Voyager of the Seas

[wildirishrose]

I know there has been several different threads devoted to the recent problems of the Norwalk virus on the Voyager of the Seas cruises. I have had my say in a few of them but needed to one last time voice my opinion on this.

 

There are people on this site that say, "Oh what is the big deal, so you were a little sick, it happens" or " this is part of the hazard of cruising" or " you can get it anywhere". I would like to believe that these people are paid by RCL to monitor this site and do this because the alternative that they are just incrediably stuipid troubles me.

 

When was the last time you boarded a plane and knew you could get so incrediably ill it would ruin your entire vacation and endanger your families health? When was the last time you boarded a train and knew this? Or drove your own vechile and knew this? I would venture a guess of never. When was the last time you paid $4000+ to stay in a hotel that said, "Oh, by the way, you may get Norwalk virus here and your entire family will get incrediably ill for five days and not be able to eat or drink?" Again I would venture a guess of never.

 

We went on the 5/15 cruise. The people that left this ship before us were ill. At no time on my cruise did anyone say or indicate to me that this illness was on this ship and extra precautious were necessary becasue we could become extremely ill. Never was there any mention of it. Does not that make anyone stand up and take notice but me??????? Then the people that boarded after me were again exposed. Does not that make anyone stand up and take notice but me???????????? Why is it acceptable that you pay thousands of dollars to have someone else decide if you are an intelligent enough human being to decide if you want to be mad ill or not???

 

I know a lot of you on this site are avid cruisers. And I know that a lot of you have been fortunate enough to have never encoutered this illness. And I pray you never do, but something is wrong with people that think it is OK for a multi million dollar company to make their fortune off of unsuspecting people and not give a damm. Oh, maybe the will get sick and maybe they won't. Who cares, they paid us already.

 

Had I been told this was on this ship, I would not have went on. And I would venture to say that I am sure any of the people on the cruise after me that were as ill as my family were would say the same thing. But, they I would bet were never given the option either.

 

I am sure that I will receive much negative feedack on this thread and that is OK. But if this makes one family think about giving their hard earned money to a company that will knowingly make a family ill, that is OK also.

 

It is not right what Royal Caribbean did and people that complacently sit back and allow them to do it is just a guilty as they are. Why is it that the American public is so willing to be taken advantage of anymore?

 

Anyone that is going on Royal Caribbean is paying a hefty price to do so. Now you have people writing on this site "bring your Clorox wipes" bring your hand sanitizer", "wipe down your bathroom and remote and phone". If you would like to pay me thousands to come clean my house, please respond and I will not even charge you and I can promise you that you will not become ill. Don't you see the the incrediable stupidty in this?????

 

When was the last time you went to a Marriott Inn and had to sanitize your room and be afraid of getting ill???? NEVER...... Maybe if people stopped taking cruises and spending thousands of dollars on the off chance you might get sick, someone might change their attitude. They figure, oh well, let them get sick, who cares, we made our money.

 

Here is a thought, it would be just as much of a gamble to take your money and put it on red on the roulette table. 50 to 50 you will win. Just like I have been reading for more than a week on this site. "You might get sick, than again you might not."

 

If you still take a cruise and get ill, you made the decision, but at least you know your chances now. That's more of a chance than me and my family had.

[Past it]

I will probably get flamed,but I agree with some of your points. You should be confident of getting a thoroughly cleaned room,and that standard maintained throughout your stay.I have worked in hotel industry on the land so I know what should be done. I think until the shipping lines "pay" a proper wage, then they might get staff that are properly trained in all facets of cleaning. Some people think its easy and anyone can do it. Some of the ships staff have come from the islands and have never seen a vacuum cleaner!So I think its either you put up with the hit and miss type of cleaning thats around or try to attract professional cleaners and that will cost! I don't know whether they understand about germs and bacteria etc.I know on my last cruise in the shower it had a vent for steam about face level and you should of seen the muck and grunge in it,and I had to face it daily.Also the shower drain hole was similar. I know this won't give you the Norwalk virus but who knows what else!!It's the unseen germs that get you,so if they can't clean what can be seen ,what hope is there on the unseen.:(

[rsinj]

wildirishrose you're now making a mountain out of a molehill. The issue is now dead. RCL took care of the problem, is going above and beyond to be sure it doesn't happen again, and it no longer exists - so there is no longer a need to yell fire in the crowded theater. Review the threads of those coming back from Voyager Bermuda cruises this past week - every single one raves of the wonderful time they've had and no issues with sickness.

 

Sorry your cruise didn't live up to your expectations - but sh*t happens.

 

It's enough.

 

 

Howard

[jsargent34]

I would flame the first two posters, if it wasn't such an old and dead topic...

 

I cannot agree with rsinj any more! S**t happens....

 

NOROVIRUS IS CAUSED BY HUMANS - not by ships. People, please do your research... norovirus started in a school, shouldn't we have all those "reasonable" assumptions that OP said??? If OP's thoughts were realistic or fact based, then a school should have never been the first place Noro ever reared it's ugly head.

 

People spend thousands on vacations, yet the hundreds extra for insurance is just too much???? If you spend all this money to go on a vessel for 5,7,9, days or more (unlike the 2,3,4, maybe 5 hours on a plane), yet you force yourself to board the ship sick - then you get what you deserve. Furthermore, when sicklings board the ships sniffling and sneezing, wiping their noses on their hands and touching doors, railings, elevator buttons etc. then I hope you spend the rest of your trip "quarantined" miserably ill - maybe next time you'll realize you can go on a trip when your healthy, not infect the others around you, and get your money back if you just buy insurance. I got pneumonia on a cruise in December - was it the ships fault? No it was lazy, sick people who aren't going to postpone their vacation....

 

This topic is so dead, and posters who whine about "working for RCI" are so old. The CDC has never once said that this problem (norovirus) is endemic to the cruise industry, nor have they ever blamed the ships either. If they had, then you could make your case for the cruise industry being at fault.

 

Please people, do your research to realize that every line has been affected by this.

 

At the end of the day (sorry OP) it is only people who are at fault for this, not ships nor their "level" of sanitation.....

 

So I look forward to being on Voyager with or without Noro being "present," so long as I am healthy enough to travel in 7 days...

 

just a dose of reality and common sense.... sorry if it is unpopular!

[VernRDH]

Wildirishrose, lets think about this for a minute. If everyone decided to avoid situations where one could be exposed to illness, then your kids wouldn't go to school. Healthcare personnel (like myself) would not go to work. Business travellers would not board airplanes. So the world could pretty much shut down.

 

Lets face it, we live in a much smaller world these days. People travel all over for business and pleasure to places many would never have gone years ago. Germs are also getting smart-they mutate and get more virulent as they go. You cannnot avoid them.

 

The ship is a small contained city with people from many countries. The cruiseline is aware that these viruses exist, and I believe that they do everything they can to keep passengers safe. HOWEVER, they cannot control what individuals do. As you may have read here, many have witnessed others using restroom facilities then NOT washing their hands. THIS IS NOT RCCL's FAULT. Unless you suggest de-con showers for all boarding passengers, and some type of monitoring to make sure they maintain proper personal hygiene, then things will continue to happen.

 

There needs to be personal responsibility. When someone who boards is sick and says, well I paid x dollars for this trip and I ain't gonna miss it, thats the problem. RCCL then has to deal with the ramifications.

 

I am sorry that you and your family got sick. Myself and my family have had Norwalk (though not from a cruise vacation) and it is horrible. But the potential fear of a virus is not going to stop me from cruising. Should you choose not to cruise RCCL again, be aware that this problem is not limited to them, and that it can happen anywhere.

 

PS While I was writing this, jsargent posted and I totally agree with you.

[cruisinfanatic]

Really sorry the poster's cruise was messed up by sickness, but it can happen anywhere. To say that they will never cruise again is pretty ridiculous. The poster hasn't done anything but bash RCI in all his/her posts. Get over it!

[alexkrn46]

I am on the VOS right now and there is no noro virus, ship is as beautiful as always. alex

[DutsCruiser]

I would like to believe that these people are paid by RCL to monitor this site and do this because the alternative that they are just incrediably stuipid troubles me.

 

Either my paycheck is weeks overdue or you just called me stupid. Both ways I don't like it and consider your remark that people of RCL are paid to "play down" the old news about this virus, ridiculous. You must be working for HAL or Carnival to post this kind of nonsence (See how stupid such a remark looks??? (HAL / Carnival people: don't consider this a serious remark; just trying to make my point).

 

Look; I think it's very unfortunate if you get sick on your vacation but the truth is that many many many people get sick on there vacation. Most of the time they are only to blame themselfs because they don't watch what they do or eat.. but even if can only blame yourself should you really talk about blame??? I mean can you expect that people know all the hazards thet are going to face.

 

I consider this the same thing; all you have to do is watch out for yourself (and yes clean a little; just to be sure) and you will be ok in most cases. For the rest it's just plain luck (or bad luck).

 

From what I've heard; RCL has done it's best to keep the effects of this virus to a minimum... In my opinion that's about as much as they can do without having to bankrupt.

 

It's not like some airlines that fly with broken planes and risk you live every time you fly with them.

 

Let it rest; travel with HAL, Disney or Carnival and leave us who enjoy the RCL travels alone please. Oh; b.t.w. don't take taxi to port; ever noticed how dirty they can be? May very well be a real health hazard.

[kingtns]

Thank you Alex...lucky you, enjoy every moment, I will be on the VOS 6-17, & noone will scare me away from it!

BTW my sisters inlaws just completed their 72nd cruise coming off of the VOS!

They said it was amazing, I think after 72 cruises they would know something about what a nice ship is all about.

This will be our 5th cruise with my kids & all have been wonderful!! There is always someone with a horror story, but in general everyone has an amazing time. Last year we sailed NCL's Dawn, 16 of us loved it, 1 complained about everything. hmmmmmm