Norovirus outbreak on the Ryndam

I received a call from my father today, who is currently onboard the Ryndam with my Mother.

He told me how the cruise has been cut short by Holland America due to a severe outbreak of Norovirus onboard and is returning to Harwich early. He told me that there is a very bleak atmosphere on the ship, will most staff wearing clinical masks throughout the ship and a common feel amongst guests that surfaces can't be touched, or food enjoyed.

Both of my parents have been ill, and my father said that a large number of people on the cruise have been very poorly indeed. My great uncle and aunt are also on the ship, and my uncle has been confined to his stateroom for many days, receiving much care from the ship's medical team.

My father mentioned that they boarded the ship later than planned, in Harwich, as the crew were performing a deep clean due to a similar breakout on the previous cruise. All guests were offered the chance of a full refund, but were assured that adequate measures had been taken to avoid further infection.

Taking Holland America's word, my parents decided to go on the cruise as planned, but he now tells me they wish they hadn't - something which is a common feeling amongst other guests.

Far from wishing to put the fear up anybody who may be joining the ship on Saturday, I wanted to share this information with others who may take this into account before embarking on their cruise.

Sorry to hear this.

Noro is sometimes very hard to get under control.

Hope all your family will soon be well.

Feel bad that their cruise is not turning out as they had hoped and is being cut short.

So sorry to hear about your family's experience and thank you for sharing.

This is very distressing indeed. I had read in a blog that there was norovirus on board when they were in Iceland. We are sailing on Saturday. Does HAL ever offer refunds to those who haven't boarded yet? I am prepared with Clorox wipes to use in our cabin on arrival, as well as extra sanitizer.

I get so distressed when I see people in a restroom leave a stall and walk out without hand washing. If people used common sense and practiced good hygiene, this can be avoided.:mad:

I received a call from my father today, who is currently onboard the Ryndam with my Mother.

 

He told me how the cruise has been cut short by Holland America due to a severe outbreak of Norovirus onboard and is returning to Harwich early. He told me that there is a very bleak atmosphere on the ship, will most staff wearing clinical masks throughout the ship and a common feel amongst guests that surfaces can't be touched, or food enjoyed.

 

Both of my parents have been ill, and my father said that a large number of people on the cruise have been very poorly indeed. My great uncle and aunt are also on the ship, and my uncle has been confined to his stateroom for many days, receiving much care from the ship's medical team.

 

My father mentioned that they boarded the ship later than planned, in Harwich, as the crew were performing a deep clean due to a similar breakout on the previous cruise. All guests were offered the chance of a full refund, but were assured that adequate measures had been taken to avoid further infection.

 

Taking Holland America's word, my parents decided to go on the cruise as planned, but he now tells me they wish they hadn't - something which is a common feeling amongst other guests.

 

Far from wishing to put the fear up anybody who may be joining the ship on Saturday, I wanted to share this information with others who may take this into account before embarking on their cruise.

Boy, I am so sorry to hear that this has happened(on my favorite ship). I hope they get it under control. The crew is so great and they must work hard to get this sorted out. Thank you for the heads up.

I hope your folks heal soon, it surely is a nightmare. It will be interesting to learn how HAL handles this.

S

The current cruise were offered a full refund prior to boarding and I have heard of another cruise in Antartica that were offered a full refund.

In neither case was the offer taken and the OP's parents became ill as did our friends in Antartica.

I get so distressed when I see people in a restroom leave a stall and walk out without hand washing.

Don't get distressed; get vocal.

I have done precisely this when a guy went to leave.

I told him exactly why this was unacceptable.

He came back and sheepishly stood next to me while he washed his hands and didn't say a thing.

I felt like a teacher speaking to a 5 yr old, but it was for the benefit of all.

Don't get distressed; get vocal.

 

I have done precisely this when a guy went to leave.

I told him exactly why this was unacceptable.

 

He came back and sheepishly stood next to me while he washed his hands and didn't say a thing.

 

I felt like a teacher speaking to a 5 yr old, but it was for the benefit of all.

You are absolutely right, and good for you. I will become more vocal!

We are picking up some passengers on Friday. They have informed us that the ship is arriving one day early to have it cleaned throughly.

Just asking on behalf of my parents who aren't web-savvy, would my family be in a position (along with the other guests onboard) be able to claim some sort of refund/compensation?

Just asking on behalf of my parents who aren't web-savvy, would my family be in a position (along with the other guests onboard) be able to claim some sort of refund/compensation?

Generally, no. As you are in the UK, and this is a UK originating cruise, the ticket contract, and the legal issues are probably different from those here in the US. Look at the ticket contract for language regarding illness while onboard. Sometimes they will give a partial credit for days spent in quarantine, just to encourage folks to not break quarantine.

Noro virus, unfortunately, (and there can be no definitive diagnosis of noro without lab testing of stool samples) is one of those things that are beyond the cruise line's control. Yes, they are responsible for mitigating it once it is onboard, and I know HAL is very good at this, but noro is spread by poor personal hygiene, and HAL can't do anything about that.

Just asking on behalf of my parents who aren't web-savvy, would my family be in a position (along with the other guests onboard) be able to claim some sort of refund/compensation?

They can try, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. There's no absolute and it's really up to the cruise line as a show of good faith.

What a terrible situation.

While I wish all the pax recover quickly, I especially want to think of the crew who have to deal with this even if they're sick themselves. They have a few VERY hard days ahead.

Thank you everybody for your views, they have been most helpful.

I also have utmost sympathy for the staff. I cruise a lot and recognise how tough such a job is.

This is the fourth cruise in succession the Ryndam has declared Norovrus on board and moved into Code Red. Elsewhere on the CC boards there is mention of Noro on Voyage of the Midnight Sun 23rd May (14 nights). We, ourselves, were on board Norse Legends 6th June (7 nights) and Viking Sagas 13th June (7nights) - we went to Code Red on the third day, were cleared for one day during the second week before moving back to Code Red because of a fresh outbreak.

There was no helping oneself to any food, drink, cutlery, serviettes etc - even salt, pepper and sugar had to be asked for and came in little sachets. Pools and Jacuzzis all closed - towels for sunbeds had to be asked for. We were back-to-back and there was a thorough clean in Harwich. Having said that, it must be a Labour of Hercules to clean something the size of Ryndam of Norovirus.

All staff were very conscientious - one has every sympathy for them and their considerable extra work - and it was difficult to understand what more could be done. My one complaint is that sanitising of hands was not compulsory on entering the Dining Areas. There were always machines there, sometimes a waiter offering a squirt from a bottle - but it could be declined. We were on Azamara and P&O in the Autumn, there was always someone standing next to the machines and I had a strong feeling you would not get past him if you refused.

On this occasion, it is likely that HAL will be doing much more in the extra time available on the return to Harwich.

Just asking on behalf of my parents who aren't web-savvy, would my family be in a position (along with the other guests onboard) be able to claim some sort of refund/compensation?

Have them write a letter to HAL's corporate office in Seattle. Explain in detail what went wrong and how they were inconvenienced. If you know it, mention how many of the passengers came down with the virus and how it was already onboard the previous cruise. HAL will likely offer you something. This happened on our recent Maasdam cruise and it seems that the people who complained were rewarded.

Might a key issue here may be that the passengers were informed of the Noro virus situation on the prior cruise and offered a full refund if they elected to cancel their cruise. (Or so it was reported by posters on the ship or their relatives.)

Regardless - so sorry for the passengers and give it a try.

This is the fourth cruise in succession the Ryndam has declared Norovrus on board and moved into Code Red. Elsewhere on the CC boards there is mention of Noro on Voyage of the Midnight Sun 23rd May (14 nights). We, ourselves, were on board Norse Legends 6th June (7 nights) and Viking Sagas 13th June (7nights) - we went to Code Red on the third day, were cleared for one day during the second week before moving back to Code Red because of a fresh outbreak.

 

There was no helping oneself to any food, drink, cutlery, serviettes etc - even salt, pepper and sugar had to be asked for and came in little sachets. Pools and Jacuzzis all closed - towels for sunbeds had to be asked for. We were back-to-back and there was a thorough clean in Harwich. Having said that, it must be a Labour of Hercules to clean something the size of Ryndam of Norovirus.

 

All staff were very conscientious - one has every sympathy for them and their considerable extra work - and it was difficult to understand what more could be done. My one complaint is that sanitising of hands was not compulsory on entering the Dining Areas. There were always machines there, sometimes a waiter offering a squirt from a bottle - but it could be declined. We were on Azamara and P&O in the Autumn, there was always someone standing next to the machines and I had a strong feeling you would not get past him if you refused.

 

On this occasion, it is likely that HAL will be doing much more in the extra time available on the return to Harwich.

It's not so much that they will be doing more given the extra time, as it will be doing the same thing repetitively, without recontamination from new passengers. When a ship is in remediation mode during a cruise, lots is going on that the guests don't see. For instance, starting around 2-3am, they will fog the passageways and all public spaces with Virkon or similar solutions which will coat all hard and soft surfaces and kill any virus on those surfaces. Repeated applications without anyone touching the surfaces gives more "contact time" and better results.

Many cruise lines will have the sanitizer stations and crew at the dining venues, but will not make it mandatory to use it, as many cruisers know that it is virtually ineffective against noro. The only real way that hand sanitizers will help with noro is if you wipe your hands on a paper towel after "scrubbing" with the sanitizer, to remove the virus that has been loosened by the emollients in the sanitizer, much as soap does.

Don't get distressed; get vocal.

 

I have done precisely this when a guy went to leave.

I told him exactly why this was unacceptable.

 

He came back and sheepishly stood next to me while he washed his hands and didn't say a thing.

 

I felt like a teacher speaking to a 5 yr old, but it was for the benefit of all.

Good for you!

If more of us spoke up when we see someone fail to wash, or fail to wash thoroughly, it would cut down on the spread of virus.

And use the paper towel to open the door! Don't touch the handle, or the door itself, with your freshly washed hands.

How often do you see someone wash their hands, then touch the door? Lots. :rolleyes:

Good for you!

If more of us spoke up when we see someone fail to wash, or fail to wash thoroughly, it would cut down on the spread of virus.

 

And use the paper towel to open the door! Don't touch the handle, or the door itself, with your freshly washed hands.

How often do you see someone wash their hands, then touch the door? Lots. :rolleyes:

I was very happy to see that HAL installed signs inside the door of the ladies' washrooms, and provided kleenex to use to open the door, and a bin to discard.

Good for you!

If more of us spoke up when we see someone fail to wash, or fail to wash thoroughly, it would cut down on the spread of virus.

 

And use the paper towel to open the door! Don't touch the handle, or the door itself, with your freshly washed hands.

How often do you see someone wash their hands, then touch the door? Lots. :rolleyes:

Yes, use that paper towel (or Kleenex)!

And how many times do you see people with their hands resting/running along the buffet line as they walk through? Lots. :( There is no reason to do this, and a good way to pick up more germs.

OP, I'm very sorry to hear about the problems your family is having. I hope they get well soon and stay well. :)

I wonder if a "Code Orange" for the first 2 days, as they have done in the past but have done away with, might have prevented (or helped a bit) with the Noro.

We, too, have noticed that people avoid the person with the hand sanitizer, or the hand washer in the Lido, but we ALL should be more vocal about people bypassing these. My husband, a doctor, told the "squirter' that he wasn't giving enough squirts of the hand sanitizer...it was a tiny plop. I doubt that that amount was doing much other than to say he was doing his job. Make sure you get a "good squirt!"

Sorry about the Ryndam's issues, though...sounds like quite a large number were sick. Never a good thing for your cruise.

I also am sorry for those who have been sick and especially for the crew members who continue working when they too are ill. I have been sick onboard and self-quarantined and then contacted the medical staff. This is the only way to get illness under control. People must be willing to stay away from activities, tours and dining rooms when they are sick. I have seen and talked to others who have said they will not be quarantined when they spent "all this money to go on a cruise". But isn't the wellbeing of your fellow passengers more important! By the way each time I was quarantined, HAL gave a credit for the per diem cost of the room that could be used on a future cruise. That was an unexpected benefit! They also refunded shore excursion costs for both my DH and myself. So please if you are sick stay in your stateroom and allow the medical staff to care for you!

[quote name=janmcn;46999965

We' date=' too, have noticed that people avoid the person with the hand sanitizer, or the hand washer in the Lido, but we ALL should be more vocal about people bypassing these. .[/quote]

From everything I have read, these hand sanitizers will not prevent the spread. Only good old hand washing. And I am one of those people who does not always accept the sanitizers. If I have thoroughly washed my hands in my cabin just before going into the MDR, I see no need to use a useless sanitizer. So please don't accuse everyone who does not use a sanitizer as being responsible for spreading noro.

OMG, we fly from Canada tomorrow to board the Ryndam for our "once in a life time" 14 day cruise. Now what?

From everything I have read, these hand sanitizers will not prevent the spread. Only good old hand washing. And I am one of those people who does not always accept the sanitizers. If I have thoroughly washed my hands in my cabin just before going into the MDR, I see no need to use a useless sanitizer. So please don't accuse everyone who does not use a sanitizer as being responsible for spreading noro.

Yup. The alcohol-based hand sanitizers (Purell, etc) are not effective against Norovirus.