Coming homewith cough and cold

Lately all my cruises I come back quite sick with hacking cough and sniffles ....Why

Are AC ducts the culprits ofcruise coughs ?

Dowe over do it

Anybody haveideas ???Hownot to catch how to getover

It is very possible that you "caught" something on the plane, the worst place to spread germs! Whenever I fly, I wipe down the tray and armrests and the dials with antibacterial cloths. I have no idea if it works, but it's better than nothing.

As far as getting it on the ship, of course, it's possible. Not everyone is diligent about hand washing, which is probably the most likely way to pass along all those lovely germs. We wash our hands before and after eating and just hope our fellow shipmates do the same.

Same with us. It seems like the longer the cruise the more likely we are to come home with Cruise Crud, no matter whether we flew or drove to the port! My suggestions are: wash your hands often, and keep them away from your nose and mouth as much as possible. If you sit near someone who is coughing in the theater, move away if possible. If you use the ship's computers, use sanitizing wipes on the keyboard first. Don't do jigsaw puzzles in the Crow's Nest, or use ship books.

I agree that airplanes are the worst places to pick up germs and subsequent colds. I have gotten a cold once on a 7-day cruise and strep throat on a 30-day cruise. Even with constant hand washing and avoiding touching things, it can happen, unfortunately.

I agree with the comments about planes. They pack people in so close together, that you're breathing everyone else's exhaled germs!

Another problem with planes is that the air is very dry. I used to get a cold after nearly every long flight. Then I started carrying a cloth hankie that I can soak with water from a bottle. From time to time, I wet the hankie and breathe through that to humidify my nasal passages. You can get nose sprays to do the same thing, but I've had success with the hankie trick.

Washing stuff down won't stop the "Cruise Crud" since it's spread mostly by droplet infection...i.e. anyone who coughs in the elevator, around you in the theater, etc. is disseminating all those virus particles. Doesn't really help you to wipe things down when infectious people continue to use the elevators, library, theater, etc...no way they can stop it from spreading to you. Too bad, but we now avoid elevators (when possible) and never go to the movie theater on a cruise ship (ever notice it's loaded with the coughers who can't do anything else?), and if near someone like that, tend to quickly move away and HOPE! Watch one of those "sneeze" videos on youtube or somewhere to see how extremely far we send virus particles out when we sneeze...even if we cover our noses/mouths. Unavoidable. ;-(

Also agree about the airplanes...and waiting areas...we're all doomed! ("Ocean" saline spray is my "go to" for dry planes, etc.)

We joke that we might become like the Japanese and wear masks all the time...not a bad idea if you're compulsive.

I just accept the risk, pack my own cough tablets, Ocean, etc...and hope for the best. BUT...we Do Unto Others and if we are actively sick we order room service and do NOT go out into public areas for a few days.

I can't blame the planes. I'm still recovering from cold/cough after my recent cruise from my home port - no flights involved. But it does seem to happen after many cruises.

My suggestions are: wash your hands often, and keep them away from your nose and mouth as much as possible.

Also don't touch your eyes. This is actually a very common way to transmit cold viruses since most people unconsciously rub their eyes many times in a day.

http://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/

URI's are quite prevalent on cruise ships, kind of like a kennel cough for humans. For some people it can be quite serious if they have an underlying comorbity. Generally the respiratory infection is viral and spreads easily to others confined in the same space.

Many of us are also exposed to infectious agents on airplanes and pre cruise hotels but the symptoms manifest a day or two later on the ship.

Per my experience poorly functioning HVAC systems on old, poorly maintained cruise ships are a factor.

The original Legionaires outbreak was blamed on a poorly functioning hotel HVAC.

Frequent hand washings with hot soap and water are a must. Don't rely on a little bit of hand sanitizer squirted in the palm of your hand. Avoid elevators and tightly crowded places as much as possible, especially if the elevator is full. One sneeze or cough sprays millions of viral particles. Try to avoid rubbing your eyes or touching your face. Wipe down remote controls, keyboards, exercise equipment with a Clorox wipe. Don't smoke and avoid contact with cigarette smoke as much as possible.

You're crammed in a relatively small area with 1000's of people. One person gets sick, then it spreads and lots of people gets sick. Happens in offices, schools and dorms. And it happens on cruise ships.

I came down with Bronchitis at the end of my last 21 day cruise. I am very careful about hand washing and not touching eyes, nose, mouth, etc. However, this time, I'm sure how I got it. I was standing in line in the theater waiting for an excursion and the person in front of me, who had been coughing and blowing their nose, turned around and sneezed right in my face with no attempt to cover his mouth. By evening I was coughing and feeling horrible. Had 7 days planned after the cruise and was miserable the whole time. Thank goodness for urgent care.

Besides washing my hands frequently, avoiding elevators and avoiding touching surfaces, I started bringing Cold-Eeze (zinc) with me on cruises and have had great success.

If I start to get a scratchy throat (seems to be the first sign of a cold for me) I immediately start taking it. Not once, but several times/day.

Now if I could convince DH :rolleyes: He came home with a respiratory infection after our last cruise and I did not.

Has it been you experience that you only come down with a mild viral respiratory infection on vacations involving cruising? If so, the shipboard environment could be a major contributing factor for you. I am in no way questioning the validity that cruise vacations can lead to an increased incidence of viral infections; it is just that long business trips or even visiting relatives can do the same.

BTW it has long been known that travel in any form is a sufficiently stressful event to increase the incidence of viral infections.

Dennis

Has it been you experience that you only come down with a mild viral respiratory infection on vacations involving cruising? If so, the shipboard environment could be a major contributing factor for you. I am in no way questioning the validity that cruise vacations can lead to an increased incidence of viral infections; it is just that long business trips or even visiting relatives can do the same.

 

BTW it has long been known that travel in any form is a sufficiently stressful event to increase the incidence of viral infections.

 

Dennis

The last couple of years I have come down with bronchitis on our cruises.

It is not from the planes.

First we fly down 3 days early. Then about day 10 or 11 of the cruise I get sick. One time I got sick on day 20 of our cruise.

Several times I have awakened to smelling something sweet coming through the vents. Within a couple of days I am sick.

We joke that we might become like the Japanese and wear masks all the time...not a bad idea if you're compulsive.

You may not be aware of this, but most Japanese wear masks to prevent their own spreading of illness, not to prevent getting others. We just returned from a trip to Japan and our hosts told us this interesting fact.

We came home with "Cruise Crud" after our first trans-Atlantic; so many people were coughing, sneezing, etc., that even with as many precautions as were possible, both of us ended up with a case of it as well. Lord knows I tried to keep my vitamin C levels up with copious amounts of strawberry margaritas, but it didn't seem to help much. :eek:

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

. Lord knows I tried to keep my vitamin C levels up with copious amounts of strawberry margaritas, but it didn't seem to help much. :eek:

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

For me it's the dry AC air drying out my sinuses. I used to travel a bit for work and because the hotel room and conference rooms were always air conditioned, my sinuses were dried out. Same thing on a cruise most of the time.

I would always start to get sick before my trip ended and would be full-blown sick once I was home (thankfully... it's not easy being sick away from home). Only a few times I have been sick during travel and it's not fun/pretty.

My GF gets sick on a cruise when the bed is right under the AC and the air is blowing on her all night.

My GF gets sick on a cruise when the bed is right under the AC and the air is blowing on her all night.

Went on a European river cruise last November and came back with a congested head - it lasted 3 weeks. Started the morning after I got home. I blamed it on the long flights in a pressurized cabin and/or the cool, damp weather in Europe.

Roz

URI's are quite prevalent on cruise ships, kind of like a kennel cough for humans. For some people it can be quite serious if they have an underlying comorbity. Generally the respiratory infection is viral and spreads easily to others confined in the same space.

Many of us are also exposed to infectious agents on airplanes and pre cruise hotels but the symptoms manifest a day or two later on the ship.

Per my experience poorly functioning HVAC systems on old, poorly maintained cruise ships are a factor.

The original Legionaires outbreak was blamed on a poorly functioning hotel HVAC.

 

Frequent hand washings with hot soap and water are a must. Don't rely on a little bit of hand sanitizer squirted in the palm of your hand. Avoid elevators and tightly crowded places as much as possible, especially if the elevator is full. One sneeze or cough sprays millions of viral particles. Try to avoid rubbing your eyes or touching your face. Wipe down remote controls, keyboards, exercise equipment with a Clorox wipe. Don't smoke and avoid contact with cigarette smoke as much as possible.

And for just the reason stated about the origins of Legionella, the USPH mandates that disinfecting pads be used in the air handlers of all ships a/c systems. I don't know of any local health codes that make this mandatory on land. Did you know that shower heads are another leading source of Legionella? For this reason, cruise ship shower heads are all taken off and sanitized in strong chlorine solutions every 3 months.

I believe the main cause is the change in humidity between your home and the interior of the ship. Ship a/c systems are designed to remove far more humidity than land systems (for the most part), by actually cooling the air below a comfortable supply temperature to minimize humidity and then re-heating the air to the proper supply temperature.

You're crammed in a relatively small area with 1000's of people. One person gets sick, then it spreads and lots of people gets sick. Happens in offices, schools and dorms. And it happens on cruise ships.

This.

When you travel, you're exposed to large numbers of people from different areas where different "bugs" are in circulation. If you haven't been exposed, you're likely to get sick.

It's the same deal as when your kid starts going to school or day care and gets sick a lot initially.

Personally I just chalk it up to the price one pays to travel, and am thankful that at least travelers no longer have to worry about coming down with much more serious diseases, as was the case until about 60 years ago...

Many thanks to the OP for this chance to share on a topic that most of have had to deal with. I have had my share of being sick during and after cruises and I got tired of it!

I try now to be very good about keeping my immune system strong with proper eating habits, with reasonable vitamins and supplements, getting more sunshine, drinking lots of water, thinking good thoughts instead of envisioning sickness around every corner of my day, and taking a moment here and there to remind myself that I am strong and my body is well equipped and designed to combat exposure to negative effects.

I try to avoid being near apparently sick people and when I encounter them I use my more direct defenses, see next...

I use Flight-Spray often (it is a plant-based hydrating nose spray available in many big box drug stores, health food stores or from Amazon)... I use it before I board a flight, during a flight, after a flight, while in standing in lines etc. I use it daily on the ship. I also now take Q-tips and do a salt-water swab of my nose each evening before bedtime, and a quick salt water gargle.

I take a zinc supplement daily while travelling and have Cold-Eze lozenges with me which I would take 3 or 4 times a day if I feel a sore throat coming on.

I use essential oils, especially oregano and lemon oils which are anti-viral, anti-bacterial; I put a drop of each on a hanky and inhale the vapor, especially while waiting on lines. My TSA carry-on "liquids/gels" bag contains the Flight-Spray, and two small bottles of the essential oils (available in health food stores; note that the oregano oil is very "hot" like pepper oil, so I do not touch it my skin or nasal membranes) and I have a handkerchief with me always to cover my nose and mouth. I like the idea of moistening it and breathing through that to hydrate the nasal membranes.

Face masks such as an N-95 mask commonly available are good for containing the micro droplets that the wearer exhales, but not very good at keeping "bugs" out... they sneak in around the margins... but it can be better than nothing plus they tend to keep us from rubbing our noses and even our eyes. I don't use them but would consider them if there were a dangerous outbreak announced for my travel period. In my EMT service we use them for flu season but we put one on the patient and one on ourselves while treating/transporting the patient - not practical on a cruise.

I have stayed well while keeping up with my efforts. But I think starting a trip healthy and strong is a key, so do whatever it is you do to stay well on land and carry your wellness to sea.

I wish you all well, if you stay well and I stay well we all have a better chance to! m--

Like Lady Arwen, we also wipe down our seating area on a plane with Clorox wipes. Take a zip lock bag to put the used ones in.

We have completed 38 cruises. Up until about 3 years ago, I averaged URI’s from cruising 80% of the time! I have been prone to URI’s since birth due to smoking parents. I had two tonsillectomies by the time I was 7 years old. Three years ago, I learned about nasal irrigation from the Dr. Oz show. I gave it a try and it has been a true miracle for me. I do it daily except on board a cruise ship and then I do it twice daily, morning and evening. I order distilled water for our cabin prior to embarkation. In the last three years we have done 6 cruises and I have not even had a hint of a URI.

Wish I had known about this sooner, it is truly a gift in my life. My husband can't stop talking about the difference in me.

And for just the reason stated about the origins of Legionella, the USPH mandates that disinfecting pads be used in the air handlers of all ships a/c systems. I don't know of any local health codes that make this mandatory on land. Did you know that shower heads are another leading source of Legionella? For this reason, cruise ship shower heads are all taken off and sanitized in strong chlorine solutions every 3 months.

 

I believe the main cause is the change in humidity between your home and the interior of the ship. Ship a/c systems are designed to remove far more humidity than land systems (for the most part), by actually cooling the air below a comfortable supply temperature to minimize humidity and then re-heating the air to the proper supply temperature.

So if I understand, the cruise ship HVAC works harder (and that on a moving vessel, in a harsh (marine) environment.