So what ARE you supposed to do when sick on ship?

[BonnieVA]

When I have the stomach bug/virus I can barely move. I'm wondering what exactly is expected of passengers on cruise ships when they come down w/ vomitting, etc. Is the person really supposed to get themselves down to the clinic or do you just call them to let them know you're sick? I can't imagine having to traipse through hallways, stairways, elevators, among other passengers, etc when feeling that horrible.

 

And then what happens? Are you quaranteened in the clinic or in your room? I can't imagine having the ability to walk around the ship as usual so I wouldn't think quaranteeing people is even necessary!

 

And are the cabin mates of the sick person quaranteened?

 

Just curious.

 

Thanks!

[sail7seas]

You can and should either call the Infirmary to report you are ill and request treatment or you should go there. Most cruise lines do not charge for treatment of noro like virus treatment if you report your illness. PLEASE quarantine yourself and do not spread it all over the ship.

 

That is the very least any of us should do in consideration of our fellow guests and the crew.

 

Quarantine is the only way to stop spreading it.

[wrp96]

And yes, usually if one person in the room is quarantined, they quarantine all passengers in that room.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been on several ships when the Norvo virus broke out.

 

Thankfully we have not gotten it.

 

BUT -- you are suppose to call the infirmery. Then you and all people staying in your cabin with you are quarantined for 72 hours. All meals will be delivered to you.

[BonnieVA]

Yuck! That would be terrible to be stuck in your cabin w/ a sick person for 3 days! I can't imagine, if it happened to our family, being stuck in the room w/ restless kids (if they weren't the ones who were sick)!

 

So, anyway, the thing to do would be to call the infirmary & not drag yourself down there. Ok. Info I wanted but hope to not need to use!

 

Another thing - I guess they just have to assume you have something contagious & not food poisoning. I guess there's really no way of knowing.

[sail7seas]

Turn the tables and imagine how upset you would be with the family down the hall who couldn't face being in the cabin with their kids because some of the family were ill. So...... knowing they'd be REALLY careful they keep it quiet they are ill, they go out and about but they are being REALLY careful to not spread it - which is not possible!!!

 

Surprise, surprise..... the next day family down the hall comes down with the virus and now they are sick because selfish family refused to quarantine.

 

Next thing you know, there are 200 guests and 60 crew sick and it is costing the cruise line thousands of hours in extra labor, large sums of mone for 'super cleaning' and they are blasted all over the news. All because selfish family couldn't bear the thought of their family all staying put in their cabin until they were all well.

 

This is NOT an imagined scenario but a very realistic one.

 

 

 

[wrp96]

Another thing - I guess they just have to assume you have something contagious & not food poisoning. I guess there's really no way of knowing.

 

There are actually tests to tell the difference but I do not know if they can do those onboard.

 

No matter what, if you get either of them you'll be miserable and won't be caring what happens.

 

Best advice though if in doubt, call the infirmary and don't complain if they quarantine you and your family. They are doing so for everyone's benefit - you'd want them to do it for your protection if you weren't sick, wouldn't you?

[BonnieVA]

Turn the tables and imagine how upset you would be with the family down the hall who couldn't face being in the cabin with their kids because some of the family were ill. So...... knowing they'd be REALLY careful they keep it quiet they are ill, they go out and about but they are being REALLY careful to not spread it - which is not possible!!!

 

Surprise, surprise..... the next day family down the hall comes down with the virus and now they are sick because selfish family refused to quarantine.

 

Next thing you know, there are 200 guests and 60 crew sick and it is costing the cruise line thousands of hours in extra labor, large sums of mone for 'super cleaning' and they are blasted all over the news. All because selfish family couldn't bear the thought of their family all staying put in their cabin until they were all well.

 

This is NOT an imagined scenario but a very realistic one.

 

 

 

 

Umm, I never said I wouldn't comply w/ the quarantine, just that it would be awful to experience. Not sure why the lengthy lecture and why the "selfish" word had to be used twice. It's not like I have plans to take a cruise w/ my family, get sick & then have my family run all over the ship.

[wrp96]

Bonnie, I can tell you the selfish in Sail's wasn't directed at you. It was intended for the people that HAVE been selfish in the past and done exactly what Sail7Seas has described, and unfortunately the people that will be selfish in the future, unlike you who seems to care about other people not just yourself.

 

I know they have traced at least a few of the norovirus outbreaks to people who were sick AND knew it at boarding, yet didn't say anything until after the ship has sailed. Other people have reported how they met people who's relatives were quarantined yet they were out and about on the ship spreading the disease because "they didn't think it was fair they had to be locked up too."

[BonnieVA]

Bonnie, I can tell you the selfish in Sail's wasn't directed at you. It was intended for the people that HAVE been selfish in the past and done exactly what Sail7Seas has described, and unfortunately the people that will be selfish in the future, unlike you who seems to care about other people not just yourself.

 

I know they have traced at least a few of the norovirus outbreaks to people who were sick AND knew it at boarding, yet didn't say anything until after the ship has sailed. Other people have reported how they met people who's relatives were quarantined yet they were out and about on the ship spreading the disease because "they didn't think it was fair they had to be locked up too."

 

Thank you. I feel better now, lol! I've seen so many posters get lamb-basted (however it's spelled) so I sometimes go on the defensive easily if I sense it coming my way.

[Harry and Lucille]

Hi Bonnie. Great question there. Tell you what we do for those just in case situations. First - Get your flu shot.

 

We pack a clear, ziploc bag of over the counter meds. IE: seasickness meds of your choice, amodium AD, ex-lax, aspirin, cold and flu, pepto bismol, etc., etc. A few bandaids, hand sanitizer, neo-sporin. Things that you think that you may need in small events.

 

Travel insurance is a good purchase. Many available and you need to shop for the services provided that fit you needs. On our first cruise many years ago, the wife got sick (noro before the cruise lines addressed it). A trip to the ships doctor was a 6 hour ordeal, given 4 amodium AD, told to come back if things were not better in three days and cost $80 dollars.

 

Trip insurance that we purchase includes all travel including luggage, canceled flights, hotels, cruise, and incidental delays. Also includes medical ship visits to evacuation home in the case of something serious.

 

Something we don't want to think about or talk about, however, just common sense. Any other questions, just ask. Be prepared, kick back and have a great cruise.:cool:

[eandj]

If you go to the infirmary, they will test to see if you have Noro. If so then yes, you and all others in your stateroom will be forced to "stay home". They also will steralize your room.

We met a couple with 2 young boys who were quaranteed the last 2 and a half days. Talked to them via room phone and they just made due, watched a lot of movies, played a few games, cards etc. Wasn't very fun tho for mom who really wanted the last day to be her pool day and dad was going to take the kids to the kids club so they could have an "adult" day. :(

[mr green]

I came down with it once on HAL.

I called the nurse, who came promptly, gave me some pills, and told me not to leave the cabin for 48 hours.

The UP side, if there was one, was-

1. No charge for services.

2. Free laundry, [we put in everything!]

3. Free movies.

4. My wife WAS allowed out.

5. An army of cleaners came in several times.

We were at sea all of this time, so, I did not miss too much, and, all of the staff was very friendly.

I don't know how I got it, I did more than normal hand washings prior to it. One item I did suspect, were the menus, these were not cleaned from person to person.

Not too many persons came down with it, and the ship was back to normal in about four days.

 

john

[momofmeg]

Umm, I never said I wouldn't comply w/ the quarantine, just that it would be awful to experience. Not sure why the lengthy lecture and why the "selfish" word had to be used twice. It's not like I have plans to take a cruise w/ my family, get sick & then have my family run all over the ship.

 

I agree. That was uncalled for.

[sail7seas]

Bonnie, I can tell you the selfish in Sail's wasn't directed at you. It was intended for the people that HAVE been selfish in the past and done exactly what Sail7Seas has described, and unfortunately the people that will be selfish in the future, unlike you who seems to care about other people not just yoursel

 

 

Thank you, "WRP". You are correct. It was not directed at Bonnie at all. I never said she would refuse to quarantine. Sorry you thought it was a directed at you, Bonnie.

 

I was telling a real life scenario which has been done by others on the ship and the end results always are more guests and crew sick and a Code Red under which everyone suffers.

I used the word selfish twice because I see it as selfish when someone knows they are ill and they refuse to think of anyone but themselves and go out and about almost insuring they will get others sick. That is selfish IMO

 

My comments were not directed to any specific person.

 

 

I know they have traced at least a few of the norovirus outbreaks to people who were sick AND knew it at boarding, yet didn't say anything until after the ship has sailed. Other people have reported how they met people who's relatives were quarantined yet they were out and about on the ship spreading the disease because "they didn't think it was fair they had to be locked up too."

[sail7seas]

Hi Bonnie. Great question there. Tell you what we do for those just in case situations. First - Get your flu shot.

 

 

 

Flu shot has no effect on Noro Virus. Flu shot is for the yearly strain that goes around each late fall/winter. It will not impact whether you catch noro or how severe a case you get if you contract it.

That is not to say you shouldn't get the flu shot for all the right reasons. Of course, we should. Got mine last Saturday. :)

[luvs2laff75]

Now this thread has me paranoid... I was reading CDC noro outbreaks (a pending outbreak was just on the Norwegian Jewel last week), and about how sick people get, and being quarantined, etc. I'm horrified now that we have an oceanside room... if one of us gets Noro or whatever and we're both quarantined to the cabin, we can't even open a window for fresh air!! Gross!!! Talk about a germ fest!! The sick person would just sit there, literally waiting to get sick. I can't wait for my cruise to be over so I can stop worrying about this. GROOOSSSS!!

[50cruiser]

2 years ago on Carnivell Miracle I got noro the 4th day . I went to the dr. . They put me under observation .{ I was very sick.} for 8 hrs.they gave me Lots of clear fluids to keep from getting dehridated. , Finally they gave me 2 shots. I was not sure what they were but the one in my hip hurt for 3 months afterword. Then they quarnteend me for 2 days in my room. the two days in quarnteen I could have limited foods. Clear soup, jello, teas, juce.dry toast. I felt good the 6th day but you still have to stay in quarnteen 1 day after the Dr says you are Ok that sems the rule . . So I spent half my cruise watching the walls and the same shows on tv. .I can tell you by experence noro is very bad. Quarnteen is worse. But you are so sick you dont care . I was traveling solo So it wasnt fun. My hip hurt so bad you couldnt hardly sit for long. My wife who is a nurse contacted Celebrity and they told her the tecinal terms but the shot is something that attacks the norvo virus . The other was a general antibotic. I wouldnt recamend the 1 it burned from the time the Dr. gave it to me. He warned me it would leave a burning pain but I wasnt prepaired for this one . CARL

[G'ma]

Yuck! That would be terrible to be stuck in your cabin w/ a sick person for 3 days! I can't imagine, if it happened to our family, being stuck in the room w/ restless kids (if they weren't the ones who were sick)!

 

So, anyway, the thing to do would be to call the infirmary & not drag yourself down there. Ok. Info I wanted but hope to not need to use!

 

Another thing - I guess they just have to assume you have something contagious & not food poisoning. I guess there's really no way of knowing.

 

Food poisoning on a cruise ship is very, very rare. Norovirus, on the other hand is a common occurance.

[eandj]

Those posters that are worried should know that catching Noro is actually as easy when staying at a resort, especially all inclusive. ANYWHERE there are large groups of people together for a lenght of time. We hear about it associated with cruises, because people talk about it when back home again. And the ships have to report it to the CDC when it reaches a certain percentage. It's all due to poeple not washing their hands frequently and then others touching things and then putting their hands near their faces. If we all just followed hygiene common sense, it wouldn't be a problem.

[momofmeg]

Now this thread has me paranoid... I was reading CDC noro outbreaks (a pending outbreak was just on the Norwegian Jewel last week), and about how sick people get, and being quarantined, etc. I'm horrified now that we have an oceanside room... if one of us gets Noro or whatever and we're both quarantined to the cabin, we can't even open a window for fresh air!! Gross!!! Talk about a germ fest!! The sick person would just sit there, literally waiting to get sick. I can't wait for my cruise to be over so I can stop worrying about this. GROOOSSSS!!

 

There was a thread on the RCI board several years ago where a man had gotten sick, he and his wife were quarantened-but they were moved to a balcony. She could have stayed in their old cabin but since she chose to stay with her hubby she was quarantened also.

 

I guess though if the ship was sold out-that would not be possible to move a person to a balcony room. I wonder, if we have insurance-I wonder if you could get off ship, take a hotel and be flown home, would your insurance cover?

If my insurance would cover, I would just do that, instead of staying on ship.

[sail7seas]

So....

 

That means you would bring the virus into some hotel thereby exposing that staff and guests to it. Then get in a taxi, go to the airport (exposing other people who ride in that taxi for the next how many hours?), who cares who gets exposed in the airport and now let's talk about all those folks on the plane who will be exposed.

 

But, sure...... why not!

 

Sorry for the sarcasm.

 

I don't know you and will credit you wrote that 'off the hip' and didn't think it through. It does sound like a more 'comfortable' solution for the one who is ill but let's think about others in making our choices.

 

My intention with this post is only to make all of us think about how we can do our share to keep Noro virus in check and expose fewer people to it.

 

 

Having said all that, I have heard of ships putting Noro sick guests off in the next port. When there has been a bad outbreak they can't seem to get under control and have trouble with people who won't quarantine, there have been times they have been removed from the ship.

 

 

[mamaofami]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that if you had noro, you should NOT take things like immodium, but just let it all hang out, so to speak. I guess the shots are for those people who become dehydrated which is a dnagerous situation to be in. Let's hope we all stay healthy.

With all the talk about hand washing, I was at the drive up window to my bank the other day cashing a check. I watched the woman count the money, put her fingers to her lip to lubricate them first, and then put the money in an envelope. Then, I went to a restaurant, ordered something to take out, gave said money to the sales clerk, and she put it into the register. Money must be one of the diriest things going.

[limbogirl]

Norovirus is spread through contact with the virus. Vomit, feces.....People that walk up to a buffet lick their fingers, kids (especially kids) have their hands everywhere and in their mouths and then on surfaces! Money is also very dirty as mentioned by another poster. I have instructed my family to wash their hands every time they go into the casino. The money, the handles to the slot machines etc....all have the potential to carry the virus. Years ago before we knew of "norovirus" my husband and my older son both got sick. It lasted 24hours or less. My husband shared a room with me and my older son shared a room with my younger son. Neither myself or my younger son got sick. We talked after the fact about what they had in common, they ate different food, did different activities, and what came up was the casino. They would take their showers and get dressed,hit the casino (that you had to walk through )to get to dinner and then have dinner. No ones gotten sick since we've followed that rule! Knock on wood!;)

[50cruiser]

Carnivel did not offer to move me or any of the numerous others to a balcony or even outside room. I had an inside room as traveling solo I paid basicly for 2. The DR said there was about 70 of us who got sick to varing from minor to very as I was. My nurse who checked on me every 2 hrs said they think maybe we had goten sick from the metal handrail that went down to our diningroom as most of the people that got sick were from that area . I saw crew cleaning handrails all over the ship the last day. I saw sanitizers on some ships Ive been on in the buffet areas but not in the dining rooms , it might be a good idea. Last year on grandprincess I got a bunch of handi wipes in the cassino , and then I got a small bottle of sanatiser in the ship store to use. Handi wipes are always aviable in the casinos free . Its smart to grab some or bring some. I learned the hard way . But it didnt deter me from cruising I just take more precautions . Wipe hands before eating. Not in your room but use a handi wipe at the table before eating. CARL