Caribbean Princess cruise cut short?

[MrMan]

I'm sorry, but am I the only one who finds this outrageous??? Cutting a cruise short after people have already paid their hard earned money because there MIGHT be fog on the day they are due to turnaround really hits me as grossly unfair.

 

The line is not doing this lightly. This turn back costs the line big dollars, lost revenue, lost sales, lost casino. Why is this "outrageous". It's not like they are being vengeful or customer unfriendly. Remember ships at port don't make money. Outrageous is a little hyperbol.

[Freem06]

We take a suite when we travel during the winter months. I would rather be confined to my nice big suite for 3 days than to an inside cabin on the bottom deck.

 

I am using this excuse with me husband to get a larger cabin next time I cruise.

[Posaune]

I spent four days confined to an inside cabin on Ruby in January, 2012, Not fun, but i understood the importance of staying in the cabin. Princess was wonderful to us and in this case they managed to keep the outbreak very minor. The medical staff said everyone was cooperating. I think they had about 50 cases, all in the first 72 hours of the cruise. This was under the 2% which would have required a report. I have always believed that we were all exposed in the pre boarding lounge by a child I overheard saying that he had been sick before the cruise. Next time I will report such a comment.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Posaune
Grammar police

[eclue]

I disembarked this morning from the Caribbean Princess and I also was interviewed by the Houston Chronicle and the KHOU news.....I told them it was a wonderful fantastic cruise and Princess did a great job. Really, the sickness was mainly seasick....the waves were 12 to 18 ft for hours and there was a lot of rocking...my sister is a seasoned cruiser and she was out flat but fine once the seas calmed.

There are those that exaggerated this minimal outbreak and shame on the Houston news for making a big deal over nothing...

I guess there is nothing else going on in the world..

I can't wait until my next cruise and kuddos to Princess for a job well done.

eclue:rolleyes:

[Underwatr]

So around 165-170 passengers fell ill out of ~4000 and they cut the cruise short??

 

In 2012 I was on Queen Mary 2, about 200 sick out of 2500. There was some inconvenience to the passengers who weren't sick but nothing worth shortening the cruise over, IMO.

 

I'm sure it's lousy to come down with Noro on a cruise but...

[crackupforlaughs]

From the Princess website:

 

 

Statement on Caribbean Princess Early Arrival Into Houston

 

January 31, 2014

 

Caribbean Princess Update:

Caribbean Princess has returned to the Port of Houston and passengers have disembarked. The ship was forced to return to Houston one day early because we were informed that dense fog was expected to close the port for much of the weekend. The ship did not return early because of the increased incidence of norovirus on board, despite some media reports.

On January 29 we received the following weather report from ImpactWeather, a respected weather forecasting company, which prompted our decision:

Two fog events are expected during the next week. The first is expected to begin Friday

morning and last through Sunday afternoon. Southeasterly winds are expected to bring

increased moisture into the area. This will lead to the formation of the fog on Friday.

There will likely be patchy fog in the morning and early afternoon. However, dense fog

should form in the late afternoon and evening hours. Breaks in the fog are not likely until

the cold front moves offshore late Sunday morning or early Sunday afternoon. Thus, we

are expecting that the ship channel will be closed for parts of Friday, all day Saturday,

and Sunday through the afternoon hours. The second fog event will begin about 24 hours

after the first event ends. This is because southerly winds will become reestablished over

the area, once again bringing moisture into the area. This second fog event is expected

to end late Tuesday, when another cold front moves offshore. Thus additional closures

are likely from late Monday afternoon or evening through late Tuesday.

Regarding the illnesses onboard this past cruise, Caribbean Princess experienced an increase in the number of reported cases of gastroenteritis among passengers, which was confirmed to be caused by norovirus, a common gastrointestinal illness which is currently widely circulating throughout North America. In response, we immediately implemented aggressive and comprehensive disinfection measures developed in conjunction with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a result of our actions, case numbers declined significantly and by the end of the cruise there were no passengers with active symptoms. Over the course of the 178 passengers (5.7%) and 11 crew (1%) reported ill to the Medical Center.

We notified the CDC who boarded Caribbean Princess this morning to oversee the extensive sanitation program planned over two days. The next cruise will depart tomorrow as scheduled, February 1.

 

______________________________________

January 30, 2014

Caribbean Princess is being forced to return to Houston one day early because we were informed that dense fog is expected to close the port for much of the weekend, and we are mindful of our passengers’ safety and comfort, as well as the disruption the port’s closing will have on their onward travel plans. This has, unfortunately, necessitated the cancellation of the scheduled call to Belize. The seven-day cruise, which departed January 25, is sailing on a Western Caribbean itinerary, also calling at Cozumel and Roatan.

We truly regret having to make this change to our passengers’ vacations, and we hope they understand that we did not have any choice but to return to Houston early before the unusually heavy fog closes the port.

Passengers will now disembark and proceed through the standard Customs and Immigration clearance that occurs at U.S. turnaround ports on Friday, January 31. Passengers with scheduled air flights from Houston will be accommodated overnight at local hotels by Princess, and they will receive a future cruise credit of 20% of their fare, as well as one day per diem to help offset any ancillary expenses such as meals.

Simultaneously, onboard the current sailing, Caribbean Princess has experienced an increase in the number of cases of gastroenteritis among passengers, which has been confirmed to be norovirus, a common but contagious illness which is widely circulating throughout North America. Because of the increased sensitivity surrounding norovirus by both cruise lines and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in this winter season, we notified the CDC who will be boarding on Friday to ensure all appropriate measures are followed for an extensive sanitation of the ship prior to the next cruise departing February 1. Approximately five passengers have current active symptoms of norovirus, and over the course of the cruise 165 passengers reported ill to the medical center.

A total of 3,104 passengers and 1,149 crew members are on board.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

After doing a little more research since last posting, I find that noro tends to be more of a problem in the winter months and should not be an issue in May when we go to Alaska. We did not know this when booking but it's good to know now. So maybe an extra safeguard is to avoid winter cruising entirely.

I'm still looking for the reason why crew members are affected by noro only a quarter as often proportionally than are the passengers. What do they know or do that the passengers don't?

Ray Mac.

 

Our only cruise with bad Noro was our Alaska B2B, Princess booked us all on an excursion so they could clean the ship on turnaround day.

I think the staff wash properly often and lots of passengers don't bother washing after using the WC :eek::eek::eek::eek:

[dcrow72]

That would depend on which sanitizer and what concentration the ingredients are.

 

http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/Home/which-hand-sanitizers-kill-stomach-flu-viruses

 

"If soap and water aren't available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. These alcohol-based products can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and water."

http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Norovirus/

One has to use the ones that are 90%

 

And then there is the Zylast™ line of antimicrobial products that independent testing has demonstrated that are 100 times more effective against Norovirus than alcohol-based hand sanitizers on the market.

 

And then chlorine wipes could be considered one of those sanitizers and they are rather effective.

 

Q: Why is WHO placing great emphasis on alcohol-based handrubs, at the point of care, and promoting them as the international standard for hand hygiene?

 

A: The availability of a product which renders the hands safe in terms of transmission of pathogens, and which can be used at the very place where pathogens are transmitted, has revolutionized hand hygiene improvement strategies in the modern age. For this reason, alcohol-based handrubs are considered to fulfil the highest standards of safety in relation to the prevention of cross-infection.

 

At the present time, the most efficacious, well-tolerated and well-researched product which can be placed ergonomically and safely at the point of care is an alcohol-based handrub. This system change facilitates the right action to occur at the right time and in the right way. It is unlikely, although not impossible, that running water, soap and towels will be installed right next to each patient’s bed, or be available at the point of care in an affordable and practical way. Soap and water handwashing is however less efficacious, more time-consuming, and less well tolerated by skin than alcohol-based handrubbing.

 

In countries where access to sinks is limited or non-existent, alcohol-based handrubs offer a method of preventing cross-infection which can be implemented in the short-term alongside a longer term strategy of sink installation.

 

Norovirus: the efficacy of alcohol-based handrubs against noroviruses varies with type and concentration of alcohol in the formulation, with a minimum 60% (v/v) concentration of ethanol required for good activity.

WHO experts recommend the use of alcohol-based handrubs during outbreaks of noroviral gastroenteritis.

 

http://www.who.int/gpsc/tools/faqs/system_change/en/

 

 

 

thank you! I've been posting this info on these boards for years with many still saying that they are NOT effective. They most certainly are effective. We use these in hospitals all over the world every day. They must be used right. Enough product to force you to rub hands briskly for 20 seconds and whenever anything is touched. We were on a noro ship (CB 2008) and never got sick. Use your head and sanitizer and you will be fine. We have outbreaks in schools and nursing homes right now all over the state. Its completely unavoidable wherever people gather. You can go to the supermarket and touch a cart and bring it home with you. People on here need to STOP discouraging the use of hand sanitizers; it's always better than nothing!

[obnurse]

If the ship returned to port because of predicted fog, why did they disembark early? Why couldn't the passengers stay on board until their expected date of disembarkation and party on as usual? Just wondering.

[Julia’s Journey’s]

At least Princess listened to the weather forecast and was pro active, not like the city of ATL that was brought to a grinding halt on Tuesday when the forecast was ignored.:eek::eek::eek:

 

Whichever way they decided there will be complaints but at least they put safety first :)

[Julia’s Journey’s]

If the ship returned to port because of predicted fog, why did they disembark early? Why couldn't the passengers stay on board until their expected date of disembarkation and party on as usual? Just wondering.

 

I'm sure the harbour master has some say in this as well as ICE etc

[Jzx1103]

From the Princess website:

 

 

Statement on Caribbean Princess Early Arrival Into Houston

 

January 31, 2014

 

Caribbean Princess Update:

Caribbean Princess has returned to the Port of Houston and passengers have disembarked. The ship was forced to return to Houston one day early because we were informed that dense fog was expected to close the port for much of the weekend. The ship did not return early because of the increased incidence of norovirus on board, despite some media reports.

On January 29 we received the following weather report from ImpactWeather, a respected weather forecasting company, which prompted our decision:

Two fog events are expected during the next week. The first is expected to begin Friday

morning and last through Sunday afternoon. Southeasterly winds are expected to bring

increased moisture into the area. This will lead to the formation of the fog on Friday.

There will likely be patchy fog in the morning and early afternoon. However, dense fog

should form in the late afternoon and evening hours. Breaks in the fog are not likely until

the cold front moves offshore late Sunday morning or early Sunday afternoon. Thus, we

are expecting that the ship channel will be closed for parts of Friday, all day Saturday,

and Sunday through the afternoon hours. The second fog event will begin about 24 hours

after the first event ends. This is because southerly winds will become reestablished over

the area, once again bringing moisture into the area. This second fog event is expected

to end late Tuesday, when another cold front moves offshore. Thus additional closures

are likely from late Monday afternoon or evening through late Tuesday.

Regarding the illnesses onboard this past cruise, Caribbean Princess experienced an increase in the number of reported cases of gastroenteritis among passengers, which was confirmed to be caused by norovirus, a common gastrointestinal illness which is currently widely circulating throughout North America. In response, we immediately implemented aggressive and comprehensive disinfection measures developed in conjunction with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As a result of our actions, case numbers declined significantly and by the end of the cruise there were no passengers with active symptoms. Over the course of the 178 passengers (5.7%) and 11 crew (1%) reported ill to the Medical Center.

We notified the CDC who boarded Caribbean Princess this morning to oversee the extensive sanitation program planned over two days. The next cruise will depart tomorrow as scheduled, February 1.

 

 

Wait so if there is going to be fog from today all the way through sunday. How is the ship gonna leave tomorrow??? we are on tomorrows ship btw.

Edited February 1, 2014 by Jzx1103

[eclue]

If the ship returned to port because of predicted fog, why did they disembark early? Why couldn't the passengers stay on board until their expected date of disembarkation and party on as usual? Just wondering.

Because when the ship is in port, the shops are closed, the bars are closed and the casino closes 4 hours before it gets to Houston.....who would want to stay on a ship docked in port??? And the sky is overcast and yes.....on the weather, this evening on KHOU tv in Houston, the weatherman predicted dense sea fog for this weekend...for all you doubters out there...

eclue:)

[RocketMan275]

There are stories in the news today about 1) A school system in Japan with 1,000 confirmed cases of noro this week 2) A hospital, nursing home and nursery in Cornwall with a massive outbreak 3) A school in Kansas with 29 cases in one classroom. These are current news stories from the past week.

 

Noro is not just a cruise line problem. Anywhere that groups gather the disease is passed.

 

About 20 million people come down with Noro each year in the US. With a population of 320 million, the chances are about 6% you will get noro even if you do not go on a cruise. FYI, on CB 200 people out of 3000 got noro or around 6.6 %.

[Maritime Mom]

We just returned from the Caribbean Princess today. Obviously we were disappointed to miss Belize and return home a day early (really a day and a half since the shops, casino and bars were effected the evening of the 30th). I've cruised over 35 times and have never encountered norovirus or returning to port early so this trip was certainly a first for me!

 

We were credited a prorated day plus a 20% discount on a future cruise as long as it is booked by 12/31/14. Trust me, I would rather have paid my full fare and enjoyed the entire cruise than come home to my real life a day early. I also feel for the staff as they were financially affected by losing tips the last day...not to mention the Herculean task of cleaning that ship!

 

Having previously cruised, here are my 2 gripes: 1) I appreciate lines like HAL taking initial "code red" precautions when starting a cruise (ie: serving food in at the buffet the first few days, not setting out condiments, etc) or NCL's "Happy Happy, Washy Washy ladies" spraying their sanitizers at the entrance of the buffet or boarding the ship after a day in port. Personally, I felt Princess was lacking in the sanitize dept. After handling chips in the casino I was LOOKING to sanitize my hands but there was nothing. The bars did not have dispensers either. I found myself making trips back to my cabin just to wash my hands.

 

And 2) when returning to Bayport and we encountered bad weather, the ship continued at 20 knots (with what felt like no stabilizers). It was one of the rockiest evenings I can recall on a cruise. If you didn't have norovirus, you certainly felt like crap riding out that storm. What was even more frustrating was after barreling through that storm on Wed, we crawled into port the next day. I just don't understand the logic.

 

I do feel that norovirus played a larger part in Princess' decision to return to Bayport early then they are admitting. My husband and I traveled with another couple and that husband started exhibiting norovirus signs once he returned home this afternoon.

 

Good or bad, this is not a cruise I will be forgetting anytime soon.

[dleighb]

So, even with a fog prediction, why did they sail in Thursday night for a Friday disembarkation? Why not push and return at least on Friday night before the port might close? At least give the current passengers their time on sea. I agree with Maritime Mom. My cruise was cut by 36 hours, not 24. I couldn't spend my last evening out on the balcony enjoying the crisp sea air. It was depressing to go to bed looking at the Bayport Terminal and smelling the oil fields of Houston. To have that on top of your cruise missing a port and being cut short is very disappointing. And I don't care if there is a fog warning. There was more to the decision to return on Thursday by 10pm than just fog. We were booking it right after they made the announcement to push in by Thursday. I don't mind the changes, but I really do feel lied to and that is what bothers me most.

[RDC1]

Probably because they could not be sure when the fog would close the port. Since they had to miss Belize and come back they certainly did not want to take a chance on still not being able to dock. Add in the Novo and it just added more incentive to get back fast.

 

Current weather report for the Galveston channel

 

Min: 58 F

Max: 68 F

Day: Tonight

Condition: Dense Fog

Forecast: Patchy dense fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph.

Img Fog

Day: Saturday

Condition: Slight Chc Showers

Forecast: A 20 percent chance of showers after 7am. Areas of dense fog before 1pm. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 68. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Img Rain

Min: 58 F

Max: 65 F

Day: Saturday Night

Condition: Slight Chc Showers

Forecast: A 20 percent chance of showers. Patchy dense fog after 7pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

Edited February 1, 2014 by RDC1

[RickEk]

Probably because they could not be sure when the fog would close the port. Since they had to miss Belize and come back they certainly did not want to take a chance on still not being able to dock. Add in the Novo and it just added more incentive to get back fast.

 

Current weather report for the Galveston channel

 

Min: 58 F

Max: 68 F

Day: Tonight

Condition: Dense Fog

Forecast: Patchy dense fog. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Breezy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph.

Img Fog

Day: Saturday

Condition: Slight Chc Showers

Forecast: A 20 percent chance of showers after 7am. Areas of dense fog before 1pm. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 68. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Img Rain

Min: 58 F

Max: 65 F

Day: Saturday Night

Condition: Slight Chc Showers

Forecast: A 20 percent chance of showers. Patchy dense fog after 7pm. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 58. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph.

 

So, hopefully, she'll still be able to sail out Saturday night!

[fortworther]

from what i have been told missing Belize City is no great loss. there must be better ports in the Western Carib?

[fortworther]

And 2) when returning to Bayport and we encountered bad weather, the ship continued at 20 knots (with what felt like no stabilizers). It was one of the rockiest evenings I can recall on a cruise. If you didn't have norovirus, you certainly felt like crap riding out that storm. What was even more frustrating was after barreling through that storm on Wed, we crawled into port the next day. I just don't understand the logic.

 

i have been told that bobbing around in high seas is worse than plowing through as far as sea sickness goes.

Edited February 1, 2014 by fortworther

[DrSch]

from what i have been told missing Belize City is no great loss. there must be better ports in the Western Carib?

 

Maybe it's no great loss for you.. For us, the reef is one of the best in the world for scuba and snorkeling. The Mayan temples are also great culturally.

[vols_159]

from what i have been told missing Belize City is no great loss. there must be better ports in the Western Carib?

 

Love Belize been there 2x! Maybe princess needs there own version of washy washy happy happy

[CPA92]

I can't find the post in here, but I swore I saw it earlier.. someone somewhere posted that Princess should use the time during the muster drill to educate everyone on how to avoid Noro, and suggest cleaning hands etc.

 

This is one of the best suggestions I have seen on the boards.

 

YES! Educate about washing hands and staying home or in your room if you are sick. Excellent idea to do so at muster

[fortworther]

Maybe it's no great loss for you.. For us, the reef is one of the best in the world for scuba and snorkeling. The Mayan temples are also great culturally.

 

you guys need to get out more...belize? what a crappy place. mayan ruins are better in Tulum. and snorkeling as a reason for going on a cruise is a joke. scuba maybe. i have noticed that people who only or mostly cruise on Princess are extremely defensive. why is that?

Edited February 1, 2014 by fortworther

[Rixnsd]

My father in law said it right. Keith Davis of Austin questioned the fog story.

 

"That's last Tuesday they tell us this, and they've never said anything different," he told KHOU. "I knew then nobody can predict five days in advance. I knew that that wasn't the case. They were just doing that to minimize their damages."

The truth goes on but you do not want to hear :-) got recordings and you tubes.