Norovirus hits Ventura - Try Again

[G.M.T.]

Here is the link to the article in question:

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/2081965/Norovirus-hits-Ventura-cruise-liner.html

 

Ron

PS. Don't know what happened to the first message, only itile and no message - maybe the self imposed censors got to work!:eek:

[annieuk]

I think it's a shame that whenever anything happens on a cruise ship it's always news. It hasn't, as far as I know, been confirmed that it is the Novovirus and it's only 20 passengers out of 3000 plus. It sometimes seems that people forget it's the passengers who bring it onto the ship and if people don't wash their hands it can be passed on to others.

 

Carole

[MattOsprey]

I think most travel companies would be very pleased with an illness ratio of 1 in 150.

The main problem with this virus is that P&O can do little about it. It is mainly dorn to passengers not washing their hands correctly. Then handling food utensils. You handle it after them. Then you put bread in your mouth with fingers that have just touched the same utensil.

Please please please wash your hands!!!

Do this and we will all be okay.

Anyone who goes to a hotel overseas and finds it cleaner than a cruise ship, should be very pleased.

Did I mention, wash your hands!

Matt

[BandBlady]

Having sailed on Ventura I am not surprised .The number of people not using the gel was staggering .There was even people complaining about the sneeze screens in the self serve buffet...We carry gel with us and use it at every opportunity.

Keep healthy and happy cruising

:)

[soletread]

I have to say it lots of people are pigs I'm ashamed to say as a man I'm staggered by how many fellas never wash there hands after going to the toilet

 

For god sake fellas it takes a minute to do just wash your hands

 

I agree the cruise lines go to great lengths to maintain hygiene in all areas the least people can do is wash there hands and use Gel

 

It makes me angry the amount of drama the media makes about illness on cruise ships and its the first thing non-cruises say to you (Oh don't people always get sick on cruises) Its total rubbish most illness are carried on befre departure and how many thousands suffer dodgy guts in horrid hotels through out the world every year

[Laticfanatic617]

it's been said earlier, but the source of these outbreaks has got to be our fellow passengers ?.... i can't see it being the staff as they would suffer instant dismissal and have a great deal to lose apart from a few pounds from being ill....

 

it makes you wonder how people live away from the cruise ships...

 

we even get to the point where we ask for a dispenser of the gel cleaner for our room as well as constantly using the stuff whenever we passed a dispensing machine.. (whether going to eat or not!!!)

 

on the Arcadia in November they had dozens of the bottles dotted between virtually every slot machine in the casino... we just took one of them and passed on to the staff that we were taking one for our room.. they seemed pleased that we did that and it was instantly replaced...

 

basically............ IT'S NOT HARD TO WASH YOUR HANDS REGULAR!

 

as much as the press blow it all out of proportion ( or is it me that can only remember NEW ships suffering recently?? ) we have a duty to banish it ourselves... i for one wouldn't have a problem to suggest to someone that they washed their hands before they left the bathroom... whether there was a Q or not!! anybody else???

[Lady C]

It is and always has been a constant source of amazement that people do not wash their hands after the toilet and before eating food. As a child (many years ago) ! I was taught these basic hygiene procedures and it has always remained a part of my routine.

 

On cruise ships I have witnessed the most disgusting of hygiene habits imaginable, usually, I'm sorry to say by the older passengers. On Oceana in March an elderly man (I will not say GENTLEMAN) had a stand up row with one of the waiters in the buffet because he was asked politely to use the gel. The names and adjectives the man used to the poor waiter were unbelievable.

 

Lady C

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

It is and always has been a constant source of amazement that people do not wash their hands after the toilet and before eating food. As a child (many years ago) ! I was taught these basic hygiene procedures and it has always remained a part of my routine.

 

On cruise ships I have witnessed the most disgusting of hygiene habits imaginable, usually, I'm sorry to say by the older passengers. On Oceana in March an elderly man (I will not say GENTLEMAN) had a stand up row with one of the waiters in the buffet because he was asked politely to use the gel. The names and adjectives the man used to the poor waiter were unbelievable.

 

Lady C

 

The gel doesn't get rid of all the potential nasties. Proper handwashing is all that is required.

 

Cunard got rid of the gel because people thought that it was enough. It isn't.

[Laticfanatic617]

The gel doesn't get rid of all the potential nasties. Proper handwashing is all that is required.

 

Cunard got rid of the gel because people thought that it was enough. It isn't.

 

 

i don't want this to sound like i'm looking for an argument, but you would of thought that an alcohol based hand cleanser would be more powerful than simple soap and water???

 

maybe the ships should look at whats used to dry said hands??

i notice that a few service stations now hve these blowers that almost 'move' the skin of your hands!! believe me they are dry after a few seconds of that!... maybe that's what's causing it all... clean (ish) hands that aren't quite dry?

 

we'll never know i guess.....

 

....you save up and wait 12 months or so for your holiday... you get a bug a couple of days before you leave!... do you say anything? ....... guess that's what happens from time to time!!!!....

[Norfolk Brit]

The gels are good at getting rid of bacteria. Not much help with viruses, which is what Norovirus is, of course.

 

Mary

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

i don't want this to sound like i'm looking for an argument, but you would of thought that an alcohol based hand cleanser would be more powerful than simple soap and water???

 

I agree. You would think that. But apparently it isn't true. Source was one of the officers in our restaurant, so I believe it.

[Laticfanatic617]

The gels are good at getting rid of bacteria. Not much help with viruses, which is what Norovirus is, of course.

 

Mary

 

 

so is it a bit like the 'chicken & egg' then?

 

surely the 'virus' is caused by bacteria?? ok it's already arrived on the ship from outside...but to prevent the virus from spreading, we need to stop the spread of bacteria??

 

wow....it's no wonder that someone hasn't got a way around this yet!!!

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

so is it a bit like the 'chicken & egg' then?

 

surely the 'virus' is caused by bacteria?? ok it's already arrived on the ship from outside...but to prevent the virus from spreading, we need to stop the spread of bacteria??

 

wow....it's no wonder that someone hasn't got a way around this yet!!!

 

There is no link between viruses and bacteria. Both are potentially nasty, but they are not connected.

[Norfolk Brit]

so is it a bit like the 'chicken & egg' then?

 

surely the 'virus' is caused by bacteria?? ok it's already arrived on the ship from outside...but to prevent the virus from spreading, we need to stop the spread of bacteria??

 

wow....it's no wonder that someone hasn't got a way around this yet!!!

 

Simply put, think of it in terms of antibiotics. They work if you have an infection, but not if you have a virus.

 

Mary

[tom_uk]

Here's a link to CDC fact-sheet about Noro:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/noro-qa.pdf

[davecttr]

What irritates me is that you can wash your hands after using the lavatory but how do you leave the room without using your hands to open the door and contaminating yourself again. Public facilities should always allow exit without having to touch door handles etc but this is not always the case. Apparently the best way to wash your hands is using HOT water and soap, not just a quick rinse under the cold tap!

[Laticfanatic617]

There is no link between viruses and bacteria. Both are potentially nasty, but they are not connected.

 

Simply put, think of it in terms of antibiotics. They work if you have an infection, but not if you have a virus.

 

Mary

 

 

everyday a school day....

 

shame others don't read these boards eh...

[CRAFTCRUISER]

What irritates me is that you can wash your hands after using the lavatory but how do you leave the room without using your hands to open the door and contaminating yourself again. Public facilities should always allow exit without having to touch door handles etc but this is not always the case. Apparently the best way to wash your hands is using HOT water and soap, not just a quick rinse under the cold tap!

 

 

When we were on the Dawn last yr and the virus was onboard...most of the time the public bathrooms had there doors propped open...so you could walk in and out

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

What irritates me is that you can wash your hands after using the lavatory but how do you leave the room without using your hands to open the door and contaminating yourself again. Public facilities should always allow exit without having to touch door handles etc but this is not always the case. Apparently the best way to wash your hands is using HOT water and soap, not just a quick rinse under the cold tap!

 

The answer on RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 is to have a small bin by the door, so that you can use a paper towel to open it.

 

Excellent idea.

[Lady C]

OK, I have read, understood and agree with all the posts re hand washing and cleansing with the gel, so why, if the gel is not so important, are they emphatic about everyone using it?

 

Regards to all,

 

Lady C

[Fifty Dollar Bob]

OK, I have read, understood and agree with all the posts re hand washing and cleansing with the gel, so why, if the gel is not so important, are they emphatic about everyone using it?

 

Regards to all,

 

Lady C

 

I don't know. Save that they don't use it on Cunard these days.

[StLucia]

What irritates me is that you can wash your hands after using the lavatory but how do you leave the room without using your hands to open the door and contaminating yourself again. Public facilities should always allow exit without having to touch door handles etc but this is not always the case. Apparently the best way to wash your hands is using HOT water and soap, not just a quick rinse under the cold tap!

 

On Carnival last year they did not use gel because they said it caused a false sense of security with people thinking this was an okay substitute for hand washing. They provided tissues on the back of the door to the public toilets so you could use one so you did not have to touch the handle. OV use gel but when we went last year they did not get you to use it when you returned onto the ship whereas the previous year they did.

 

My husband is a plumber and is obsessive about hand washing prior to eating. We always wash our hands in our cabin prior to going for a meal and never touch hand rails on our way there.

[steelerannie]

We've just returned from a 2 week cruise on Thomson Spirit - and they were very vigilant about using the gel. They wouldn't let you back on board without using it, and you were stopped by the maitre'd to use it on your way into the restaurant.

 

It amazes me though how many people don't wash their hands after visiting the toilet.

[steelerannie]

We've just returned from a 2 week cruise on Thomson Spirit - and they were very vigilant about using the gel. They wouldn't let you back on board without using it, and you were stopped by the maitre'd to use it on your way into the restaurant.

 

It amazes me though how many people don't wash their hands after visiting the toilet.

[capnpugwash]

I was just on the Artemis and they had gel everywhere and they had a bin just outside the toilets with a sign saying to use a paper towel to open the door which was all great. A couple of months ago on Oriana they only used/supplied gel in the Conservatory and Al Fresco and not in either restaurant. The reason given was that in restaurants we were served but in the buffets we helped ourselves, it is logical but I am not sure it is sensible.