Live from the CB: It's norovirus!!

[carlywilson]

The cruise lines should make it easier to cancel, with refund, if someone is sick on embarkation day. I am figuring people are getting on the ship knowingly sick because they don't want to lose their $$. Just a thought.

Carly

[naiph]

One of the biggest issues is that people that are infected try not to let it get them down and they go on with their normal routine or at least try to. The longer people have the symptoms and do not report it, they are putting the entire ship at risk. Granted, if you do have the illness, the nurse is probably going to give you a shot(like I received) and place you in quarantine for 24-48 hours. A lot of people would rather try to be the big person and fight through it then give up a day of their cruise and this is the worse thing possible to do!

[hsmom]

Oh, bother, we leave Sunday....

 

Do you think they will tell us that boarding is delayed or will we find out when we get to the port?

 

Off to pack more hand cleaner and drill the kids...

[Nymue]

They give you a health survey before you board. What if you say, "YES, I've been vomiting and running a fever". Do they give you a full refund when they say... Go Home!?!?

 

Just Wondering,

Anne

 

The cruise lines should make it easier to cancel, with refund, if someone is sick on embarkation day. I am figuring people are getting on the ship knowingly sick because they don't want to lose their $$. Just a thought.

Carly

[NY City Girl]

They give you a health survey before you board. What if you say, "YES, I've been vomiting and running a fever". Do they give you a full refund when they say... Go Home!?!?

 

Just Wondering,

Anne

 

I can't speak for Princess, but we were on the delayed Freedom of the Seas (RCCL) cruise this past December, they made it VERY clear that everyone that came forward with any report of illness would be reimbursed. If you indicated that you were sick before boarding, you were not allowed to board, but you would be credited towards your next cruise. If you got sick during the cruise, and you remained in quarentine they credited you those days towards your next cruise. It is also free to go to the ship's doctor if you are reporting any sort of GI issue. They don't want to deter you from reporting because of financial reasons.

[Pia1913]

Oh, bother, we leave Sunday....

 

Do you think they will tell us that boarding is delayed or will we find out when we get to the port?

 

They will have you sign an affidavit that you haven't been exposed to/in contact with an illness. You'll see

 

Off to pack more hand cleaner and drill the kids...

 

 

Suggest you also buy Clorox wipes and wipe down the cabin. Everything.

 

The phone, the closets, the hangers, etc. etc. etc.

[chrysalis]

I disagree, because then all ships would constantly be on alert. The crew can't afford to be sick. It's the passengers.

 

 

agree fully that it is the passengers...when you see the sanitary habits of some passengers, you will realize where it comes from

[Colo Cruiser]

They give you a health survey before you board. What if you say, "YES, I've been vomiting and running a fever". Do they give you a full refund when they say... Go Home!?!?

 

Just Wondering,

Anne

 

 

Princess will not remburse you if you are found to be sick upon embarkation, if you indicate "yes" to any of the questions a nurse will check you out at the pier and you are at their mercy. :)

[naiph]

Princess DOES NOT credit you for days that you are quarantined. They clearly state this in the info you receive before you cruise.

[4gvn]

I was on the CB on 4/8 and the sailing before had an outbreak. They were extremely cautious with making everyone sanitize etc. and I actually like the fact that they were serving the food, handling the plates and silverware, and so on. I honestly think that's how it should be on and off cruises b/c people are inherently GROSS. (Ok that was a general statement which of course is not entirely true...lol)

 

<---germaphobe

[cruzinchris]

Suggest you also buy Clorox wipes and wipe down the cabin. Everything.

 

The phone, the closets, the hangers, etc. etc. etc.

 

My daily 10-minute ritual on the Dawn included: phone, closet door handles, toilet flusher button, remote and/or TV buttons, fridge door handle, spigots, door handles/patio door pull (inside and out). No Noro reported on our January cruise but the daily cabin wipe-down gave me peace of mind. I left the rest of the wipes canister for the next passengers.

Chris

[Sealicker]

The cruise lines should make it easier to cancel, with refund, if someone is sick on embarkation day. I am figuring people are getting on the ship knowingly sick because they don't want to lose their $$. Just a thought.

Carly

 

Good idea, but not practical, everyone would use that as an "excuse" if they had other reasons to cancel.

[Pammie poo]

on one of our cruises my DH got very ill. He stayed in the room for 3 days. Once he was feeling better and could leave the room we went to tell the Dr that he had been sick and they made us both stay in the room another 2 days. I never got sick but got quarantined anyway. It wasn't Princess and they did give us a credit off our room bill of 150.00 each passenger.....

[dforeigner]

from my daughter, a pharmacy major:

 

we learned all about norovirus in microbiology. it's spread mostly

airborne b/c it causes vomiting and the aerosol can stay in the air

for a few hours. it is also spread by food handlers and is very hard

to get rid of b/c it's fairly resistant to chlorine. and, it takes a

VERY small amt to get infected (like 10 virus particles) so it doesnt

take much. you're mainly going to get it by eating though.. not so

much touching stuff.

 

I do agree it could be the cruise ship food handlers, they never get off the

boat (at least until their contract is up).

 

FYI: in order to be airborne, it must be transmitted through cough or sneeze, hence the airborne thing. This virus is transmitted through fecal matter. Most viruses, with the exception of those who can encapsulate themselves) are not resistant to chlorine. And depending as to which shift they are working, food handlers do get to visit the ports.

[Janet Foster]

Everyone on this cruise did have a delay getting on the ship. Our hotel shuttle left at 10:30am for Princess Cruises, so we left at that time. Once in line we were given health statements to fill out and then had to file into the huge waiting arena.

 

We waited there for about 2 1/2 hours until they cleared the ship to board at 1pm. So those of you who are going on the next sailing be prepared. There are restrooms outside the waiting area but then who'd want to use that public facility?? That is just like asking to get sick. I am sorry you have to go through this.

[dforeigner]

Not to hijack the thread, but I have norovirus questions:

 

Is norovirus primarily contracted during shore excurions in foreign countries or from cruise passengers bringing it onboard upon embarkation?

 

 

Would a person possessiong reasonable sanitation habits (wash hands always after using the restroom, before eating) need to worry about contracting it?

 

 

In case no one has mentioned this, statistically, one out of every 12 individuals living in the US (land that is) will contract the Norwalk virus every year. That is between 18-23 million people every year in the US.

 

Also, the Norwalk virus is the second most contagious virus out there. The most contagious virus is the flu.

[dforeigner]

Suggest you also buy Clorox wipes and wipe down the cabin. Everything.

 

The phone, the closets, the hangers, etc. etc. etc.

 

If you read the bottle, clorox wipes do not contain clorox (chlorine). Having said that, they are still a good form of disinfectant.

[Nliedel]

I am so sorry to hear this about the CB. Usual statements apply: Very common, not just on cruise ships, WASH YOUR HANDS!!

[jlp20]

from my daughter, a pharmacy major:

 

we learned all about norovirus in microbiology. it's spread mostly

airborne.....the aerosol can stay in the air

for a few hours.....very hard

to get rid of b/c it's fairly resistant to chlorine. and, it takes a

VERY small amt to get infected (like 10 virus particles) so it doesnt

take much. you're mainly going to get it by eating though.. not so

much touching stuff.

 

Maybe she should study more before offering opinion. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

 

Noro is spread through virus entering your body through mouth, nose or eye usually by the virus being on your fingers and you self infect.

 

The "aerosol" stays in the air for as long as small water droplets can hang in the air before falling to the floor, 10-12 seconds. A true airborne virus can "float" in the air by itself and is rather rare. When a virus mutates and develops the "airborne" ability, things like epidemics result.

 

A chlorine or bleach solution is the most effective anti-Noro agent that is commonly available.

[jlp20]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pia1913

Suggest you also buy Clorox wipes and wipe down the cabin. Everything.

 

The phone, the closets, the hangers, etc. etc. etc.

 

My daily 10-minute ritual on the Dawn included: phone, closet door handles, toilet flusher button, remote and/or TV buttons, fridge door handle, spigots, door handles/patio door pull (inside and out). No Noro reported on our January cruise but the daily cabin wipe-down gave me peace of mind. I left the rest of the wipes canister for the next passengers.

Chris

 

 

 

 

Hate to burst your “security” bubble, but other than bleach, there’s nothing you can buy at the store that will kill Noro.

 

Clorox wipes have no bleach and Lysol will kill a select few virus, none of which are Noro (read the can).

 

Hand sanitizers are a weak alcohol based goop that will kill BACTERIA, NOT A VIRUS. It will “clean” your hands, but just spread a virus from one finger to another. If any of sanitizer could kill Noro, the world would beat a path to their door and would be part of any advertisement.

 

Wash your hands with warm water and soap. Train yourself to keep your hands off your face. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. Hit elevator buttons with your knuckle. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. If you feel ill, stay home. Wash your hands with warm water and soap.

[tvaud]

I was on the CB on 4/8 and the sailing before had an outbreak. They were extremely cautious with making everyone sanitize etc. and I actually like the fact that they were serving the food, handling the plates and silverware, and so on. I honestly think that's how it should be on and off cruises b/c people are inherently GROSS.

 

I agree with you 100%. Why aren't there servers in the buffet on a regular basis? It would lessen the chance of spreading the virus significantly IMHO. We never go to the buffet...for many reasons...the germs are just one.

[tvaud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pia1913

Suggest you also buy Clorox wipes and wipe down the cabin. Everything.

 

The phone, the closets, the hangers, etc. etc. etc.

 

My daily 10-minute ritual on the Dawn included: phone, closet door handles, toilet flusher button, remote and/or TV buttons, fridge door handle, spigots, door handles/patio door pull (inside and out). No Noro reported on our January cruise but the daily cabin wipe-down gave me peace of mind. I left the rest of the wipes canister for the next passengers.

Chris

 

 

 

 

Hate to burst your “security” bubble, but other than bleach, there’s nothing you can buy at the store that will kill Noro.

 

Clorox wipes have no bleach and Lysol will kill a select few virus, none of which are Noro (read the can).

 

Hand sanitizers are a weak alcohol based goop that will kill BACTERIA, NOT A VIRUS. It will “clean” your hands, but just spread a virus from one finger to another. If any of sanitizer could kill Noro, the world would beat a path to their door and would be part of any advertisement.

 

Wash your hands with warm water and soap. Train yourself to keep your hands off your face. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. Hit elevator buttons with your knuckle. Wash your hands with warm water and soap. If you feel ill, stay home. Wash your hands with warm water and soap.

 

Why not take a small spritz bottle of a bleach solution to use in the cabin?

[jlp20]

Why not take a small spritz bottle of a bleach solution to use in the cabin?

 

No problem in my mind. But putting bleach inside closed luggage my be problematic.

 

If someone gets infected in your cabin the cruise before yours, the ship will know and spray down the cabin before you show up. The chance of someone getting infected and getting off the ship before getting sick are quite slim.

 

You are at risk in the public areas. They may frown on you dragging a 5 gallon industrial sprayer for 7 days.

[Nliedel]

It's not the people that cruised before you that are the problem, it's the people on your cruise. They hide symptoms so they can cruise and then it's too late.

[safety]

I Posted A Thread On April 15th Discussing This Problem. I Had Just Finished A Trip On The Cb. Although Princess And Other Lines Can Not Fully Filter And Check Passengers Boarding A Ship For Illness, They Can Take Full Charge On Board To Decrease The Chances Of A Virus Spreading. Please Read My Post -of 4/15/07 (safety). It Is My Belief That Princess Fails In This Category.

 

I Am Looking Forward To Cruising The Panama Canal On The Coral And Hope Princess Gets It Act In Order.