Code red--3 days for each part of a Back to Back?

[calteacher]

We're considering taking a 14-day Caribbean cruise which is also sold as two separate cruises for a B-B. I know that the first three days are always in "code red". Does that mean that we will be in code red six of the 14 days we are cruising?

[Jemima]

Yes, but it is two days rather than three.

[stever]

Code orange is the first 2 days of each cruise as a precaution.

 

Code red (I believe) if when the Noro virus was or is observed on board.

[CrusinAgain]

Actually after seeing some people not use the sanitizers and others things, I would prefer for them to place the food on my plate for the entire cruise.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On our recent back-to-back cruises -- also sold as a Collector's Cruise -- the first 2 days of each cruise the ship was in Code Orange.

[a1linz]

what does code red and orange mean please? I have never heard of this.

[Stevesan]

what does code red and orange mean please? I have never heard of this.

 

Don't know about "Orange", but Red is declared when X number (25, I think) of passengers exhibit symptoms that may be norovirus. The first step is the crew deep cleaning the ship, followed by enhanced sanitary procedures. if there are no other cases after three consecutive days, code Red is taken down and the ship returns to normal procedures.

[jtl513]

... but Red is declared when X number (25, I think) of passengers exhibit symptoms that may be norovirus.

It's not the same number for all ships, it's a percentage ... 3%, I think, when it has to be reported to the CDC ... but I believe the Captain can choose to declare a Code Red when the number is still below that.

[CruiserBruce]

It's not the same number for all ships, it's a percentage ... 3%, I think, when it has to be reported to the CDC ... but I believe the Captain can choose to declare a Code Red when the number is still below that.

 

I agree. I think Code Red is declared before that 3% threshold, in hopes of stopping the spread before it reaches 3%.

 

Code Orange is 48 hours after each sailing. It is limited "hands on" in the Lido area- you can't serve yourself. Otherwise it is normal operations in all other areas.

[Krazy Kruizers]

what does code red and orange mean please? I have never heard of this.

 

Code Orange is what HAL isusing the first 48 hours on all ships in the hopes of preventing the Noro Virus. This usually affects the Lido area where you can not serve yourself. Helpers will dish everything out on your plates/bowls and pour your iced tea, waters, coffees, juices, etc.

Code Red -- when there is a certain percentage of passengers -- around 3% -- who have come down with this gastro virus -- a lot happens on the ship. Once the again the Lido is no longer self service. No salt and pepper -- just hand you packets. No bread baskets or butter on the dining room tables (and other restaurants) -- the servers place things on your plates. The swimming pools and whirl pools are closed down. The library is closed down. We have even been on ships when the spa, gym and salon were closed down. A lot of activities are discontinued for a while.

We have been on quite a few ships when they were in Code Red or went into Code Red during the cruise.

[lakemurraykid]

To voice my opinion, I'm glad they go to Code Orange the first couple of days for a cruise. If it helps prevent people from becoming ill with Noro, I'm all for Code Orange. It doesn't bother me one little bit. But, I have to also add that I just do not understand why people will not use the hand sanitizer. Is it stupidity or they just don't care. I think if they're not willing to use, they shouldn't be allowed to eat on the Lido. You just never know where those hands have been. :eek:

[sail7seas]

Maybe I'm oblivious but I have never seen or heard any guest refuse to use hand sanitizer. Been on a lot of cruises, a lot of days since they started placing them everywhere and each time a steward has stood at the entry to dining room or Lido dispensing it, everyone has used it.

[jtl513]

You may see me decline to use the steward's sanitizer on occasion if I have just thoroughly washed my hands or used my own sanitizer a few seconds before ... :)

[silverado44]

what does code red and orange mean please? I have never heard of this.

 

 

Code Red is also a delicious soft drink, from the makers of Mountain Dew.:D:D

[Alegria-Paz]

They probably washed their hands with soap and water before entering the dining room.

 

Using soap and water is more than effective ~ some studies show that soap and water are equally as effective ... most studies show that soap and water are more effective than hand sanitizers at killing harmful bacteria.

 

Hand sanitizers have the added problem of potentially creating antibiotic resistant microbes / super bugs (as some studies show). I've read that potential for creating antibiotic resistant microbes increases with the incorrect or overuse of hand sanitizers.

In sum, soap and water are still better than hand sanitizers for eliminating harmful bacteria and do not carry the risk of antibiotic resistance.

 

This may be why people do not use them in the dining room, but prefer to wash their hands with soap and water instead.

[Alegria-Paz]

From the Washington Post (April 2010):

 

"In a letter to a congressman that was obtained by The Washington Post, the FDA said that recent scientific studies raise questions about whether triclosan disrupts the body's endocrine system and whether it helps to create bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. An advisory panel to the FDA said in 2005 that there was no evidence the antibacterial soaps work better than regular soap and water."

 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/07/AR2010040704621.html

[K2DangerGirl]

Note that ALCOHOL BASED hand sanitizers (like Purell) do not contribute to antibiotic-resistant microbes, because as the name might imply, they do not rely on antibiotics. Triclosan-based sanitizers and triclosan-infused products are the ones that concern scientists.

[Alegria-Paz]

My understanding is that alcohol-based sanitizers have over 60% alcohol content then they may be as effective as hand-washing (some reports say 65%). If it has less than 60% alcohol content, you are just spreading the germs around.

 

It's also not clear to me that alcohol-based sanitizers do not cause bacterial resistance (especially in cases of incorrect or overuse).

 

Washing your hands does kill harmful bacteria... so why bother with the alcohol? (which may or may not work).

 

I've read (per the CDC) that hand sanitizers with over 60% alcohol content should be used as a back-up... only if soap and water are not available.

 

Soap and water are still the most effective at killing harmful bacteria.

 

If you want to prevent the spread of germs, wash your hands.

 

From the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/21/health/21cons.html?ex=1300597200&en=4c709a1231d266bf&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

[Krazy Kruizers]

Maybe I'm oblivious but I have never seen or heard any guest refuse to use hand sanitizer. Been on a lot of cruises, a lot of days since they started placing them everywhere and each time a steward has stood at the entry to dining room or Lido dispensing it, everyone has used it.

 

On our recent Ryndam cruises we noticed very few people using the hand sanitizers.

And there was no one standing at the entrance to the dining room or Lido dispensing it. The machines were off to one side.

[CaliforniaAC]

I guess nobody but me saw the story on 60 Minutes last Sunday on hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizers.

 

Anyway...

 

This is our protocol on the ship-

 

We wash our hands when we return to the cabin. We wash our hands before we leave. We use the hand sanitizers before entering the dining areas, and if we leave and return to the dining areas, we use it again. We have hand sanitizer with us, which we use in the ports, because sometimes soap and water is not available, and we'd like to clean our hands before we eat, etc.

 

Is one better than the other? Who knows. I just want to keep my hands clean:)

[CrusinAgain]

I guess nobody but me saw the story on 60 Minutes last Sunday on hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizers.

 

Anyway...

 

This is our protocol on the ship-

 

We wash our hands when we return to the cabin. We wash our hands before we leave. We use the hand sanitizers before entering the dining areas, and if we leave and return to the dining areas, we use it again. We have hand sanitizer with us, which we use in the ports, because sometimes soap and water is not available, and we'd like to clean our hands before we eat, etc.

 

Is one better than the other? Who knows. I just want to keep my hands clean:)

 

I did miss that episode but we do exactly as you do. We even take a germ wipe that has 62 percent alcohol in it to the main dining room and use it after we touch the menus or having going thru the buffet after touching the utensils. I don't think one can ever take too much precaution and one bout with the NoroVirus was enough for me.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I guess nobody but me saw the story on 60 Minutes last Sunday on hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizers.

 

Anyway...

 

This is our protocol on the ship-

 

We wash our hands when we return to the cabin. We wash our hands before we leave. We use the hand sanitizers before entering the dining areas, and if we leave and return to the dining areas, we use it again. We have hand sanitizer with us, which we use in the ports, because sometimes soap and water is not available, and we'd like to clean our hands before we eat, etc.

 

Is one better than the other? Who knows. I just want to keep my hands clean:)

 

Missed that report.

But we are like you -- I carry my hand sanitizer to the dining room as the Purell that the ships use dry out my hands. One time it was so bad that my hands began to bleed and I ended up in the nurse's office -- this was years ago. She informed me that I needed to use the hand sanitizers that have Aloe in it -- which the ships don't buy.

So since then I carry my own.

[rochelle_s]

Things that make you go hmmmm....

 

The majority of the time the first day of a cruise is at sea. You can't go for a swim or a hot tub, both of which should be chlorinated. You can't take a book from the library which might not have been picked up by another person in a years time.....but you can go to the casino and spend money (cash even) touching a machine, cards or chips that have been touched by others numerous times.

 

just sayin'

 

Rochelle

[dot73]

The two-day code orange doesn't interfere with my enjoyment of the cruise and as far as I'm concerned, all unwrapped food should be given out by the crew. I have seen people in the Lido pick up a bun or piece of bread with their hands, change their mind and put it back. On my last cruise, I, and a couple of other passengers washing our hands, were shocked to see a "lady" leave the public toilet in a hurry without washing her hands. She just couldn't wait for a sink to become open. You can try and protect yourself as much as you can, but as long as there are selfish and thoughtless people on board that will not make the time and the effort to wash their hands thoroughly, noro virus will happen. I think the ships are doing their best to control the virus. Sick and unhappy passengers do not spend money on board, so it is in their interest to confine the virus as best as they can.

[BumperII]

Folks, I had the privilege of catching that noro virus once, but it didn't manifest itself until I got home. A lady on the plane became very ill and within a few days I did too.

Trust me: YOU DON'T WANT IT!!!!!

The secret is frequent handwashing. On board, we have washed hands probably fifteen or twenty times a day ever since. That means before and after bathroom and every time we go by a public wash room and every time we go by the private washroom on the way in and the way out of our cabin. It is just too easy, and it only takes a minute. I even carry a paper towel so I don't have to touch doorknobs.:o