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

[sail7seas]

HAL has hand sanitizer dispensers all over the ship. They have them in Lido where you get your tray, outside the dining room and stewards remind everyone to use them, they are in the library/computer area, the casino and most especially at the gangway. It is impossible to not see them all over the ship. Hopefully, people use them ferquently and certainly hope they wash their hands well when using the restrooms.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

A couple years ago Hubby and I came down with Noro on a seven-day cruise. Hubby had it first and we thought it was food poisoning. He just stayed in the room and was too sick to leave anyway and I stayed with him to keep him company and see that he didn't get worse.

 

The next morning he miraculously recovered but I was so dog-gone sick I couldn't go anywhere. Finally I called the nurse and she told me to COME DOWN to the clinic. I don't know how I got myslef down there, but it was standing room only down there. Sick people were lying on the floor. Several had tubs to throw up in and were, in fact, throwing up. IT was a perfectly awful scenario and certainly demonstrated that the Noro was running rampant on the ship.

 

It was clear the nurses were overwhelmed with the numbers of sick people. One nurse told me they had worked all night long. It was now 3:00PM. After an hour of waiting, I was given a shot for nausea, told I was quarantined 48 hours, plus Hubby 24 because he had already been sick but felt better. I had to sign a paper that if we broke the quarantine, we would be removed at the next stop.

 

I was too sick to go anywhere anyway, but Hubby was like a caged lion. Luckily we had a balcony.

 

Hubby tried to get of at Labadee and the alarms went off when he used his Sea Pass, but he was only five minutes before his quarantine ended so they let him go.

 

I didn't get better, and the doctor called to make sure I was in the room. A masked crew member came in and sparayed the draperies and other things in the room with a strong-smelling disinfectant that made me very nauseated.

 

Well, I was sick the rest of the cruise. I was never allowed out of the room and when I left the ship in Miami, the alarms went off when I used the Sea Pass to leave. They let me go, because I guess they were glad to get rid of me.

 

Royal Caribbean gave us a generous cruise credit for each day Hubby and I were quarantined. I was really surprised they offered us anything at all. Six months later we took another cruise using those credits to help with part of the cost. I do not hold any grudge against RCI for the illness we both experienced.

[Go-Bucks!]

HAL has hand sanitizer dispensers all over the ship. They have them in Lido where you get your tray, outside the dining room and stewards remind everyone to use them, they are in the library/computer area, the casino and most especially at the gangway. It is impossible to not see them all over the ship. Hopefully, people use them ferquently and certainly hope they wash their hands well when using the restrooms.

 

 

Last year on the Sun Princess they had pump bottles of hand sanitizer to be used as you walked into the Horizon Court buffet. Hand sanitizer helps kill germs, but many studies have shown that it's not nearly as effective as thorough hand washing. But I was just thinking - if everyone pumps the bottle to get their squirt of sanitizer, wouldn't the pump get easily contaminated? Then maybe the sanitizer would work or maybe not. I think I will just bring my own small bottle (which I always keep in my purse and use after touching things in public anyway - especially grocery cart handles, which I clean with wipes then use sanitizer afterwards) so I don't have to use the "public" bottle. Maybe that will help me even more.

[sail7seas]

Last year on the Sun Princess they had pump bottles of hand sanitizer to be used as you walked into the Horizon Court buffet. Hand sanitizer helps kill germs, but many studies have shown that it's not nearly as effective as thorough hand washing. But I was just thinking - if everyone pumps the bottle to get their squirt of sanitizer, wouldn't the pump get easily contaminated? Then maybe the sanitizer would work or maybe not. I think I will just bring my own small bottle (which I always keep in my purse and use after touching things in public anyway - especially grocery cart handles, which I clean with wipes then use sanitizer afterwards) so I don't have to use the "public" bottle. Maybe that will help me even more.

 

 

 

The dispensers on HAL ships are motion activated. You hold your hand beneath and it automatically dispenses a premeasured amount. No need to touch the dispensers. They also have stewards in the doorways to the dining room and if they see someone avoid using the sanitizer, they have a hand held dispenser which they use to 'remind' the guest they need to clean their hands and they dispense it into their hands for them.

 

Most of the grocery stores where I shop have large handiwipe towelettes beside where we pick up our carriages so we can wipe the handle down before touching the carriage handle. I use it religiously. Speak with the manager at your market and maybe they'll 'get with it'.

[sail7seas]

sorry........ double

[BonnieVA]

Do those hand sanitizers, which we also saw everywhere on our NCL Majesty cruise, & hand wipes kill viruses though? I really thought that they worked to kill germs but not viruses. I know Lysol spray kills viruses. I wonder if it kills Noro? I'll bring some Lysol & spray it on all our hands after we hand our menus back to the waiter, lol. I think Lysol makes a smaller-size can of hand sanitzer ... I wonder if THAT kills viruses?

 

Ack! I can't believe how many of you have gotten sick on cruises! But the bottom line - going back to my original post - is that, if you get sick, CALL the clinic 1st before trying to get down there ... they might not ask you to come down. And whether or not your cabin mates are quarantined depends on the line & possibly the individual ship.

[luvs2laff75]

After reading this thread the past few days and preparing for our cruise tomorrow.. I find myself washing my hands more than ever today, at work opening doors with my elbows, etc.. people must think I'm strange! At least I'm starting to find the humor in my fear. I told my husband to not touch anything on the ship except me. He seemed okay with that!! ;)

[BonnieVA]

I told my husband to not touch anything on the ship except me. He seemed okay with that!! ;)

 

Ooooh ... that should be a FUN cruise! Hope it's just the 2 of you cruising! Enjoy yourselves!

[madamcruisequeen2]

my bil was sick on one of our cruises but he would not go to the docter becuase he did not want to be "locked up" in a cabin during his vacation. He looked like crap but faked it real good in the people areas. he did almost throw up in public but made it to the side of the ship

[mr green]

my bil was sick on one of our cruises but he would not go to the docter becuase he did not want to be "locked up" in a cabin during his vacation. He looked like crap but faked it real good in the people areas. he did almost throw up in public but made it to the side of the ship

 

As one who has been there, all I can say is that I think that 'your bil', was very very selfish.

How many people do you think that he infected?

 

john

[Hlitner]

Princess has a very interesting policy on gastrointestinal illness. If a passenger experiences and significant GI symptoms, and immediately reports this to the medical staff, all related charges will be waived for diagnosing and treating the ailment (in other words, your treatment is free). On the other hand, if you do not report the illness and they later find out (either from you or somebody else) you will have to pay all the related medical treatment charges (and its not cheap). If they do diagnose you with Norovirus (Norwalk) they will mandate isolation in your cabin until its no longer contagious.

 

Hank

[AllieInMD]

Treatment for anything on a cruiseship is expensive - that's what insurance is for.

 

On the other hand, if you do not report the illness and they later find out (either from you or somebody else) you will have to pay all the related medical treatment charges (and its not cheap). I

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

But, honestly, I really believe Madame Cruise Queen was serious. Someone posted here a year or two ago about the extent they went to in order to escape the quaratine. They had an inside room and refused to be shut in there for 48 hours. They insisted on a balcony room, but were told that the ship was full. So they decided they simply would not stay in the room.

 

It got so bad on the ship on which I fell sick that the cruise staff taped big x's over the doors of quaratined guests with some kind of stretchy white paper. If anyone tried to sneak out, they would break the paper and get caught.

 

The other thing if you are quarantined, your Sea Pass has an electroinc marker, so if you go to use your Sea Pass, alarms go off. Another thing is medical personnel call your room at irregular hours, so you'd better be there to answer the phone.

 

I do believe some people are as sneaky and thoughtless as the BIL in the post and they don't care how many people they make sick.

[AllieInMD]

Sounds like prison. Not a fun way to spend a vacation. You would think that if that many folks are sick - they'd find some area of the ship they could put them to allow them out of their cabins for a bit - they'd only be around other sick folks.

 

It got so bad on the ship on which I fell sick that the cruise staff taped big x's over the doors of quaratined guests with some kind of stretchy white paper. If anyone tried to sneak out, they would break the paper and get caught.

 

The other thing if you are quarantined, your Sea Pass has an electroinc marker, so if you go to use your Sea Pass, alarms go off. Another thing is medical personnel call your room at irregular hours, so you'd better be there to answer the phone.

[Eeyoregon]

If I were to get an intestinal illness at sea that lasted more than 3 or 4 hours I would for sure report it.

 

My reasoning is that I likely will feel HORRIBLE and want to stay in my room so if I am officially quarentined and have documentation then I can submit the claim to my travel insurace for reimbursment for trip interruption/loss of days.

 

My dear friend was able to get a good portion of her cruise cost back after coming down with the norovirus 2 days into her cruise and missing 3 days while quarentined. She says that the $50 she spent on trip insurance was priceless!

[tamaram26]

The best advice I've gotten was from my mom who is a nurse...Hand sanitizer or soap and water should be the very LAST thing that touches your hands before you touch your food. Think about it...even if you wash up before you head to dinner, you touch stairway hand rails, your menu, or even worse, the buffet serving utensils!!! ICK!!! Even a "hello" handshake from a table mate can spread germs and sickness. And don't forget when you leave the restroom, use a paper towel to open the door! I know it's disgusting, but not everyone washes up after finishing "their business"!!!:eek:

 

If everyone followed this advice, maybe we could knock out norovirus all together!:)

[rman738]

The cruise lines can and will deny boarding to anyone who appears ill at embarkation, as to not spread any viruses. I've had friends "quarantined" while on a "Mediterranean" cruise and missed their special interest port (Sicily). Also, while on a Bermuda cruise several years back I had a "heart episode." I was examined in the ships infirmary and then sent by ambulance to the local hospital. I was kept overnight for testing. Luckily, we were in Hamilton for 3 nights, so I was not left behind. I needed all hospital records from the Bermuda Hospital to get back on board. The ship's doctor took about 1/2 hour reviewing the hospital records and agreed to let me stay for the last night in Bermuda and take the ship home. My only proviso was that I had to check in with him daily. The cruise lines do not want the responsibility of a death or severe illness on their hands. Fortunately, I have always purchases "cruise insurance" and was reimbursed the $1800 for the ship's infirmary and the $3200 hospital bill in Bermuda. The cruise insurance picked up any deductible that my primary did not cover. They also reimbursed both my wife and I for two lost days each. I had no qualms with the way the cruise line treated me.

Rich M

[momofmeg]

my bil was sick on one of our cruises but he would not go to the docter becuase he did not want to be "locked up" in a cabin during his vacation. He looked like crap but faked it real good in the people areas. he did almost throw up in public but made it to the side of the ship

 

You know with norovirus you have the "runs" more than vomiting. In fact the "runs" are so bad you often do not make it to the toilet. What did he do for that?

[karen sharpe]

I can hardly wait to hear her answer!!:p

[jerseygirl3]

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!

 

I was on a cruise with my sister recently and she starting vomiting very severely. AT first I was afraid to take her to the infirmary because I worried she had norovirus and they would quarantine both of us. But she assured me that she didn't feel ill, just seasick. She had no fever, body aches, diarrhea, etc. So when I felt fairly confident that it truly was seasickness, I called the infirmary. They asked that I bring her down and they would give her Bonine. I told the nurse she was way past Bonine and needed an injection. I walked her down there (yes, she looked awful in her jammies walking through the hallway and into an elevator, on formal night no less). The funny thing is the doctor never even saw her. The nurse never even took her temp. She simply told her to go into the exam room, drop her pants, and she gave her an injection in the butt. She told her to go back to her room, wait 45 minutes and then start taking sips of clear liquids. She never vomited again after that.

[momofmeg]

I can hardly wait to hear her answer!!:p

 

LOL! Ofcourse, my guess is he had simply drank too much and also had seasickness, which is WORSENED by too much alcohol. I do not believe he had noro virus, but a bad hangover combined with seasickness!

 

No one with norovirus would be "walking around the ship," and let's face it, anyone with a bad hangover and a qweezy stomach can look pretty rough!

[karen sharpe]

i don't know what her bil did(I can only imagine!) but I have to admire anyone her can use her body parts so adeptly to hold her drinks!!:p

[iheartbda]

i don't know what her bil did(I can only imagine!) but I have to admire anyone her can use her body parts so adeptly to hold her drinks!!:p

 

 

Hey Karen,

Haven't seen you around in a looong time. Ran into another "old friend" not too long ago. :rolleyes:

[G'ma]

Do those hand sanitizers, which we also saw everywhere on our NCL Majesty cruise, & hand wipes kill viruses though? I really thought that they worked to kill germs but not viruses. I know Lysol spray kills viruses. I wonder if it kills Noro? I'll bring some Lysol & spray it on all our hands after we hand our menus back to the waiter, lol. I think Lysol makes a smaller-size can of hand sanitzer ... I wonder if THAT kills viruses?

 

Ack! I can't believe how many of you have gotten sick on cruises! But the bottom line - going back to my original post - is that, if you get sick, CALL the clinic 1st before trying to get down there ... they might not ask you to come down. And whether or not your cabin mates are quarantined depends on the line & possibly the individual ship.

 

Hand sanitizers have no effect on Norovirus. None. This common stomach flu will last from 24-48 hours and is highly contagious. Best defense is soap and water, frequent hand washing and keeping hands away from face and mouth.

 

While it seems that many get sick, be aware that a majority of cruisers never get ill. I've been cruising for over 30 years and well over 200 cruises all over the world and have never experienced any kind of illness onboard any ship.

[momofmeg]

i don't know what her bil did(I can only imagine!) but I have to admire anyone her can use her body parts so adeptly to hold her drinks!!:p

 

I did read a thread once where someone saw a man squat down and poop on the sport deck and I believe that was a legit post, because they said they left (they had been taking their daily run when they saw the man) and told a ship's officer and described the passenger to him. I could see someone like that being banned from the cruiseline for future cruises.

 

The cruiselines do monitor these boards and if these people are for real, they need to know what they post is being read. They can end up like the RCI couple who cronicially posted their complaints here.