Staying Healthy while Cruising - How to beat the bugs

[Luv2Crus40]

Used to get a bronchial infection every cruise. Now as soon as we get to cabin I wipe all surfaces in cabin, bathroom and balcony. When eating in buffet use wipes on table, shakers etc. and hands before eating. Also use "Flight Spray" on flights and when in/near crowds ie theatre etc. Never use pools anymore after getting a bad infection on QM2.

 

Also use hand sanitizers all the time. Interesting my husband spends lots of time in sun and has several drinks throughout day and he never gets sick! He also never goes in pools or hottubs either

[lv2bcruzin]

If your doctor does this, she's an idiot who deserves to have her license revoked!

 

Seriously, this is the STUPIDEST thing you can do. SERIOUSLY, SERIOUSLY STUPID.

 

Go to any hospital and ask any nurse.... every single one will tell you how stupid your idea is.

 

(Note that I'm not saying YOU are stupid... just that this particular idea (a "just in case" prescription and a "precautionary" prescription) is COMPLETELY, insanely stupid.)

I take it you're not a world traveler. And I mean world. Not just seeing the sites from a cruise ship. :rolleyes:

 

Many world travelers such as myself (a lot of it for business) get a simple z-pac just in case you end up with gastro issues from the varieties of food you can come across that ends up being tainted. Being away from home for weeks on end with no doctor you would trust within hours, or even days, of your location does not make for a good trip if things go south. I understand this is not the case on a cruise (in most instances), but it's still fundamentally the same. Prepare and use accordingly.

 

Do I do that when taking a cruise? No, but I'm pretty sure it's not a stupid idea. Taking something for no reason is a stupid idea. Being intelligent about the possibilities as well as when and when not to take an antibiotic is not.

 

Not sure why you are so dramatic about this topic, but like anything in life if you're smart about it there's probably not too much to worry about.

Edited February 21, 2016 by lv2bcruzin

[mek]

We don't do anything different than we do at home. We do wash our hands frequently, we use handrails on the stairs, (rather be sick than break a bone), use fingers to push elevator buttons, and avoid hand santizer when possible ( I hate that stuff).

My immune system is very good, we get the flu and pneumonia shot, exercise eat a wide variety of food and sleep..

I guess we are of the fortunate few who don't get sick because we travel.

 

You probably don't get sick because you live a normal life, have been exposed to germs, and apparently don't go crazy with trying to sanitize everything. You sound like me - I wash my hands frequently but other than that I don't go crazy with the other stuff. Coming down with something now and then actually makes our immune systems stronger as long as we don't over medicate.

[IndyKid]

What helps you from bringing the 'bugs' home with you?

 

Ethyl Alcohol, in liberal quantities works for me! :D

[knittinggirl]

If you are prone to severe bronchitis or pneumonia, you wouldn't be able to look forward to your travels without an antibiotic. My doctor knows I am aware of the dangers of taking antibiotics when they are not necessary, and I'm grateful for his writing the prescription. I come home many a time with the meds intact, but when I have needed them they were there.

We used to have doctors assume we were smart enough to only take the antibiotics when we needed them. Now, they think we're all stupid drug addicts. Michael Jackson really made doctors nervous.

 

I wash hands a lot on a cruise, and take along a travel sized tube of hand cream (hands get dry w/ all that washing). I use a lip moisturizer in a tube, not a tub. Touch the elevator button w/ the corner of my seapass card, or wait for someone else to press the button.

 

All that said, I did get a very expensive Z-Pak ($60 vs $0 copay at home) on the ship. But if you have a skin rash, you better bring your own. I had horrible contact dermatitis, and they couldn't treat that. But at least the doctor didn't charge me for nothing. They also didn't have a thumb brace.

 

The only exception to the handrails avoidance, is when I need to support. I can recover from a cold or even bronchitis much faster than a broken hip. I see people gliding down the stairs with their hands full of food, and worry.

 

Take along sanitizing wipes on plane day. Also wipe off the seats in the airport.

Edited February 21, 2016 by knittinggirl

[tangogulf]

When was the last time you heard about a noro outbreak on a cruise ship???? :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

And honestly, if grown adults still don't know that they should WASH THEIR EVERLOVING HANDS FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, a flyer in the stateroom of a cruise ship isn't going to suddenly teach them this point that should have been learned (and learned very well) by the time they are in kindergarten.

 

Some people are stupid.

 

Some people are nasty.

 

Some people are stupid AND nasty.

 

It's just the way of the world.

 

 

This Aussie cruise season there has been 3 outbreaks on cruise ships that have made the major News bulletins - One on Explorer (158 people), Diamond Princess (180+ people) and another princess ship IIRC. Yes you could consider these a bit of a media beat up in some respects due to the numbers fallen ill compared to total passengers and crew on board but still.

[tangogulf]

You probably don't get sick because you live a normal life, have been exposed to germs, and apparently don't go crazy with trying to sanitize everything. You sound like me - I wash my hands frequently but other than that I don't go crazy with the other stuff. Coming down with something now and then actually makes our immune systems stronger as long as we don't over medicate.

 

Agree. But if I am paying a couple of thousand dollars for my cruise I don't want to spend 2 or 3 days stuck in my cabin sick if I at all can help it.

 

I understand taking precautions can't possibly eliminate the risk completely but I'd like to think it helps somewhat and also probably assists in preventing me unwittingly passing something on to others if for some reason I may have picked up something but am initially asymptomatic.

[luvscruising2007]

You probably don't get sick because you live a normal life, have been exposed to germs, and apparently don't go crazy with trying to sanitize everything. You sound like me - I wash my hands frequently but other than that I don't go crazy with the other stuff. Coming down with something now and then actually makes our immune systems stronger as long as we don't over medicate.

 

Yes!!! This is the second time in 5 minutes I have agreed with you. Looking forward to meeting you on the Serenade.

[brillohead]

By the way, it's never happened to me or my wife since we started doing this.

 

And I've never done it and never gotten sick. Same for my son. But then again, we don't go around licking the phone, tv remote, or doorknobs.

[brillohead]

Not sure why you are so dramatic about this topic, but like anything in life if you're smart about it there's probably not too much to worry about.

 

I'm being "dramatic" about this topic because I'm a healthcare professional, and there is a lot of stupidity about this subject.

 

You're assuming that the person I quoted even knows what is bacterial and what is viral... not to mention if the bug they're afflicted with is even treatable with the antibiotic they were prescribed. :rolleyes: That is one HECK of an assumption.

[brillohead]

All that said, I did get a very expensive Z-Pak ($60 vs $0 copay at home) on the ship. But if you have a skin rash, you better bring your own. I had horrible contact dermatitis, and they couldn't treat that. But at least the doctor didn't charge me for nothing. They also didn't have a thumb brace.

 

I'm a little confused here.... if you had a rash (or any other condition) before you got on board, wouldn't you bring your own medications with you from home? :confused:

 

I'd also be very surprised if the medical center doesn't carry hydrocortisone cream -- it's a pretty standard OTC product (unless they had just dispensed their last tube and needed to replenish their stock).

 

However, I'm not surprised they didn't carry a thumb brace -- why would they? Some tongue depressors and an elastic wrap would do the trick until you could get to a drugstore to buy whatever specific specialized equipment you wanted.

[mentor1000]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned here are the menus in the dining room. Think about it... When have you ever seen waiters disinfecting the menus? In fact, unless somebody spills something on a menu, they never get cleaned. And people in MDR don't wash their hands any more than in WJ.

 

So if you wash your hands thoroughly, use the hand sanitizer station when walking into MDR, sit down, get the menu and order your food... What's on your hands? The gems from dozens or more people before you. The next ting you do is grab that bread roll...

 

One thing we started doing a few years back on land restaurants is first ordering our food and then going to wash hands. On a cruise ship, it's not as convenient. So we order our food and then use either hand wipes or hand sanitizer (whatever I bring in my purse for the family to use) before touching those bread rolls.

 

Our biggest rule is no touching eyes, nose or mouth without washing hands. I don't wipe down everything because I can't wipe down the whole ship. So even if our cabin is desinfected, I'll still get germs on my hands somewhere. As long as those germs don't make it to one of those wet openings, they can't affect the body.

 

Of course, airborne viruses is another story and a strong immune system is the best defense for them. I do use essential oils at home when anybody is sick and there are plenty of studies showing their antiviral and antibacterial properties.

 

Our go to essential oil is lavender. Any time somebody in our family is sick, I diffuse lavender in their room and around the house. We also apply it topically each day. Since we started doing this about 5 years ago, the number of times a second family member would get sick from the first went down drastically.

 

Last year, DH got the flu twice and none of us got it even though we were in very tight contact.

 

So for about a week before the cruise and every day of, we make it a point to apply lavender oil.

 

Ultimately, it goes back to living a healthy lifestyle your whole life that creates a healthy immune system (unless there are medical conditions that prevent it). Common sense goes a long way on land or at sea.

 

The only thing is... Why do they call it "common sense" when it's so uncommon? :D

[JamesEM]

:eek:

 

Shocking how it unravels.

 

Anyway, here is the 'protection plan procedures my wife and I use (cruises listed below) and never sick (did get sun poisoning in Panama, my fault).

 

1. Pre-Cruise: We fly quite a bit, as family (three sons and families) is on each coast, both north and south. Lysol wipes for us, even the people next to us, to clean the trays, arm and TV and seat buttons, etc. Don't read the flying sales magazines.

 

2. Cruise: Stateroom attack, using a bar of IVORY SOAP and the hand towels with hot water, I wash the entire bathroom(s); seriously, every square inch of it. My wife does the same with every solid surface in the stateroom (she give me the TV remote and I do it 3-4 times). After wash and towel dried, we Lysol wipe everything (I mean everything).

 

3. Cruise: Room steward meet, greet and pay to change the bedding again, including the top covers. We also inquire if the party prior to ours was healthy or if they have been ill.

 

4. Cruise: Around the ship, avoid the handrails, bar counters, signing pens (we do have pens), etc.

 

5. Cruise: In the eateries, we bring our own salt and pepper (seriously, the little white and black ones, or packages). If we go to the buffet (a seriously wicked place of barbarians at the food gate), we use our napkin on the tongs and don't select stuff that others could hand handle. We also "observe" if any of the station staff are sick.

 

6. Cruise: In the pools and especially the hot tubs, we go in early, early AM after they are allowed time to refresh overnight. I we see others coming in that don't shower rinse prior to, we get out.

 

Sounds a bit over the top?

 

We don't care, it works.

 

This would not be need if the real people that can keep "things" from spreading are 'those who are sick act responsibly for the consideration of others.

 

That is rare today.

 

("ducking")

 

I do all of the above plus taking along antibiotic's because I'm prone to ear infections when I fly.

[shanty]

To avoid Norovirus stop using public washrooms. The virus is spread by the minute droplets of vomit which remain in the room after someone has thrown up. It's airborne, so no amount of hand washing or sanitising is going to protect you.

[Clarea]

To avoid Norovirus stop using public washrooms. The virus is spread by the minute droplets of vomit which remain in the room after someone has thrown up. It's airborne, so no amount of hand washing or sanitising is going to protect you.

Thank-you, and welcome to Cruise Critic.:)

[Paulxyz2004]

2. Cruise: Stateroom attack, using a bar of IVORY SOAP and the hand towels with hot water, I wash the entire bathroom(s); seriously, every square inch of it. My wife does the same with every solid surface in the stateroom (she give me the TV remote and I do it 3-4 times). After wash and towel dried, we Lysol wipe everything (I mean everything).

 

 

I´ve read this a few times and always have to chuckle when reading this.

 

You realize you have to do this at least twice a day, every day of your cruise for it to be effective?

 

You would need to do this every time after your cabin attendant has cleaned the room?

 

After you´ve been doing all this upon boarding, your cabin attendant will come in the evening and clean the cabin with the same rug he has whiped the toilets in the ten cabins surrounding yours.:D:p

 

S/he will wipe the remote and the telephone and of Course the balcony and the bathroom and won´t use a fresh rug for every room.

 

If you believe in doing it - do it, but if you think about it you should realize how useless it is.

 

I do nothing like this and never got sick.

[Paulxyz2004]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned here are the menus in the dining room. Think about it... When have you ever seen waiters disinfecting the menus? In fact, unless somebody spills something on a menu, they never get cleaned.

 

Well thinking about it I have seen it on many, if not all Cruises. I´ve seen it often enough to get the Impression it is a Standard procedure to wipe down the menus.

[360rico1]

Drink plenty of scotch.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[pjnj40]

No matter what season it is no matter where you are, no matter how healthy you are, You will get sick eventually. Usually I don't get sick in summer, well I did.

I had bad cough require some antibiotic and post nasal drip before I left for my January cruise. My dad had bad cough that requires antibiotic before January cruise. We both cruise and got rid of the problem we had. After the cruise, my dad got the coughing back and I got nothing. Doctor told my dad it the weather. I think it more of his immune system.

To op it can be your immune system that can't handle when your trying to stay healthy while you are on the ship.

I am no doctor or medical expert but it obvious how you described it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Edited February 21, 2016 by pjnj40

[bouhunter]

I´ve read this a few times and always have to chuckle when reading this.

 

You realize you have to do this at least twice a day, every day of your cruise for it to be effective?

 

You would need to do this every time after your cabin attendant has cleaned the room?

 

After you´ve been doing all this upon boarding, your cabin attendant will come in the evening and clean the cabin with the same rug he has whiped the toilets in the ten cabins surrounding yours.:D:p

 

S/he will wipe the remote and the telephone and of Course the balcony and the bathroom and won´t use a fresh rug for every room.

 

If you believe in doing it - do it, but if you think about it you should realize how useless it is.

 

I do nothing like this and never got sick.

 

Exactly what I was thinking. I can't imagine living in such fear and going thru those rituals......

[BND]

Exactly what I was thinking. I can't imagine living in such fear and going thru those rituals......

 

Yet people report doing it all the time. as I posted above, I have never wiped down anything in the room and have never been sick on any vacation.

 

And, I have seen them wiping down menus too. They don't want you to get sick either.

 

Noro is more common on land than it is on cruise ships, yet some people continue to panic. Live life, take normal precautions (wash hands) and enjoy yourself. I'm betting most of us have had noro once in our lives. I can remember as a kid catching a 24 hour stomach bug a couple of times and others in school having the same. More than likely it was noro.

[Formula280SS]

Replies

 

I´ve read this a few times and always have to chuckle when reading this.

 

Chuckle away, it works.

 

You realize you have to do this at least twice a day, every day of your cruise for it to be effective?

 

No, we do not. We are 'restarting the stateroom from the prior passengers and then we are in the stateroom. We make our own bed and clean our own bath and ask the steward to take the trash and replace the towels. It's not rocket science, and "minutes" a day. You might say "what kind of vacation is that?" It is the kind of vacation "we choose."

 

You would need to do this every time after your cabin attendant has cleaned the room?

 

After you´ve been doing all this upon boarding, your cabin attendant will come in the evening and clean the cabin with the same rug he has whiped the toilets in the ten cabins surrounding yours.:D:p

 

S/he will wipe the remote and the telephone and of Course the balcony and the bathroom and won´t use a fresh rug for every room.

 

If you believe in doing it - do it, but if you think about it you should realize how useless it is.

 

Regarding all of the above, please remember that "we choose to do this" and "it works for us." Your opinions are yours, but they are not factual and certainly not required (you do what your want, we'll do what we want to do).

 

Regarding the fabrics and the rugs, they get a really good dose of Lysol spray at the start, and intermittently thereafter.

 

I do nothing like this and never got sick.

 

Well good for you. That's why, if we come in a stateroom "after you," we use the plan that we stated for the OP especially cognizant of such.

 

Hey, to each their own. Statements of what works and doesn't work as "facts," are really "opinions."

 

We learned all of the preventative steps that we do from other long-term travelers and cruisers (one, a doctor, who explained the important use of soap for viruses; she also puts a dab of hydrogen peroxide in her ears a couple of days before traveling and a bit each day with a q-tip), and directly from members of the ship's officers (the biggest contributors with suggestions); one who specifically gets a handful of salt and pepper packages from a new box in the pre-service area every other week or so.

 

Another item left out previously, we use our stateroom bathroom unless "not possible." The number of people we've seen in bathrooms coming out of stalls and grabbing the door handle heading back out without washing their hands if downright astonishing.

 

Again, it works for us.

 

The OP asked for suggestions.

 

I guess everyone evaluate for themselves.

[Thetrail]

GREAT FOR YOU - how many cruises in how many years? How many air miles? How many hotels - rental cars - and other factors like your age -

 

 

We don't get sick when we are home - have all our physicals - Just had them before we left and we were completely healthy -

 

50% of the time probably was aiming too high - we have been on 30 cruises and if you figure that usually only one of us has come home with a 'bug' occasionally ??? So I would say each of us has come home with a bug maybe 3-4 times

 

TOTALLY HEALTHY PEOPLE do pick up bugs occasionally -

 

We are from CA so we must ALWAYS fly each way - we must spend a day or two in hotels before the cruise - we ride in taxis - buses - rental cars -

 

Not saying the cruise is what got us sick - just trying to see what other cruisers do to stay healthy -

The same thing you do anywhere else in life, flying, sailing, at home, it's all the same. Nothing changes when you are on a cruise, sorry. When you said you were sick 50% of the time you cruised you made it sound as if the cruise is the reason, which it isn't.

[Formula280SS]

Exactly what I was thinking. I can't imagine living in such fear and going thru those rituals......

 

Who said anything about "living in fear?" Staying healthy is quite enjoyable.

 

We find this routine (ritualistic) almost "effortless." In the real world, we've done it every day and raised a large family with subfamilies still growing. The difference is, when someone is sick, we are very responsible in taking personal responsibility "to not get the others sick." That is the best 'spread control.

 

Again, it takes us minutes in the stateroom, and non-remarkable time around and about the ship. We do spend hours walking and exercising daily; which is a tougher ritual that than making our bed, wiping a doorknob, or carrying a heavy salt-pack or Lysol wipe in a pocket.

 

Again, as with the previous post reply, these are not requirements of adult individuals who really can choose on their own what they do.

 

The OP asked for suggestions, we gave them. I don't believe that 'critique and demeaning editorial is beneficial.

[BND]

Replies

 

 

 

Hey, to each their own. Statements of what works and doesn't work as "facts," are really "opinions."

 

We learned all of the preventative steps that we do from other long-term travelers and cruisers (one, a doctor, who explained the important use of soap for viruses; she also puts a dab of hydrogen peroxide in her ears a couple of days before traveling and a bit each day with a q-tip), and directly from members of the ship's officers (the biggest contributors with suggestions); one who specifically gets a handful of salt and pepper packages from a new box in the pre-service area every other week or so.

 

Another item left out previously, we use our stateroom bathroom unless "not possible." The number of people we've seen in bathrooms coming out of stalls and grabbing the door handle heading back out without washing their hands if downright astonishing.

 

Again, it works for us.

 

The OP asked for suggestions.

 

I guess everyone evaluate for themselves.

 

What do you do at work, or out shopping or any other of the things that people do on a daily basis? You can think you don't get sick because of what you've been doing, but you would accomplish that by just washing your hands regularly and keeping your hands away from your face. It's all I've ever done.

Edited February 21, 2016 by BND