Norovirus Outbreak Hits Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship

[Kosi]

I accidently used "SEA PASS" on the Carnival boards once, and they jumped on me in seconds.

My husband wore a Royal Caribbean tshirt to the gym on the NCL Breakaway.. the woman told him if you take that off I will give you a new one.. lol

[JDinWA]

There's an article on nbcnews.com today that provides some fascinating information on how noro can spread, how difficult it is to prevent transmission, and how challenging it is to remove it from surfaces: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/puke-patrol-how-clean-1-000-foot-cruise-ship-2D11999534

 

"The virus is extremely infectious, easily spread, sticks to surfaces and can survive liberal sloshing with alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It takes just a few tiny particles to infect someone and people can spread it both before they start feeling sick and after they feel better."

 

"The viruses live in just the right zone to infect people, sticking to serving spoons at buffet tables, lingering on plates even after they’ve been through the dishwasher, floating into the air when someone vomits suddenly and even settling on fresh laundry."

[CruiseeCrazee]

"[...] lingering on plates even after they’ve been through the dishwasher, floating into the air when someone vomits suddenly and even settling on fresh laundry."

 

:eek: I'm just going to live in a bleach-filled bubble now. Might need a snorkle, though...and then the virus can come down the snorkle. Ok, no snorkle. I'll have to develop gills that can breathe bleach. It's the only way!

[Feelin' Nauti']

The cruise line is not going to put anyone who is in the early stages of noro into the crowd of people getting off the ship. They will make arrangements for those that are still very ill. Yes, they are going to have to disembark so that ship can be sanitized but the CDC is not going to let them put a violently ill person in a long customs line. .

Can you share where you got this info from??? :rolleyes::confused:

[antsnanny]

There's an article on nbcnews.com today that provides some fascinating information on how noro can spread, how difficult it is to prevent transmission, and how challenging it is to remove it from surfaces: http://www.nbcnews.com/health/puke-patrol-how-clean-1-000-foot-cruise-ship-2D11999534

 

"The virus is extremely infectious, easily spread, sticks to surfaces and can survive liberal sloshing with alcohol-based hand sanitizer. It takes just a few tiny particles to infect someone and people can spread it both before they start feeling sick and after they feel better."

 

"The viruses live in just the right zone to infect people, sticking to serving spoons at buffet tables, lingering on plates even after they’ve been through the dishwasher, floating into the air when someone vomits suddenly and even settling on fresh laundry."

 

Gross, I thought the dishwasher at least would kill the virus.. I guess its just a matter of luck then because we certainly cant be washing our own dishes, forks spoons and knives before we eat. I think I will do what I always do even at home an thats to wash my hands often and try to keep my hands away from my face and mouth. Sounds like there's no way to really prevent Noro.

[Jimbo]

$38. I was wondering this same thing..........but I believe that the parking is handled/owned by a private company, NOT Royal Caribbean.

 

 

Thought it would be easier handing out 2 - 20's and not dealing with the ones. plus interest.....$40

[reallyitsmema]

Can you share where you got this info from??? :rolleyes::confused:

Common sense.

[Cruise a holic]

Gross, I thought the dishwasher at least would kill the virus.. I guess its just a matter of luck then because we certainly cant be washing our own dishes, forks spoons and knives before we eat. I think I will do what I always do even at home an thats to wash my hands often and try to keep my hands away from my face and mouth. Sounds like there's no way to really prevent Noro.

 

My DH got it on the Disney Wonder a couple of years ago- He first had symptoms the last day of the cruise. We went to Disney World after the cruise, but unfortunately he was so sick, we stayed in the hotel. I never caught it from him. I assume some people are immune to it.

 

It is horrible to feel sick especially on vacation!

[JDinWA]

Gross, I thought the dishwasher at least would kill the virus.. I guess its just a matter of luck then because we certainly cant be washing our own dishes, forks spoons and knives before we eat. I think I will do what I always do even at home an thats to wash my hands often and try to keep my hands away from my face and mouth. Sounds like there's no way to really prevent Noro.

 

That's pretty much my conclusion too. In fact, after reading that article, I think it's amazing we're not all sick more often. ;)

[reallyitsmema]

Gross, I thought the dishwasher at least would kill the virus.. I guess its just a matter of luck then because we certainly cant be washing our own dishes, forks spoons and knives before we eat. I think I will do what I always do even at home an thats to wash my hands often and try to keep my hands away from my face and mouth. Sounds like there's no way to really prevent Noro.

There are very strict guidelines for dishwashers and if the temperatures aren't set high enough, we can come down with all sorts of sickness whether at our local restaurant or on a cruise ship. On the CDC site, you can see the Vessel Sanitation Operations Manual which goes into all the strict controls that the ship has to follow.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/desc/about_inspections.htm

 

I read the inspection reports for the ships I am going to sail. None of the ships are perfect but if you read the reports and the corrective action reports, you can see how close the CDC examines the ships. If a ship has consistant lower scores, then that points out a problem with management not making sure everyone is following the guidelines. If there is one lower score followed by better, the low could be a fluke or a strict inspector.

 

We can't live in a bubble but I try to stay informed.

[FLACRUISER99]

There are very strict guidelines for dishwashers and if the temperatures aren't set high enough, we can come down with all sorts of sickness whether at our local restaurant or on a cruise ship. On the CDC site, you can see the Vessel Sanitation Operations Manual which goes into all the strict controls that the ship has to follow.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/desc/about_inspections.htm

 

I read the inspection reports for the ships I am going to sail. None of the ships are perfect but if you read the reports and the corrective action reports, you can see how close the CDC examines the ships. If a ship has consistant lower scores, then that points out a problem with management not making sure everyone is following the guidelines. If there is one lower score followed by better, the low could be a fluke or a strict inspector.

 

We can't live in a bubble but I try to stay informed.

The bad thing is the CDC does not stay on the ship when it's underway.

[JDinWA]

There are very strict guidelines for dishwashers and if the temperatures aren't set high enough, we can come down with all sorts of sickness whether at our local restaurant or on a cruise ship. On the CDC site, you can see the Vessel Sanitation Operations Manual which goes into all the strict controls that the ship has to follow.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/desc/about_inspections.htm

 

I read the inspection reports for the ships I am going to sail. None of the ships are perfect but if you read the reports and the corrective action reports, you can see how close the CDC examines the ships. If a ship has consistant lower scores, then that points out a problem with management not making sure everyone is following the guidelines. If there is one lower score followed by better, the low could be a fluke or a strict inspector.

 

We can't live in a bubble but I try to stay informed.

 

When I consider the number of cruise passengers who don't get sick compared to the number who do, I think the odds are in our favor.

[reallyitsmema]

When I consider the number of cruise passengers who don't get sick compared to the number who do, I think the odds are in our favor.

Exactly. No ship is going to be perfect but if the "culture" on the ship is to follow the rules as opposed to finding ways to get around them, we all will continue to have better odds.

[Kosi]

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/puke-patrol-how-clean-1-000-foot-cruise-ship-2D11999534

 

Sticky, icky virus: How to clean a 1,000-foot cruise ship

Edited January 28, 2014 by Kosi

[Conshydot]

Penn Medicine's Neil O. Fishman, MD, spoke to 6ABC for a story about the spread of norovirus on a cruise ship. The ship's voyage was cut short because about 600 passengers and 40 crew had fallen ill.

 

"It only take about 18 virus particles to infect somebody. But when people have norovirus, they can shed somewhere between 70 and 100 billion particles," he said.

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news%2Fhealth&id=9407761

[oneputt18]

Can you share where you got this info from??? :rolleyes::confused:

 

I assume this is what poster is referring to:

To quote CDC:

"Disembarkation plans for active cases, terminal and transport infection control procedures."

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/outbreak/2014/january21_explorer_seas.htm

[drarill]

I assume this is what poster is referring to:

To quote CDC:

"Disembarkation plans for active cases, terminal and transport infection control procedures."

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/outbreak/2014/january21_explorer_seas.htm

 

Thanks for the link!

[Crusin6]

:eek: I'm just going to live in a bleach-filled bubble now. Might need a snorkle, though...and then the virus can come down the snorkle. Ok, no snorkle. I'll have to develop gills that can breathe bleach. It's the only way!

 

Nah don't bother. In order to build immunity one needs to get a little dirty now and then

[TheMiz]

Earlier this morning I read that the number of ill cruisers was no where near 600 and that was a number for shock value being used by CNN well if you read the latest from the CDC it is OVER 600

 

 

Number of passengers who have reported being ilL during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 622 of 3071 (20.25)

 

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 50 of 1166 (4.29%)

 

You know not everyone reported themselves as ill. Those numbers are the reported cases

Edited January 28, 2014 by TheMiz

[miraflores]

Earlier this morning I read that the number of ill cruisers was no where near 600 and that was a number for shock value being used by CNN well if you read the latest from the CDC it is OVER 600

 

 

Number of passengers who have reported being ilL during the voyage out of total number of passengers onboard: 622 of 3071 (20.25)

 

Number of crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew onboard: 50 of 1166 (4.29%)

 

You know not everyone reported themselves as ill. Those numbers are the reported cases

 

...and I'm willing to bet a lot of those "not-ill" people are running around, touching everything they can get their hands on, coughing into their hands, and then complaining about how lame "their" cruise is.

[FireStation46]

Note if they can get you to a mid town hotel you can partake in the SuperBowl pre Game festivities. The are shutting down about 10 block on Broadway for the event and Local news is citing hotels in the area are slashing hotel rates:

 

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/01/28/booker-hotels-slashing-prices-days-before-super-bowl/

[miraflores]

Maybe you could post links to all of these posts that "people on here" are "blaming the (hard working) crew on the ship" because I've seen maybe 2 posts in total mentioning that RCCL may not be doing everything they can.

 

I haven't seen one that is just blaming the crew.

 

Not one of us who cruises often would ever deny that 99% of the crew on these ships and on other cruise line's as well (I've sailed with 6 different lines) has some of the most dedicated hard working people from all over the world.

 

You would NEVER catch me saying that about the crew on any ship I've been on.

 

The crew makes our cruise special every time and while I can tell you're frustrated with some things you may have read on here, the majority of people on these threads have been very supportive of the crew.

 

I'm not going to go through years of posts to answer this. You know who I'm talking about though. This thread has actually been pretty decent...but we all know who I'm talking about. Cruise Critic makes the ground shake on cruises. Sometimes I wish other jobs had message boards that people could vent about job performance on 24/7/365. I'm sure we'd all probably love having to deal with it every day...and might get a bit frustrated. Especially if you're someone making $200/mth and having to deal with complaints all day.

Edited January 28, 2014 by miraflores

[JimInBuffalo]

I read through most of this thread and the same thing keeps popping up in my mind as far as a possible preventative method to keep infected pax from boarding a ship in the first place:

 

In some countries, customs/immigration agents use infrared cameras to check for persons with high body temperatures/fever from passing checkpoints until they can be cleared for possible infections.

 

Has anyone ever heard of this being done by the ship personnel instead of depending on the person's word (and signature) that they have not been sick in the past few days?

 

Let's face it, the virus does not come from the ship. It comes from the passengers. The only certain way (in my humble opinion) to prevent future outbreaks or at least to minimize them is to keep infected persons from boarding the ship in the first place.

 

-Jim

 

Currently +11 degrees F in Buffalo with a wind chill factor of minus 20 degrees F

[miraflores]

I read through most of this thread and the same thing keeps popping up in my mind as far as a possible preventative method to keep infected pax from boarding a ship in the first place:

 

In some countries, customs/immigration agents use infrared cameras to check for persons with high body temperatures/fever from passing checkpoints until they can be cleared for possible infections.

 

Has anyone ever heard of this being done by the ship personnel instead of depending on the person's word (and signature) that they have not been sick in the past few days?

 

Let's face it, the virus does not come from the ship. It comes from the passengers. The only certain way (in my humble opinion) to prevent future outbreaks or at least to minimize them is to keep infected persons from boarding the ship in the first place.

 

-Jim

 

Currently +11 degrees F in Buffalo with a wind chill factor of minus 20 degrees F

 

It's a bold strategy, Cotton...but I don't think the cruise lines could afford the legal bills and bad press it would take to deal with the butthurt sick people turned away at the gangway. That would be a legal and PR nightmare, and I'm sure it would keep this board going 110% every day. I can only imagine the outrageous rants some of the cones on here would spew if we turned them away because they were sick...yikes.

Edited January 28, 2014 by miraflores

[styles27]

I read through most of this thread and the same thing keeps popping up in my mind as far as a possible preventative method to keep infected pax from boarding a ship in the first place:

 

In some countries, customs/immigration agents use infrared cameras to check for persons with high body temperatures/fever from passing checkpoints until they can be cleared for possible infections.

 

Has anyone ever heard of this being done by the ship personnel instead of depending on the person's word (and signature) that they have not been sick in the past few days?

 

Let's face it, the virus does not come from the ship. It comes from the passengers. The only certain way (in my humble opinion) to prevent future outbreaks or at least to minimize them is to keep infected persons from boarding the ship in the first place.

 

-Jim

 

Currently +11 degrees F in Buffalo with a wind chill factor of minus 20 degrees F

 

Interesting...I wouldn't mind seeing that but I bet some would say it's an "invasion" of their privacy. :rolleyes: