Thoughts on the Lates Noro Virus

[Colorado Babe]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and was wondering, do you think prices are going to go down on future cruises due to all the media attention which has scared so many people into not cruising? I wonder what RC will do to try and turn this around. As I look into the future, I think we may see cruise ships with lots of vacant cabins or serious price reductions to try and fill them up.

 

I've also been thinking of things that we do as we prepare for our cruises. What precautions do you take? I usually start preparing a week out and my husband and I start taking pills and sprays that we buy at whole foods to try and not get sick (emergency, rescue, etc). We also pack a ton of medications (pepto, tums, advil, dramaine, cortisone, hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, Lysol,etc.) as precautions. We also have a rule that we never take the elevators and that we only take the stairs and never touch the hand rails unless there is high seas. We also use the hand sanitizer machines every time we walk by them and we rarely do the windjammer--maybe once a cruise for a quick bite or for fruit. We go to the gym everyday and ensure that we always wipe down the machines before and after. Could this be one of the reasons why we haven't ever gotten sick in our 13 cruises or have we just been lucky?

[PuterMonkey]

In the long term, no, it hasn't killed the cruise industry before and it's not going to do it now. In the short term, well I can tell you that our cruise on Explorer went on the hot deals this week and a state discount as well. Related or not, I'll happily take the drop :p

[LMaxwell]

There were price drops yesterday on numerous Explorer of the Seas sailing; tough to say because of bad PR or already planned or what exactly, but a number of sailings are now at historical low prices.

 

I think it is a good idea to try to bulk up your immune system before traveling, and we also keep a supply of OTC comfort aids; however I strongly believe that constantly sanitizing is what makes people sick. Sanitizer makes no determination between good and bad bacteria, it wipes the slate (so to speak) and invites stronger pathogens to attack your immune system. I'm no doctor, but many sources indicate cleanliness and personal hygiene are way more important than sanitizing.

 

I have noticed a trend over the years that those that use a LOT of sanitizer are almost constantly sick. It can't just be a fluke thing.

[kimmiecruises]

My cabin on FOS in May went up $30 a couple of days ago.....

[PuterMonkey]

I think it is a good idea to try to bulk up your immune system before traveling, and we also keep a supply of OTC comfort aids; however I strongly believe that constantly sanitizing is what makes people sick. Sanitizer makes no determination between good and bad bacteria, it wipes the slate (so to speak) and invites stronger pathogens to attack your immune system. I'm no doctor, but many sources indicate cleanliness and personal hygiene are way more important than sanitizing.

 

I have noticed a trend over the years that those that use a LOT of sanitizer are almost constantly sick. It can't just be a fluke thing.

 

It's not a fluke. It's been scientifically studied that people who use higher amounts of antibacterials and cleaning products get sick more often and have more allergies as well. It's actually good for your body to be exposed to some germs in the environment. Your immune system is looking for things to fight.

[LarryL]

I can't, honestly, recall cruise lines dropping prices because of a noro-virus outreak, but there ould be a first time. The ship wll be sanitized and will return to sea tomorrow, probably with a full load of passengers.

 

As far as preparations go, I don't bring a whole lot of anything with me except prescription medications. I think regular washing and being aware of potential opportunities for picking up a virus is important everywhere, not only on a cruise ship. Cruise ships are pretty much the only industry who volunteers the information (maybe required). It is also common in schools, hotels, and every other public area. While I am nothing like a germaphobe, I do wash my hands whenever I come in contact with railongs, doorknobs, and other surfaces touched by others. That sounds extreme but it's not that often. I think whatever a person is comfortable with is what they should do. What you have been doing seems to work for you, so I wouldn't change a thing.:)

 

GO BRONCOS!!!!!:p

[ehfl]

My thinking is to let my immune system do it's job. I wash my hands frequently, and use the purell before and after eating as much a courtesy to my fellow passengers as anything else.

 

But I don't constantly fret over germs. Phobias are not healthy.

 

I figure if I have a strong immune system, it will take care of me. Most people are exposed to norovirus several times a year, and have an immunity. If I get sick, I just take that as an opportunity to exercise my immune system, and help it get stronger, making me healthier, so I'll have a resistance for the next exposure.

 

Ketones make for a harsh environment for viruses and bacteria, so I try to avoid eating lots of carbohydrates to keep my ketone levels up a bit.

[papaflamingo]

Don't really think it'll affect prices except maybe on Explorer. Norovirus is very common. It's just that you don't see the effects as dramatically because the cases spread out. For example, if 30 people catch it on the same airplane flight, by the time they're sick, they've all ended up around the country. It isn't one of those diseases where the CDC searches out "patient zero." So you are always exposed to noro, the flu, the common cold, stomach viruses, etc. I got a stomach virus 2 weeks ago. Have no idea where from. It was 24 hrs then became a head cold which lasted a week. My wife got the head cold, not the stomach virus. So you just don't know.

I take precautions on the ship by washing my hands frequently and properly, and using hand sanitizers around the ship. Other than that I make my best effort to ensure I keep plenty of alcohol in my body to kill any germs that may wander in. :)

I really don't go through life worrying much about getting sick. I have a fairly strong immune system and accept life as it comes. Not changing my ways out of fear.

[Cruzin RN]

Imagine a small town with a population of 5000----now put them in close quarters for a few days during cold/flu/gi bug time..it seems reasonable that it can spread quickly..just the laws of epidemiology.

 

.sorry for those that were sick....no ones fault..it is what it is. Too bad in this day of "someones gonna pay" for my misery, the media feeds into it. Just my thoughts.

[JKHawaii]

I've taken over 20 cruises and was even on a 7-night cruise on a ship with a norovirus epidemic. And never had even a moment of gastroenteritis.

 

So my "routine" is this: I take no medications, don't wipe down the stateroom or gym equipment or anything else, use the elevators, grab the handrails so I don't fall down the steps, and love the windjammer. Oh yes, I also chew my fingernails!

 

I do use the sanitizers onboard to kill bacteria, though they are mostly ineffective against the noro virus.

 

By the way, noro is easily spread by person-to-person contact and through the air. So, you may want to consider adding wearing a mask and not touching anyone to your regimen.

 

Aloha!

[Colorado Babe]

I've taken over 20 cruises and was even on a 7-night cruise on a ship with a norovirus epidemic. And never had even a moment of gastroenteritis.

 

So my "routine" is this: I take no medications, don't wipe down the stateroom or gym equipment or anything else, use the elevators, grab the handrails so I don't fall down the steps, and love the windjammer. Oh yes, I also chew my fingernails!

 

I do use the sanitizers onboard to kill bacteria, though they are mostly ineffective against the noro virus.

 

By the way, noro is easily spread by person-to-person contact and through the air. So, you may want to consider adding wearing a mask and not touching anyone to your regimen.

 

Aloha!

 

Ha, Ha. I think wearing the mask was hilarious! ROFL

[cmason]

Price on cruise lines (and airplanes etc) are driven by supply and demand: there are only so many cabins available for a given cruise. If there are lots of empty cabins, prices will go down till they fill. If there are few empty cabins, prices will go up.

 

So, if the norovirus thing has caused customers to stop booking RCCL cruises, prices will so down on some cruises.

[BND]

Ha, Ha. I think wearing the mask was hilarious! ROFL

 

The deal with masks though is, you are protecting other people from your germs, more than you are protecting yourself from other's germs. Most people aren't getting sick from inhaling anything. They are however, spreading germs by exhaling, sneezing, coughing etc and touching surfaces. So, wearing a mask won't keep you from getting most illnesses (noro included), but you will be helping out others by not infecting them with what you have.

 

I do think it's funny when I see people wearing them falsely thinking they're not going to get sick.

 

In 14 cruises, I've never been sick and DH has had a cold once. We don't do all the wiping down of everything in our cabin and in fact we wipe down nothing. We do wash our hands, but not constantly, and keep them away from our faces. I also use the automatic door open buttons for the public restrooms onboard. I'm amazed how many people dont' even know they exist. I also push elevator buttons with my knuckles. It's become habit. We get flu shots every year too. I have a nice strong immune system because I haven't gone overboard with trying to kill every bacteria or virus in my environment.

 

There's also been reports lately that those hand gels aren't safe and that your skin absorbs them and it can cause other health issues. Besides the fact they kill good bacteria too. I don't carry them and don't think I even have any at home anymore.

 

Prices fluctuate for cruises and even if there is a drop, it won't last. People move on when there's not another big outbreak on this next cruise leaving tomorrow.

Edited January 30, 2014 by BND

[Thetrail]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and was wondering, do you think prices are going to go down on future cruises due to all the media attention which has scared so many people into not cruising? I wonder what RC will do to try and turn this around. As I look into the future, I think we may see cruise ships with lots of vacant cabins or serious price reductions to try and fill them up.

 

I've also been thinking of things that we do as we prepare for our cruises. What precautions do you take? I usually start preparing a week out and my husband and I start taking pills and sprays that we buy at whole foods to try and not get sick (emergency, rescue, etc). We also pack a ton of medications (pepto, tums, advil, dramaine, cortisone, hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, Lysol,etc.) as precautions. We also have a rule that we never take the elevators and that we only take the stairs and never touch the hand rails unless there is high seas. We also use the hand sanitizer machines every time we walk by them and we rarely do the windjammer--maybe once a cruise for a quick bite or for fruit. We go to the gym everyday and ensure that we always wipe down the machines before and after. Could this be one of the reasons why we haven't ever gotten sick in our 13 cruises or have we just been lucky?

35 cruises so far all RCL and have never once encountered NORO. I know there are outbreaks every year on all different cruise lines, but just don't think about it. Was on a B2B on Navigator one year and the ship had a Noro the week before we sailed. The ship came into port did a deep cleaning, we sailed out of N.O. later than planned and had two fabulous weeks on the ship with no ensuing outbreaks!.....K.O.:)...Also eat in the windjammer, MDR, park café, specialty restaurants, and also frequent the gym each day and wipe down my machines.... Edited January 30, 2014 by Thetrail

[JosieCat-MN]

So my "routine" is this: I take no medications, don't wipe down the stateroom or gym equipment or anything else, use the elevators, grab the handrails so I don't fall down the steps, and love the windjammer. Oh yes, I also chew my fingernails!

 

Well, except for chewing my fingernails, this sounds like my routine :)

[dmdiver]

Everyone is running sales right now. I've never gotten sick on a cruise. I wash my hands regularly because that is my habit - I've worked in daycare and currently work for a vet. Lots of handwashing there. I typically take my prescription meds, headache meds, anti-diarrhea meds, ginger & multivitamins. I've never had to use the diarrhea meds on vacation, but take them just in case. I don't want to have to go to the doc if it's just a case of dietary indiscretion. I don't pack hand sanitizers or anything like that. I use the sanitizer at the dining venues, but I don't know how much good they actually do. After all, you touch doors, handrails, elevator buttons, furniture - germs can be picked up anywhere. I limit touching my eyes, nose & mouth though.

[Colorado Babe]

Thanks everyone for the updates. Please note, we use the hand sanitizers that are in front of the MDR but always wash our hands with soap and water when we are in our stateroom. I hope I didn't confuse anyone. I also keep handsanitzer in my purse when we go on excursions and have to use the nasty bathrooms in which there is no running water.

 

Out of the 13 cruises we have been on, two had the noro virus but we were lucky to not get it. Two of our tablemates fell victim and I can't believe we didn't get it. I guess it is luck of the draw.

[Coffeemate]

We have been on 20 cruises and it was only on the last one, two weeks ago, on Norwegian Jade, that I got suspected Norovirus for the first time. We always eat in the buffet, but always make sure to use the hand sanitisers and wash our hands a lot.

 

It seems that we nearly always pick up some sort of cold on a cruise these days too, and that never happened on our early ones - there again I don't remember having to use hand sanitisers on those early ones either (in the early 2000s), so I'm really wondering about the point made by others in this thread about the sanitising gel killing off the good bacteria as well as the bad and therefore actually making us much more vulnerable to any bugs we cone across on the ship.

 

Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk

[20pluscruises]

There were price drops yesterday on numerous Explorer of the Seas sailing; tough to say because of bad PR or already planned or what exactly, but a number of sailings are now at historical low prices.

 

I think it is a good idea to try to bulk up your immune system before traveling, and we also keep a supply of OTC comfort aids; however I strongly believe that constantly sanitizing is what makes people sick. Sanitizer makes no determination between good and bad bacteria, it wipes the slate (so to speak) and invites stronger pathogens to attack your immune system. I'm no doctor, but many sources indicate cleanliness and personal hygiene are way more important than sanitizing.

 

I have noticed a trend over the years that those that use a LOT of sanitizer are almost constantly sick. It can't just be a fluke thing.

 

If it were my company....better to have the ships booked and show up as sold out...mind set kind of thing for future guests checking the site. I think some would look and see sold out and say "hey, not too many are worried about the virus...why should I?"

Edited January 31, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[Lyncruiser]

I don't think just the EOS episode would dissuade me from cruising again. But, adding it together with the ship sinking off the coast of Italy and the horror stories of ships stranded without engines, lights or working toilets for days, cruising has certainly lost appeal for us. We have been on most of the RCCL ships (twice on EOS) and many of the Celebrity ships, and have done 2 Carnival Cruises as well. You can count me as one who isn't really looking to cruise these days. I think perhaps the ships have so many people on board that waves of illness are almost to be expected. These enormous ships are just too many people in incredibly tight quarters. We have done one small ship cruise with less than 400 passengers total. If we were ever to cruise again, that's the only kind we would do.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Lyncruiser

[DianeMMHH]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and was wondering, do you think prices are going to go down on future cruises due to all the media attention which has scared so many people into not cruising? I wonder what RC will do to try and turn this around. As I look into the future, I think we may see cruise ships with lots of vacant cabins or serious price reductions to try and fill them up.

 

I've also been thinking of things that we do as we prepare for our cruises. What precautions do you take? I usually start preparing a week out and my husband and I start taking pills and sprays that we buy at whole foods to try and not get sick (emergency, rescue, etc). We also pack a ton of medications (pepto, tums, advil, dramaine, cortisone, hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, Lysol,etc.) as precautions. We also have a rule that we never take the elevators and that we only take the stairs and never touch the hand rails unless there is high seas. We also use the hand sanitizer machines every time we walk by them and we rarely do the windjammer--maybe once a cruise for a quick bite or for fruit. We go to the gym everyday and ensure that we always wipe down the machines before and after. Could this be one of the reasons why we haven't ever gotten sick in our 13 cruises or have we just been lucky?

 

Just off the Explorer cruise with the Noro........you sound like me before this cruise. I am always very careful! Never touch things, use sanitizer regularly in addition to hand washing, etc. We avoided the Windjammer. Both my DH and I got sick! We both fell ill after dinner on Day 2! As did 200-300 others! I cannot believe that touching an elevator button or a handrail caused that many people to get sick so quickly!

 

We have been on other ships with gastrointestinal illness but have never gotten sick in 14 cruises until now! Did our luck run out?

 

Diane

[Ken at the beach]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and was wondering, do you think prices are going to go down on future cruises due to all the media attention which has scared so many people into not cruising? I wonder what RC will do to try and turn this around. As I look into the future, I think we may see cruise ships with lots of vacant cabins or serious price reductions to try and fill them up.

 

I've also been thinking of things that we do as we prepare for our cruises. What precautions do you take? I usually start preparing a week out and my husband and I start taking pills and sprays that we buy at whole foods to try and not get sick (emergency, rescue, etc). We also pack a ton of medications (pepto, tums, advil, dramaine, cortisone, hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, Lysol,etc.) as precautions. We also have a rule that we never take the elevators and that we only take the stairs and never touch the hand rails unless there is high seas. We also use the hand sanitizer machines every time we walk by them and we rarely do the windjammer--maybe once a cruise for a quick bite or for fruit. We go to the gym everyday and ensure that we always wipe down the machines before and after. Could this be one of the reasons why we haven't ever gotten sick in our 13 cruises or have we just been lucky?

 

The investors certainly don't think that it will affect the bottom line. RCI stock has been up the past several days and was above the $50 mark for a bit.

[time4u2go]

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and was wondering, do you think prices are going to go down on future cruises due to all the media attention which has scared so many people into not cruising? I wonder what RC will do to try and turn this around. As I look into the future, I think we may see cruise ships with lots of vacant cabins or serious price reductions to try and fill them up.

 

I've also been thinking of things that we do as we prepare for our cruises. What precautions do you take? I usually start preparing a week out and my husband and I start taking pills and sprays that we buy at whole foods to try and not get sick (emergency, rescue, etc). We also pack a ton of medications (pepto, tums, advil, dramaine, cortisone, hand sanitizer, sanitizer wipes, Lysol,etc.) as precautions. We also have a rule that we never take the elevators and that we only take the stairs and never touch the hand rails unless there is high seas. We also use the hand sanitizer machines every time we walk by them and we rarely do the windjammer--maybe once a cruise for a quick bite or for fruit. We go to the gym everyday and ensure that we always wipe down the machines before and after. Could this be one of the reasons why we haven't ever gotten sick in our 13 cruises or have we just been lucky?

 

Probably lucky. There are many people that take many cruises that don't do any of the things you do that have never gotten sick (including us).

[Ken at the beach]

Probably lucky. There are many people that take many cruises that don't do any of the things you do that have never gotten sick (including us).

 

Agreed. We are also those people that wash their hands and nothing more. No pills, wipes or baggies for the TV remote.:)

[Seayalater]

Imagine a small town with a population of 5000----now put them in close quarters for a few days during cold/flu/gi bug time..it seems reasonable that it can spread quickly..just the laws of epidemiology.

 

.sorry for those that were sick....no ones fault..it is what it is. Too bad in this day of "someones gonna pay" for my misery, the media feeds into it. Just my thoughts.

 

I agree with you. we need to put it in perspective.