Oriana illness

[vodkatonic1961]

Has anyone who sailed on Oriana between 17-31 March arrived home with the flubug from hell? Husband and I not moved since we got home due to flu like illness. NO sickness and diahorrea just nasty cold, cough and chest infection.

[Scriv]

This bug has been doing the rounds on dry land too - I don't think Oriana can be blamed for it.

Obviously someone took it on board.

[tottoncruiser]

Hi

We were not on your sailing, but we were on board Oriana over Christmas & New year, and like many other passengers suffered this Flu Bug from hell, being confirmed as contracting Flu B on board and it took 8 weeks before we all got back to normal.

Darren

[jeanlyon]

I have colleagues here in Devon, who have not been near a cruise ship, but still had the flu bug from hell. Glad I didn't get it. Also friends in London with the same.

[tring]

We were onboard and my husband was diagnosed with flu and a secondary bacterial chest infection the day after Alta. He was prescribed tammyflu and antibiotics onboard. The doctor said the flu injection, (which we have had), was not very effective this year, and I think I have read that previously. As you know most people were coughing by the end of the cruise and there was nowhere to go to get away from it.

 

The onboard environment would encourage spread of course, but I am asthmatic and had trouble breathing from very early on in the cruise due to the exceedingly dry atmosphere in the cabin. I have never know air so dry, even on P&O ships before, although I always have problems with the P&O ships particularly. We are wondering if it was made worse because the air was dry up there to begin with, as all moisture would have been frozen. I was prescribed ant biotics on the second day in Alta for a chest infection, which always seems to come from nowhere with me, due to the asthma. We spoke to someone who had a hygrometer with him and was amazed at just how dry the air was onboard, way below decent health levels. I seemed to be getting a bit better until Bergen, when I started sneezing occasionally and became very weak, so I think I may only have gone down with the flu bug at that time, but I did not bother returning to the medical centre for tammyflu.

 

We are still not good but getting stronger and better a bit. I suggest you take vitamin tablets if you are on, or have had anti biotics as the antibiotics could leave you short on vitamin B, which will leave you weak, even as you get better. That is always recomended by our doctor and could hardly do any harm.

 

Time to give up winter cruises when these bugs are rife, as well as other crowded places methinks.

[vodkatonic1961]

Many thanks for your replies

[Clodia]

This flu has been rife during the winter, and would spread rapidly on a ship. My husband got it despite having the flu jab as it was less than effective. I also got it and as I hadn't had the jab (I'm too young to qualify) was ill for about 7 weeks. I was just about over it by the time I got on Oceana on March 9th and the sea air seemed finally to see it off!

[balf]

. I also got it and as I hadn't had the jab (I'm too young to qualify) was ill for about 7 weeks.

 

Asda pharmacy was doing them for £7 any age.

 

David.

[Host Sharon]

Nasty cough doing the rounds on Zaandam too - it took me several weeks to get rid of it. Fortunately I did get the flu jab or it might have been worse - there is just a lot of it around this year - in the office people were dropping like ninepins. It may be someone boarded before they felt the symptoms.

[Freddy Bloggs]

The huge amount of dust in the air con system onboard will not have helped. I've been to dr also day after getting of Oriana, and been diagnosed with chest infection. - room serviced twice a day, but due to feeling rough, wasn't on last few days, just asked for clean towels, it was then we noticed that all items sitting proud of the ceiling surrounding the air con unit over the bed were covered in fine white dust... seriously not impressed.

[jeanlyon]

But it's not the ship, it's someone boarding with the infection and sending it round. Not sure that dust would make any difference.

[JustOxford]

Normally see people with 'cabin cough' just goes with the environment but far better than Norovirus!

[davecttr]

Had a cold in January, the remaining cough, post nasal drip and head full of 'cotton wool' plus dodgy ear is still with me. P&O's doc on Oceana charged me £68 for some stuff i could have bought from the chemist. In fact my pharmacist back home refused to sell me it and said my other medications would clash!. Developed a wheeze. my GP prescribed antibiotics, it made no difference.

 

i have a good thermometer/relative humidity meter. i am taking it on my next cruise.

[Scriv]

Coughs colds and flus spread so fast within a small closed community regardless what kind of community it is - eg school, bus, train,plane - or cruiseship. The most likely scenario is someone bringing it on in the infectious stage and it spreads just like that.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Scriv

[gixergirl]

Has anyone who sailed on Oriana between 17-31 March arrived home with the flubug from hell? Husband and I not moved since we got home due to flu like illness. NO sickness and diahorrea just nasty cold, cough and chest infection.

 

I can confirm my husband and myself left Oriana with chest infections on 31st March, and we are still not fit and NoroVirus was pretty bad too. Also can confirm white dust on the cabin light fittings - have the pictures to prove it, plus many others.

[balf]

There has been a nasty chest infection around all winter and obviously many are struggling to shake it off.

 

We were on Adonia to the Carabean in January and it was so bad that the ship doctor was visiting cabins wearing a face mask. She was obviously correct when she said that it would be bad if she caught it.

 

David.