Novo outbreak on the Jewel?

[Vyhanek]

As long as the CREW is still on board they cannot rid the ship of the virus.

The crew are human beings just like the passengers so the virus is going to have to run it's course thru the crew before the ship would be germ free.

[orangeh3]

As long as the CREW is still on board they cannot rid the ship of the virus.

The crew are human beings just like the passengers so the virus is going to have to run it's course thru the crew before the ship would be germ free.

 

You are entitled to your opinion...but it is wrong. The crew were clean, it was passengers that brought the virus onboard to the crew and the rest of us, people who know they are sick and continue to walk the decks. The medical staff made sure to tell us, if only people would tell them, the medical staff would treat them free. The crew doesn't like the virus any more than I do. :(

[elliemay100]

Hi - I am currently on 10/18 sailing on the Jewel. Unfortunately, I can confirm that Norovirus is still present on the ship. Not in any large numbers, to the best of my knowledge. The staff are working tirelessly to keep ship sanitised. The main things that passengers will notice are that Garden Cafe is not self service, and unfortunately because the ship does not sail with spare staff on board, staff are having to be taken from other restaurant areas, to provide the extra needed for Garden Cafe. Consequently service is not as good in other restauarants as it usually is, hotel services director sent letter to each cabin explaining these measures. Hand sanitisation units all over the place. Embarkation and disembarkation are slower than usual as every card has to be sanitised when it is swiped. No great inconveniences but be prepared for some things to be slower than usual. This is my 4th sailing on the Jewel and it is still my favourite NCL ship. The staff remain cheerful and courteous at all times despite the extra measures they are having to undertake. I understand that the childrens club is completely sanitised every night and on one day last week two men in head to toe protective gear wearing something that looked like a gas mask came to cabin to 'fog it" which is a method of sanitisation. I hope my remaining fellow passengers stay well and that the crew do not succumb in any great numbers but feel that the ships staff are oing a truly remarkable job.

[jaw62901]

I'm sure that by the time we cruise on 1/9/09 everything will be fine.

[nderoche]

At our M&G on the Pearl in June we asked the Hotel Director about the virus. He said we would know if there was eight cases on board because you would not be able to serve our selves at the buffet; the crew would put food on your plates. He said that this was a CDC directive.

We have been on many NCL cruises and have never been served in the buffet line by the crew.

I know there are people that do get sick that do not report it to the medical staff and that is sad but how do you know?

However, we usually don't eat like we do on ship and some of the food is sooo good. I am sure we over eat and suffer the consequences but are we sick? How do you know?:eek:

 

Nick

[uppitycats]

At our M&G on the Pearl in June we asked the Hotel Director about the virus. He said we would know if there was eight cases on board because you would not be able to serve our selves at the buffet; the crew would put food on your plates. He said that this was a CDC directive.

We have been on many NCL cruises and have never been served in the buffet line by the crew.

I know there are people that do get sick that do not report it to the medical staff and that is sad but how do you know?

However, we usually don't eat like we do on ship and some of the food is sooo good. I am sure we over eat and suffer the consequences but are we sick? How do you know?:eek:

 

Nick

 

You know because generally if you get the norovirus you suffer a *fever* along with diarrhea and vomiting...not just an "upset stomach". It's like the flu -- body aches, pains, chills, fever, along with an intimate introduction to the toilet bowl. :o

 

Some folks on my cruise were seasick -- and so "queasy". They reported to the clinic to be told that indeed they were seasick -- not ill with the norovirus (as they didn't have the accompaning fever), given seasick remedies and sent on their way.

 

While I certainly would not like to be confined to my cabin...I would do it if I became ill. No sense in transmitting it to anyone else!

[coffeebean]

As long as the CREW is still on board they cannot rid the ship of the virus.

The crew are human beings just like the passengers so the virus is going to have to run it's course thru the crew before the ship would be germ free.

 

How long does it take for the virus to "run it's coarse?" Maybe my information is incorrect but it is my understanding that after 72 of treatment, a passenger is allowed to come out of quarantine. Anyone know for sure??? Has anyone been effected by this virus and has first hand experience???

 

orangeh3...what was your experience on board???

 

coffeebean

[orangeh3]

How long does it take for the virus to "run it's coarse?" Maybe my information is incorrect but it is my understanding that after 72 of treatment, a passenger is allowed to come out of quarantine. Anyone know for sure??? Has anyone been effected by this virus and has first hand experience???

 

orangeh3...what was your experience on board???

 

coffeebean

 

I was allowed out of the cabin after 48 hours. For those 48 hours, I did not want to be out and away from my bed or bathroom. Julian, the Hotel Director, said 48 hours for the whole ship to be free of the virus and then the ship would be considered cleared of the virus.

[peggy1]

I believe the letter given to us prior to embarkation stated that we could receive a credit to be put towards a different cruise if we chose to not take that cruise. If we would have received a refund, we might have thought differently about it. We also will be on the next cruise (10/28) which we booked months ago. We also noticed that the cruise cards were being swiped by a crew member for disembarkation and reboarding and if one was contaminated the person doing the swiping was infecting other cards he was handling. I bet there is a significant slow down due to the new process of sanitizing in between cards, but necessary. I read that someone had received notification from NCL about sanitizing the ship before the 10/28 cruise, but I have not heard a word from them.

[nderoche]

You know because generally if you get the norovirus you suffer a *fever* along with diarrhea and vomiting...not just an "upset stomach". It's like the flu -- body aches, pains, chills, fever, along with an intimate introduction to the toilet bowl. :o

Some folks on my cruise were seasick -- and so "queasy". They reported to the clinic to be told that indeed they were seasick -- not ill with the norovirus (as they didn't have the accompaning fever), given seasick remedies and sent on their way.

While I certainly would not like to be confined to my cabin...I would do it if I became ill. No sense in transmitting it to anyone else!

 

That is good news! I have had a bit of bathroom discomfort but I have never had fever or vomiting. I think quite a few people think they have novovirus but in fact do not. Like I said I have never been served by the crew in the buffet line. The only way to know for sure is to call the medical staff on the ship!!:D

 

Nick

[fin]

Another thing I would like to say on behalf of NCL. The day we embarked on the Jewel, 10/8, we were notified in writing of the Noro outbreak on the previous cruise and were offered a full refund of our cruise if we did not want to sail on the ship with a Noro outbreak and still in the process of heightened sanitation.

 

Kudos to NCL for the offer.

 

Yeah, they made the same offer to me after I had just gotten off a ten hour one way flight to Buenos Aires. The same offer the day before would have been a bit more useful.

[coffeebean]

I was allowed out of the cabin after 48 hours. For those 48 hours, I did not want to be out and away from my bed or bathroom. Julian, the Hotel Director, said 48 hours for the whole ship to be free of the virus and then the ship would be considered cleared of the virus.

 

Thank you for your clear and concise information.

[rubytue]

You know because generally if you get the norovirus you suffer a *fever* along with diarrhea and vomiting...not just an "upset stomach". It's like the flu -- body aches, pains, chills, fever, along with an intimate introduction to the toilet bowl. :o

So true! I had norovirus over Christmas once (some family members came to the party sick :mad:). I have never felt so terrible in my life (including going through chemo!). Its so much worse than just food poisoning or seasickness. Laying on the floor of the bathroom with my face pressed up on the cold tile floor was too much effort. Everyone I've know who has had true norovirus has said about the same thing. I've got to wonder about the people who have it and still move about the ship - how could they even want to move :confused:

[bklynangel]

As long as the CREW is still on board they cannot rid the ship of the virus.

The crew are human beings just like the passengers so the virus is going to have to run it's course thru the crew before the ship would be germ free.

I was just doing some reading about the virus and you can get infected from food or water.....probably starts with crew members handling food. Also it says that certain blood types don't get it. I have been on very sick ships and never got sick yet, but there is always a first time. You just never know. I heard some people talking about someone being sick on the ship and told them not to tell anyone because they will miss their cruise which is not fair to the other people on the ship.

[orangeh3]

I was just doing some reading about the virus and you can get infected from food or water.....probably starts with crew members handling food. Also it says that certain blood types don't get it. I have been on very sick ships and never got sick yet, but there is always a first time. You just never know. I heard some people talking about someone being sick on the ship and told them not to tell anyone because they will miss their cruise which is not fair to the other people on the ship.

 

Do you really believe NCL would allow sick crew members to serve food, much less be among passengers? The Jewel was cleaned, sanitized and cleared on 10/08 by the health department of NY. The virus was brought onboard by passengers thinking they would be barred from boarding if it was known they were sick, which is an untruth.

[rubytue]

Don't forget people who may come on board during the up to 2-day incubation period (average 33-36 hours). So someone could pick it up in, say, the airport and not even know they were exposed.

 

Interestingly, the CDC page does says that O blood-types are most at risk. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-factsheet.htm

[dorioty]

You know because generally if you get the norovirus you suffer a *fever* along with diarrhea and vomiting...not just an

[nursebubba]

It makes sense to report that you are ill because the medical center will give you treatment for the illness and not charge you. I wouldn't have a good time anyway, with vomiting and diarrhea so why not get the treatment and feel better???

I did not know this till recently. If you go anywhere near the ships medical staff with any possible contagious symptom you and your ENTIRE cabin is quarantined. They even monitore who is buying immodium and pay you a visit. Now as a nurse I am all about people not getting sick but if we went anywhere this time of yr, church, work, daycare, school we would encounter illness. To quarantine all of the cabin even if they are not sick is a little silly. You paid alot of money for this trip and you should at least be able to go out on deck or up to eat at the buffett (esp once you feel better). BUT NO they put a huge sign on your door and make your steward report on you. They give away your dining table. So with that said make a small med kit with anything you might need , cold supplies, immodium ad, pepto tabs and avoid that med center on the ship. I am sure I will receive much feedback but the cruise lines got lots of bad rap when norvo virus 1st started so they have gone so far the other direction. To quarantine the people who are not sick and usu don't get sick, come on. That said always follow all the guidelines at the buffett. They have the hand sanitizers on the way into every buffett area. Hope this helps.

[nursebubba]

The quarantine lasts the entire voyage. They charge you always and if you get any meds from them it costs a fortune. Try to get a script for a few phenergan supp. from you MD for your kit. Emetrol is a med that taken with enough doses will stop vomiting (if it is from norvo and not seasickness). Any Taxi would be willing to stop so you can purchase these items if you don't want to pack them

[orangeh3]

I did not know this till recently. If you go anywhere near the ships medical staff with any possible contagious symptom you and your ENTIRE cabin is quarantined. They even monitore who is buying immodium and pay you a visit. Now as a nurse I am all about people not getting sick but if we went anywhere this time of yr, church, work, daycare, school we would encounter illness. To quarantine all of the cabin even if they are not sick is a little silly. You paid alot of money for this trip and you should at least be able to go out on deck or up to eat at the buffett (esp once you feel better). BUT NO they put a huge sign on your door and make your steward report on you. They give away your dining table. So with that said make a small med kit with anything you might need , cold supplies, immodium ad, pepto tabs and avoid that med center on the ship. I am sure I will receive much feedback but the cruise lines got lots of bad rap when norvo virus 1st started so they have gone so far the other direction. To quarantine the people who are not sick and usu don't get sick, come on. That said always follow all the guidelines at the buffett. They have the hand sanitizers on the way into every buffett area. Hope this helps.

 

I'm sorry but the red are wrong statements. On the NCL Jewel cruise, 10/08-10/18, I had the noro virus and was quarantined for 2 days, my DH was not, as per the medical staff. And no sign was put on our door...:mad: Please stop spreading false information and I hope I never cruise with you and your thinking it is okay to go where ever you want because you paid for your cruise and to hell with being sick. It was no fun getting that virus from someone spreading the virus with that mentality. :mad:

[orangeh3]

The quarantine lasts the entire voyage. They charge you always and if you get any meds from them it costs a fortune. Try to get a script for a few phenergan supp. from you MD for your kit. Emetrol is a med that taken with enough doses will stop vomiting (if it is from norvo and not seasickness). Any Taxi would be willing to stop so you can purchase these items if you don't want to pack them

 

Again wrong information being given...:mad: And no, the NCL medical staff does not charge for treating Noro Virus!!!

[MrLee]

So true! I had norovirus over Christmas once (some family members came to the party sick :mad:). I have never felt so terrible in my life (including going through chemo!). Its so much worse than just food poisoning or seasickness. Laying on the floor of the bathroom with my face pressed up on the cold tile floor was too much effort. Everyone I've know who has had true norovirus has said about the same thing. I've got to wonder about the people who have it and still move about the ship - how could they even want to move :confused:

 

Your post brought something to mind that is worth thinking about. If you have Noro and refuse to stay in your cabin you could be causing a really severe problem to someone who is onboard who may be undergoing chemo. Sometimes it makes you more susceptible to illness and I can't imagine anyone wanting to be responsible for causing that kind of serious problem to someone who already has cancer.

 

In case someone would want to add that if you are undergoing chemo you should stay home, believe me that is definitely a time when you need whatever distraction you can find.

[BikerAl]

Inaccurate and truly unwise information is the biggest danger on sites such as this. When it involves the health of others (crew and fellow cruisers), it should be removed by our moderators. nursebubbas post meets these criteria, IMHO.

 

Al

[CruiserFromWV]

As a passenger on the 9/28 to 10/8 NCL Jewel, I can report that nursebubba is absoluetly incorrect. On 2 seperate shore excursions I meet ladies who were alone at the time because their husbands were back on the ship with Noro Virus and there was no notice posted on the doors of the cabins.

I want to take this opportunity to send a big thank you out to the officers and crew of the Jewel. Everyone so went out of their way to keep all of us happy, well fed and having a good time, while working super hard to do everything possible to keep us healthy.

[Kathylovescruises]

Phenergan is not a benign drug.In some people it can have serious side effects. I doubt that any physician would prescribe it for someone without symptoms. In fact, in many states it is against the Medical Practice Act to prescribe any medication this way.

 

I am also a nurse, married to an MD.

:confused:

 

 

And please stay away from me if you are sick!!

And what dining table do they give away? NCL is Freestyle....