Riviera Norovirus Cruise - Should We Ask for Refund or Future Credit ?

Sailed on the March 20th Riviera Cruise which was affected by the norovirus.

We had a good cruise and did not become ill and will sail Oceania again but a Code Red experience is very unpleasant.

It was not an Oceania cruise like others;

- Elegance and luxuries we paid for were pretty much absent.

- Missed Aruba (port fees ??)

- Laundry + ironing facility closed

- Library closed

- Artist Loft closed

- Culinary School closed

- No Gourmet Canapés when having a drink

- No towels in restrooms (only paper tissues)

- Wait for silverware, ask for salt and pepper, sugar, ... which tremendously slowed time

- Wait for tables to be cleaned

- Constant dripping disinfectant on walls, chairs, tables

- Almost no bar service around the pool (deck 14)

- Staff being overworked

- etc...

For the money we payed we expected more. It was not so luxurious as it should be.

Should we ask for a discount for this cruise ?

Refund ?

Future cruise credit ?

What are your thoughts ?

You can ask but you won't get it. According to many here you need to be a glass half full type and just be happy you got to go on a cruise and didn't get sick.

FWIW, I agree with you. But you won't get anything.

I agree with you however Oceania is tight, you can ask but you will get nothing.

Doubt that you will receive either a refund or future cruise credit. Unfortunately, "Code Red" cruises happen all too frequently - on most cruise lines. If the ship had returned from the cruise early, perhaps you would have received a small future cruise credit. Missing ports also happens for a variety of reasons. In the past month, Oceania's sister cruise line, Regent, had both a "Code Red" situation as well as a mechanical issue that caused the ship to remain in port for longer than scheduled. I have not read of anyone asking for or receiving any type of compensation from the affected cruise(s).

Thankfully you arrived home safely. That is the most important part.

This is the letter that I sent to Oceania after I had Norovirus starting on February 11, 2016 (yes there was a lot of sickness even then, but it did not seem to be reported) . Sorry that it is so long, did not realize that until I did a preview post. However, I wanted to make sure they had all of the information of how we were treated.

Reply was - Nothing they can do for me - see you on your next cruise. Do they actually think I will cruise with them again after the way I was treated? I will never give my hard earned money to another Oceania cruise. I cruise with 3 other lines that are enjoyable. They will get my business from now on.

"March 8, 2016

RE: RIVIERA B2B CRUISE FROM FEBRUARY 2, 2016 TO FEBRUARY 22, 2016 -

Dear Sir/Madam

This was our 10th and 11th cruises on Oceania. We chose the date as our 50th wedding anniversary was on February 12, 2016 and I planned on walking across the bridge in Miami to the park on the other side of the bridge on that day. Then on our return having a nice dinner.

The cruise was going well, even though the weather was cool. On the evening of February 10th we had dinner in the Grand Dining Room. We went to bed around 11:45pm. I did not fall asleep right away as I usually do on a cruise. My stomach was a bit upset. Now, I am a very healthy person and do not usually have stomach problems.

Around 12:30 am was my first bout of vomiting and diarrhea. Uncontrollable heaving in the stomach with the contents of my stomach coming up, and at the same time having the diarrhea. No control over the body at all. A few times it was so bad that I had trouble catching my breath. I actually thought that might be the end, one time. I tried to drink lots of water because even though the stomach was empty, the heaving vomiting continued. In all, there were 8 episodes of the heaving vomiting and diarrhea by 6:00 or 7:00 am. After each bout, I washed and went back to bed. I cleaned up as best I could, but around 3:00 am, the bathroom had a terrible odor of clothes that I had soiled. Did not even want to try to clean them. I called housekeeping and a man came. When he saw what it was, he left and came back with garbage bags for the soiled articles. He had a disinfectant cleaner to clean the bathroom. I was really thankful that he was available to clean during the night.

I am so very careful and mindful of germs. Washing my hands, using sanitizes, not touching elevator buttons or doors that others might have touched. I carry tissue to use if I must touch a handle or something that many people touch. I flush public toilets with my feet, but because of the flushing mechanism on ships, you must use your finger. However, I now have the Norovirus that is on the Riviera. Where did I get it? Different places came to mind. I would get my oatmeal and when I asked for strawberries or blueberries, the girl would take the bowl from me to put the fruit in the bowl. She wore gloves, but had also previously maybe handled the bowl of someone else. I also wondered about coming back on the ship. We would sanitize our hands before going up the gangway, but we would hand over our card to security who had previously touched all of the cards of the people getting back on the ship. Could that be where I got it? It also comes to mind that we were taking the tenders a few times on this cruise. We were on tenders February 4th, 6th and 8th. Is it only touch that spreads the germs or is it also spread through the air? I always wash my hands after reading a library book, playing table tennis, shuffleboard or croquet. However, I had a very bad case of Norovirus.

On February 11th, we were in Key West. I had planned to go snorkeling, but I was too weak to do anything. I asked my husband to go ashore to a pharmacy and get me some Pepto Bismol and some Imodium. He did. However when he was ashore, I thought that I should report to the doctor as the Captain had asked anyone who was sick to inform the doctor. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE MADE IN A LONG TIME.

I went down to the medical center. There were quite a few people waiting. I was asked to fill out a form. I did not have the strength to write and the man just asked my cabin number, told me to go back to my cabin and they would phone me when there was not such a long wait.

I was called later and went down to see the doctor. Filled out form and talked to doctor. He gave me Pepto Bismol and Imodium and also an antibiotic. I took all of the medicine as directed. Later when I got home and did a check, it said that Norovirus was a viral infection and not a bacterial infection. Therefore I am not sure why I was given an antibiotic. I am sure that is what caused my taste to be very off. My mouth would burn when I ate bland foods. When I ate bread, it just tasted like a mouth full of yeast. Things are getting back to tasting ok now, but it has been nearly a month since I was sick.

I went to the medical center to report that I was sick as the Captain told us to do. I REALLY WISH THAT I HAD NOT DONE THAT. IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN, I WOULD NOT DO AS THE CAPTAIN SAID, BUT RATHER JUST GO ON AS IF I HAD NOT BEEN SICK. I SHOULD NOT HAVE REPORTED TO THE MEDICAL CENTER. After the quarantine was over, I talked with 3 people who had been sick. They did not go to the doctor as they knew they would be quarantined.

The nurse phoned later that day and said that my husband and I were quarantined to our cabin. This was Thursday, Feb. 11th and we were going to Polo for our wedding anniversary celebration. There were 2 couples traveling with us (getting off on Feb. 12th in Miami though) and they had ordered a cake for the celebration. However, we could not go. We were looking forward to the B2B day when we had a special lunch. However because of the sickness, that had changed and the B2B passengers were offered a Hop on Hop off bus trip. That would be fun, but would we be able to go. We were not able to go as we were still quarantined. We had to stay in our cabin and the Customs man came to our cabin.

Friday, February 12th and we are in Miami. Nurse phoned in the morning and we were still quarantined. We could not leave our cabin, but we could sit on the balcony. The announcement that they were refueling came. We thought that since we were up a few decks it would be ok. However, 2 seconds after going to the balcony, we realized that the odor was too powerful. It takes most of the day to do the refueling. Nurse phones in the evening and we were still quarantined.

Saturday, February 13th was a sea day. Nurse phoned and we were still quarantined. I kept telling her that I was feeling fine and that my husband was never sick, but we were still not allowed to leave the cabin. There are no good programs on the tv. All we had to watch was the news about the Presidential Race for United States........and we are Canadian.

Nurse phones early in the morning on Sunday, February 14th. Still quarantined. We were in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands. We have been there before and enjoyed sitting on the beach, walking around and the pool. However, today we could only sit on our balcony, where there was no sun, and watch the other passengers get off the ship and walk to the lounge chairs by the water's edge. We could hear the sounds from the pool, but we could not leave our cabin today either.

Early in the morning of Monday, February 15th the nurse phoned. As always, asked how I was feeling and I said fine, but I would like to leave the cabin as we had been quarantined for so long. She asked if my husband was feeling ok, and I said he had never been sick. Then the same question she asked ever time, Have you had a bowel movement? I had been telling her "No" every time she asked, because any bowel movements were only in the form of water up until now. She said that I must have a solid bowel movement before I could be taken out of quarantine. I told her that I had not really eaten enough (more about that later) to have a good bowel movement. She said that I would have to have a solid bowel movement tested before we could get out of quarantine.

I will spare you what I went through for the next few hours. However I was able to get a bowel movement about the size of a pea that was solid. I phoned and a man came to collect it. Around noon I was phoned and said that we would be released at 3:00 that afternoon. We were waiting to get off the ship at San Juan, Puerto Rico at 3:00. However, security said we could not leave the ship. Even though we had our sail cards back, when swiped, it said we were still under quarantine and could not leave the ship. Sent to pursers office and we were not on the list, but within 15 minutes we were allowed to leave the ship. Freedom at last. WE HAD BEEN IN QUARANTINE FOR 4 1/2 DAYS. Also, I had been sick for the previous 8 hours.

And now I would like to tell you about the food that we were given. I was told that I should eat a bland diet of chicken, rice, potatoes and bread. Room service had us pegged as "Bland Diet Only". When I phoned to order I was told that they could not send certain things to me. I said that it was for my husband and he was not sick. Have you ever had one of their club sandwiches. It is drowning in a sauce. Absolutely terrible. My husband was not able to get bacon and eggs for breakfast (one of the things he enjoys on a cruise) as we were in a regular balcony cabin. The chicken I ordered was dry and tasteless. The baked potatoes were cold. We did have a nice soup one time. I was able to order a salad 2 times. I ordered it with dressing on the side as I do not like the dressings from room service. The chicken came with zucchini. I do not like zucchini, so did not eat it. I actually wanted jello and I was told they would check, but I never got any. When I talked to the doctor when he was releasing me, he said continue on the bland diet for awhile......chicken, rice, potatoes and bread. No vegetables for awhile (I said that I had been eating some salad) and also no dairy. The best meals from room service was the rice krispie cereal with milk.

It is a good thing that I brought along some snacks. They came in handy when we were hungry. I would sometimes phone Room Service and was told that because they were busy, it would be an hour before the food could be delivered. A few times I just cancelled because of this.

Also it was very interesting how the food was delivered. The tray was wrapped in seran wrap. Food was on plastic plates and wrapped in seran wrap. The cereal had to be eaten from a plastic plate as they did not have any throw-away plastic bowls. This could not be held or the milk would run off. It had to be set on the low table. The coffee and tea was in a see through plastic cup and covered with seran wrap when it came. There were 2 cups together as it was hot. Milk came the same way. We were given packages with plastic knife, fork and spoon along with a tiny paper napkin. And then, there was the red bag. We had to put all of the garbage in this red bag and then housekeeping collected them.

THIS WAS NOT WHAT WE CONSIDER FINE DINING. THIS WAS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME. THIS WAS NOT THE CRUISE WE PAID FOR.

I was now looking forward to going to Cayo Levantado to snorkel, swim and lay on the beach. Also to snorkeling (at one of my favorite spots) Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday, Feb. 21st. However on Thursday, February 18th the Captain announced that we were going direct to Miami to arrive on Saturday, February 20th at 6:00 pm. Friday, Feb. 19th was not an enjoyable day. The ship was going 20 knots and it was a windy day. We could not sit on the balcony because of the salt spray and it was too windy to be up on the pool deck. On Saturday, the ship slowed down, however our balcony was still wet and there were salt crystals all over.

On those 2 days, we had to show our room key card before we were allowed to get food. Some of the people who were quarantined were leaving their cabins to get food. Their room key cards had been taken away from them, but they still tried to get food. We had to have our cards checked before we could enter a food venue. It was very hard to get a table in Horizons. The tables and chairs were sanitized between diners and could not be used for some time after. When the people sitting near you left, the tables and chairs were sanitized and this gave a javex smell. Elevators and other surfaces were constantly wiped down, leaving a sticky surface. Even the floors were sticky when you walked over them. When Norovirus surfaced again on the February 2, 2016 cruise, the ship should have been taken out of service and cleaned before the February 12, 2016 cruise. It would have been a more enjoyable cruise for everyone knowing the ship had been deep cleaned.

When the February 12 cruise was shortened by 2 days, we were told we would be put in a hotel for 2 days and we could return home on our original airplane tickets. Our hotel was to be the Doubletree near Miami airport. We had never stayed at a Doubletree, and I was not looking forward to it, but it turned out to be a nice hotel. However, it was not near any restaurants. We walked half an hour looking for a restaurant, but returned to the hotel to order pizza.

We were given 25% off the next Oceania cruise that we book. (This was not put in letter - There is of course a formula for this.) We will not be using this as I do not want to go on another Oceania cruise and have it turn out to be like this one. Looked forward to and anticipated a good time. It was far from enjoyable.

"Experience

YOUR WORLD. YOUR WAY.

The Finest Cuisine at Sea, authentic destination experiences and an intimate, luxurious ambiance are the hallmarks that define Oceania Cruises. Yet perhaps more than anything else, it's the ultimate satisfaction of simply relaxing and enjoying every moment of the journey in your own way. From the moment you step on board one of our stylish ships, you feel welcomed by our casually sophisticated atmosphere and dedicated staff. As you explore both iconic destinations and enchanting boutique ports around the world, striking up conversations among those that find travel as meaningful as you becomes effortless. With a wealth of amenities you might only expect on larger ships, along with luxuries exclusive to our intimate ships, our onboard experience invites you to spend your days exactly as you wish. Whether savoring our gourmet cuisine or exploring ashore, you will cherish every moment of the voyage as perfectly your own." THESE ARE THE WORDS IN YOUR BROCHURE.

From reading what happened to us, would you say that Oceania delivered this experience to us. That is why I am requesting that Oceania reimburse my husband and I 100% of the cruise fare so that we can renew our faith in Oceania. If what happened to us happened to you, would you ever again give you hard earned dollars to Oceania for a cruise? I am sure that you would not, and we will not.

Thank you.

"Signed with address and all particulars" "

this was way more info that I need to know ...but

i would NEVER report myself sick to the Dr. after reading this

I will treat myself and quarentine myself

sorry you had such a bad experience

This is the letter that I sent to Oceania after I had Norovirus starting on February 11, 2016 (yes there was a lot of sickness even then, but it did not seem to be reported) . Sorry that it is so long, did not realize that until I did a preview post. However, I wanted to make sure they had all of the information of how we were treated.

 

Reply was - Nothing they can do for me - see you on your next cruise. Do they actually think I will cruise with them again after the way I was treated? I will never give my hard earned money to another Oceania cruise. I cruise with 3 other lines that are enjoyable. They will get my business from now on.

 

 

"March 8, 2016

 

RE: RIVIERA B2B CRUISE FROM FEBRUARY 2, 2016 TO FEBRUARY 22, 2016 -

 

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

This was our 10th and 11th cruises on Oceania. We chose the date as our 50th wedding anniversary was on February 12, 2016 and I planned on walking across the bridge in Miami to the park on the other side of the bridge on that day. Then on our return having a nice dinner.

 

The cruise was going well, even though the weather was cool. On the evening of February 10th we had dinner in the Grand Dining Room. We went to bed around 11:45pm. I did not fall asleep right away as I usually do on a cruise. My stomach was a bit upset. Now, I am a very healthy person and do not usually have stomach problems.

 

Around 12:30 am was my first bout of vomiting and diarrhea. Uncontrollable heaving in the stomach with the contents of my stomach coming up, and at the same time having the diarrhea. No control over the body at all. A few times it was so bad that I had trouble catching my breath. I actually thought that might be the end, one time. I tried to drink lots of water because even though the stomach was empty, the heaving vomiting continued. In all, there were 8 episodes of the heaving vomiting and diarrhea by 6:00 or 7:00 am. After each bout, I washed and went back to bed. I cleaned up as best I could, but around 3:00 am, the bathroom had a terrible odor of clothes that I had soiled. Did not even want to try to clean them. I called housekeeping and a man came. When he saw what it was, he left and came back with garbage bags for the soiled articles. He had a disinfectant cleaner to clean the bathroom. I was really thankful that he was available to clean during the night.

 

I am so very careful and mindful of germs. Washing my hands, using sanitizes, not touching elevator buttons or doors that others might have touched. I carry tissue to use if I must touch a handle or something that many people touch. I flush public toilets with my feet, but because of the flushing mechanism on ships, you must use your finger. However, I now have the Norovirus that is on the Riviera. Where did I get it? Different places came to mind. I would get my oatmeal and when I asked for strawberries or blueberries, the girl would take the bowl from me to put the fruit in the bowl. She wore gloves, but had also previously maybe handled the bowl of someone else. I also wondered about coming back on the ship. We would sanitize our hands before going up the gangway, but we would hand over our card to security who had previously touched all of the cards of the people getting back on the ship. Could that be where I got it? It also comes to mind that we were taking the tenders a few times on this cruise. We were on tenders February 4th, 6th and 8th. Is it only touch that spreads the germs or is it also spread through the air? I always wash my hands after reading a library book, playing table tennis, shuffleboard or croquet. However, I had a very bad case of Norovirus.

 

On February 11th, we were in Key West. I had planned to go snorkeling, but I was too weak to do anything. I asked my husband to go ashore to a pharmacy and get me some Pepto Bismol and some Imodium. He did. However when he was ashore, I thought that I should report to the doctor as the Captain had asked anyone who was sick to inform the doctor. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE MADE IN A LONG TIME.

 

I went down to the medical center. There were quite a few people waiting. I was asked to fill out a form. I did not have the strength to write and the man just asked my cabin number, told me to go back to my cabin and they would phone me when there was not such a long wait.

 

I was called later and went down to see the doctor. Filled out form and talked to doctor. He gave me Pepto Bismol and Imodium and also an antibiotic. I took all of the medicine as directed. Later when I got home and did a check, it said that Norovirus was a viral infection and not a bacterial infection. Therefore I am not sure why I was given an antibiotic. I am sure that is what caused my taste to be very off. My mouth would burn when I ate bland foods. When I ate bread, it just tasted like a mouth full of yeast. Things are getting back to tasting ok now, but it has been nearly a month since I was sick.

 

I went to the medical center to report that I was sick as the Captain told us to do. I REALLY WISH THAT I HAD NOT DONE THAT. IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN, I WOULD NOT DO AS THE CAPTAIN SAID, BUT RATHER JUST GO ON AS IF I HAD NOT BEEN SICK. I SHOULD NOT HAVE REPORTED TO THE MEDICAL CENTER. After the quarantine was over, I talked with 3 people who had been sick. They did not go to the doctor as they knew they would be quarantined.

 

The nurse phoned later that day and said that my husband and I were quarantined to our cabin. This was Thursday, Feb. 11th and we were going to Polo for our wedding anniversary celebration. There were 2 couples traveling with us (getting off on Feb. 12th in Miami though) and they had ordered a cake for the celebration. However, we could not go. We were looking forward to the B2B day when we had a special lunch. However because of the sickness, that had changed and the B2B passengers were offered a Hop on Hop off bus trip. That would be fun, but would we be able to go. We were not able to go as we were still quarantined. We had to stay in our cabin and the Customs man came to our cabin.

 

Friday, February 12th and we are in Miami. Nurse phoned in the morning and we were still quarantined. We could not leave our cabin, but we could sit on the balcony. The announcement that they were refueling came. We thought that since we were up a few decks it would be ok. However, 2 seconds after going to the balcony, we realized that the odor was too powerful. It takes most of the day to do the refueling. Nurse phones in the evening and we were still quarantined.

 

Saturday, February 13th was a sea day. Nurse phoned and we were still quarantined. I kept telling her that I was feeling fine and that my husband was never sick, but we were still not allowed to leave the cabin. There are no good programs on the tv. All we had to watch was the news about the Presidential Race for United States........and we are Canadian.

 

Nurse phones early in the morning on Sunday, February 14th. Still quarantined. We were in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands. We have been there before and enjoyed sitting on the beach, walking around and the pool. However, today we could only sit on our balcony, where there was no sun, and watch the other passengers get off the ship and walk to the lounge chairs by the water's edge. We could hear the sounds from the pool, but we could not leave our cabin today either.

 

Early in the morning of Monday, February 15th the nurse phoned. As always, asked how I was feeling and I said fine, but I would like to leave the cabin as we had been quarantined for so long. She asked if my husband was feeling ok, and I said he had never been sick. Then the same question she asked ever time, Have you had a bowel movement? I had been telling her "No" every time she asked, because any bowel movements were only in the form of water up until now. She said that I must have a solid bowel movement before I could be taken out of quarantine. I told her that I had not really eaten enough (more about that later) to have a good bowel movement. She said that I would have to have a solid bowel movement tested before we could get out of quarantine.

 

I will spare you what I went through for the next few hours. However I was able to get a bowel movement about the size of a pea that was solid. I phoned and a man came to collect it. Around noon I was phoned and said that we would be released at 3:00 that afternoon. We were waiting to get off the ship at San Juan, Puerto Rico at 3:00. However, security said we could not leave the ship. Even though we had our sail cards back, when swiped, it said we were still under quarantine and could not leave the ship. Sent to pursers office and we were not on the list, but within 15 minutes we were allowed to leave the ship. Freedom at last. WE HAD BEEN IN QUARANTINE FOR 4 1/2 DAYS. Also, I had been sick for the previous 8 hours.

 

And now I would like to tell you about the food that we were given. I was told that I should eat a bland diet of chicken, rice, potatoes and bread. Room service had us pegged as "Bland Diet Only". When I phoned to order I was told that they could not send certain things to me. I said that it was for my husband and he was not sick. Have you ever had one of their club sandwiches. It is drowning in a sauce. Absolutely terrible. My husband was not able to get bacon and eggs for breakfast (one of the things he enjoys on a cruise) as we were in a regular balcony cabin. The chicken I ordered was dry and tasteless. The baked potatoes were cold. We did have a nice soup one time. I was able to order a salad 2 times. I ordered it with dressing on the side as I do not like the dressings from room service. The chicken came with zucchini. I do not like zucchini, so did not eat it. I actually wanted jello and I was told they would check, but I never got any. When I talked to the doctor when he was releasing me, he said continue on the bland diet for awhile......chicken, rice, potatoes and bread. No vegetables for awhile (I said that I had been eating some salad) and also no dairy. The best meals from room service was the rice krispie cereal with milk.

 

It is a good thing that I brought along some snacks. They came in handy when we were hungry. I would sometimes phone Room Service and was told that because they were busy, it would be an hour before the food could be delivered. A few times I just cancelled because of this.

 

Also it was very interesting how the food was delivered. The tray was wrapped in seran wrap. Food was on plastic plates and wrapped in seran wrap. The cereal had to be eaten from a plastic plate as they did not have any throw-away plastic bowls. This could not be held or the milk would run off. It had to be set on the low table. The coffee and tea was in a see through plastic cup and covered with seran wrap when it came. There were 2 cups together as it was hot. Milk came the same way. We were given packages with plastic knife, fork and spoon along with a tiny paper napkin. And then, there was the red bag. We had to put all of the garbage in this red bag and then housekeeping collected them.

 

THIS WAS NOT WHAT WE CONSIDER FINE DINING. THIS WAS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME. THIS WAS NOT THE CRUISE WE PAID FOR.

 

I was now looking forward to going to Cayo Levantado to snorkel, swim and lay on the beach. Also to snorkeling (at one of my favorite spots) Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday, Feb. 21st. However on Thursday, February 18th the Captain announced that we were going direct to Miami to arrive on Saturday, February 20th at 6:00 pm. Friday, Feb. 19th was not an enjoyable day. The ship was going 20 knots and it was a windy day. We could not sit on the balcony because of the salt spray and it was too windy to be up on the pool deck. On Saturday, the ship slowed down, however our balcony was still wet and there were salt crystals all over.

 

On those 2 days, we had to show our room key card before we were allowed to get food. Some of the people who were quarantined were leaving their cabins to get food. Their room key cards had been taken away from them, but they still tried to get food. We had to have our cards checked before we could enter a food venue. It was very hard to get a table in Horizons. The tables and chairs were sanitized between diners and could not be used for some time after. When the people sitting near you left, the tables and chairs were sanitized and this gave a javex smell. Elevators and other surfaces were constantly wiped down, leaving a sticky surface. Even the floors were sticky when you walked over them. When Norovirus surfaced again on the February 2, 2016 cruise, the ship should have been taken out of service and cleaned before the February 12, 2016 cruise. It would have been a more enjoyable cruise for everyone knowing the ship had been deep cleaned.

 

When the February 12 cruise was shortened by 2 days, we were told we would be put in a hotel for 2 days and we could return home on our original airplane tickets. Our hotel was to be the Doubletree near Miami airport. We had never stayed at a Doubletree, and I was not looking forward to it, but it turned out to be a nice hotel. However, it was not near any restaurants. We walked half an hour looking for a restaurant, but returned to the hotel to order pizza.

 

We were given 25% off the next Oceania cruise that we book. (This was not put in letter - There is of course a formula for this.) We will not be using this as I do not want to go on another Oceania cruise and have it turn out to be like this one. Looked forward to and anticipated a good time. It was far from enjoyable.

 

"Experience

YOUR WORLD. YOUR WAY.

The Finest Cuisine at Sea, authentic destination experiences and an intimate, luxurious ambiance are the hallmarks that define Oceania Cruises. Yet perhaps more than anything else, it's the ultimate satisfaction of simply relaxing and enjoying every moment of the journey in your own way. From the moment you step on board one of our stylish ships, you feel welcomed by our casually sophisticated atmosphere and dedicated staff. As you explore both iconic destinations and enchanting boutique ports around the world, striking up conversations among those that find travel as meaningful as you becomes effortless. With a wealth of amenities you might only expect on larger ships, along with luxuries exclusive to our intimate ships, our onboard experience invites you to spend your days exactly as you wish. Whether savoring our gourmet cuisine or exploring ashore, you will cherish every moment of the voyage as perfectly your own." THESE ARE THE WORDS IN YOUR BROCHURE.

 

From reading what happened to us, would you say that Oceania delivered this experience to us. That is why I am requesting that Oceania reimburse my husband and I 100% of the cruise fare so that we can renew our faith in Oceania. If what happened to us happened to you, would you ever again give you hard earned dollars to Oceania for a cruise? I am sure that you would not, and we will not.

 

Thank you.

 

"Signed with address and all particulars" "

I suggest that you e-mail mikemoore@prestigecruiseholdings.com. He is a senior VP of the company, and a lot of other Oceania cruises have received satisfaction from him. I feel sure that you will hear back from him, and that you will be satisfied. Let us know how that turns out.

Well I didn't want to hear any more about the "noro ship" and was purposely not reading that other thread. I am glad I read this one and I am glad you spelled out exactly what you went through. I definitely would not report to the ship's doctor after the way you were treated. You would have thought Oceania would have provided better food for you than the typical room service - well you actually didn't even get the typical room service food. We would quarantine ourselves. I would not leave my room until I was okay to do so including who I was travelling with. I understand now what the people on Riviera went through. Thanks!

Food was on plastic plates and wrapped in seran wrap. The cereal had to be eaten from a plastic plate as they did not have any throw-away plastic bowls. This could not be held or the milk would run off. It had to be set on the low table. The coffee and tea was in a see through plastic cup and covered with seran wrap when it came.

I am so sorry that you had to endure the Noro. ;)

Thank you for confirming what I thought all along about the stateroom that we began occupying on February 12th. I had a feeling that one or more passengers on the cruise before ours must have had the Noro. Thankfully, we did not get ill. I have mentioned the following on the "other" threads.

Our stateroom was not totally cleaned when we were finally allowed to go to our staterooms late the afternoon of embarkation. The bed was half made. We had pillows missing. We were told that our room steward was ill. That night when I got into bed, I realized that our mattress was broken on my side. What! ... the Oceania beds are suppose to be the most comfortable at sea? For 3 nights, I suffered with back and hip pain and did not sleep well. Thanks to prompting from a fellow CC'r, I finally asked for a new mattress.

Because of the mattress problem, the fact that our room steward was ill, and that we found plastic covered, half full cups of various liquid and food in our fridge, I quickly surmised that something was going on, or had gone on with our stateroom.

I believe that an original mattress had been soiled, and the mattress replaced with the one that we had for those first 3 nights. Our second mattress was better, but still not a luxurious bed by any means.

Our stateroom was wiped down from Night 1 (liquid dripping into my clothes drawer), when I don't believe the ship wide wiping down started for a day or two later. 3 days into the cruise, we were told that our room steward was not longer on the ship. hmmmm

Our next door neighbor was also on a back to back cruise. He told me about the sickness the cruise before and that two in his stateroom had been ill and quarantined.

This was our first Oceania cruise and one that we paid more for, but also looking so forward to. Out of 33 cruises in a matter of years, our Oceania experience was the worse. Only bad one that we have had, generally speaking.

Did we get any compensation? No. Only received the credit for missing the two ports. We also received the FCC. At the moment, we have no plans to use that credit. Simply put, Oceania did not live up to their hype. We realize that the Noro was not in their control, but fully believe that more could have been done during the cruise, or after, in the way of customer service.

OP:

When you believe you have been wronged by a travel provider, check out Christopher Elliott's website (google for it) for the listing of CEO and COO direct contact info. (Chris is a syndicated travel columnist who gets results on reader complaints.)

First, sad to read Iamthesseas & Oceanandseas' experiences. Hopefully, sharing their thoughts will be helpful for others debating whether to report their illness - or not to do so.

Second, a serious question. I contracted noro 2x on Riviera & self-quarantined (stayed in the cabin, hydrated, popped Immodium), told housekeeping to stay away. I was never contacted by the front desk or the Medical Center. There was no follow up either time after I decided to go back to circulation. After our housekeeper got sick, there was no effort to contact those of us in cabins she had been servicing.

So, if we self-quarantine how will the Medical Center document the extent of an outbreak and how can we, as consumers, rely on data O submits to the CDC on onboard illnesses?

There has to be a better way internally for management to become informed of a health problem - much earlier - rather than reacting AFTER things spiral out of control. The internal feedback loop between departments onboard seems in need of a serious rethink.

And heads need to be knocked together to encourage some common sense.

First, sad to read Iamthesseas & Oceanandseas' experiences. Hopefully, sharing their thoughts will be helpful for others debating whether to report their illness - or not to do so.

 

Second, a serious question. I contracted noro 2x on Riviera & self-quarantined (stayed in the cabin, hydrated, popped Immodium), told housekeeping to stay away. I was never contacted by the front desk or the Medical Center. There was no follow up either time after I decided to go back to circulation. After our housekeeper got sick, there was no effort to contact those of us in cabins she had been servicing.

 

So, if we self-quarantine how will the Medical Center document the extent of an outbreak and how can we, as consumers, rely on data O submits to the CDC on onboard illnesses?

 

There has to be a better way internally for management to become informed of a health problem - much earlier - rather than reacting AFTER things spiral out of control. The internal feedback loop between departments onboard seems in need of a serious rethink.

 

And heads need to be knocked together to encourage some common sense.

Yes, but I'm left wondering whose head needs to be knocked?

wristband, refresh my memory. Were you on my cruise, the one before or another Riviera cruise entirely? Interesting that your housekeeper became ill. We were on Deck 7.

o

titong - I wrote an email to Mike Moore. I sent the email to him but it could not be delivered. Checked the spelling very carefully, but still got the message from postman saying that it could not be delivered. Tried to get to Prestige Cruise Holdings website to see if there was any information there, but it would not load.

Also as you mentioned, Flatbush Flyer, googled Christopher Elliott and found his site but nowhere to find contacts for cruise lines or to contact him.

Will keep trying. However, if someone has another email address for Mike Moore, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Thank you

o

-

I believe that the email went through successfully.

-

This is the letter that I sent to Oceania after I had Norovirus starting on February 11, 2016 (yes there was a lot of sickness even then, but it did not seem to be reported) . Sorry that it is so long, did not realize that until I did a preview post. However, I wanted to make sure they had all of the information of how we were treated.

 

Reply was - Nothing they can do for me - see you on your next cruise. Do they actually think I will cruise with them again after the way I was treated? I will never give my hard earned money to another Oceania cruise. I cruise with 3 other lines that are enjoyable. They will get my business from now on.

 

 

"March 8, 2016

 

RE: RIVIERA B2B CRUISE FROM FEBRUARY 2, 2016 TO FEBRUARY 22, 2016 -

 

 

Dear Sir/Madam

 

This was our 10th and 11th cruises on Oceania. We chose the date as our 50th wedding anniversary was on February 12, 2016 and I planned on walking across the bridge in Miami to the park on the other side of the bridge on that day. Then on our return having a nice dinner.

 

The cruise was going well, even though the weather was cool. On the evening of February 10th we had dinner in the Grand Dining Room. We went to bed around 11:45pm. I did not fall asleep right away as I usually do on a cruise. My stomach was a bit upset. Now, I am a very healthy person and do not usually have stomach problems.

 

Around 12:30 am was my first bout of vomiting and diarrhea. Uncontrollable heaving in the stomach with the contents of my stomach coming up, and at the same time having the diarrhea. No control over the body at all. A few times it was so bad that I had trouble catching my breath. I actually thought that might be the end, one time. I tried to drink lots of water because even though the stomach was empty, the heaving vomiting continued. In all, there were 8 episodes of the heaving vomiting and diarrhea by 6:00 or 7:00 am. After each bout, I washed and went back to bed. I cleaned up as best I could, but around 3:00 am, the bathroom had a terrible odor of clothes that I had soiled. Did not even want to try to clean them. I called housekeeping and a man came. When he saw what it was, he left and came back with garbage bags for the soiled articles. He had a disinfectant cleaner to clean the bathroom. I was really thankful that he was available to clean during the night.

 

I am so very careful and mindful of germs. Washing my hands, using sanitizes, not touching elevator buttons or doors that others might have touched. I carry tissue to use if I must touch a handle or something that many people touch. I flush public toilets with my feet, but because of the flushing mechanism on ships, you must use your finger. However, I now have the Norovirus that is on the Riviera. Where did I get it? Different places came to mind. I would get my oatmeal and when I asked for strawberries or blueberries, the girl would take the bowl from me to put the fruit in the bowl. She wore gloves, but had also previously maybe handled the bowl of someone else. I also wondered about coming back on the ship. We would sanitize our hands before going up the gangway, but we would hand over our card to security who had previously touched all of the cards of the people getting back on the ship. Could that be where I got it? It also comes to mind that we were taking the tenders a few times on this cruise. We were on tenders February 4th, 6th and 8th. Is it only touch that spreads the germs or is it also spread through the air? I always wash my hands after reading a library book, playing table tennis, shuffleboard or croquet. However, I had a very bad case of Norovirus.

 

On February 11th, we were in Key West. I had planned to go snorkeling, but I was too weak to do anything. I asked my husband to go ashore to a pharmacy and get me some Pepto Bismol and some Imodium. He did. However when he was ashore, I thought that I should report to the doctor as the Captain had asked anyone who was sick to inform the doctor. THAT WAS THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I HAVE MADE IN A LONG TIME.

 

I went down to the medical center. There were quite a few people waiting. I was asked to fill out a form. I did not have the strength to write and the man just asked my cabin number, told me to go back to my cabin and they would phone me when there was not such a long wait.

 

I was called later and went down to see the doctor. Filled out form and talked to doctor. He gave me Pepto Bismol and Imodium and also an antibiotic. I took all of the medicine as directed. Later when I got home and did a check, it said that Norovirus was a viral infection and not a bacterial infection. Therefore I am not sure why I was given an antibiotic. I am sure that is what caused my taste to be very off. My mouth would burn when I ate bland foods. When I ate bread, it just tasted like a mouth full of yeast. Things are getting back to tasting ok now, but it has been nearly a month since I was sick.

 

I went to the medical center to report that I was sick as the Captain told us to do. I REALLY WISH THAT I HAD NOT DONE THAT. IF I HAD IT TO DO OVER AGAIN, I WOULD NOT DO AS THE CAPTAIN SAID, BUT RATHER JUST GO ON AS IF I HAD NOT BEEN SICK. I SHOULD NOT HAVE REPORTED TO THE MEDICAL CENTER. After the quarantine was over, I talked with 3 people who had been sick. They did not go to the doctor as they knew they would be quarantined.

 

The nurse phoned later that day and said that my husband and I were quarantined to our cabin. This was Thursday, Feb. 11th and we were going to Polo for our wedding anniversary celebration. There were 2 couples traveling with us (getting off on Feb. 12th in Miami though) and they had ordered a cake for the celebration. However, we could not go. We were looking forward to the B2B day when we had a special lunch. However because of the sickness, that had changed and the B2B passengers were offered a Hop on Hop off bus trip. That would be fun, but would we be able to go. We were not able to go as we were still quarantined. We had to stay in our cabin and the Customs man came to our cabin.

 

Friday, February 12th and we are in Miami. Nurse phoned in the morning and we were still quarantined. We could not leave our cabin, but we could sit on the balcony. The announcement that they were refueling came. We thought that since we were up a few decks it would be ok. However, 2 seconds after going to the balcony, we realized that the odor was too powerful. It takes most of the day to do the refueling. Nurse phones in the evening and we were still quarantined.

 

Saturday, February 13th was a sea day. Nurse phoned and we were still quarantined. I kept telling her that I was feeling fine and that my husband was never sick, but we were still not allowed to leave the cabin. There are no good programs on the tv. All we had to watch was the news about the Presidential Race for United States........and we are Canadian.

 

Nurse phones early in the morning on Sunday, February 14th. Still quarantined. We were in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands. We have been there before and enjoyed sitting on the beach, walking around and the pool. However, today we could only sit on our balcony, where there was no sun, and watch the other passengers get off the ship and walk to the lounge chairs by the water's edge. We could hear the sounds from the pool, but we could not leave our cabin today either.

 

Early in the morning of Monday, February 15th the nurse phoned. As always, asked how I was feeling and I said fine, but I would like to leave the cabin as we had been quarantined for so long. She asked if my husband was feeling ok, and I said he had never been sick. Then the same question she asked ever time, Have you had a bowel movement? I had been telling her "No" every time she asked, because any bowel movements were only in the form of water up until now. She said that I must have a solid bowel movement before I could be taken out of quarantine. I told her that I had not really eaten enough (more about that later) to have a good bowel movement. She said that I would have to have a solid bowel movement tested before we could get out of quarantine.

 

I will spare you what I went through for the next few hours. However I was able to get a bowel movement about the size of a pea that was solid. I phoned and a man came to collect it. Around noon I was phoned and said that we would be released at 3:00 that afternoon. We were waiting to get off the ship at San Juan, Puerto Rico at 3:00. However, security said we could not leave the ship. Even though we had our sail cards back, when swiped, it said we were still under quarantine and could not leave the ship. Sent to pursers office and we were not on the list, but within 15 minutes we were allowed to leave the ship. Freedom at last. WE HAD BEEN IN QUARANTINE FOR 4 1/2 DAYS. Also, I had been sick for the previous 8 hours.

 

And now I would like to tell you about the food that we were given. I was told that I should eat a bland diet of chicken, rice, potatoes and bread. Room service had us pegged as "Bland Diet Only". When I phoned to order I was told that they could not send certain things to me. I said that it was for my husband and he was not sick. Have you ever had one of their club sandwiches. It is drowning in a sauce. Absolutely terrible. My husband was not able to get bacon and eggs for breakfast (one of the things he enjoys on a cruise) as we were in a regular balcony cabin. The chicken I ordered was dry and tasteless. The baked potatoes were cold. We did have a nice soup one time. I was able to order a salad 2 times. I ordered it with dressing on the side as I do not like the dressings from room service. The chicken came with zucchini. I do not like zucchini, so did not eat it. I actually wanted jello and I was told they would check, but I never got any. When I talked to the doctor when he was releasing me, he said continue on the bland diet for awhile......chicken, rice, potatoes and bread. No vegetables for awhile (I said that I had been eating some salad) and also no dairy. The best meals from room service was the rice krispie cereal with milk.

 

It is a good thing that I brought along some snacks. They came in handy when we were hungry. I would sometimes phone Room Service and was told that because they were busy, it would be an hour before the food could be delivered. A few times I just cancelled because of this.

 

Also it was very interesting how the food was delivered. The tray was wrapped in seran wrap. Food was on plastic plates and wrapped in seran wrap. The cereal had to be eaten from a plastic plate as they did not have any throw-away plastic bowls. This could not be held or the milk would run off. It had to be set on the low table. The coffee and tea was in a see through plastic cup and covered with seran wrap when it came. There were 2 cups together as it was hot. Milk came the same way. We were given packages with plastic knife, fork and spoon along with a tiny paper napkin. And then, there was the red bag. We had to put all of the garbage in this red bag and then housekeeping collected them.

 

THIS WAS NOT WHAT WE CONSIDER FINE DINING. THIS WAS NOT HAVING A GOOD TIME. THIS WAS NOT THE CRUISE WE PAID FOR.

 

I was now looking forward to going to Cayo Levantado to snorkel, swim and lay on the beach. Also to snorkeling (at one of my favorite spots) Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday, Feb. 21st. However on Thursday, February 18th the Captain announced that we were going direct to Miami to arrive on Saturday, February 20th at 6:00 pm. Friday, Feb. 19th was not an enjoyable day. The ship was going 20 knots and it was a windy day. We could not sit on the balcony because of the salt spray and it was too windy to be up on the pool deck. On Saturday, the ship slowed down, however our balcony was still wet and there were salt crystals all over.

 

On those 2 days, we had to show our room key card before we were allowed to get food. Some of the people who were quarantined were leaving their cabins to get food. Their room key cards had been taken away from them, but they still tried to get food. We had to have our cards checked before we could enter a food venue. It was very hard to get a table in Horizons. The tables and chairs were sanitized between diners and could not be used for some time after. When the people sitting near you left, the tables and chairs were sanitized and this gave a javex smell. Elevators and other surfaces were constantly wiped down, leaving a sticky surface. Even the floors were sticky when you walked over them. When Norovirus surfaced again on the February 2, 2016 cruise, the ship should have been taken out of service and cleaned before the February 12, 2016 cruise. It would have been a more enjoyable cruise for everyone knowing the ship had been deep cleaned.

 

When the February 12 cruise was shortened by 2 days, we were told we would be put in a hotel for 2 days and we could return home on our original airplane tickets. Our hotel was to be the Doubletree near Miami airport. We had never stayed at a Doubletree, and I was not looking forward to it, but it turned out to be a nice hotel. However, it was not near any restaurants. We walked half an hour looking for a restaurant, but returned to the hotel to order pizza.

 

We were given 25% off the next Oceania cruise that we book. (This was not put in letter - There is of course a formula for this.) We will not be using this as I do not want to go on another Oceania cruise and have it turn out to be like this one. Looked forward to and anticipated a good time. It was far from enjoyable.

 

"Experience

YOUR WORLD. YOUR WAY.

The Finest Cuisine at Sea, authentic destination experiences and an intimate, luxurious ambiance are the hallmarks that define Oceania Cruises. Yet perhaps more than anything else, it's the ultimate satisfaction of simply relaxing and enjoying every moment of the journey in your own way. From the moment you step on board one of our stylish ships, you feel welcomed by our casually sophisticated atmosphere and dedicated staff. As you explore both iconic destinations and enchanting boutique ports around the world, striking up conversations among those that find travel as meaningful as you becomes effortless. With a wealth of amenities you might only expect on larger ships, along with luxuries exclusive to our intimate ships, our onboard experience invites you to spend your days exactly as you wish. Whether savoring our gourmet cuisine or exploring ashore, you will cherish every moment of the voyage as perfectly your own." THESE ARE THE WORDS IN YOUR BROCHURE.

 

From reading what happened to us, would you say that Oceania delivered this experience to us. That is why I am requesting that Oceania reimburse my husband and I 100% of the cruise fare so that we can renew our faith in Oceania. If what happened to us happened to you, would you ever again give you hard earned dollars to Oceania for a cruise? I am sure that you would not, and we will not.

 

Thank you.

 

"Signed with address and all particulars" "

You complain about everything. Your post is attention seeking.

Definitely an attention getting letter but does anyone really think that a refund will be issued? IMO, it isn't as much about deserving a refund as it is about setting a precedence. If Oceania started refunding passengers on cruises that had norovirus or gastroenteritis, they would be refunding hundreds or thousands of passengers from the past cruises and all future cruises as well. Then, having set the precedence, NCHL would have to look at Regent and their recent and future cruises (the Mariner had some issues very similar to the Riviera).

Unfortunately, any illness can be brought onboard a ship or airplane and be spread - before the passenger even knows that they are sick. Although norovirus "season" (as described by the CDC) is ending, the likelihood of it happening again on one of Oceania's ships is high. For this reason, I cannot see Oceania (or any other cruise line) doing refunds for norovirus or any other illness that occurs on the ship.

I have read here that Crystal refunds a daily per diem for the days you are confined to your cabin for noro. Each line has their own policy but I think a line that wants to be known as upscale, luxery would invest in customer satisfaction. I also think if you are confined to your cabin for days they would wave the silly room service rules so at least you can eat, especially since the non sick partner is also there.

I have read here that Crystal refunds a daily per diem for the days you are confined to your cabin for noro. Each line has their own policy but I think a line that wants to be known as upscale, luxery would invest in customer satisfaction. I also think if you are confined to your cabin for days they would wave the silly room service rules so at least you can eat, especially since the non sick partner is also there.

Sounds like a good policy for a cruise line that wants to keep their passengers happy and to keep them coming back. O does not seem to care very much and I can not understand why? For a few dollars they can look very good and keep most of us happy. I think that kind of policy would pay off in the future. They should be in this for the long term, not just short term profits. :confused::confused::confused:

Sounds like a good policy for a cruise line that wants to keep their passengers happy and to keep them coming back. O does not seem to care very much and I can not understand why? For a few dollars they can look very good and keep most of us happy. I think that kind of policy would pay off in the future. They should be in this for the long term, not just short term profits. :confused::confused::confused:

Perhaps the following explains the current policy??

http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/...html?nspPage=1

Perhaps the following explains the current policy??

 

http://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/...html?nspPage=1

Your link does not work. Perhaps you can simply give a summary of what you read?

I have read here that Crystal refunds a daily per diem for the days you are confined to your cabin for noro. Each line has their own policy but I think a line that wants to be known as upscale, luxery would invest in customer satisfaction. I also think if you are confined to your cabin for days they would wave the silly room service rules so at least you can eat, especially since the non sick partner is also there.

Celebrity does this. They have free medical visits and do not charge for any meds for gastro issues. They have a special room service menu for people confined to their rooms They refund port fees if the ship does not port and they give a per diem OBC for days confined to your cabin. Most people report issues to the Medical Centre for these reasons.

For those who are dissatisfied, angry etc and don't want to sail Oceania again because of the Noro experience (treatment) just vote with your wallets. Choose another line. I don't think the endless ranting /venting/complaining (even if justified) on these boards will make a bit of difference. If it makes you feel better to vent here, ok. But don't expect to get results here

Like most large companies Oceania will lose some customers but will gain others. In truth they don't care about any one individual and his or her experience. You won't put them out of business Those who suffered on the Noro ridden cruises (and I am sorry you did) just have to face that fact

Does anyone know if the current April 2016 Oceania Riviera cruise has had any Norovirus outbreaks? We are scheduled to cruise on this ship in early May and would like to know how the current cruise is going. We know about the other outbreaks, which is concerning, of course. Hoping the cycle has broken. Thank you!

Sorry, just found that previous link doesn't. Following one does. Might be the reason for the policy.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2339211