Freedom 7/12 - 7/24 - Chicken pox!

[giginevelyn]

:( :( :(

We returned home from the Freedom 7/12 - 7/24 Med. Cruise and my 5 year old son came down with chicken pox about one week later. He spent a good deal of time in Camp Carnival, so I suspect that is where he picked it up.

 

He was vaccinated as a baby, so its a mild case (less than 20 pox).

 

Anyone else?

[jonsmom]

:( :( :(

We returned home from the Freedom 7/12 - 7/24 Med. Cruise and my 5 year old son came down with chicken pox about one week later. He spent a good deal of time in Camp Carnival, so I suspect that is where he picked it up.

 

He was vaccinated as a baby, so its a mild case (less than 20 pox).

 

Anyone else?

 

Poor little guy, I hope he is better soon. Certainly something to talk about when he gets older :)

 

Can you tell me about your experience on the Freedom? We have had few reviews. My son will be 10 at sailing and sailing with some cousins so I am not too worried about Camp Carnival.

 

What was your overall feeling of the ship? Did they provide shampoo dispensers, body wash dispensers? Did they provide toothpaste? How comfy were those beds?

[giginevelyn]

My bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on away from home. Carnival has upgraded to down comforters and pillows (going the "Heavenly Bed" route as Westin) and it makes a difference. The last three Cruises I have been on (RCC and Disney), we had beds that were hard as rocks. There is also plenty of room underneath for any size suit cases.

 

They do provide shower gel and shampoo in the dispensers. The had a bowl on the bathroom counter with lots of free samples. Some new Crest toothpaste product samples. You could probably ask for more. It also had 2 packages of disp. razors, Oil of Olay "Regenerest" products, some Trident gum, Vitamin C drink powders and a Romance paperback. A very nice touch.

 

We really loved this Ship and enjoyed ourselves very much. My kids (5 & 7 ) really like Camp Carnival too. Just a shame we had to come back with Chicken Pox.

[kaperino]

we had a great trip on the freedom, although we had teenagers. However this is a very port intensive trip and probably required you to travel by airplane. Why do you suspect the ship? Were there other cases? Here is some information that may be helpful.

 

Chickenpox is highly contagious, infecting up to 90% of people who come into contact with the disease 1 . Transmission is through direct person to person contact, airborne droplet infection or through contact with infected articles such as clothing and bedding. The incubation period (time from becoming infected to when symptoms first appear) is from 10 to 21 days.

 

The most infectious period is from 1 to 2 days before the rash appears but infectivity continues until all the lesions have crusted over (commonly about 5 to 6 days after onset of illness

[jonsmom]

My bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on away from home. Carnival has upgraded to down comforters and pillows (going the "Heavenly Bed" route as Westin) and it makes a difference. The last three Cruises I have been on (RCC and Disney), we had beds that were hard as rocks. There is also plenty of room underneath for any size suit cases.

 

They do provide shower gel and shampoo in the dispensers. The had a bowl on the bathroom counter with lots of free samples. Some new Crest toothpaste product samples. You could probably ask for more. It also had 2 packages of disp. razors, Oil of Olay "Regenerest" products, some Trident gum, Vitamin C drink powders and a Romance paperback. A very nice touch.

 

We really loved this Ship and enjoyed ourselves very much. My kids (5 & 7 ) really like Camp Carnival too. Just a shame we had to come back with Chicken Pox.

 

 

Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. I am trying to talk my husband out of the soft-sided water mattress we have had for many years, so hopefully, these beds will make him change his mind.

 

All those nice samples is definitely a nice touch. I would be very happy with a sample of Regenerist, though I would imagine they change samples regularly, and who knows, by April they may not do that anymore.

 

DId you enjoy the food? Did you try any food venues besides the dining room?

 

What a wonderful trip you must have had, certainly one of those, once in alifetime. My family is from Italy and I would love to go back, but I think I would rather do a land vacation. Maybe someday.

 

I hope your children get well soon!

[Calicruiser101]

sorry to hear about your son. I had chicken pox when I was 5mo pregnant, can't believe I made it 24 years and then I got it. That was ten years ago and I know they have the vac. to prevent it or to build up a steady amount of anitbodies. Was he sick during your cruise at all or just after?

[improvgirl]

I am planning my first ever cruise and this is one of my worries - illness.

 

My dd, age 10, has the world's best immune system (touch wood!), and has hardly ever been sick, never for more than a day, and has been vaccinated for everything.

 

But I, on the other hand, have the world's worst immune system. I get everything that goes around. I am so worried about viruses and other illnesses. I myself had chickenpox twice and shingles already in my "young" life (all caused by the varicella virus).

 

Any illness preventing strategies? I've heard of hand sanitizers and Lysol wipes and whatnot, but anything else?

[kyrisong1]

I think anytime you get groups of kids together you have a chance of contacting the normal "childhood diseases".

The number one way to fight contacting illness is by handwashing. When you use a public restroom, make sure you wash your hands vigorously with soap (say your abc's, this is how long it takes to kill off most of the germs) then take a paper towel, turn off the water with it and open the door to go out with it, once your door is open dispose of the paper towel.

The only other thing I can say is avoid shaking hands, don't touch handrails and just wash your hands as soon as you get back to your cabin.

Do I sound like a nurse :p

Cheers, Carole

[improvgirl]

Do I sound like a nurse :p

Cheers, Carole

 

Yes. And I thank you for it.

 

I totally get all of that. I work with kids, which is one reason I get sick, I think. I'm an actor so I'm always shaking their little snotty hands and taking kisses from their little snotty faces (I do lots of 'princess' work - the kids kiss ya.). I wash hands frequently, and I tell dd to do the same. I think that's how she avoids getting sick when the rest of her class is.

 

Anything else?

[HookedOnCruisin'2]

I think anytime you get groups of kids together you have a chance of contacting the normal "childhood diseases".

The number one way to fight contacting illness is by handwashing. When you use a public restroom, make sure you wash your hands vigorously with soap (say your abc's, this is how long it takes to kill off most of the germs) then take a paper towel, turn off the water with it and open the door to go out with it, once your door is open dispose of the paper towel.

The only other thing I can say is avoid shaking hands, don't touch handrails and just wash your hands as soon as you get back to your cabin.

Do I sound like a nurse :p

Cheers, Carole

 

Yes you do..... exactly my handwashing procedure (though I don't say my abc's anymore). Personally, I plan on carrying a small bottle of alcagel for in between washings. NCL has that stuff all over their ships but I don't know if Carnival does yet. Way too many people don't wash when they should.

[Peaceful]

Isn't it interesting how things change (and for the better). Before vaccinations for Chicken Pox and Measles, if a kid in our neighborhood came down with one of them, our mothers would deliberately have the kids be together so that we would all get it and be over it. Truly, our parents were not as informed as now and it would seem then such "childhood illnesses" were seen as a rite of passage.

 

Hope your son feels better soon.

[NAMVET]

There is a product called Immunefizz. We get it at Costco. It is said to bolster your immune system to be resistant to these germs. I babysit my grandson and granddaughter. They get sick from preschool, but as soon as I see they are sick, out comes the Immunefizz and I have not gotten sick from them.:D

[sinkers22]

Isn't it interesting how things change (and for the better). Before vaccinations for Chicken Pox and Measles, if a kid in our neighborhood came down with one of them, our mothers would deliberately have the kids be together so that we would all get it and be over it. Truly, our parents were not as informed as now and it would seem then such "childhood illnesses" were seen as a rite of passage.

 

Hope your son feels better soon.

 

That brings back memories. During the 1964 World's Fair in NY our family went to spend the week in NYC. My best friend and her family were also there. On the 2nd day I got very sick and we went back to the Hotel. The doctor there diagnosed me with German Measles. Well, since the incubation period was about a week my friend's Mom had her come to my hotel room the next day so she would be exposed, get German Measles and not worry about it later in life. Wrong...the day after she spent the day with me I got sicker and it turned out I didn't have German Measles...I had Scarlett Fever. I was quarantined to our hotel room, in the middle of Times Square for 2 weeks, and my girlfriend came down with the worse case of Strep Throat she ever had. 43 years later and I'll never forget that hotel room, the music playing on the radio (My Guy by Mary Wells and World Without Love by Peter & Gordon stand out) and the view from my window. At least it was Times Square!

[beach girl66]

I think anytime you get groups of kids together you have a chance of contacting the normal "childhood diseases".

The number one way to fight contacting illness is by handwashing. When you use a public restroom, make sure you wash your hands vigorously with soap (say your abc's, this is how long it takes to kill off most of the germs) then take a paper towel, turn off the water with it and open the door to go out with it, once your door is open dispose of the paper towel.

The only other thing I can say is avoid shaking hands, don't touch handrails and just wash your hands as soon as you get back to your cabin.

Do I sound like a nurse :p

Cheers, Carole

 

 

Yes, you know your in health care when you wash your hands before using the bathroom :p

[tkere]

Well hand washing does not prevent Chicken pox, but many other things. Chicken pox is an airborne. Your child probably was exposed in the camp, but it could have been anywhere, especially the airport or airplane. You will never know.

 

Handwashing seems to be a must on the ships now to help prevent the stomach type illness's on the news lately. Everyone feeling like they are coming down with something after reading all of this? Me too!!!

[we2cruze]

Isn't it interesting how things change (and for the better). Before vaccinations for Chicken Pox and Measles, if a kid in our neighborhood came down with one of them, our mothers would deliberately have the kids be together so that we would all get it and be over it. Truly, our parents were not as informed as now and it would seem then such "childhood illnesses" were seen as a rite of passage.

Hope your son feels better soon.

 

Actually it wasn't that many years ago when there was no chicken pox vaccine. My two oldest daughters (now college age) got the chicken pox during their preschool years. And, yes, the mothers did allow their children to be exposed, but it wasn't a rite of passage, it was so they would get it over with before they started school. Another good reason to have them get it while they were young was so they would be immune when they were adults. (Sorry, most of us 20 somethings hadn't heard of shingles.) Generally speaking, younger kids have an easier time of it with chicken pox than adults. There were even the horror stories of adults getting it in their lungs and such. I don't know if that's true, but I do know that I didn't have chicken pox as a child, but I sure had when I was pregnant with my second baby. So, the mothers exposing their kids isn't as bad as it may sound to you. It was the only way to gain immunity. Also, I know many a mother who purposely exposed their kids for years with no chicken pox. The thing about chicken pox is it is very contagious before the first sign of outbreak. That's likely how the OP's child got exposed. The child who he caught it from probably didn't even have a rash yet. It's great that we now have a vaccine for chicken pox. My 3 youngest children have all received it with no side effects or anything. I wish there had been a vaccine when I was a child.

[momofmn00]

My Peditrician actually advised me in july that my two kiddos shoul get a CHICKEN POX BOOSTER...I guess this is new since last year because they had a checkup last summer and got all recommended shots at that time (and they are now 6/7 so they got their chicken pox vaccine as a 1 year old...)You might want to check into that....:rolleyes:

[yst347]

I hope your little one is feeling better. Your description sounds like he has a mild case, that is good to hear. Once he recovers, he and you won't have to worry about chicken pox anymore. :)

[crusinmama06]

Wasn't on that cruise but my oldest had to have the chicken pox booster last year because of an influx of chicken pox cases in our area.

[Matlily]

My bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept on away from home. Carnival has upgraded to down comforters and pillows (going the "Heavenly Bed" route as Westin) and it makes a difference. The last three Cruises I have been on (RCC and Disney), we had beds that were hard as rocks. There is also plenty of room underneath for any size suit cases.

 

They do provide shower gel and shampoo in the dispensers. The had a bowl on the bathroom counter with lots of free samples. Some new Crest toothpaste product samples. You could probably ask for more. It also had 2 packages of disp. razors, Oil of Olay "Regenerest" products, some Trident gum, Vitamin C drink powders and a Romance paperback. A very nice touch.

 

We really loved this Ship and enjoyed ourselves very much. My kids (5 & 7 ) really like Camp Carnival too. Just a shame we had to come back with Chicken Pox.

 

Better they get it now than as adults, its pretty painfully in adults.

[abitaturbodog]

Wasn't on that cruise but my oldest had to have the chicken pox booster last year because of an influx of chicken pox cases in our area.

 

Wow! I guess because the vaccine is still kinda new they're not exactly sure how long it will last. Did your physician contact you or did the information come thru your school?

 

I got the vaccine 8 years ago because I never had Chicken Pox as a child. I had to get 2 shots about a month apart. I thought it was strange that my children only had to get 1 shot. But maybe we'll be hearing that they should get a booster at a certain age...

[halos]

Isn't it interesting how things change (and for the better). Before vaccinations for Chicken Pox and Measles, if a kid in our neighborhood came down with one of them, our mothers would deliberately have the kids be together so that we would all get it and be over it. Truly, our parents were not as informed as now and it would seem then such "childhood illnesses" were seen as a rite of passage.

 

Hope your son feels better soon.

 

I remember those days. :) My Mom tried to infect us every time she got the opportunity...it never worked.

Then, when I was 19 and working in a beauty salon cutting some little darling's hair, I caught it. Then brought it home to my family. My sister caught it from me, but my brother didn't...he waitred to catch it from HIS kids when he was older.

Having c.pox as an adult is horrendous!! :eek:

[leadout_kv]

Talkin about bad timing - I got chicken pox the night after completing my last final exam in college. That was 3 days before my college graduation. Yep, I couldn't walk out on stage to accept my diploma since I was stuck back in my dorm room.

[halos]

Talkin about bad timing - I got chicken pox the night after completing my last final exam in college. That was 3 days before my college graduation. Yep, I couldn't walk out on stage to accept my diploma since I was stuck back in my dorm room.

 

man, that sucks! :eek: