Coral just ended--Norwalk, lots quarantined

[debintexas]

We're at the McKinley Lodge & have heard & talked to people who just got off the Coral--there were at least 100, probably 170, plus crew members quarantined due to Norwalk. At the buffets, all food was served by staff only and no salt & pepper on the tables. Lo and behold, this morning at the Cub Cafe there was no buffet only a plated breakfast. They only had packets of salt & pepper and had to bring you everything. Don't know if it's here or they're just worried about those just off the Coral.

 

Enroute to the Diamond (boarding Saturday) and to the Denali Lodge today--will post as possible.

[L.J.]

We haven't been on a cruise in over 10 years (life really gets in the way sometimes!) and will sailing on the Coral later in the month ... does anyone know the cleaning procedure/process that Princess completes to make sure this doesn't affect the next cruise? It just seems like a monumental cleaning task to be completed in such a short turn-around time!

[chamima]

We had Noro on the Golden in Feb. Every staff person on the ship is enlisted to clean for what seemed like 24 hours a day. When we got off they were cleaning every item in each cabin like we'd had the plague! Don't worry about the ship being germ free. It's only your fellow passengers and what diseases they bring on board with them you should be concerned about. :eek:

BTW We never touch stair railings, elevator buttons (use knuckle) or anything else we don't have to and so far haven't gotten sick.

[L.J.]

Thank you! Do you know if there is gel hand sanitizer readily available in the public areas? I was sitting here trying to figure out how many gallons I would need for the 12 day cruisetour! ;o) I'm really not that much of a germ-aphobic but my husband had an extremely bad MRSA he got at the gym a few years back and we certainly take as many precautions as are reasonable.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes sanitizer is available.

 

This happens several times a year on all cruise ships, its a fact of cruising.

Its inevitable that someone will board sick and spread the virus. :)

[Pia1913]

Thank you! Do you know if there is gel hand sanitizer readily available in the public areas? I was sitting here trying to figure out how many gallons I would need for the 12 day cruisetour! ;o) I'm really not that much of a germ-aphobic but my husband had an extremely bad MRSA he got at the gym a few years back and we certainly take as many precautions as are reasonable.

 

We carry a can of Lysol wipes too beside the hand sanitizer. Even though there is sanitizer on the ship, I always have a small bottle with me at all times.

[beamteam]

We are super careful and my husband still got the Norwalk virus on our cruise in January. I truly dont know what else we could have done. Luckily, I didn't catch it from him. I'm taking my own meds with me in August on our Alaska cruise tour so I can take them at the first moments symptoms.

[sloney]

We are super careful and my husband still got the Norwalk virus on our cruise in January. I truly dont know what else we could have done. Luckily, I didn't catch it from him. I'm taking my own meds with me in August on our Alaska cruise tour so I can take them at the first moments symptoms.

 

What meds do you take?

[jollyjones]

Yes sanitizer is available.

 

This happens several times a year on all cruise ships, its a fact of cruising.

Its inevitable that someone will board sick and spread the virus. :)

 

And remember that there is an incubation period; someone may have just been exposed to the virus (in an airport or hotel on the journey to the port, for instance) and be perfectly well when they board, but the next day ...

[dforeigner]

Also, don't forget to put blame on those who fail to wash their hands before eating or after using the restroom.

[LarryL]

We were on that cruise and disembarked Monday morning. I have been on the CDC website and there was no mention of it there. Cruise lines are to report when they get more than 3% infected. We did not notice a great decrease in cruisers or staff after we had been notified of the outbreak. I can't prove or disprove the numbers cited.

 

That said, I think the ship provided notification and took immediate steps to ensure the virus did not spread. I think they did an excellent job in both communicating the outbreak and in containing it. There was an incident in one of the elevators and near a statue by the casino. Both areas were cordoned off and sanitized immediately. Those areas were also quarantined for over a day. I had never been on a ship that had an outbreak, but after experiencing one, I have to give a big thumbs up to the Coral Princess captain and the staff. Well Done!!

 

By the way, they had hand sanitizer all over the place and communicated the need to wash often, preferably in our own cabins. They left no stone unturned and I never felt threatened.

[ARRTrain]

With the holiday weekend and people returning to work. The CDC probably just hasn't posted the details yet.

[windsorcruiser]

We sailed with NCL in April. They had a staff member spraying your hands as you entered any dining room or buffet if you did not use the gel dispenser on your own. It was nice to see that those who don't sanitize where encouraged to by staff. I realize that some people did not like this "spraying" but I liked knowing that they were trying to keep the spread of Norwalk down. We are sailing with Princess in August, does anybody know if Princess does this.

[Pia1913]

We sailed with NCL in April. They had a staff member spraying your hands as you entered any dining room or buffet if you did not use the gel dispenser on your own. It was nice to see that those who don't sanitize where encouraged to by staff. I realize that some people did not like this "spraying" but I liked knowing that they were trying to keep the spread of Norwalk down. We are sailing with Princess in August, does anybody know if Princess does this.

 

Princess doesn't spray you. They trust that you will wash your hands accordingly, use the sanitizer and keep yourself clean.

[LarryL]

Princess doesn't spray you. They trust that you will wash your hands accordingly, use the sanitizer and keep yourself clean.

 

On the Coral, last week, they had sanitaizer gel at every public eating area and after the outbreak they had someone spraying if you didn't use the pump yourself. They weren't taking any chances.

[FritzG]

Something I've wondered about--what if you have an active case of Noro at the end of the cruise? Do they just let you get off to infect the plane or the next destination you're headed to? I wouldn't think they could quarantine you because there are new passengers embarking, and the ship is leaving that evening.

Also, what if you are too "sick" to get home?

[AlaskaGolden]

On the Coral, last week, they had sanitaizer gel at every public eating area and after the outbreak they had someone spraying if you didn't use the pump yourself. They weren't taking any chances.

 

We were on the Coral last month, and even though there wasn't an Noro outbreak, they were squirting us at the Horizon Food Court if we didn't use the sanitizers ourselves. :)

 

We did, however, have a Code Yellow on the Sapphire last year. They started serving us at the buffet, removed the salt/pepper shakers, and served us rolls in the Dining Room (no more baskets). The thing was, they never told us about the Noro outbreak on the Sapphire. We realized it by the change in serving behavior and by talking with others on the ship! :eek:

[Pia1913]

On the Coral, last week, they had sanitaizer gel at every public eating area and after the outbreak they had someone spraying if you didn't use the pump yourself. They weren't taking any chances.

 

I guess under extenuating circumstances they do spray.

[shipsealand]

We came back from the CB couple of weeks ago. The crew pumps sanitizer at the 1st and 2nd day at the buffet and there after santizers are available for use. DW and I bring our own Purel and take vitamins just in case and use elbows or a jacket sleeve to touch surfaces such as elevator buttons and have not gotten sick.

 

I also do yogurt on the ship. While it is not as good a brand as at home, it works to help prevent stomach problems. I know a nurse professor at a local college who highly recommends this.

[captainron]

Larry,

I though the Red Horses were stationed at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls MT. How did you migrate to CO?

 

Ciao for now!!!

[LarryL]

Larry,

I though the Red Horses were stationed at Malmstrom AFB in Great Falls MT. How did you migrate to CO?

 

Ciao for now!!!

 

That's the 819th RHS. I was in the 554th, one of the original units of it's kind deployed during Viet Nam. They haven't been back since and have recently been reassigned to Guam from South Korea. I'll stop now cause our hosts don't like us getting off topic.

[Whoo]

Princess offered us a huge upgrade to switch to the Island Princess, so we accepted the offer! Princess was very diligent about everyone sanitizing their hands when entering the Horizon Buffet. If you did not use the self-service sanitizer, there was a Princess employee standing guard and making sure that you did sanitize your hands before entering the buffet! I appreciated their concern - especially after hearing about the Noro outbreak on the Coral!

[searoses]

we were on a plane last year with a dear little boy who was very "airsick". after needing help from the flight attendant several times i was concerned he would be very dehydrated. i leaned over to ask his mom if he was always this way on a plane and she answered" OH NO!HE WAS DOING THIS ALL NIGHT IN THE HOTEL. WE HOPE HE FEELS BETTER FOR OUR CRUISE." i was so glad we were not getting on a ship that weekend!:eek::eek:

[Parrot Mom]

Was absolutely shocked that when you enter the dining room on the Pacific Princess there was nobody there to give you the hand spray.. Now, for those who say it's our responsibility...how about the menus that have been touched by others.. the faucets that don't work (oh yes there were a few the PP in the ladies room near the show room)..and lets not even talk about the dirty tables at the Panorama..Saw nobody cleaning railings and I could go on and on..including the young man cleaning ashtrays outside and picking up butts WITHOUT gloves.. a member of the staff. Never mind extenuating circumstances.. the health of the passengers and the staff should be a priority.. BTW on our cruise one of the gift shop ladies was sick with the flu.. her husband worked in the gift shop... Now, I'm beginning to wonder!!! IT SHOULD NOT BE A FACT OF CRUISING.. hand wipes should be available as you board the ship...when you reboard after an excursio.. and I do like the idea of pushing buttons with your knuckles.. Maybe that's why the Maitre de used knuckle bumps instead of hand shakes..jezz Perhaps an ounce of prevention would be much better than waiting for an outbreak.. The cruise line must be pro-active...not wait until an incident happens.. but then again I've decided that I am not Princess cruiser.. anymore..once was enough thank you... Now that I think of it..maybe my stomach upset was a virus..ruined a formal nights dinner.. but I did have medication with me..

[Coral]

Was absolutely shocked that when you enter the dining room on the Pacific Princess there was nobody there to give you the hand spray.. Now, for those who say it's our responsibility...how about the menus that have been touched by others.. the faucets that don't work (oh yes there were a few the PP in the ladies room near the show room)..and lets not even talk about the dirty tables at the Panorama..Saw nobody cleaning railings and I could go on and on..including the young man cleaning ashtrays outside and picking up butts WITHOUT gloves.. a member of the staff. Never mind extenuating circumstances.. the health of the passengers and the staff should be a priority.. BTW on our cruise one of the gift shop ladies was sick with the flu.. her husband worked in the gift shop... Now, I'm beginning to wonder!!! IT SHOULD NOT BE A FACT OF CRUISING.. hand wipes should be available as you board the ship...when you reboard after an excursio.. and I do like the idea of pushing buttons with your knuckles.. Maybe that's why the Maitre de used knuckle bumps instead of hand shakes..jezz Perhaps an ounce of prevention would be much better than waiting for an outbreak.. The cruise line must be pro-active...not wait until an incident happens.. but then again I've decided that I am not Princess cruiser.. anymore..once was enough thank you... Now that I think of it..maybe my stomach upset was a virus..ruined a formal nights dinner.. but I did have medication with me..

 

The best prevention about norovirus is washing your hands with warm/hot water and soap. This is better then the sanitizers. Several months ago, there were threads that someone (CDC?) was recommending removing the hand sanitizers because they found that with all the sanitizers out, people were not washing there hands in the bathroom as much and that is the best prevention.

 

Norovirus happens everywhere! I work at a school and periodically we have cases where 20% of a res hall has the stomach flu, I was recently in the hospital with someone and they had norovirus through out the hospital.

 

There is more to your comments then just having sanitizers out.

 

Since you already decided that you are not a Princess cruiser (I think you decided this before you even got on the ship) - I am curious why you are hanging out on the Princess boards? Seems like a waste of time to me.