Norovirus Outbreak Hits Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Go Royal! They sure know how to do the right thing by their cruisers :D

 

Future Cruises:

RCCL-Explorer of the Seas-Bermuda/Caribbean - 2014

RCCL-Explorer of the Seas – Bermuda - 2014

RCCL-Quantum of the Seas – 3 Night Sampler - 2014

RCCL-Quantum of the Seas – Southern Caribbean - 2015

RCCL-Diamond Plus

Celebrity-Elite

Norwegian-Silver

Holland-Star Mariner

 

I hope everyone gets their money back.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Trainman-2]

Sunday night, 26 January, 7:40 pm EST

 

FOX News just had a brief segment on a RCI Ship in Nassau.

 

They said that 300 people, 10% on the total passengers and crew were sick.

 

They said the ship sailed from New Jersey but didn't name the ship.

[voyager70]

Being a guy and on our 16th cruise.........ALL men should WASH THEIR HANDS..............do you know how many don't............women...........SMACK them......they are probably the same ones that throw the tongs back into the salad and other items on the salad bar and food trays............PLEASE, place the tongs in their proper place and consider your hands as deadly items..................people

 

Everyone needs to wash their hands after using the toilet. Not just men. I'm a man with 20 something cruises and always wash my hands after toilet breaks. Odd post:confused:

[voyager70]

Sunday night, 26 January, 7:40 pm EST

 

FOX News just had a brief segment on a RCI Ship in Nassau.

 

They said that 300 people, 10% on the total passengers and crew were sick.

 

They said the ship sailed from New Jersey but didn't name the ship.

 

Saw similar segment on my local news. They didn't mention ships name but clearly showed EX in port. Also interviewed a man who had nothing but disparaging things to say about Royal. Big surprise.

[CotonSocks]

I will be on the Jewel March 1st. Anyone I see who does not wash their hands is getting an earful from me. 3000 people in one place, and they cannot wash their hand or keep clean!

[Jimbo]

I bet it was a CDC that got onboard in St. Thomas and told RCCL to put an end to this cruise and do a serious deep cleaning once everyone is off the ship. Most likely meaning it's much worse then the reported 300 people being sick.

 

Aleast someone(CDC) came to their senses. Wouldn't think RCCL did this on their own.

 

Jimbo:)

Edited January 27, 2014 by Jimbo

[Alyrica]

We were on for our honeymoon and disembarked on the 21st after a wonderful cruise. Unfortunately, I started being extremely ill 5 minutes after take off that evening. 6 hour flight with constant vomiting is not fun - I am so sorry for my fellow passengers and, yes, I fully expect to have infected some of them :-( I became extremely ill and was admitted to hospital on landing and they kept me in for 3 days due to the severity of my reaction.

 

There was a considerable outbreak on our cruise so I have to disagree that the outbreak on the 21st voyage was caused by selfish/unsuspecting passengers taking it on board. They have simply picked up the virus left behind by us. I've heard from 2 crew members that I've kept in touch with that staff were definitely ill with a "stomach bug" on both cruises so the ship were definitely aware that Noro was present between the 12-21.

 

The staff were maintaining a visible and persistent cleansing routine - disinfecting rails/toilets etc. and I believe that its impossible to rule out such a virus 100% (obviously!). However, I struggle with the lack of information provided by the senior management on our cruise. We were not advised once that Noro had broken out on the ship, there was no escalation of the prevention levels - such as "no self-serve" in the Windjammer etc and at the Captains Questions, on the 20th (last full day), the Head of Ops was specifically asked about Noro and talked in the theoretical, never mentioning once that many cases had already been reported by both passengers and crew.

 

This was our first cruise and we were not as clued up as we are now - it would have made a big difference to the precautions we could have taken had the Ship's Management shared the information the had - not to cause panic but to allow me to make informed decisions. Their lack of transparency here is unacceptable to me and has resulted in the worst honeymoon homecoming. :-(

 

I am so sorry to hear that this happened to you. Terrible way to end a Honeymoon. I hope that prior to your illness you had a fabulous time.

[Cruis'n Guys]

We were on a Princess cruise with so many "memory challenged"

seniors. The old men could not remember to put on shoes and socks

at dinner or remeber not to change out of their swim trunks outside the

Explorers lounge. A stretch to think they remebered to wash their hands.

[Cruising89143]

Being a guy and on our 16th cruise.........ALL men should WASH THEIR HANDS..............do you know how many don't............women...........SMACK them......they are probably the same ones that throw the tongs back into the salad and other items on the salad bar and food trays............PLEASE, place the tongs in their proper place and consider your hands as deadly items..................people

 

Let's face it, there are nasty and lazy people who could care less about good personal hygiene. While using a urinal I myself have witnessed men walk out of a stall or leave a urinal without stopping to wash their hands. No excuse at all.

Edited January 27, 2014 by cruisingator2

[BND]

Let's face it, there are nasty and lazy people who could care less about good personal hygiene. While using a urinal I myself have witnessed men walk out of a stall or leave a urinal without stopping to wash their hands. No excuse at all.

 

Yes, but the best thing anyone can do to protect themselves is wash their own hands and not touch their face or mouth with their own hands. Use utensils to eat, not your fingers (unless you have just washed your hands) and use the open/close buttons on the external bathroom doors (they're there for handicap use, but everyone can use them and I do). You have to be proactive. Those that never wash their own hands are much more likely to get sick than you are if you are careful. I'm not talking obsessively wiping down surfaces, but doing what I said above. And, don't get me started on those crap gel sanitizers. They are useless and have health risks associated with them.

[The4Cruisers]

Just heard about this story. What a shame! Glad to see RCCL is taking the bull by the horns to mitigate the issue as much as possible.

 

Sending good thoughts out to those on the cruise, especially the pax who are affected by this illness. :)

[Kosi]

Royal Caribbean cruise to end early; more than 600 sick

 

JoNel AlecciaNBC News

[Kosi]

Does anyone know how they might be compensated?

[tabbi_cakes]

NBC is saying over 600 ppl sick?

[Jimbo]

Knew it had to be more then 300 people..........it's more then 600:eek:

 

http://www.nbcnews.com/health/royal-caribbean-cruise-end-early-more-600-sick-2D11999555

Edited January 27, 2014 by Jimbo

[Kosi]

Royal Caribbean cruise to end early; more than 600 sick

 

JoNel AlecciaNBC News

 

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1 hour ago

ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP-Getty Images, file

More than 600 people have been sickened by a possible outbreak of norovirus on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's ship Explorer of the Seas.

 

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Explorer of the Seas will return to New Jersey two days early after more than 600 people were sickened by a fast-moving gut bug that spiked over the weekend.

At least 564 passengers and 47 crew members have reported symptoms of a possible norovirus outbreak since the 10-day cruise to the U.S. Virgin Islands launched on Tuesday, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.

The Explorer of the Seas is carrying 3,050 passengers and 1,165 crew members. The cruise departed Tuesday from Cape Liberty, N.J., with plans for stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

Some people on the ship have recovered after illnesses in the first days of the cruise, but Royal Caribbean Cruise Line officials said Sunday that the disruptions caused by the wave of sickness meant they were “unable to deliver the vacation our guests were expecting,” and consultation with medical experts prompted an early return.

“We think the right thing to do is to bring our guests home early and use the extra time to sanitize the ship even more thoroughly,” firm officials said in a statement.

CDC and cruise officials have not confirmed that the outbreak characterized by vomiting and diarrhea is norovirus; test results are expected mid-week. But the symptoms are consistent with the highly contagious bug spread by touch, by infected people or contaminated food or water.

Cruise officials said they will sanitize the ship again and that guests scheduled for the next trip on Explorer of the Seas could be confident that all measures had been taken to prevent future illness.

Still, the outbreak concerns people like Deborah Galcik Taylor, 47, of South Glens Falls, N.Y. Her parents, Paul Galcik, 70, and Joyce Galcik, 67, of Schuylerville, N.Y., are "avid cruisers" who took the trip to get away from this year's bitter winter. They haven't gotten sick, but they've seen others fall ill, including some who were hospitalized, she said. Taylor said she is set to board the Explorer of the Seas for a cruise in six weeks.

"We're a little tentative," she said. "I'm sure my parents will be glad to see us on Wednesday."

 

Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the U.S., resulting in about 21 million illnesses, between 56,000 and 71,000 hospitalizations and as many as 800 deaths, the CDC says.

 

The virus lingers on surfaces and spreads very easily. Thorough handwashing with hot water and soap and meticulous environmental cleaning can help stop the spread.

It’s not yet clear whether the outbreak on Explorer of the Seas has been linked to a nasty new type of norovirus known as the GII 4 Sydney strain. That was the bug blamed for an outbreak last year on the Queen Mary 2. During a voyage from Dec. 22, 2012 to Jan. 3, 2013, 204 passengers and 16 crew members developed norovirus, the CDC reported.

[NewPennCruiser]

I'll admit I have not read the entire thread, but this incident sounds a lot like the large outbreak that occurred on our Crown Princess cruise in 2012. The CDC ordered the ship back early so that it could be scrubbed over 3 days to try to get rid of the virus. It seemed to work. We did not get sick and were scheduled for a B2B so we were put up in a resort for the duration of the cleaning and then boarded again as scheduled for the next cruise and all was well that week. I feel bad for the folks on the ship because it's not fun trying not to touch anything and trying to enjoy yourself when many people around you are sick!

 

Hope it gets cleaned up quickly. This can happen on any cruise line, on any ship, anywhere. You just have to be careful. Funny thing is that it was same time of year on the Crown. Not sure if winter has much to do with it as so many people have colds/flu, etc and traveling in close quarters can facilitate the spread of viruses? Not sure and not claiming to be an expert.

 

Everyone be safe out there. Dave

[fishtaco]

Everyone needs to wash their hands after using the toilet. Not just men. I'm a man with 20 something cruises and always wash my hands after toilet breaks. Odd post:confused:

 

Not an odd post at all:confused:

 

With 20 plus cruises on your belt you must have experienced the amount of Guys who use the ships pubic toilets without washing their hands before leaving!

 

Thats why i always use paper towel on exit door handle and elbow to keep it open!

 

Without being rude, In my experience the greater number with the worst toilet hygiene seem to be some of the more senior guys.

 

How anyone could leave a flushing cubical and walk straight out is beyond me but as I say in my experience it is pretty common on all the ships I have been on.

Edited January 27, 2014 by fishtaco

[Caribbeancruzin]

Royal Caribbean International Statement Regarding Explorer of the Seas

Royal Caribbean International Statement Regarding Explorer of the Seas

January 26, 2014

6:45 p.m.

 

Explorer of the Seas will return home from its 10-day cruise two days early, after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that spiked over the weekend. New reports of illness have decreased day-over-day, and many guests are again up and about. Nevertheless, the disruptions caused by the early wave of illness means that we were unable to deliver the vacation our guests were expecting. After consultation between our medical team and representatives of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we think the right thing to do is to bring our guests home early, and use the extra time to sanitize the ship even more thoroughly. We are sorry for disappointing our guests, and we are taking several steps to compensate them for their inconvenience.

After returning to home port on Wednesday, Jan. 29, we will perform a thorough “barrier” sanitization program on the entire ship to make certain that any remaining traces of the illness are eliminated. It will be the third aggressive sanitizing procedure the ship has undertaken since we became aware of the issue, and will additionally provide a window of more than 24 hours where there are no persons aboard the ship, which is a significant help. Guests scheduled for the next cruise on Explorer of the Seas can be confident that all possible measures will have been taken to prevent further problems.

At this point, it appears that reported illnesses among guests and crew peaked during the first few days of the cruise – though, as is common with many illnesses, some additional cases are to be expected over the course of the week. Our doctors tell us symptoms are consistent with that of norovirus, but that they are awaiting the results of tests to confirm that diagnosis. Our response included flying additional medical personnel and equipment to meet the ship, and conducting additional sanitizing procedures at two of the ship’s stops.

In the end, however, the number of cases was still higher than any of us want to see. We will be cooperating with authorities and conducting our own internal assessments to make sure we are doing all we can to promote the health and safety of our guests and crew.

 

Stay up-to-date by following @RoyalCaribPR on Twitter, and visiting RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com.

[fishtaco]

Being a guy and on our 16th cruise.........ALL men should WASH THEIR HANDS..............do you know how many don't............women...........SMACK them......they are probably the same ones that throw the tongs back into the salad and other items on the salad bar and food trays............PLEASE, place the tongs in their proper place and consider your hands as deadly items..................people

 

I agree as I am always disgusted when I see a person exit the ships public toilets without first washing their hands :eek: I would go to say that its a lot more common than many would realize.

 

I cant speak for the Ladies restrooms but I am presuming its nowhere near as prevalent as it is in the gents.

Edited January 27, 2014 by fishtaco

[gaylemh]

I guess RCI will be putting the B2B cruisers in hotels for a couple of days, being the ship will be coming back early. With the Super Bowl, I hope they don't have trouble finding rooms.

[knitter]

Hope the cruise ends well for everyone on board. I think you also have to be careful on airplanes- they are pretty dirty these days, and you could pick something up flying. I just came back from a week in the Carribean and noticed the top of the soap dispenser holder was covered with dirt. I carry wipes to wipe down tray table, armrests, etc and use towels to open lav doors, etc. I doubt that any organization tracks illnesses that might originate on flights. Our flight home was cancelled and we were put up in an all inclusive resort- the buffet dinner we were given did not appeal to me so we went out for dinner- while out I checked the Trip Advisor reviews of the hotel ( I thought our room was really outdated and worn, didn't see the crud under the sink til later!) there were several reports of an outbreak of a GI virus at the resort! Apparently a goodly number of people were sick for several days there.

[rcclfanbp]

It isn't that often that outbreaks make news, so I like to keep an eye on CDC's site of reports from cruise ships: http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/GIlist.htm

 

Great info. Thank you for sharing. I have added as a bookmark for future reference.

[Jimbo]

I guess RCI will be putting the B2B cruisers in hotels for a couple of days, being the ship will be coming back early. With the Super Bowl, I hope they don't have trouble finding rooms.

 

Plenty of hotels here in South Jersey. I don't think it will be a problem.

 

Jimbo:)

[Mapleleafforever]

So if this is now upwards of 600 people sick is this the biggest reported outbreak on a cruise ship? If not then does anyone know what the biggest was?