Please be careful...my family got sick on the Spirit

[Sealicker]

The red flag I see in your post is a sick waitress who continues to serve food. That should have been reported. Anyone displaying symptoms of a GI problem should NOT be involved in food prep/service.

 

...did they examine their waitress??? Maybe she was just pregnant for all we know, lets not make assumptions like the OP did...

[AJs Dad]

Have you been tested for NORO or are you assuming. This requires a stool sample.

 

NORO is not an airborne virus.

 

To be fair the term Norovirus can refer to a any of a group of Norwalk-like viriuses.

 

According to the CDC that can include what the OP was referring to (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm).

[dms_cruisers04]

The red flag I see in your post is a sick waitress who continues to serve food. That should have been reported. Anyone displaying symptoms of a GI problem should NOT be involved in food prep/service.

Suburban didn't say she was still serving, just that she was sick. On our Sovereign cruise our waitress was sick a few days, we knew this because we were served by the Maitre'd the first 2 nights.

 

We as travelers shouldn't be so quick to blame the ship or staff for our illnesses either. As much as I too would like to not believe that even in a warm, tropical climate, to which I hope to someday retire and live out the remainder of my days, those people get sick too.

[rgtkkb]

According to the CDC, alcohol-based hand sanitizers do help to prevent the spread of Norovirus.

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/Norovirus/Norovirus.htm

 

I don't understand why Carnival doesn't have the sanitizers more available, especially at the buffet line. When I cruised Princess, we had to use the sanitizer when entering the ship and the buffet line.

 

On my last Carnival cruise, the person in front of me at the buffet stuck his fingers in his mouth in between serving himself each food item. I really wanted the Indian food buffet but decided to have pizza instead.

[CRUZBUDS]

We were on the same trip as the OP - It was great - we had a blast and had no health issues. We're going to book the Spirit again next October.

 

We have some observations that surpised us, our last 45 cruise days were on Celebrity. One of our cruises was a couple of weeks after the famous Mercury "bleach cruise", so Celebrity is gun shy on Noro Virus. We assumed all lines use the hand sanitizers. On Celebrity they are everywhere including as you enter the dinning room, all buffets and when you enter the ship. I know they're not a cure-all it, but we had gotten used to it, and it made us feel better, even it's a placebo.

We also were used to pointing at want we wanted at the buffet and being served. Very little if anything is self-service. I don't know if that's to give a perceived higher level of service or strictly for sanitation. Like other posters we go to land buffets a lot and they're always self service - no big deal. It was just stange to us. There were a lot of kids on board - kids and self serve buffets can be a bad combination. ;)

[nrdsb4]

Suburban didn't say she was still serving, just that she was sick. On our Sovereign cruise our waitress was sick a few days, we knew this because we were served by the Maitre'd the first 2 nights.

 

We as travelers shouldn't be so quick to blame the ship or staff for our illnesses either. As much as I too would like to not believe that even in a warm, tropical climate, to which I hope to someday retire and live out the remainder of my days, those people get sick too.

 

 

That's a good point. The OP did not say the waitress continued to serve them after becoming ill.

[Kurbanfan]

Yes reminders are always good, but Noro outbreaks are serious, and if it isn't confirmed as Noro it shouldn't be call that.

 

Especially with the "never get anything right" media sniffing around this site.

 

 

The op never said they had noro.....just the symptoms of noro......

And evidently they thought it was serious enough to post here to give everyone a heads up....nothing wrong with that........

[Mikel1733]

I have a question that pertains to Suburban Drudgery's mention of buffets and possible contamination.

 

So if we put aside the question of airborn contamination, that still leaves serving spoons and tongs on the buffets. What I mean is that as each person serves himself, whatever contamination may be on his hand is now on the spoon handle too. And then here we come with our nice freshly washed hands and use the same serving spoon. Has this been addressed by any of the cruise companies?

 

Sometimes I do like to go to the buffet...

 

Just wondering....

 

I like the buffets also, but kind of got turned off when a lady in front of me spooned some food onto her plate.....then took her finger and wiped off the spoon and licked it. I'm also amazed how often you see a person sneeze and not cover their face or turn away. Cruise line can only do so much to protect us from fellow passengers.:eek:

[Fun~N~Sun]

The op never said they had noro.....just the symptoms of noro......

And evidently they thought it was serious enough to post here to give everyone a heads up....nothing wrong with that........

 

 

The OP didn't say they had noro virus per say but it was implied that after Googling, a self diagnosis was made.

[nrdsb4]

I like the buffets also, but kind of got turned off when a lady in front of me spooned some food onto her plate.....then took her finger and wiped off the spoon and licked it. I'm also amazed how often you see a person sneeze and not cover their face or turn away. Cruise line can only do so much to protect us from fellow passengers.:eek:

 

 

I would have insisted the buffet staff replace the utensil. That is just unbelievable.:mad:

[Kurbanfan]

The OP didn't say they had noro virus per say but it was implied that after Googling, a self diagnosis was made.

 

Nope she didn't say she had it. She implied after googling that she had the symptoms of Noro.

[wwakla]

I don't remember the waitress name but she was Chinese and very nice.

 

 

I am so glad you can't remember. Could you imagine that poor waitress being stared at and talked about?:(

[terri910]

I would have insisted the buffet staff replace the utensil. That is just unbelievable.:mad:

I'm afraid I would have insisted loud enough for that woman to hear! She would already have heard me gasp at the moment I witnessed such a thing!!!

[poogotflung]

If you had anything to eat in mexico or drink even beer and wine use water from mexico. Also you need to see if you ate meat or anything else dairy in mexico. especially dairy can mess up a stomach it is pasterized differently and not up to U.S standards. I found this out when i ate a hamburger with cheese in mexico. I will never do that again. well maybye i will you never know.

[mzloolue]

I like the buffets also, but kind of got turned off when a lady in front of me spooned some food onto her plate.....then took her finger and wiped off the spoon and licked it. I'm also amazed how often you see a person sneeze and not cover their face or turn away. Cruise line can only do so much to protect us from fellow passengers.:eek:

 

That is so disgusting:eek:

 

An earlier poster asked a question about the difference between bufffets on land and those at sea.

 

I was thinking about that question yesterday and it seems to me that the main differences may be how frequently we may eat in the buffet, the chances for repeated exposure, and that, at home, a sick person may be more likely to just go home than to a buffet restaurant (which are often "all you can eat").

 

I don't eat out all that often at home and certainly not three times a day like I do on a cruise. And when I do eat out at home, I am very unlikely to encounter the same people multiple times a day and multiple days in a row.

Also, I know that when I am feeling under the weather I usually don't have the urge to go out and have a big meal. If a person is feeling peaked on a cruise ship they could, of course, order something from room service and keep their germies to yourself. In the buffet, however, a "sickie" could run in, look for something appealing, get some food, and take it back to his room or wherever.

 

Hopefully, all of us will have wonderful cruises and come home feeling better than when we left.:)

[AJs Dad]

kids and self serve buffets can be a bad combination.

 

This is precisely why I am beginning to avoid all buffets.

 

I watch kids at struggling at buffets, getting frustrated, and then performing some kind of act that is less than "hygenic". I don't fault the children as I don't think they truly are thinking about what they just did. I don't know why the parents don't help their children out more at buffets.

 

Sanitary reasons aside, steam tables are pretty dangerous for youngsters anyway.

[qprrules]

If you had anything to eat in mexico or drink even beer and wine use water from mexico. Also you need to see if you ate meat or anything else dairy in mexico. especially dairy can mess up a stomach it is pasterized differently and not up to U.S standards. I found this out when i ate a hamburger with cheese in mexico. I will never do that again. well maybye i will you never know.

 

LOL........do they import water for the exported beer?:D

[Magic City Cruiser]

There are many food borne illnesses and buffet lines are areas of particular concern with Norwalk and any bacterial/viral illnesse due to the ease of consumers transferring virus and bacteria from hands to food items and serving utensils. In fact, the only sure way to avoid such contaminents would be to grow and prepare your own food. I'd hate like heck for ME to be the one to pick up such an illness, particularly while on vacation (no-wait, been there, done that!) but, I'm not going to lose a whole lot of sleep over it. I've eaten at a lot of buffets and been on a few cruises and...knock on wood....usually only suffer from a little indigestion from over indulgence! I think you can drive yourself crazy when the fact of the matter is that our world is filled with little bugaboos and the wonder is that we're not CONTINUALLY sick rather that the few times that we are! So, WASH your hands and AVOID buffets if you're really worried about it. And, this is just my theory, but I always try to incorporate enough fruity drinks in my cruise diet. I figure enough alcohol will kill most things!

[Kurbanfan]

LOL........do they import water for the exported beer?:D

 

LOL! That one blew right past me.........

[westernmom]

My dd called me yesterday from Seattle where she is attending business meetings at the Sheraton. She had been up all night sick. I told her she probably had Noro!

 

Honestly, it could have been food poisoning, the 24 hr bug, morning sickness, overworked and run-down, changes of atmosphere, allergies, who knows? I just told her to use her hand sanitizer religiously and take some imodium and tylenol! What can a mom do when she's 900 miles away? But she's doing great today after going to the spa last night!

 

I think when we travel we just expose ourselves to so many different elements and we just need to take a few more precautions than normal and just bite the bullet. I always use wipes when eating at buffets 'cause I don't like touching the handles of things and then eating but my dh never does and he never gets sick!

[Suburban Drudgery]

Have you been tested for NORO or are you assuming. This requires a stool sample.

 

NORO is not an airborne virus.

 

Maybe you should google before playing chicken little.

 

Update.......

 

My husband went to the doctor yesterday because he was still having diarrhea and not getting better:(

 

His doctor who is a internist said he had norovirus. He said he sees many with the same symptoms and usually come back with them from a cruise or vacation anywhere. He said noro is indeed a nasty virus and also is a form of food poisoning too. He said most people do get it from the bathroom handles on the doors and the elevator keys. He said some people don't get it and are just lucky and some get it bad to mild.

 

So please be careful on your next cruise (we will):p

[mzloolue]

Update.......

 

My husband went to the doctor yesterday because he was still having diarrhea and not getting better:(

 

His doctor who is a internist said he had norovirus. He said he sees many with the same symptoms and usually come back with them from a cruise or vacation anywhere. He said noro is indeed a nasty virus and also is a form of food poisoning too. He said most people do get it from the bathroom handles on the doors and the elevator keys. He said some people don't get it and are just lucky and some get it bad to mild.

 

So please be careful on your next cruise (we will):p

 

I guess they need to put noro back into the thread title.:eek:

[Fun~N~Sun]

Update.......

 

My husband went to the doctor yesterday because he was still having diarrhea and not getting better:(

 

His doctor who is a internist said he had norovirus. He said he sees many with the same symptoms and usually come back with them from a cruise or vacation anywhere. He said noro is indeed a nasty virus and also is a form of food poisoning too. He said most people do get it from the bathroom handles on the doors and the elevator keys. He said some people don't get it and are just lucky and some get it bad to mild.

 

So please be careful on your next cruise (we will):p

 

FYI........there are bathroom handles on doors, and elevator keys other places than on a cruise. This could have happened anywhere; I don't think you should blame the cruise. Any virus has an incubation period and chances are most are probably infected before they leave for vacation and then the virus becomes full blown while they are away and thus the trip gets blamed. Chances are he would have had the same symptoms had you not been traveling and you would have just thought it was a "flu bug" or some sort of gastroenteritis.

[halos]

Sorry, but anitbacterial gel means just that - it kills bacteria, not a virus. Personally, I don't worry about it - I eat at buffets at home and touch all kinds of things that probably have a virus on them - that's just life. But, if it really bothers you, then take a supply of those disposible gloves and keep them on while you serve yourself and take them off prior to eating. Remember, you can pick the virus up on most surfaces that someone infected has touched, so it will be really dificult to protect yourself 100%. S#*%t happens, hopefully not while you are on vacation.

 

great post!

[Kurbanfan]

FYI........there are bathroom handles on doors, and elevator keys other places than on a cruise. This could have happened anywhere; I don't think you should blame the cruise. Any virus has an incubation period and chances are most are probably infected before they leave for vacation and then the virus becomes full blown while they are away and thus the trip gets blamed. Chances are he would have had the same symptoms had you not been traveling and you would have just thought it was a "flu bug" or some sort of gastroenteritis.

 

It really does not matter where she got it. The fact remains they were sick when they were on the ship....so even they could have spread it on the ship, therefore probabley more people got sick on the ship. Afterall it all starts by someone bringing it on the ship. I think she is just trying to give people the heads up to be carefull........