Dream Bug - my family is sick!

[Freckles67]

Hello, we took our daughter, son in law, and two grands aged 4 and 2 on the Dream on the Dec. 12, 2013 three night cruise from Port Canaveral. We had a nice time, although we found the ship to be much more crowded than on our previous Dream cruise in January last year. However, even after using all the antibacterial wipes and frequent hand washing, my husband and I have come down with rotten colds. The grandkids both spiked fevers yesterday (three days after we returned home). The 2 yr old's temp was 103.4 in the middle if the night, necessitating a trip to the pediatrician yesterday, where he was administered a steroid spray. I am feeling rotten....runny nose, sore throat, scratchy cough. Hubby's right ear is blocked from congestion. The only common denominator for us is our Dream cruise. Has any other family experienced a flu like rotten cold three days after returning from the Dream?

[jalves]

Nope, never caught anything like that from sailing on the Dream, or any other of the Disney ships. How did you get to the Port? Did you go ashore in Nassau? How did you get back from the Port? Those might be other common denominators.

Edited December 19, 2013 by jalves

[Freckles67]

We did not get off the ship in Nassau. We drove our cars from our homes in the Tampa area. Drove home in the same cars. I am turning into a germ o phobe in my old age and am very careful, especially in public bathrooms. Just talked to my daughter....both she and hubby are ok so far. The two year old is fine, now the four year old has fever and is missing his Christmas party at nursery school today. We loved the cruise, but will not take another pre Christmas trip. We stood in line in the lobby for an hour waiting to see Santa. We also decided that we liked our interior cabin with video porthole (last January) better than our deluxe balcony cabin this time. Still love the Disney cruise line, just not thrilled with the after effects! :eek:

[meatloafsfan]

Welcome to the world of cruising.

 

If you put that many people into that space for any length of time, all it takes is one carrier of the germ and it will spread like wildfire (often despite hand washing and anti-bacterial wipes).

 

It can happen on any ship, any cruise. No cruiseline is immune.

 

Hope you all feel better soon. :)

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

My twinsis got Norovirus and she just was around town, maybe got it from a grocery store. Not saying that is how all of you got your colds, but its basically difficult anywhere there are people. I wouldn't blame it on the Dream necessarily (although there are a lot of people in a place together. Things like pens used for KTTW purchase receipts, etc. a lot of it gets reused and the wipes and sanitary are typically before meals, but there is a lot of contact that goes on outside of meal time) but for instance, our whole office got wiped out with the Flu last year this week. I take the proactive approach. I started having my ears popping on monday (a SURE sign of something bad) and I drove straight to walmart and replaced my depleted EMERGENC drink vitamin pack supply. And I doubled up on those guys for days. I'm literally drinking a hot one right now, I'm not kidding. I need to BEEF UP my immune system because there is so much crud going around this time of year. Also, the number one way to get sick is to get dehydrated, which is really easy to do on busy vacations and when its easy to drink cokes and other things instead. Plus we eat more sugar and that crashes immunity too.

 

I'd start loading up on EmergenCs and drink drink drinking to recover. Sorry you guys got sick! I do the same therapy when I go to WDW (where I have gotten sick several times, all the bannisters etc) and this yr with my hydration and hand sanitizer or hand washing, I went to WDW twice before cruises and did not get sick! (I was fighting off the crud on the WAY to FL, but I drank my EmergenCs in water bottles the whole drive down and by the next day, I had kicked it! So I actually left healthier from my WDW & Disney Dream cruise than I had been when I left town before the trip!)

[Loonbeam]

Sounds like you picked up a nasty flu virus, but as noted its easily to spread when there is population density. Santas for example are well, bacterial nightmares with all the kids climbing on them.

 

The most likely scenario is one of you picked it up and brought a rapid spread variant back to the cabin.

 

Unfortunately, this is not limited to Disney, or cruising. My worst case of noro ever came from a hotel...

[TwinPrincessMermaids]

Santas for example are well, bacterial nightmares with all the kids climbing on them.

:eek: Blaaaaahhh

[moki'smommy]

"Cold" viruses are spread by inhaling droplets in the air that contain the virus. The hand wipes provide some protection from viruses (like Norovirus) and bacteria that are spread by hand to mouth contamination, but won't help for those that are sneezed or coughed into the air.

 

It is likely that it came from the ship, but you'll never know for sure. The passenger or crew member who spread it may not have even been symptomatic at the time they sneezed! Hope you are feeling better soon.

[Freckles67]

I appreciate all of your comments. I am feeling a lot better after a nap this afternoon. My fever broke and I am feeling human again. The grandkids are doing well. Sorry I was a whiner about my illness. I realized this afternoon that out of thirty some cruises, this is only the third time I've returned home sick. The other two were on Norwegian in 1992 and on a Princess transatlantic two years ago. I had not thought about Santa's lap. Yuck! I do so love the special touches of a Disney cruise.....the Princess Gathering is my favorite. Love seeing Capt. Jack at Castaway Cay. Love the magic! Know what I mean?

[Host Mick]

Hello, we took our daughter, son in law, and two grands aged 4 and 2 on the Dream on the Dec. 12, 2013 three night cruise from Port Canaveral. We had a nice time, although we found the ship to be much more crowded than on our previous Dream cruise in January last year. However, even after using all the antibacterial wipes and frequent hand washing, my husband and I have come down with rotten colds. The grandkids both spiked fevers yesterday (three days after we returned home). The 2 yr old's temp was 103.4 in the middle if the night, necessitating a trip to the pediatrician yesterday, where he was administered a steroid spray. I am feeling rotten....runny nose, sore throat, scratchy cough. Hubby's right ear is blocked from congestion. The only common denominator for us is our Dream cruise. Has any other family experienced a flu like rotten cold three days after returning from the Dream?

 

The incubation time for most colds is 36-72 hours to peak symptoms. Your kids' fevers spiked 72 hours after you left the ship. I think it is just as likely that you became infected on the plane ride home or at the airport.

[Lita74]

They didn't fly. But stuff like that has been going around lately regardless of being on a ship or not. It is just the nature of the season. Had several people out sick (including myself) with similar symptoms at my job within the last week.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Cruise Critic Forums mobile app

[sippican]

Hope you all feel better soon.

It's important to be aware that many hand sanitizers and wipes are only effective against bacteria, NOT viruses ( the cause of colds and other nasty bugs). Read the labels on products. Clean your hands after touching hand rails, elevator buttons, the bottoms of the chairs in eating venues (when pulling your seat forward), salt & pepper shakers, menus, etc.

We are not germaphobes, but travel by cruise and land frequently, and seem to manage to stay fairly healthy by religious hand cleaning. I also wipe down the armrests and tray table on planes.)

[Host Mick]

Hope you all feel better soon.

It's important to be aware that many hand sanitizers and wipes are only effective against bacteria, NOT viruses ( the cause of colds and other nasty bugs). Read the labels on products.

...

 

60-90% ethanol solutions are very effective aganst bacteria and viruses. Nearly all cloth soaked and gel hand sanitizers are alcohol based.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf (page 8)

[sippican]

60-90% ethanol solutions are very effective aganst bacteria and viruses. Nearly all cloth soaked and gel hand sanitizers are alcohol based.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/rr/rr5116.pdf (page 8)

 

It was not my intention to provide misinformation. I did read a bit of this report dated from 2002.

I do recall that there was a great deal of discussion about hand sanitizers during more recent norovirus outbreaks, unfortunately, if cannot find that info at present, other than this much less "medical jargon" blurb:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_sanitizer

I'd be interested yo know if there is more current research. I do know that many public institutions are prohibited from using high-alcohol content sanitizers where children have access due to the danger of flammability and ingestion.

Out of curiosity I just checked my package of Wet Ones - active ingredient is Benz.... Chloride. Alcohol 40 is listed as an inactive ingredient. Not sure what that means, but not a key ingredient.

Edited December 21, 2013 by sippican

[Ex techie]

Maybe they need to install the hand sanitizer unit they have for the kids clubs instead of the wipes?!

The adults seem to love them!

 

 

 

 

ex techie

[bear3412]

.... Clean your hands after touching hand rails, elevator buttons, the bottoms of the chairs in eating venues (when pulling your seat forward), salt & pepper shakers, menus, etc.

....

 

This. :) ( with menus in "red", which I can't figure out how to type/post, duh .... :confused: )

Edited December 21, 2013 by bear3412

[sippican]

Maybe they need to install the hand sanitizer unit they have for the kids clubs instead of the wipes?!

The adults seem to love them!

 

 

 

 

ex techie

 

Love those!

[e2011]

The incubation time for most colds is 36-72 hours to peak symptoms. Your kids' fevers spiked 72 hours after you left the ship. I think it is just as likely that you became infected on the plane ride home or at the airport.

 

Exactly. That stuff is unfortunately going around Florida (we live here and have all had it) and based on your dates I am 99% positive you contracted the bug after you got off the ship.

[delta13]

We were on the same cruise. Although we were a party of 3 adults, non of us got sick. Hope you are feeling better!

[knittedcabin]

Maybe they need to install the hand sanitizer unit they have for the kids clubs instead of the wipes?!

The adults seem to love them!

 

 

 

 

 

super cool, I would use them :D

[moki'smommy]

DCL does a better job of cleaning stuff than any other place I've seen. Watch as your server wipes down the menus each night with disinfectant! Look at how often the elevators are being cleaned, the railings wiped down, etc. These people are amazing.

 

No, they can't eliminate all microbes that are spread by touch, but they do try.

[Freckles67]

I am sorry that I accused the wonderful Dream ship for my illness. I realize that airborne germs cannot be contained, and in hindsight, a December cruise full of children probably wasn't the best idea for me. I thought it would be a wonderful time for my daughter's family, as well as for my husband and myself. And it was! But I don't think it's a coincidence that my grandsons and I were all sick shortly after returning home. My diagnosis is severe bronchitis. I'm on three different medications as well as an asthma inhaler. The grandkids are both on antibiotics as well. Our Christmas has been postponed. I barely remember the past week, because i have never been this sick in my life. This started with a slight tickle in my throat and developed very slowly. I still believe I brought it home from the beautiful Dream. I hope no one else had such a tough time after their fabulous cruise. I am able to sit up and type today, so just wanted to update.

 

PS the only spot of uncleanliness that I found in our cabin really disturbed me. You know the shiny metal cover on the toilet paper roll? I lifted it up and it was spattered with I don't know what....and am afraid to speculate. I left it up every time we left the room so the room steward would clean it but she never did. Perhaps that was the source of my germs. I took a photo of it on the last day and thought about informing someone, but didn't want to cause trouble for the steward. I never saw her to speak to her about it.

[Shmoo here]

I am sorry that I accused the wonderful Dream ship for my illness. I realize that airborne germs cannot be contained, and in hindsight, a December cruise full of children probably wasn't the best idea for me. I thought it would be a wonderful time for my daughter's family, as well as for my husband and myself. And it was! But I don't think it's a coincidence that my grandsons and I were all sick shortly after returning home. My diagnosis is severe bronchitis. I'm on three different medications as well as an asthma inhaler. The grandkids are both on antibiotics as well. Our Christmas has been postponed. I barely remember the past week, because i have never been this sick in my life. This started with a slight tickle in my throat and developed very slowly. I still believe I brought it home from the beautiful Dream. I hope no one else had such a tough time after their fabulous cruise. I am able to sit up and type today, so just wanted to update.

 

PS the only spot of uncleanliness that I found in our cabin really disturbed me. You know the shiny metal cover on the toilet paper roll? I lifted it up and it was spattered with I don't know what....and am afraid to speculate. I left it up every time we left the room so the room steward would clean it but she never did. Perhaps that was the source of my germs. I took a photo of it on the last day and thought about informing someone, but didn't want to cause trouble for the steward. I never saw her to speak to her about it.

 

I'm surprised you never saw the room host. We've never been able to avoid them.

 

But, I probably would have put a note on the offending item, if I wasn't able to make contact with my room host in this sort of situation. They can't really fix a problem, if they're not aware of it. Just leaving the cover up doesn't really tell them anything. The splatter could actually have been from cleaning products.

 

Anyhow, glad you're feeling better. I came home from our last cruise (not DCL) with a horrendous cold (courtesy of a tablemate at dinner who showed up 2 nights before the cruise was over announcing he had "the worst cold he's ever had") :(. By the time we got home 3 days later my head was (in my estimation) at least twice it's size and I was alternately blowing my nose and hacking up crap. Took about 3 weeks before I felt better.