New Noro on the Marina May 2015

[roberts2005]

Some one just posted on our rollcall that Noro is back on the Marina

 

Any other current passengers on the transfer Atlantic that can provide details

 

Thanks, we board June 3rd

[LAexNY]

Yes, it's true.

Announcement was made Wednesday that over 2% of those aboard have the bug.

Free visits to the doctor, those infected quarantined to their cabins for at least 24 hours. Ship is being scrubbed. Hand sanitizer to each cabin.

Dr. says likely that someone brought it aboard.

[findacruise]

Another announcement today. Ice only upon request to housekeeping. Laundries have been closed. All raw foods removed. No self-serve items remain - nothing out at Baristas. Knew someting was going on before the announcement when the hand cleaners showed up in the lcabins Tuesday night and the cinnamon and brown sugar were behind the sneeze guards at Wednesday breakfast.

 

I had not heard what the Doctor said. Seems it took awhile to get to this level if it was brought on board, as we embarked on May 18.

[roberts2005]

Are the spas and hot tubs closed.?

 

What about computers and library?

[LHT28]

Precautions were starting on Sunday

At lunch they had staff at the entrance to the Terrace & no one was getting in until they gelled up

No rolls on your own or anything selfserve then

They were wiping down the chair backs & arms as people left

 

We saw one cabin on deck 9 with the bio hazard bag outside the door & a cleaning being done so it had started then

 

Another couple also left the ship that day as well

Fortunately or unfortunately we had to disembark that day due to DH having a gallbladder attack

 

Stay healthy

 

Lyn

[Mura]

The problems on the Lima-NYC cruise started about 5-6 days after boarding. In our case it was asserted that someone had brought it on the ship in Cusco. We weren't sure we bought that explanation since we'd been in Cusco twice and were fine there. (We spent about 6 days in the Andes pre-cruise but we were all very careful not to drink the water, etc.)

 

Otherwise, they seem to be treating everything the way they did on our cruise -- although we didn't see staff at the entrance to restaurants insisting that we "gel up". But they did wash down everything that wasn't moving ...

 

Lyn, do you mean that you had to leave the ship because of the gall bladder attack? I hope I misinterpreted your statement!

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Lyn, do you mean that you had to leave the ship because of the gall bladder attack? I hope I misinterpreted your statement!

 

Mura

 

Yes Mike was having pain for a couple of days & the dr suggested he get off before the crossing in case anything happened when in the Atlantic

 

It was about day 5 when Mike notice a certain odour by the elevators on deck 9 then saw the red bio hazard bag outside a cabin we knew then

 

He is on meds for the pain until he sees the surgeon

 

Lyn

[LAexNY]

Lyn,

Sorry you had to leave us. Hope Mike gets better soon.

 

David & Laura

[Mura]

I'm so sorry to hear this, Lyn. You were planning on this cruise for a very long time! Hope Mike is 100% soon.

 

Mura

[LHT28]

Lyn,

Sorry you had to leave us. Hope Mike gets better soon.

 

David & Laura

 

Thanks

me too

Stay healthy

 

Lyn

[findacruise]

Lyn, So sorry you and Mike had to leave the cruise. But agree gall bladder not to be messed with, having been down that road. Thank you for all you did to keep track of our group and information you provided, etc. I'm glad I did get to meet you.

 

Best to both of you.

 

Joanna

[Jancruz]

Lyn, so sorry about Mike..hope he gets better really soon!!

Jancruz1

[edgee]

Some one just posted on our rollcall that Noro is back on the Marina

 

Any other current passengers on the transfer Atlantic that can provide details

 

Thanks, we board June 3rd

 

Not necessarily NORO...it is being described by staff as GI issues. Anyhow...precautions seem to be the same. So, we will make use of the laundry "special" and have the ship laundry do our clothes...25 items for $20...24 hour service with no pressing.

[dfb]

Are the spas and hot tubs closed.?

 

What about computers and library?

 

The hot tubs by the swimming pool were open today. I saw people in there this afternoon.

 

The computer lab was open and the library was open. I saw people in both this evening. As well, the card room was open.

[roberts2005]

The hot tubs by the swimming pool were open today. I saw people in there this afternoon.

 

The computer lab was open and the library was open. I saw people in both this evening. As well, the card room was open.

 

Thanks. Hope the hot tubs stay open. I reall enjoy their use after being out all day

[edgee]

During the current code red situation and the previous one between Lima and NY...everything remains open except the passenger laundries.

[Mura]

That's my recollection on the Lima-NYC itinerary ... laundries were closed. (The deal we got for having laundry done was 20 pieces for $25, not 25 pieces for $20, for what that is worth.)

 

I went up to the spa for acupuncture treatments several times and plenty of people were on the deck there ... I also don't recall people standing guard at the entrance to Terrace to make sure that we availed ourselves of the antiseptic dispensers, but I do remember staff washing everything down immediately in all public areas.

 

What bugged us most was the overcooking of food ... since we like it rare. We were conflicted -- obviously the ship wants to nip the problem in the bud, but for people who weren't having a problem we didn't see why we had to have overcooked food.

 

I didn't really bitch about it ... just didn't order the dishes I'd been looking forward to having on board for more than a year!

 

I admit to being concerned in that we had the problem on Lima-NYC. Apparently NY-Montreal did NOT have a problem, but then it recurred on Montreal-Southampton. I'd be particularly concerned if I were booked on the cruise leaving Southampton ...

 

For our cruise, the "blame" was leveled at people who went to Cusco before the cruise. Now it seems that the "blame" is being leveled at those who boarded in Montreal. I doubt both stories are true ... This was our fourth cruise on Marina since Oct '11 and the first time we ever had this problem.

 

Mura

[Caroldoll]

A staff member told me that it happens quite frequently down there, as a matter of fact frequently, and it did have something to do with the sanitation standards in that country.

 

This person also said that Noro seems to "pop up" when the weather has been hot and there are a lot of sea days.

 

I was on New York to Montreal and the weather was quite warm...then there were a few days and then a lot of sea days. This seems to follow the description that I was given.

 

I am sorry for all of you on board, and exceptionally grateful that it didn't occur on New York to Montreal, because like Mura, I can't stand food cooked well done!

 

I hope the crew gets it under control

[LHT28]

Montreal was quite warm then it got cooler at the other ports only one sea day from the 18th to 26th so not sure how that works as the bug started to rear it's ugly head on the 23rd

 

People are on vacation & their hygiene routine may be as well :eek:

Could be just a case of people not being as vigilant about washing their hands

 

Mura maybe on your cruise they did not stand guard at the entrance but the day we left the ship they were making sure everyone was using the gel dispensers before getting into the Terrace

 

I do hope they get it under control before the next port of call

 

Lyn

[StanandJim]

A staff member told me that it happens quite frequently down there, as a matter of fact frequently, and it did have something to do with the sanitation standards in that country.

IMHO you might be very surprised if you knew just who was spreading what to whom.

 

You say that you were in business for years, ask one of your Time and Motion vendors if you may review a film about Americans washing their hands after using the restroom.

 

Fair Warning: You may never eat in public, or shake hands with anybody, ever again....:o

[dfb]

Just to be clear, I have NOT heard anyone onboard Marina refer to NORO. They have referred to the 2% affected as having AGE or acute gastro-enteritis. The laundry special offer was 20 pieces for $24.95 for wash, dry and fold and it only applied to May 24, 25, & 26. Ironing & dry cleaning services were offered separately. Laundry had to be picked up by 9am on the day of the promotion. The first day of the Code Red announcement was May 27 at about noon, so by the time the public laundries were closed, the laundry special offer had ended. I have been dining mainly in Terrace and I can confirm that they have a staff member standing at each door telling each person that approaches to please sanitize their hands, thanking those that do and chasing after those who don't. This was also happening to a lesser extent when we first boarded in NYC and then went away and is now back in a more forceful way.

Debbie

[BillPizzaiolo]

When we travel and almost every day in social situations we are OC about using hand sanitizer. There are too many people that do not use good hand cleaning lately. I rarely ever touch a door knob bare handed and always discretely use hand sanitizer after shaking hands and always after touching a menu. If the menu is on our plate we request new chargers and or silverware. If you get it you missed cleaning up your hands somewhere and you probably touched your face with stuff you picked up.

[Caroldoll]

Yes, there is a sanitary problem, and sometimes it is perpetuated by the passengers. I know about this "problem" as we were in the medical field. In the beginning of the trip, New York to Montreal, the crew was being very careful to wipe everything (VERY) and they gave out sanitizers which I HOPE were used. For Joe and I, we wash all the time and use the dispensers. There was another two guests and both of us who decided no shaking hands. We did not. The one time someone grabbed my hand before I could pull away, I immediately went to the restroom and washed. These bacteria live on surfaces for days. It is a hard one to beat. Like my doc says, anyone who invents a norovirus shot will be very wealthy indeed.

[roberts2005]

Can someone more knowledgeable explain the difference between: GI, Noro and AGE. To me the symptoms and results seem the same.

 

Thanks

Edited May 29, 2015 by roberts2005

[Mura]

Mura maybe on your cruise they did not stand guard at the entrance but the day we left the ship they were making sure everyone was using the gel dispensers before getting into the Terrace

 

 

I wasn't doubting you, Lyn! It's just a tactic we didn't see on our cruise, although it's a good procedure I would think. (And maybe your cruise had a higher percentage of sick passengers than ours did. We were never told anything beyond the standard of 2% of the passengers being sick.) Being as we were traveling in South and Central America for most of the cruise, we did have a lot of hot weather.

 

On an NCL TA several years ago a crew member was ALWAYS standing at the entrance to any restaurant, urging us to "washee washee". We had to comply even if we were just walking through the restaurant to get to the other side. And on that cruise there was no incidence of GI problems that we were aware of.

 

Hope it calms down on Marina faster than it did for us!

 

Mura

 

P.S. The illness was never described as Noro on our cruise as well.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Mura