Should Oceania offer Norovirus insurance?

Given this issue and the related compensation/credit resulting issues, maybe Oceania should offer an optional Norovirus insurance. If the Oceania passenger buys the insurance and 1) is officially quarantined and 2) the CDC issues a Norovirus condition report for that cruise then the passenger receives compensation in the manner and amount stated in the policy conditions. If you do not get sick (quarantined) or the CDC does not declare a Norovirus situation on that cruise, then Oceania keeps the money.

To the best of my knowledge, no standard travel insurance pays for Norovirus

quarantine losses other that related medical costs incurred.

Given this issue and the related compensation/credit resulting issues, maybe Oceania should offer an optional Norovirus insurance. If the Oceania passenger buys the insurance and 1) is officially quarantined and 2) the CDC issues a Norovirus condition report for that cruise then the passenger receives compensation in the manner and amount stated in the policy conditions. If you do not get sick (quarantined) or the CDC does not declare a Norovirus situation on that cruise, then Oceania keeps the money.

 

To the best of my knowledge, no standard travel insurance pays for Norovirus

quarantine losses other that related medical costs incurred.

Interesting idea, but I don't think it will fly. Do not think that O will admit or pay for anything about Noro.

Given this issue and the related compensation/credit resulting issues, maybe Oceania should offer an optional Norovirus insurance. If the Oceania passenger buys the insurance and 1) is officially quarantined and 2) the CDC issues a Norovirus condition report for that cruise then the passenger receives compensation in the manner and amount stated in the policy conditions. If you do not get sick (quarantined) or the CDC does not declare a Norovirus situation on that cruise, then Oceania keeps the money.

 

To the best of my knowledge, no standard travel insurance pays for Norovirus

quarantine losses other that related medical costs incurred.

The best and most inexpensive Noro insurance is to take a probiotic for a few weeks before & during the cruise, wash hands almost compulsively, avoid touching face with unclean hands, use hand sanitizer after touching menu, don't let menu touch your charger plate,knife and fork, avoid touching hand rails, door handles, and to fist bump or elbow touch in lieu of shaking hands. Remember shoe laces, shoes, packs put on floor of cars and buses, unless sanitized before boarding in ports may carry things on board too.

The best and most inexpensive Noro insurance is to take a probiotic for a few weeks before & during the cruise, wash hands almost compulsively, avoid touching face with unclean hands, use hand sanitizer after touching menu, don't let menu touch your charger plate,knife and fork, avoid touching hand rails, door handles, and to fist bump or elbow touch in lieu of shaking hands. Remember shoe laces, shoes, packs put on floor of cars and buses, unless sanitized before boarding in ports may carry things on board too.

I think you are loosing sight of the big picture. Even if you do all of the above and do not get sick if there is a Noro outbreak on the ship it will affect you and everyone else. Including those who are O.K. Missing ports, closing different areas of the ship, all the washing of walls, etc. Not fun for anyone. Insurance could help compensate a little for those things.

I think you are loosing sight of the big picture. Even if you do all of the above and do not get sick if there is a Noro outbreak on the ship it will affect you and everyone else. Including those who are O.K. Missing ports, closing different areas of the ship, all the washing of walls, etc. Not fun for anyone. Insurance could help compensate a little for those things.

How is this any different from a cruise where rough weather and or persistent rain curtails the passengers enjoyment and/or use of certain facilities on the ship?

The only true difference that I can think of is that in the case of Noro, the cruise Line will have already expended tens of thousands of dollars and countless man hours toward prevention.

Sometimes life just happens. We would all like it if somebody higher up the food chain would bite the financial bullet, but it does not always work out that way-

The best insurance is not to cruise. It's a known risk of cruising. Just like missing a port or getting seasick . It could happen.

How is this any different from a cruise where rough weather and or persistent rain curtails the passengers enjoyment and/or use of certain facilities on the ship?

 

The only true difference that I can think of is that in the case of Noro, the cruise Line will have already expended tens of thousands of dollars and countless man hours toward prevention.

 

Sometimes life just happens. We would all like it if somebody higher up the food chain would bite the financial bullet, but it does not always work out that way-

 

You cannot be comparing lying on the bathroom floor vomiting etc with rain are you?

isnt anyone tired of talking about this subject yet???

Jancruz1

isnt anyone tired of talking about this subject yet???

Jancruz1

Seriously, ME. I understand it is a risk you take on any cruise. I do my best and because I am fit and younger, have only taken elevator 2 times in 20 cruises. I use hand sanitizer, use my own cabin restroom, etc. etc. After just getting off of a Disney cruise with my family and my Grandson for his 5th birthday, I am unscathed even after that. But, stuff happens, especially if you choose to sail in the Caribbean during sick season. i avoid it.

I am not personally worried about O and will spend a month with them on Insignia in S. America in Oct.

Seriously...Sh** happens. Sorry anyone had to deal with it.

I think you are loosing sight of the big picture. Even if you do all of the above and do not get sick if there is a Noro outbreak on the ship it will affect you and everyone else. Including those who are O.K. Missing ports, closing different areas of the ship, all the washing of walls, etc. Not fun for anyone. Insurance could help compensate a little for those things.

People are swine. They have no idea about living in close proximity with others. That is why we never cruise out of ports where people don't have any idea of how it impacts others. We have cruised out of many 3rd world ports and not had any issues. It is not the ship but the passengers. We bring the critters on board. We make the crew sick, we make each other sick. Think about it. Who on board are transient? It is the passengers. The bug, the virus, the bacteria, are brought on board by us the passengers. The ship is clean to start. It is made dirty by the passengers.

There is no reasonable way to insure that someone some where will not bring something on board that will impact a person that is not careful about their own cleanliness. It is up to us the passengers to protect ourselves. Think about it. When was the last time you saw someone leave the rest room and by pass the sink and wash their hands? Did you touch that same door handle barehanded?

isnt anyone tired of talking about this subject yet???

 

Jancruz1

Many of us

After sailing on two Riviera Noro cruises, this is serious and affected a lot staff and passengers, as I have written about in the past.

Yesterday I went back and looked at the CDC report write-ups for the Nov. TA cruise on Riviera. Food servers were written up for reporting to work when they were sick. Wow, that certainly spread a lot more germs than what the "irresponsible" passengers created by not using the ineffective hand gels and wet chemicals! I am tired of the silence by Oceania executives who do not want to admit liability and I am tired of the people on cruise critic who say put it behind us. They did not suffer from lost ports and full service/onboard amenities that they paid for.

I would like to know what the staff culture is on board Oceania. What factors would encourage food staff to report to work when they were sick? What pressures did they face? What policies is Oceania now going to change?

Yes - totally done with talking about this subject. In answer to the question as to whether or not Oceania should have norovirus insurance, my answer is a resounding NO.

I agree with the poster that suggested not cruising if you are concerned about norovirus, gastroenteritis, or even missing ports due to weather. This is the risk you take when you board an airplane or ship or even when you go to the grocery store during the winter when you could get the flu, a cold, norovirus or gastroenteritis. Trying to blame any cruise line is preposterous.

We have many cruises under our belt - sometimes we get sick onboard (or on buses when people are coughing in seats behind us), while other times we are fine. IMO, the cases of norovirus/gastroenteritis onboard a ship is not going away so it may be in the best interest of some cruisers to take other types of vacations (specifically ones that do not include flying on airplanes which is the place you are most likely to become sick!)

Go to the CDC and look up the Vessel Sanitation Program or VSP. You will find the Cruise Ship Inspection Score Result and column called Report which you can click on. You can't just blame the passengers. And you can't just declare a problem not a problem. This is a classic PR mistake that will only make more people angry. I hope that no one from Oceania is working on our cruise critic message board!

First of all really thought the OP was providing a late April Fools Day joke suggesting a Noro Insurance Policy be offered?

But then, the accurate responses regarding the lack of any response or compensation for the issues, not the disease itself, the cruise line is responsible for were provided but, then the cheerleaders ignored all the reports of activities that are controlled by the cruise line and have kept 100% blaming the passengers for the illness and repeatedly ignoring reports that there are other possible sources for the disease than only the passengers.

The only issue that is 100% accurate is that the source of the disease is NOT totally known so how otherwise intelligent people can keep blaming a single source 100% is unbelievable.

And with Noro currently being reported on another ship from this cruise line, the source(s) of this disease remain unknown or at least unreported. Until the real source(s) of this disease is found, this thread remains a valid concern and discussion needs to continue.

If this thread remains active until they find the source of the norovirus outbreaks on the Riviera and Nautica, this may end up being the longest thread in the history of Cruise Critic.:eek:

Making my final payment tomorrow for Venice to Barcelona July 28 cruise. This will be our 3rd cruise with Oceania, first time on Riviera. I have been told Noro is not as prevalent in the summer months, but I would go next week.

If this thread remains active until they find the source of the norovirus outbreaks on the Riviera and Nautica, this may end up being the longest thread in the history of Cruise Critic.:eek:

I think it already seems like it is

Just looked at the, mostly, March, reviews of Oceania Riviera on Cruise Critic. I am in somewhat of a state of shock because the reviews are not by the typical cruise critic posters. The strong feelings about their Norovirus experience are very serious, in my mind. I am a loyal Oceania cruiser and I do want to improve the line. There is no way to wake up management anymore or the people who who are the frequent Oceania board members who want to dismiss the problem.

I am going on 4 more Oceania cruises. That will be it if I have to experience for the 4th time Norovirus. It can happen anywhere, but why now after a decade and half of our sailing on Oceania with an extroadinary A plus non norovirus record by Oceania?

Keep thinking people. Offer possible solutions to Oceania. Examples: Contaminated menu boards, Casino articles, watches, bracelets touching tables, staff going to work sick and are they being guaranteed as well as their roommates needing to quaranteed. Oceania are you going to reserve extra rooms for extra staff to provide onboard relief for this crisis? Come on Cruise Critic people, we can help solve this problem. Don't let this board die. If you really care about your enthusiasm for Oceania and enjoy your loyalty status, speak about some possibly solutions!

First of all really thought the OP was providing a late April Fools Day joke suggesting a Noro Insurance Policy be offered?

 

But then, the accurate responses regarding the lack of any response or compensation for the issues, not the disease itself, the cruise line is responsible for were provided but, then the cheerleaders ignored all the reports of activities that are controlled by the cruise line and have kept 100% blaming the passengers for the illness and repeatedly ignoring reports that there are other possible sources for the disease than only the passengers.

 

The only issue that is 100% accurate is that the source of the disease is NOT totally known so how otherwise intelligent people can keep blaming a single source 100% is unbelievable.

 

And with Noro currently being reported on another ship from this cruise line, the source(s) of this disease remain unknown or at least unreported. Until the real source(s) of this disease is found, this thread remains a valid concern and discussion needs to continue.

Agree 100%

isnt anyone tired of talking about this subject yet???

Jancruz1

Yes I think we are all tired of talking about it but until Oceania steps up and does the right thing it will probably continue for a long time. When Oceania says for the most part that they will do nothing for the passengers and if they don't like it they can go jump in the lake people will continue to complain.

I was going to suggest the same thing - namely an industry wide norovirus or similar outbreak insurance. If you think there are thousands of cruise sailings each year and a dozen or so outbreaks, it would seem a winning insurance proposition? Guests, staff and management could be compensated for the hardship and extra work involved to clean up and manage these infections. Could be financed by a small fee every guest pays each sailing.

I was going to suggest the same thing - namely an industry wide norovirus or similar outbreak insurance. If you think there are thousands of cruise sailings each year and a dozen or so outbreaks, it would seem a winning insurance proposition? Guests, staff and management could be compensated for the hardship and extra work involved to clean up and manage these infections. Could be financed by a small fee every guest pays each sailing.

Works for me. Could also take away the "blame game" We would be able to stop talking about who is at fault since people who have suffered would be compensated by a third party and the insurance company's could even make some money.