Norovirus Outbreak Hits Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship

[Jimbo]

Interesting they are sending more crew too.

 

That is because the ship will need alot of cleaning, not so much because more crew is getting sick..." I hope"

 

My sister and brother-in-law are scheduled to be on the next sailing. Hoping is is alot better by then.

[DEIx15x8]

Someone brings it onboard and it spreads. They then try to get the ship clean for the next sailing and as long as no one doing B2B or crew have it the spread should stop if cleaned properly. We were just with the Explorer in Labadee on the 18th and no one reported any illnesses on her that sailing so it came onboard with this new sailing.

 

I've had 2 sailings with high alert, never an outbreak one and it has some negatives but isn't as bad as many expect, in some ways it's better. I personally loved having crew doing the serving in the Windjammer, a great way to meet the entertainment and other staff. The higher standards also help force people to use common sense when it comes to being sanitary. On our Independence of the Seas transatlantic we were on high alert for the first 11 nights of the 13. Each day the captain stressed that crew were witnessing people not following the standards such as not washing hands after using the restroom or not using the hand sanitizers prior to entering the windjammer. I didn't really see or hear of anyone being sick (beyond sea sickness form the rough seas), but he refused to lower the level until he felt people would not put the ship at risk. I couldn't believe how much food we were missing out in the Windjammer for those first 11 days but also saw so many poor manners in those last 2 days.

[geocruiser]

If Royal Caribbean and the CDC handle an increasing outbreak like they did with the Crown Princess in 2012, they will bring the ship back early. The Crown had an outbreak and did a delayed boarding of the next sailing to do a deep cleaning. The ship didn't leave port until after 11pm. That sailing also had a larger outbreak, my mom was on that sailing. The ship had cancelled its first port because they left so late and was headed to their second port, on day 2 in the middle of the night, my mom woke up to the ship slowing and turning. By morning, they found out they were headed back to Port Everglades after never making a single port. They got a full refund for that cruise, their on board accounts paid and a very generous credit for another cruise. The ship came back in after a 4 day cruise to nowhere. My mom and her friends, all seniors, never got sick and had a great time.

 

Time will tell, but if it gets worse, I would expect the CDC and the cruiseline to bring Explorer back to Bayonne early.

 

I was on the cruise before your mother. Let me say that there were so many sick people that the medical staff had no sleep and it was hard for them to keep up. Some people never got seen and others got sick when they got home. (like my friends). We were lucky and did not get it. Some of the crew had it and the chef at the buffet.

Edited January 24, 2014 by geocruiser

[shari72]

My in laws are on this ship. They just called from near San Juan. Fortunately they are not ill. They confirmed that the crew is going to great lengths to clean and minimize transmission of the illness to those who are not ill. They didn't realize exactly how many people were ill but knew there were a lot. They haven't heard of many new cases. Just the initial large number who became ill on Wednesday.

 

 

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[cruzinlady1947]

Seems funny that that many people got sick so quickly. Maybe it was something in the food. I know I got sick once on the Explorer after dinner. Of course I was better the next day, but sometimes the food poisoning lasts longer.

 

Anyway, I sure hope they get it contained quickly. Must be an awful way to spend a vacation.

 

Gwen :)

[knots4crewzing]

Seems funny that that many people got sick so quickly. Maybe it was something in the food. I know I got sick once on the Explorer after dinner. Of course I was better the next day, but sometimes the food poisoning lasts longer.

 

Anyway, I sure hope they get it contained quickly. Must be an awful way to spend a vacation.

 

Gwen :)

 

I agree. It usually takes between 48 to 72 hours once exposed to get sick.

If they left on Tuesday and the majority got sick on Wednesday that sounds like food poisoning to me:confused:

Hoping everyone feels better soon!!:)

 

Liz

[shari72]

Agreed on the odd quick onset. They were told (not sure by whom) that the illness seemed to have a 24-36hr incubation- not sure how they can figure that. Most people were not even onboard at that time. I hope the checkin terminal is being cleaned thoroughly as well. I know there have been multiple reports of noro in the schools in CT, NY & NJ. Some even closed to allow for cleaning. Of course doubtful that so many people would arrive all at the same time already exposed.

 

 

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[cruizinawayinva]

Hoping they are able to get the outbreak under control. And hoping those ill already feel better quickly.

[CruiseeCrazee]

My husband is on board this sailing. He called earlier to tell me they skipped Labadee, presumably to avoid infecting Independence passengers, who would be there at the same time. He's not sick so far, thank heavens, but he says the ship is a ghost town between the sick passengers confined to their cabins and the ones hunkering down in their cabins to avoid getting sick! He also says that what he heard is that they are staying in San Juan for at least a day and a half to two days, and that the CDC will be coming on-board there to clean and evaluate the ship.

[nitlioner]

I agree. It usually takes between 48 to 72 hours once exposed to get sick.

If they left on Tuesday and the majority got sick on Wednesday that sounds like food poisoning to me:confused:

Hoping everyone feels better soon!!:)

 

Liz

 

Actually I have read that the newer strain can have an incubation time as short as 8 hours.

[joyride21]

In San Juan right now waiting to board the Jewel tomorrow. Just happened to be at the pier taking pictures of Grandeur in port when we saw Explorer approach, shortly before 8. We were surprised by her arrival, but all makes sense now. Kind of surprised they let people off of the ship, I understand that Labadee is a closed area with passengers from other ships using the same facilities so the risk of exposure is higher, but the fact still remains that a bunch of people that were exposed to the virus (if that ends up being the true cause) are now out and about with the general population, including the Grandeur passengers that are likely at the same tourist spots...

[RHODIEBAMA]

I have a friend on the cruise right now. They are getting a cleanse in San Juan and CDC to board ship Sunday in St Thomas - apparently. He is feeling ok but did get sick and he is an avid cruiser. We try to avoid winter cruises, I hate flying in winter as well - always 15 people on the plane hacking all over and not covering up - just sucks. We were on Explorer April 2013 - the ship needs an overhaul in the WORST WAY. Public ladies room toilets had cracked seats with black gunk in the cracks... dirty in spots.... The highlight of the cruise for us was our dining staff and Leigh Xerub the CD - that man is hysterical second only to Drew Devine. Otherwise, the ship was a big thumbs down and boarding in Bayonne is extremely low budget - ack!

 

TO THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD AND CREW - GET WELL SOON ALL! PRAYERS FOR YOU ALL!:(

[Sanz]

Agreed on the odd quick onset. They were told (not sure by whom) that the illness seemed to have a 24-36hr incubation- not sure how they can figure that. Most people were not even onboard at that time. I hope the checkin terminal is being cleaned thoroughly as well. I know there have been multiple reports of noro in the schools in CT, NY & NJ. Some even closed to allow for cleaning. Of course doubtful that so many people would arrive all at the same time already exposed.

 

 

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I found this information on the CDC website under Healthcare providers

Symptoms

 

A person usually develops symptoms of gastroenteritis 12 to 48 hours after being exposed to norovirus.

Typical symptoms—

 

• acute-onset of vomiting
  
• watery, non-bloody diarrhea with abdominal cramps
  
• nausea
  

 

 

Kaplan’s Criteria

1.

Vomiting in more than half of symptomatic cases and,

2.

Mean (or median) incubation period of 24 to 48 hours and,

[onyx007]

We had the same problem 2010 with the Jewel;

they had at the previous cruise an outbreack and the only problem

for us was that the boarding was delayed.

Instead going on board around 11am; it was about 3pm, in the meantime they brought us to an hotel and provided drinks and sandwiches for the waiting time.

 

I think they just had some more hand sanitizer set up to prevent another outbreak, but we were fine.

[Jimbo]

In San Juan right now waiting to board the Jewel tomorrow. Just happened to be at the pier taking pictures of Grandeur in port when we saw Explorer approach, shortly before 8. We were surprised by her arrival, but all makes sense now. Kind of surprised they let people off of the ship, I understand that Labadee is a closed area with passengers from other ships using the same facilities so the risk of exposure is higher, but the fact still remains that a bunch of people that were exposed to the virus (if that ends up being the true cause) are now out and about with the general population, including the Grandeur passengers that are likely at the same tourist spots...

 

The numbers off people off Explorer last night are alot less then would have been off the ship in Labadee. Thus a lower risk but risk never the less.

 

Even though I know no ports are guaranteed but there comes a point if they run an entire cruise which is this long and allow no passengers to get off the ship the entire time that people on the ship will start to complain and want money back. RCCL I'm sure is trying to avoid that.

Edited January 25, 2014 by Jimbo

[Lionesss]

Wow, bummer not going to Labadee.

 

But,

 

If I was on the other cruise ship docking there I would not want to get sick, the right call was made.

 

Sea Ya

[shari72]

Recived a text from my Inlaws. My father in law came down with it around 4am. "Quarantined" to the cabin for 24hrs. Lots of people in medical getting injections for the vomitting.

 

 

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[cruz4evr]

This was posted on the EX thread.......

 

 

Good Morning To All fom OSJ: Two nights ago 4 people from our dining table were down with the virus. We have a table for eight. A staff member told a tablemate he had never seen it so bad. Hopefully more are on the mend than getting sick now. They were power washing all of The loungers/chairs last night. Power Washing the windows now on the pool deck. Lee came on the PA system and told us yesterday if we are sick not to go downstairs, but that we should call and they would send a nurse or Dr. To our rooms.

 

 

 

I would be surprised if St. Thomas accepts us.

 

Well we do have sunny skies and warm temperatures. Though there are very few people on the pool deck right now.

 

It seems to be a difficult task to make this go away!

 

Take care all!

 

Donna

[lakelorain]

We are in South Carolina for the winter. Read in the newspaper about 2 weeks ago that there is a new strain of noro going around that is very difficult to get rid of. It was in a North Carolina paper. The article said there is a lot of it going around the Carolina's.

[vermontvoyager]

I'm currently on this sailing of Explorer and I believe the number of ill are higher than first reported by CDC.

I heard there is upward of almost 400 pax and crew ill.

All song and dance shows have been cancelled so far from sick performers and stage crew members that couldn't work.

The sick ship carried over from previous sailing. I met 4 people that we're doing a b2b and they got ill towards the end of previous cruise and said there was many sick then.

Watched crew last night pressure washing all outside deck areas with sanitizing agent and then going back after to hose everything down with water.

Today they were still wiping down railings, loungers and pretty much everything else.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings if CDC did send the ship home early.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that piece of crap they use for a terminal is responsible. It's very cold and unsanitary and it took me 3 3/4 hours to board the ship once I checked in.

You have over 3,000 people that are packed into that Igloo with everyone sharing the same small airspace.

180 pax never made it to the ship because of weather delays and cancellations.

It appears they were the lucky ones after all. :D

[CGBCruiser]

It spreads SO fast and is very hard to contain. At the Christmas holidays our family got it and it knocked us down one by one for 24 hours at a time. We only had two out of 14 people that didn't get it. Plus, you're contagious for up to 2 weeks after you get over the symptoms. That's how long you shed the virus. We bleached everything, disinfected everything we could think of but it still spread! I can't even imagine trying to disinfect an entire cruise ship.

[BND]

I'm currently on this sailing of Explorer and I believe the number of ill are higher than first reported by CDC.

I heard there is upward of almost 400 pax and crew ill.

All song and dance shows have been cancelled so far from sick performers and stage crew members that couldn't work.

The sick ship carried over from previous sailing. I met 4 people that we're doing a b2b and they got ill towards the end of previous cruise and said there was many sick then.

Watched crew last night pressure washing all outside deck areas with sanitizing agent and then going back after to hose everything down with water.

Today they were still wiping down railings, loungers and pretty much everything else.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings if CDC did send the ship home early.

I wouldn't be a bit surprised if that piece of crap they use for a terminal is responsible. It's very cold and unsanitary and it took me 3 3/4 hours to board the ship once I checked in.

You have over 3,000 people that are packed into that Igloo with everyone sharing the same small airspace.

180 pax never made it to the ship because of weather delays and cancellations.

It appears they were the lucky ones after all. :D

 

Really? You don't get noro from a cold terminal. If anything, the cold temps would kill the virus. You also don't catch it by breathing it in. Read up on Noro. Those that have it onboard caught it from others onboard by touching things, not washing hands, and touching their face, nose, etc. That is how noro is spread. It is not airborne. This strain is going around on land also, so people who think they are protected by not sailing are very wrong. There have been several news stories about it.

[DJ Cruisers]

Since we will be embarking on the Explorer on the 31st, I have been reading the CDC site to try and get informed. I am no expert, but it does say on the CDC site that if you see someone get sick (vomiting or diarrhea) leave the area. You could get sick if you ingest germs that travel thru the air. I assumed you would get sick thru food or person to person contact.

 

I do wish people would wash their hands when using the bathrooms. I avoid the public bathrooms but when I have used them it is not uncommon at all to see people walk out without washing their hands. One time the person I saw continued right on to the buffet.

 

Sorry for the passengers on board now and hope things improve. It sounds like their cruise has not been so pleasant.

[ebk2795]

A fellow cruiser from our 03/15/09 Explorer cruise is on the Explorer now. I just got this message on facebook:

 

 

Hello Eileen seems .....it happens everywhere ....the last time we were together was with xxx cruising out of Bayonnne ...........and we're on the Explorer this week and the ship is experiencing the Neurovirus ......... Should be on the news by now we missed Labadee because the Indy was there and they did not want to cross contaminate them. Here we are in PR where the IDC is overseeing the cleaning of the ship say hi to xxx for us.

 

Eileen

[ehamp23]

A fellow cruiser from our 03/15/09 Explorer cruise is on the Explorer now. I just got this message on facebook:

 

 

Hello Eileen seems .....it happens everywhere ....the last time we were together was with xxx cruising out of Bayonnne ...........and we're on the Explorer this week and the ship is experiencing the Neurovirus ......... Should be on the news by now we missed Labadee because the Indy was there and they did not want to cross contaminate them. Here we are in PR where the IDC is overseeing the cleaning of the ship say hi to xxx for us.

 

Eileen

 

 

 

 

 

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