Back from the June 1 Freedom with the norovirus

[barefoot cruiser]

My family was on the June 1 sailing on Freedom. Carnival had hand washing stations near the pools. Also tissue dispensers inside the bathroom exit doors so that you could cover the door handle upon exit of public restrooms. There was hand sanitizer virtually everywhere. There was constant cleaning going on and reminders everywhere to wash your hands. I don't know what else could be done to prevent virus by carnival. I brought wet wipes and hand sanitizer for my family. I sanitized my whole cabin before we "lived" in it for 8 nights. My husband and boys have a cold upon return but that could have been from port or plane.

 

 

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I have to second this. I saw constant cleaning, and hand sanitizing stations. I especially liked the hand washing stations at the pool area. I didn't hear of anyone getting ill on the ship or since I have been back (nothing said on the roll call or those I met and am emailing from the trip). I am sorry you are ill, and if it is noro, I am sorry, but to say that carnival didn't do anything is not accurate. They provide all means to wash and sanitize...they can not make everybody do it though.

[mimil]

Just got back also, husband throw up in the airport. Plane was delay for 7 hours, then we drove home another 3 hours. Glad to be home. Love the ship , but the service in the dining room was very slow. We ate Guy burgers every day. Husband and family members won a lot of money in casino. We all had free drink in the casino.

 

Mimi

[Carina1999]

We only use hand sanitizers when in large groups. For instance, on the ship when my 8 year old is touching every hand rail and button he sees. (Along with constant hand washing) The reason I mentioned it is because the poster says carnival did nothing to prevent her getting the norovirus. I took my own precautions against it.

[RuthlessBoss]

Norovirus or not, all stomach viruses are highly contagious. My entire family had such a virus running through our house for 2 + weeks.

 

I'm sorry you were sick. I'm glad you had an enjoyable vacation up until then.

 

Now, here's a perfect example that you don't need to be on a ship to get sick and can't say Carnival didn't do enough to prevent it.

[Roseys5]

I was on this cruise with my husband and two children. My daughter fell ill on Sunday morning and we were in the medical center later that day. At that time the nurse said she was the first case of a stomach bug the boat had seen, but while we were talking another case came in the door. Then yesterday my 4 year old came down with it :/ Fortunately it didn't last longer than 24 hours for either of them.

[dcikon2]

We also just returned off of the Freedom. There were 6 in our group. One child did get sick one night, but I believe this was from eating raw conch. The staff was great about cleaning our friend's room. We didn't hear anything about norovirus on the ship.

[deborah grimes]

If that doctor didn't take a stool sample, he would have no idea what he had.

 

And Imodium? I though you wanted the virus out of you. Imodium would Prevent that. Maybe that's why he ended up sick for three days; the Imodium prolonged the illness.

 

No stool sample taken. I thought he needed to do more to say he had the virus. We thought at first it was the nor. virus but when it was around for 3 days and his room mate did not get it then on the 3 day we figured it was food poison. We gave him Imodium because he was (sorry to say):o going from both ends . He could not keep anything down. The Imodium may have prolonged the sickness, but I must of done something right even the doctor gave him the same stuff.

Edited June 12, 2014 by deborah grimes

[snoopyb]

Soooo... does Carnival know to deep clean public areas/rooms or does everyone boarding the Freedom this summer just take their chances?

[tallone16]

I was on the June 1-9 sailing of the Freedom. I had a pretty good cruise, bad cabin, but everything fine up until the Sunday. I ate breakfast at the buffet around 8 a.m., then went to bed to lay down because I had been up most of the night. Three hours later, I woke up with excruciating stomach pains. I got to the bathroom and quickly vomited. Laid back down and 2 hours later was worse and everything was coming out both ends. I went to the medical center and was seen right away by the nurse. Never seen a doctor. I had to fill out a questionaire and on the form was a question asking what I thought it was. I wrote in food poisioning. The only thing I was thinking because I was fine before eating breakfast. The nurse told me that for the rest of the cruise, I would be confined to my cabin. Which was fine by me. She gave me a shot of gravol and a couple of pills for later and said she would check on my in the morning to see how I felt. I asked her what she thought it was and she said she didn't know, she wasn't a doctor. Monday morning, I waited in my cabin, and no call or no visit, I finally called the medical center, but no answer. I had an early flight so I went down to the lobby and went to guest services. They told me nobody was at the medical center this morning. Did I want to see a doctor. I said no, I had to get to the airport. Still didn't feel good, so I kept to myself. Took a taxi by myself, then was sick again at the airport. Told the people at my ticket counter and they gave me a mask to wear home which I did. Felt terrible all day Monday, Tuesday, then went to the hospital today. Non stop diarrhea. Dehydrated and couldn't keep anything in my body. Doctor said it was a virus, didn't give it a name. I was given a an I.V. and some antibiotics and sent home. I was the one who told my room steward about being sick because he was worried about me not coming out of my cabin all day. He finally knocked. I heard at the airport that there were more people sick on board.

First time sick on a carnival cruise, this my 13th. Don't know all the answers. But, I've missed the last two days of work because of it.

And I will cruise again. Kind of curious though, that I never got a follow up from Carnival.

[fuddrules]

Soooo... does Carnival know to deep clean public areas/rooms or does everyone boarding the Freedom this summer just take their chances?

 

The answer to both questions is yes.

[RuthlessBoss]

Soooo... does Carnival know to deep clean public areas/rooms or does everyone boarding the Freedom this summer just take their chances?

 

Freedom isn't the original source of viruses, it's brought onto the ship originally. People get infected all over the world, not just off a ship. Any cleaning of the ship can't stop the virus being brought on board in the first place. People get sick at home too and spread amongst other family members. Does that mean they didn't keep their home clean to prevent illness?:eek:

[Gupemp]

We were on the Freedom June 1 - 9, too. I got sick Tuesday night - started vomiting and had bad stomach cramps. I'm not sure if it came from the ship or not but I still feel awful. I've had nausea and diarrhea since Wednesday morning and am scheduled to go to the doctor tomorrow. Hopefully, nobody else will get sick in my family. I was very vigilant in washing my hands and sanitizing them nonstop the whole time I was onboard. The only bright spot is I've lost all the cruise weight this week!!

[snoopyb]

Freedom isn't the original source of viruses, it's brought onto the ship originally. People get infected all over the world, not just off a ship. Any cleaning of the ship can't stop the virus being brought on board in the first place. People get sick at home too and spread amongst other family members. Does that mean they didn't keep their home clean to prevent illness?:eek:

 

Yes I know that people can become sick from anyplace and can come onboard sick. However, I wanted to know if the cruise line is aware of these occurrences happening to different people in a certain time frame and if so, do they do anything about it, like doing a thorough cleaning, to help prevent/curb the spread in between itineraries. :confused:

Edited June 13, 2014 by snoopyb

[Tutontow]

Okay, on the subject of germs. I am amazed how many men I see use the restroom near the casino and they never wash their hands. Then you see people playing the machines or handling chips at the tables and they are smoking. Iow they touch the chips or the machines that are near said restrooms and then they put their hands to their lips.

 

I won't lie, I play a ton of blackjack and always have drink in or close to my mouth. I guess it is true, we just take our chances. Of course that is true from the moment we are conceived :>)

[lizjoemom]

My family was on the June 1 sailing on Freedom. Carnival had hand washing stations near the pools. Also tissue dispensers inside the bathroom exit doors so that you could cover the door handle upon exit of public restrooms. There was hand sanitizer virtually everywhere. There was constant cleaning going on and reminders everywhere to wash your hands. I don't know what else could be done to prevent virus by carnival. I brought wet wipes and hand sanitizer for my family. I sanitized my whole cabin before we "lived" in it for 8 nights. My husband and boys have a cold upon return but that could have been from port or plane.

 

 

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I was impressed that Carnival had tissues available at the bathroom doors for the handles, I don't recall seeing this on other ships that I have been on. Plenty of hand sanitizer stations, DH and I were on the Pride in May and it was all good!

[gatormama]

FYI about N. V. from someone who has had it (although not on a cruise ship, luckily).

1. It cannot be killed with hand washing, basically only bleach will kill it

2. it is transferred through food. For example, I did not give it to one of my students but my kids and husband all got it.

3. Trust me you will know if you have it. I could not leave my bathroom for about 10 hours. The only good thing about it is how fast it moves through you.

 

I thought cruise ships had you debark if it is confirmed. Sorry to hear anyone's vacation was ruined by illness.

[TPFKAH]

FYI about N. V. from someone who has had it (although not on a cruise ship, luckily).

1. It cannot be killed with hand washing, basically only bleach will kill it

2. it is transferred through food. For example, I did not give it to one of my students but my kids and husband all got it.

3. Trust me you will know if you have it. I could not leave my bathroom for about 10 hours. The only good thing about it is how fast it moves through you.

 

I thought cruise ships had you debark if it is confirmed. Sorry to hear anyone's vacation was ruined by illness.

 

Not killed, but hand washing and rinsing loosens the virus and potentially removes it during the process.

 

Hand santitizer just moves the virus from one place to another, and remains on your skin.

[sjcruiser]

I agree that Noro is bad to catch on a cruise, but for the safety and concern for other passengers, I would have reported it, even if it did mean I would quarantined to my cabin. The entire ship and passengers could have been put at risk. IMHO

[crusinfamof4]

Seems like I read a lot of my child got sick. Could be there was already a sick child on board and it went from child to child to adult, as it usually does in most cases. We were on the Freedom last year and just like all other CCL cruises, there is an ample amount of tissues for the doors and hand sanitizer.

[frayedend]

If that doctor didn't take a stool sample, he would have no idea what he had.

 

And Imodium? I though you wanted the virus out of you. Imodium would Prevent that. Maybe that's why he ended up sick for three days; the Imodium prolonged the illness.

 

This is complete misinformation. First it is doubtful they would take a stool sample. I don't think the cruise ships are equipped with a virology lab and the ability to do PCR tests. So for a 3 day virus I don't think they are flying out stool samples to the CDC.

 

Secondly, just because you are crapping a lot doesn't mean you are getting rid of the virus. It will replicate in your body until your immune system builds up enough to control it. The best thing you can do then is to stay as healthy as possible and not being dehydrated is very important. So controlling diarrhea is going to help you feel better and get better.

[Pine Bluff]

This is complete misinformation. First it is doubtful they would take a stool sample. I don't think the cruise ships are equipped with a virology lab and the ability to do PCR tests. So for a 3 day virus I don't think they are flying out stool samples to the CDC.

 

Secondly, just because you are crapping a lot doesn't mean you are getting rid of the virus. It will replicate in your body until your immune system builds up enough to control it. The best thing you can do then is to stay as healthy as possible and not being dehydrated is very important. So controlling diarrhea is going to help you feel better and get better.

 

Actually it seems to be you that is the purveyor of misinformation. You are incorrect.

[frayedend]

Actually it seems to be you that is the purveyor of misinformation. You are incorrect.

 

Explain?

 

 

Human noroviruses cannot be grown in cell culture. Therefore, diagnostic methods focus on detecting viral RNA or antigen. Most public health and clinical virology laboratories can test for norovirus using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assays.

[cruizinisthebest]

Why do you we need a biology battle? Just wash your hands and if you get sick, be considerate and report it!

 

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[frayedend]

Why do you we need a biology battle? Just wash your hands and if you get sick, be considerate and report it!

 

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I understand not wanting a battle but Pine Bluff implied my info is incorrect but did not say how. They are telling people not to take Imodium if they have diarrhea and that is just wrong. I explained my post but Pine Bluff just says "You're incorrect" but has no info on why. I'm very curious.

[cruisinfanatic]

Since I was the only one that got sick while we were on the ship I figured it was food poison so I had no reason to report it. Guess I am not perfect.

So why the crack "it didn't appear that Carnival did much to avoid the virus."