precautions that everyone mentioned and have been ok except for the chest infection type of illness that seems to spread so rapidlly. Unfortunetly some people came on the cruise with this type of illness already.

[Dee777]

While antibacterial wipes will help to kill bacteria on your hands, you will be back to square one as soon as you touch something else with bacteria, which will be practically everything! As well, the wipes and various other hand sanitizers out there will not prevent illness from airborne viruses, which are what cause the bronchitises, pneumonias, common colds, etc. in most cases. I am not a supporter of alternative medicine, but another product that you may consider which is very popular here in Canada is Cold F/X. It is available in capsules, and supposedly you take this product to prevent colds, etc. and if you DO contract a cold, which in some people will turn into a nice little bronchial infection, it supposedly shortens the duration of the said cold. Good luck, and hope you stay well on your cruise!