Just off Millie in Vancouver - Noro update?

Is there anyone who has just come off the Seward to Vancouver run on Millennium that can give us an update on what the ship's status is regarding the Noro procedures that have been in place for most of this summer?

Are they still in effect, or has onboard life returned to "normal"?

And while we're at it ... how was the weather now that the "heat wave" has dissipated?

(Hope you had a good cruise regardless. :))

I'm sure there are a number of us sailing in the next few weeks that would appreciate an update if you have a minute.

Thanks

Lyle

Millennium ... regarding the Noro procedures that have been in place for most of this summer?

They're still fighting that one? Wow... I was actually on the cruise this summer when all that came aboard Millie (the June 5 Southbound sailing...). She was (as I recall) two weeks out of drydock at the time....

Just off the South bound 7/31 millie seward to vancouver cruise.

No self service at all.

But they have so many crew working at the food stations and the lines are moving quite fast.

Rickleu ...

Thanks for taking the time to give us an update. Hope your cruise went well for you regardless.

So... other than the lack of self service, were things pretty much "normal" on board or were there signs of other preventative activities such as 'bleach brigade teams" still evident?

We still have another 2 weeks until we are on board, so perhaps they will have everything sorted by the time we get there anyway, but ... just curious.

Lyle

Hi,

The cruise went so smooth and the "cleaning crew" usually do their job at late night to early morning (except port days) .

So you may see and smell them at breakfast hours.

I believe they may not go back to self service in two week but this full service thing actually gave me peace of mind while on board.

You will enjoy the ship and Alaska.

Have a wonderful trip.

We also just got off the southbound Millennium, left Seward on 7/31 and arrived Vancouver on 8/7/09. The buffet is full service with plenty of servers at each station. Lines were not long for the food. Sometimes the drinks/coffee stations were backed up, but not bad. The library is still closed. The bleach crew is very busy but the smell is not that bad and they are always smiling and wishing everyone a good day. However, people on the cruise were still coming down with Noro. Our assistant waiter was missing the last night and when we inquired, we were told he was sick. We also talked with others who were sick or who had been sick during the cruise. Fortunately, we were not. Make sure you constantly wash your hands and look at these boards for products to use to on your hands prior to eating any food. The sanitizer that is everywhere on the ship is not effective against Noro and gives a false sense of security but servers are posted outside each eating venue to anoint hands before one can enter the area. Buy "wet ones antibacterial" hand wipes - got them at wal mart (in individual packages and in pop up dispensers - found in the baby wipes area). With all that said, we were delighted with the attempts to prevent the noro which have been taken by celebrity. It was a great cruise and a first class operation.

So, buy the wet ones wipes, wash you hands constantly and enjoy alaska. It was quite warm and very samoky with the forest fires. Hopefully these will abate soon.

Lakeswan, Rickleu....

Thanks again to both of you for the updates (and the tips on the wet ones.)

Its been raining quite heavily here in Vancouver today, so if that storm moves on up the coast, it should dampen out some of the fire activity.

Only a week and a half to go for us now! Looking forward to it. Hopefully the weather will improve by the time we sail. If not ... I have packed an umbrella. :)

Lyle

Just a left-field thought - Unless the Mille somehow attracts Noro-prone people, I feel that the virus must obviously be carried on by the crew, which puts an interesting spin by having even more of them interact with you in the buffet areas. I'm wondering if there is a point where having more of the crew around the food areas might be counter-productive?

I've read a few pages from the CDC Norovirus website at

http://www.cdc.gov/Ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus.htm

and the only thing I noted was that it might be riskier to have those foods that might require extra handling but no cooking afterwards - salids come to mind.

Lots of info at that website which may or may not make people less worried.

We also just returned from the 7/31 southbound Alaska. Had a wonderful time in spite of the noro precautioins. Staff was great & we also washed hands often & used sanitizer when provided. One interesting note, however--in spite of all the announcements regarding staff would not be shaking hands so as to prevent spread of virus, when our room steward came to introduce himself, he immediately put out his hand to shake....

What about the menus in the MDR? Is anything done with them after people have handled them?

Westfield (aka Gary) ...

I'm wondering if there is a point where having more of the crew around the food areas might be counter-productive?

 

An interesting point. As with many cases of consumer perception, it is not always what you actually do, but what you appear to do that carries more weight with the public. (Take the government's course of action on the current economic situation, for instance ... OK, lets not go there!)

After reading the information at the link you posted, it brings to mind the value of the statement "Ignorance is Bliss".

What about the menus in the MDR? Is anything done with them after people have handled them?

Another interesting observation. I doubt that they sterilize them after every usage.

I have always been a little paranoid about that particular issue myself, so I usually go and wash my hands prior to actually starting to eat. However, if I were really being proactive about it, I could circumvent the issue if perhaps ...

1) I would bring some rubber gloves just to read the menu with.

2) I would consider that if there really were something viral on the menus, it could have been transfered to the tablecloth while being read and therefore bring my own sterile tablecloth cover and personal place setting.

3) I would ask the waiter to hold the menu at a safe distance from the table (but then I probably wouldn't be able to read it :o).

4) I could feign forgetting my glasses, and have someone else read it to me.

5) I could order the same thing every night, so that a menu would be unnecessary.

6) I could tell the waiter that as an Elite CC member, I have memorized the menu. (except they've just changed it ... darn, that won't work!)

I guess there's only so much you can do. We're never going to be totally safe. Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, my immune system has had a number of top-ups over the years. :) A few prudent precautions can't hurt though.

Westfield (aka Gary) ...

 

 

 

An interesting point. As with many cases of consumer perception, it is not always what you actually do, but what you appear to do that carries more weight with the public. (Take the government's course of action on the current economic situation, for instance ... OK, lets not go there!)

 

After reading the information at the link you posted, it brings to mind the value of the statement "Ignorance is Bliss".

 

 

 

Another interesting observation. I doubt that they sterilize them after every usage.

 

I have always been a little paranoid about that particular issue myself, so I usually go and wash my hands prior to actually starting to eat. However, if I were really being proactive about it, I could circumvent the issue if perhaps ...

 

1) I would bring some rubber gloves just to read the menu with.

 

2) I would consider that if there really were something viral on the menus, it could have been transfered to the tablecloth while being read and therefore bring my own sterile tablecloth cover and personal place setting.

 

3) I would ask the waiter to hold the menu at a safe distance from the table (but then I probably wouldn't be able to read it :o).

 

4) I could feign forgetting my glasses, and have someone else read it to me.

 

5) I could order the same thing every night, so that a menu would be unnecessary.

 

6) I could tell the waiter that as an Elite CC member, I have memorized the menu. (except they've just changed it ... darn, that won't work!)

 

I guess there's only so much you can do. We're never going to be totally safe. Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, my immune system has had a number of top-ups over the years. :) A few prudent precautions can't hurt though.

Made most enjoyable reading...'nailed' it IMO anyway & thanks for the great chuckle! :)

Westfield (aka Gary) ...

 

 

 

An interesting point. As with many cases of consumer perception, it is not always what you actually do, but what you appear to do that carries more weight with the public. (Take the government's course of action on the current economic situation, for instance ... OK, lets not go there!)

 

After reading the information at the link you posted, it brings to mind the value of the statement "Ignorance is Bliss".

 

 

 

Another interesting observation. I doubt that they sterilize them after every usage.

 

I have always been a little paranoid about that particular issue myself, so I usually go and wash my hands prior to actually starting to eat. However, if I were really being proactive about it, I could circumvent the issue if perhaps ...

 

1) I would bring some rubber gloves just to read the menu with.

 

2) I would consider that if there really were something viral on the menus, it could have been transfered to the tablecloth while being read and therefore bring my own sterile tablecloth cover and personal place setting.

 

3) I would ask the waiter to hold the menu at a safe distance from the table (but then I probably wouldn't be able to read it :o).

 

4) I could feign forgetting my glasses, and have someone else read it to me.

 

5) I could order the same thing every night, so that a menu would be unnecessary.

 

6) I could tell the waiter that as an Elite CC member, I have memorized the menu. (except they've just changed it ... darn, that won't work!)

 

I guess there's only so much you can do. We're never going to be totally safe. Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, my immune system has had a number of top-ups over the years. :) A few prudent precautions can't hurt though.

Lyle,

I love your sense of humor!...can't wait to meet you next week!

Liz :D

Westfield (aka Gary) ...

 

 

 

An interesting point. As with many cases of consumer perception, it is not always what you actually do, but what you appear to do that carries more weight with the public. (Take the government's course of action on the current economic situation, for instance ... OK, lets not go there!)

 

After reading the information at the link you posted, it brings to mind the value of the statement "Ignorance is Bliss".

 

 

 

Another interesting observation. I doubt that they sterilize them after every usage.

 

I have always been a little paranoid about that particular issue myself, so I usually go and wash my hands prior to actually starting to eat. However, if I were really being proactive about it, I could circumvent the issue if perhaps ...

 

1) I would bring some rubber gloves just to read the menu with.

 

2) I would consider that if there really were something viral on the menus, it could have been transfered to the tablecloth while being read and therefore bring my own sterile tablecloth cover and personal place setting.

 

3) I would ask the waiter to hold the menu at a safe distance from the table (but then I probably wouldn't be able to read it :o).

 

4) I could feign forgetting my glasses, and have someone else read it to me.

 

5) I could order the same thing every night, so that a menu would be unnecessary.

 

6) I could tell the waiter that as an Elite CC member, I have memorized the menu. (except they've just changed it ... darn, that won't work!)

 

I guess there's only so much you can do. We're never going to be totally safe. Having grown up in the 50s and 60s, my immune system has had a number of top-ups over the years. :) A few prudent precautions can't hurt though.

Actually the intent of my post wasn't meant to be paranoid, but rather point out how foolish it is,(at least IMHO), to be concerned about salt and pepper shakers, ketchup, etc, and yet let people paw all over the menus without a second thought. There really is only so much that can be done. I'm bringing my own little packets of salt, pepper, and sweetener with me simply because I don't want to have to wait for someone to serve them to me. Sigh.....

Hmmm...and I wonder, while reading the menu, if someone had to cough or sneeze, would they typically use the menu as a shield...

Actually, that thought makes me want to return to Dominick's of Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, NYC. There, no menus are handed out so all the waiters seem to memorize the offerings (and the prices!) and you just ask for what you want, so that would fix that problem. Of course, there you also tend to eat really close together at long tables family-style, so yet another problem..

bon appetit!

mek ...

Actually the intent of my post wasn't meant to be paranoid, but rather point out how foolish it is,(at least IMHO), to be concerned about salt and pepper shakers, ketchup, etc, and yet let people paw all over the menus without a second thought.

I agree. There are probably all sorts of other potential sources of contact that we just haven't thought of yet. Hopefully it will have all settled down a bit by the time we board Millennium next week. Thanks for the tip about the individual salt, pepper and sugar packets though.

Liz and Gary ... Perhaps we should draw straws to see who gets to read us the menu in the wine room. Hey ... that's only 10 days away! Looking forward to it.

Gary ...

Of course, there you also tend to eat really close together at long tables family-style, so yet another problem..

Remind me to tell you the story of the mess hall on my first ever trans-Atlantic cruise aboard the student ship "Aurelia" (Latin for "jellyfish") back in 1969.

Lyle

Love your list Mek!

I have thought of the menu issue while dining out near home when flu is rampant or such. I simply carry a small bottle of Purell and use some after I give the menu back to the waitperson. I also refill the small bottle as needed at home.

mek ...

 

I agree. There are probably all sorts of other potential sources of contact that we just haven't thought of yet. Hopefully it will have all settled down a bit by the time we board Millennium next week. Thanks for the tip about the individual salt, pepper and sugar packets though.

 

Lyle

I'm sailing on 9/11, and I hope it will have slowed down by then, but it does seem that the Millie has been especially hard hit this season. I stopped at my local Micky D's this week, (and I did ask before taking), and have enough packets to last through the cruise for DH and me. The packets are small enough to be taken to the buffet or MDR in a pocket and can easily be disposed.

Love your list Mek!

 

I have thought of the menu issue while dining out near home when flu is rampant or such. I simply carry a small bottle of Purell and use some after I give the menu back to the waitperson. I also refill the small bottle as needed at home.

I'll probably take one of those little trial size bottles of sanitizer to the MDR as well. Although I question their effectiveness against viruses, it can't hurt. Generally, I don't worry much about catching something on a cruise, but the Millie in particular seems to have on-going problems that they can't seem to get under control. I will more than likely will be more careful on this trip.

So at what point do they just close the ship for a week and sanitize like crazy? It seems somewhat irresponsible to me that the Millie has been affected almost all season despite their many precautions. Granted they are trying their best to keep it from spreading -- but it's clearly not working.

I think they need to get the crew and passengers off for a few days and just sanitize like mad! It's been off and on months since this issue has been on board this ship...

Katherine

Noooo! We are booked for a BTB on the Millenium starting Sept.4th.Don't want her taken out of comission.Does anyone know other than hand sanitizers what more we passengers can do?We have brought Lysol and Ozium on board in the past.I'm not paranoid just want to know what else we can do.I run a home daycare so pretty much know the basics.

Noooo! We are booked for a BTB on the Millenium starting Sept.4th.Don't want her taken out of comission.Does anyone know other than hand sanitizers what more we passengers can do?We have brought Lysol and Ozium on board in the past.I'm not paranoid just want to know what else we can do.I run a home daycare so pretty much know the basics.

Well, if you change diapers in that home daycare, I would pretend I've just changed a diaper after touching any one or any "public" surface. Seriously, though, depending on your general immunity and paranoia level, you might simply want to limit your time in public, close together areas (casinos, buffet lines) and limit the amount of uncooked food you eat.

And IMHO, even shutting down the ship and scrubbing it for a week would not really "cure" the problem - you would probably have to swap out the entire crew and that is not going to happen.

Just wanted to point out that none of the Millenium outbreaks was serious enough to report to the CDC. Below is the link and they usually put these on there in a couple of weeks.

Also, you could get the noro on the plane, in a hotel, airport or any number of places. Keep things in perspective, annually there are about 30 Million Americans who get noro and less than 4000 people get it on cruiseships...

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

We just got off the Millenium on Friday (Aug 14th). The crew told us that they has 150 or so cases 2 cruises before us and only a few (less than 10) the previous cruise. I heard of none for our cruise. We were told that health officials (I assume the CDC) were on board monitoring.

They were extremely cautious. The first portion of the week, you could not get your own coffee, milk, juice, etc. there were no pepper or salt shakers out. Cream was either given in the small sealed containers or mixed by the server. We were told that health officials relaxed these requirements towards the end of the cruise.

Throughout the cruise the food at the buffet was dished out by the crew members with gloves. My wife loved this as she thinks many people can be sloppy. We did not see any long lines at the buffet other than on the departure day and they were not bad then. They had a crew member spraying out the hand disenfectant at all entrances to the restaurants.

The library was closed and never opened (bummer).

The crew was very serious, did not try to hide that they had Norwalk issues recently (I liked the honesty), and we did not hear rumor of anyone contracting the Noro virus on our trip.

Guitar Ed,

Thank you so much for posting this. I am a worrier, and this has had me worrying big time. Maybe it's time to relax a bit. :)

Anne