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

[hshowalter]

My wife & I were on CCl Liberty on 11-3-06 which was a 16 night trans-atlantic cruise. 700 people went yo the infirmary & another 400 to 700 were sick & didnot go to the infirmary. My wife was sick & I wasn1t mostly because i took health Smart tablets each day.

[sbwhite2]

As everyone else has mentioned, hand washing is key here. I have a somewhat damaged immune system due to an autoimmune disease so I'm careful, but not overly so. I'm also careful NOT to touch my hands to my face. I have come home with the flu before, but not noro...at least I wasn't asking to stop at every tree coming home! :eek:

[cruzincurt]

Recent University survey locally found that the salt and pepper shakers were contaminated with everything imaginable. Pneumonia to .....

[MrsKinsey]

I think a lot of people are a little out of control with their germ-a-phobia. Saying that by disinfecting everything you come in contact with has saved you from getting sick is like saying that installing yetti horns on your vehicle has kept you from running over any yettis. :rolleyes: You can't prove it.

 

In fact, I think that disinfecting your entire environment is actually doing your immune system a disservice. I am a very healthy person, have never had the flu, I get a cold MAYBE once a year. That said, I contracted Noro when I went to visit my sister in Minneapolis. Noro isn't only on ships and unless you plan on cloroxing your entire home, car, office, etc., you'll be at risk of contracting it and may even bring it on the ship without even knowing you have it.

 

That said, I AM an a bit of an obsessed freak when it comes to public restrooms. I avoid them like the plague (seen WAY too many who don't wash! :eek: ) and if I do use them, I can actually manage to do it without really touching anything and I scrub the heck out of my hands afterwards.

 

I'm going to enjoy my vacation and not worry myself sick (no pun intended :rolleyes: ) about what I touched/didn't touch. After all, even some of the religious hand washers have come down with it.

 

Celeste

[CPT Trips]

Close to OCD devotion to handwashing and using sanitizer. DW carries sanitizing handwipes that we use after ordering and returning the menu to the waiter . . . only then do we check out the rolls.

[Kudos2Fly]

On our lasted cruise there was a outbreak of the Norovirus. First time exerperience for us. 3 of our family members came down with it.

 

I personally think the reason we didn't get it. We take vitimins every day and are in good health. I think good health has a lot to do with it. Also we do wash our hands, but don't get carried away with that. I'll touch doors and other items with out thinking about it.

 

I'm personally looking to our next cruise when ever that will be..:p

[Aquahound]

I personally think the reason we didn't get it. We take vitimins every day and are in good health.

 

Every time I'm going to be around a lot of people for an extended amount of time, I load up on Vitamin C. I have yet to get sick.

[Aquahound]

I personally think the reason we didn't get it. We take vitimins every day and are in good health.

 

Every time I'm going to be around a lot of people for an extended amount of time, I load up on Vitamin C. I have yet to get sick.

[LHP]

Of all our cruising, 3 cruises have been "Norwalk" cruises. No we did not get it, but the daughter of our tablemates did.

 

Our youngest son is a special needs child and has to hold on to every rail as he goes up and down stairs. He also plays the arcade constantly. So we have had a lot of exposure.

 

Basically, hand sanitizer (although "experts" will say that supposedly does not help). I keep it on the dresser and we all grab a dose EVERY TIME we enter the room or leave the room.

 

Another factor is that we do not eat from the buffet. Boys eat pizza and I eat at the deli at lunch and hubby eats the burgers. Breakfast is room service. Dinner is in the formal dining room.

 

The daughter of our tablemate was about 16 years old and she got violently ill. The Mom (usually prepared) did not have anything with her. Fortunately, I travel with enough over the counter drugs to heal Chicago. (You have to with a special needs child.) We had the 16 year old feeling more comfortable in about 12 hours....although she was really weak the rest of the cruise.

[cruzin girl]

I make sure that I sanitize before and AFTER I am through getting my food

before I eat because what about the people who don't sanitize or sneeze

then use the tongs. It may seem a little over the edge but if it means being healthy during my cruise it is so worth it.

[packed&ready!]

Good bathroom habits, a squirt of Purell before dining on Grand Princess is a good idea but above all - Do not put fingers in mouth for any reason! I learned that while working in a hospital a few years back.

[momofmeg]

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?

 

I have never had it in 12 cruises. I have not had it on land in 3 years-since I smartened up and read how nasty grocery carts are-they carry more germs then toilet seats and public phones combined. I now WASH my hands throughly after going to the grocery store, Walmarts, Target etc. and NEVER eat anything until I do.

 

It boils down to what Grandma taught us. if we wash our hands after using the bathroom and BEFORE we eat (this includs that candy bar we may grab in Target checkout line)-we could prevent many illnesses- not just noro.

[bakechef]

Washing your hands is the best defense.

 

I work retail so I probably have an immune system that is stronger than most. I don't use hand sanitizers often, I feel if you try to create too much of a sterile environment, you will give your immune system very little to fight off, letting it fight keeps it strong. I also take multivitamins, and add some extra vitamin C and Zinc when I know that I am going on a cruise, mainly because I want to avoid getting a cold or the flu before I go.

 

My recent cruise on NCL impressed me, with how pro active they were about hand sanitizers, you were handed a tray and flatware wrapped in a napkin, only after using the sanitizer, the sanitizer globes were at every dining facility, I used them on the ship every time.

 

MAC

[cruzincurt]

If you smoke and use hand sanitizer be careful. A recent video on one of the TV channels showed how a person's hands could light up if they strike a match or click a lighter before all of the alcohol dissipates.

 

Some dummies got third degree burns when their hands caught on fire. They showed a video of a fireman wearing a fire proof glove then lighting up after rubbing the sanitizer around. Poof, leaping flames.

 

That would probably break someone of the smoking habit.

 

19 cruises and still haven't touched a stairwell railing yet. Now dice and poker chips are naturally germ free.

[JolieMadam]

Am also impressed with how careful they appear to be on NCL regarding usage of the hand sanitizer before handing plates to those entering the buffet area. But, then we have the ships where this is not done and you are on your own for using the sanitizers. There are many who don't and then they are using all the utensils when they help themselves. It's no wonder buffets seem to be the culprit in spreading viruses.

 

We do try and not eat at the buffets on a regular basis...only occasionally if the dining room is closed when we are hungry. Of course, one doesn't know how many employees have touched your plate before you receive it in the dining room! My feeling is.."Don't worry...be happy!" Most of us are scared stiff about things we never encounter.