Never contracted Noro? To what do you atttribute your good fortune?

[OuiOnboard]

We have never had so much as an upset stomach on a cruise. We like to think it is because we wash our hands thoroughly MANY TIMES daily, especially after using the washroom and particularly before dining. We also use paper towels as barrier protection when contacting elevator buttons and handrails.

If you've had only non-Noro cruises, how come?

[hillslife]

We have been on many cruises and never got the dreaded disease. I am a nurse, so realize how prevalent it is, but I think it is just luck. Even though, like you, we wash our hands often, we don't use paper towels to shield items and we touch bars, elevator buttons, doors, etc and (fingers crossed - hope this doesn't jinx us) we have never gotten noro!!!

 

I have seen the hand gel stations at the buffet for many cruises, but rarely see anyone using them - I even hate them because they are alcohol based and dry your skin so terribly.....guess the sea Gods have been with us so far. :p

[gatour]

I have been on a couple of cruises where there has been an outbreak but nothing as severe as some of the latest episodes. Both times the ship put a flyer in our stateroom about an outbreak, but each time I started to notice signs ealier, i.e. the public restrooms have their doors propped open and they are more insistent on using hand santizers in the restaurants.

 

What I have started doing the last few years (regardless if I have picked up any of the above signs), is to follow the 20-30 second rule when washing hands in the public restrooms. After rinsing my hands, do not touch the faucet handle directly (if not automatic), I use a paper towel and I also don't directly touch the entrance door to the public restroom, again using a paper towel. I have found over the last few years, cruise lines have relocate their trash can more conviently to expedite the disposal of the paper towels when guests choose this course of action.

 

In addition, upon entering the dining rooms I will use the sanitizer if one is available.

[TMull]

Luck. Plain and simple.

 

Washing your hands helps you from picking the virus up from door handles, railings, and things you touch, but the most common way to catch the virus is through food. Ironically, washing your hands does more to protect the other passengers than it does to protect you. If you get noro, it's probably going to be at the buffet from someone who did not wash or sanitize before touching food with his/her fingers. If you want to better your changes of avoiding noro, skip the buffet and eat in the dining rooms.

[bymyglass]

Only been on 2 cruises but had pretty big outbreak on 2 week Hawaiian Cruise. I do wash my hands and use hand sanitizer. but not overly cautious. I touch door handles and elevator buttons. I think it has to do with the fact I am over all healthy so if I come into contact with the virus my body can fight it off. I think it is the same reason I don't get sick at home. I shake hands all day as a salesman and don't have a problem ( I'll probabably get sick this week).

 

Just a thought. We had anytime dining and with the outbreak everyone had to use santizer, served in buffet, and waiters served the bread. The one thing I did not get was they handed everyone menus in the dining room and then after ordering collecting them and passing them out at the next table.

[dennbr9]

First of all, the odds are about 28-1 in your favor even if there is noro on board the ship you are on. Average is about 3.5% of passengers will contract it when it is prevelant. Worse cases are in the 7.5% Range.

 

Still, washing your hands is key, not just for noro, but for Ecoli - much worse potential for serious problems. I avoid the stair rails and use the hand Sanitizers before entering any buffet area. Never had a problem - 13 Cruises- "knock on wood"

[latitude 22]

We were code red on the Dawn 12/1.

 

My mom and I did not get sick, thankfully.

 

Besides luck...

 

1. washed my hands constantly

2.used hand sanitizer religiously

3 used our cabins bathroom

4 never touched the elevator buttons

 

Most of all, the captains (we had a change of captain midway through) nd staff on our ship were unbelievably pro active and other passengers would confront each other about using the hand gel.

(I didn't, but saw it done numerous times)

 

In 1992 I was on the Fair Princess, 75% of the crew and passengers were uncontrollably sick from both ends. The ship was quarantinned outside of San Pedro while the CDC came aboard. Who knows what we had, probably Noro Virus...but this is when ...what occurred on a ship never reached the media like it does today.

[dennbr9]

75% ? I would bet on food poisoning

[pg.]

We wash our hands, use the sanitizer( rather have dry hands then the trots) and never touch anything like door handles or elevator buttons with our hands.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We wash our hands, use the sanitizer( rather have dry hands then the trots) and never touch anything like door handles or elevator buttons with our hands.

 

We do the same and use our cabin bathrooms instead of the public ones.

[jrobinso]

So far no illnesses for us either. I wipe down our stateroom with clorox wipes when we arrive, I use hand sanitizers when available and carry it with me at all times. We do touch elevator button and stairway rails. However, we also exercise and get plenty of sleep on a cruise, and in general keep a healthy (and boring!!) routine while on board.

[Debe7ing]

Wash hands good

 

NEVER EAT FOOD BY HAND!!!! Even Pizza with the fork and knife

 

Do not touch face with hands...or try at least to keep the hands away from mouth

 

Always use the paper towel to OPEN the bathroom door when you are exiting...you can't believe the number of folks who "forget" to stop by and wash hands after their visit

 

Drink LOTS of water and OJ...and then LOTS of Alcohol to disinfect!!!!!! (Just in case you MIGHT have come in contact with something) :) :) :)

[OuiOnboard]

...Ironically, washing your hands does more to protect the other passengers than it does to protect you. If you get noro, it's probably going to be at the buffet from someone who did not wash or sanitize before touching food with his/her fingers. If you want to better your changes of avoiding noro, skip the buffet and eat in the dining rooms.

Sanitizing must be preceded by thorough washing to be effective against Noro.

For the reasons you state, we like to get to the buffet early to get ahead of the masses, and like to eat in the dining room exclusively when there are indications that Noro may be presenting a concern.

[Fuss]

Alot of it is pure luck. I have never had it on a cruise ship and I have over 20 cruises under my belt. I consider myself fairly resistant to most bugs ( I am a primary care doc and exposed to everything) I observe usual hand washing, but don't take it as far as not touching elevator buttons etc.

When I say luck tho--- I was at the Greenbrier in WV in December with my mom and sisters. I got violently ill one night, followed a few hours later by one of my sisters (neither of us particularly prone to getting sick). Our frail 82 year old mother who shared a room with us did not get sick. My other sisters in the next room did not get sick. We had been together for 2 days at that point coming from different directions--- We had shared EVERYTHING--food , drinks etc as family does on vacation. It wasn't food poisoning as there had been no other reports and no food specific exposures. it was likely Noro as Noro is everywhere.

It was luck!!! Or bad luck in our case--- My sister who got sick passed out in the bathroom, face planted a marble floor and broke her nose and got nine stitches on the bridge of her nose. What a memorable trip!!!

[Cruisin' Chick]

We haven't had a problem (knock on wood). We just get respiratory problems. I seem to be allergic to vegetation just about everywhere. So I'm on antihistimine on every cruise. We carry around a small container of Purell and use the sanitizers in the buffet. And even my girl is very good about washing her hands when using the facilities -- I've been with her while she's soaping up and often women will leave a stall, check out their appearance in the mirror and then head out the door.

[Tina G]

After teaching elementary school music for years, I think I'm immune to just about everything! (Knock on wood!):p Those Kindergarten kids don't know what a tissue is for!

[Nancyquilts]

We've just been lucky. About 10% of the passengers got noro on our last cruise, and the ones I knew washed their hands constantly, etc. One trick I have learned is to press the elevator buttons with a knuckle - too bad I can't use that method when going up and down the stairs. Nancy

[willysgrandma]

We have never had so much as an upset stomach on a cruise. We like to think it is because we wash our hands thoroughly MANY TIMES daily, especially after using the washroom and particularly before dining. We also use paper towels as barrier protection when contacting elevator buttons and handrails.

If you've had only non-Noro cruises, how come?

 

We have never had it and we do what you do. And we use the sanitizer before gong to the buffet, after and carry wipes for when we get on and off the ship from touching the railings.

[Spikesgirl]

I'll speak on behalf of the clutchers - I have a bad back and hold onto rails going up and down stairs and up and down the halls. Have never gotten sick on the ship and only sick on land from some unfortunate encounters with clams (didn't know I was allergic) over the years. We do wash our hands well (sing "Row, Row Row Your Boat" three times or the alphabet song once) and use the hand santizers both on and off the ships. The best bet to avoid getting Noro is to avoid touching your nose, lips or eyes even if you do wash frequently.

 

And make sure if you do use a public restroom that you use a paper towel to manipulate all the applicances after you wash your hands (faucets, door latches, etc.) Doesn't matter how well you washed if someone in front of you didn't.

 

Charlie

[Toto2Kansas]

One trick is to make sure you are in good shape before you leave. Plenty of sleep, etc. I know many say they can't sleep for several days before their cruise, which doesn't help your immune system at all.

We try to keep ourselves rested and healthy before we leave. Then when we arrive at the ship, we never eat without using the hand sanitizers first. We wash our hands often also.

We have never come down with noro, and hope we never do.

We don't take extra precautions by re-cleaning the stateroom as some do, we don't pack lysol or any type of disinfectant spray or wipes, we do take along small bottles of hand sanitizer which go everywhere with us. This is also used during flights where this virus can spread very easily. Just use common sense like we would anywhere when cruising the time of year when this virus is so visible.

[cowprintrabbit]

We have been on many cruises and never got the dreaded disease. I am a nurse, so realize how prevalent it is, but I think it is just luck. Even though, like you, we wash our hands often, we don't use paper towels to shield items and we touch bars, elevator buttons, doors, etc and (fingers crossed - hope this doesn't jinx us) we have never gotten noro!!!

 

I have seen the hand gel stations at the buffet for many cruises, but rarely see anyone using them - I even hate them because they are alcohol based and dry your skin so terribly.....guess the sea Gods have been with us so far. :p

 

Purell makes an awesome one that's more like hand lotion - I spent a week in Hawaii with a 1-year-old and a runny nose (mine) and never had dry hands even though I used it after every Kleenex.

[cowprintrabbit]

double post, sorry

[MattInFLL]

We were just at dinner last night with some people who could not share in our excitement of our cruise this Sunday... they will never go on a cruise "because everyone gets the norovirus on cruise ships" How sad that a stomach flu that can be gotten in any hotel, hospital or other building keeps people from enjoying a great vacation because of all the media hype.

 

Wash your hands... use the hand sanitizer...use common sense... and for gosh sakes if you're very ill while boarding, don't lie about being OK...

 

Most of these outbreaks are because of the negligence of fellow passengers, not the cruise line.

[dforeigner]

Most of these outbreaks are because of the negligence of fellow passengers, not the cruise line.

 

 

Oh my goodness, this is coming from a future lawyer?

 

On I serious note, I second your comment.

[Genessa]

Dh & I must just be very lucky, knock on wood, I hope I don't jinx us for our upcoming cruise.

 

We have never been ill on a cruise ship or visiting a hotel, and other than washing our hands after "using the facilities", we don't do any of the other things the rest of you do - other than sterilize our insides with alcohol ;).

 

 

I always attempt to use the paper towel after washing my hands to shut the faucet, open the door, etc., but then I'm standing there holding a used paper towel. There is never a convenient garbage can, and if there is, you have to touch it to throw the paper towel out!

So, unless I'm in Atlantic City, where they "maze" the bathrooms so you don't have to touch doors, and all the faucets and soap and paper towel dispensers are automatic, I pick up germs. I touch elevator buttons, hold hand rails, and tend not to get sick. Knock on wood ;).