In light of recent Gem illnesses how do they really...

[Deptacon]

its a confinded space with thousands of people. And everyone touches everything....

 

What is being done is what can be done.... bottom line, illness and outbreaks go hand in hand with cruises due to the confined nature.

 

If everyone would stop being so dirty (not washing hands, touching food, coughing into hands, constantly touching thier face, etc) it wouldn't be as much of a problem.

 

The other issue is the prevalence of people with weak immune systems. They become the incubators, getting everyone else sick. Its amazing how many people have weak immune systems due to not traveling often and not being exposed to many different things in their life.....

[GeezerCouple]

Whenever I am in a casino whether on a ship or on land I always have Purell with me .

 

Purell is good for what it does.

 

However, one thing it does NOT do is... protect against Norovirus.

 

We use wipes that are listed on the CDC website, clorox-type.

They come in a tub or in individual sealed packets (we keep a few in pockets/purse when traveling, with more in luggage).

 

But they are not useful/safe for direct hands/skin contact, unfortunately.

That really requires a good scrubbing with soap and warm/hot water.

 

Purell is better than nothing on the run, but don't get too careless, thinking you've just doused your hands in it, if Noro is your concern.

 

As for person above who is immune - Wow... lucky you!!

[Laszlo]

My wife and I were on the Escape about a month ago. Their seemed to be constant cleaning and the wiping down of dam near everything that didn't move. The best cleaning crew can't stop people who are pigs. I saw numerous times people in the buffet using dirty plates to refill, people picking up pieces of food....bread and cheese, sniffing it and putting it back down. I had to remind one woman in front of me......If you pick it up its yours, please don't put it back.

[Highlander1]

This may seem like a drastic measure, but you could get your DNA tested to see if you are immune to the norovirus. I am, but my wife and child are not.

 

 

There are many different strains of Noro, you can be immune to one that you were recently infected by, immunity only lasts a few months at most. Its more likely , you'll get another strain. But, immunity, sorry.

 

As for the cleaning process, they clean thoroughly and frequently but its not 100%. And wipes like Lysol and Purell Sanitizer are about useless, frequent washing the hands is the best hope. Stay away from handrails, elevator controls, buffets, menus, public restrooms and shaking hands, all can be poisoned.

 

Do your best, 13 cruises and my wife and I and BIL/SIL have never been sick a day, thats luck and being aware.

 

Ships are confined to groups,the Waldorf Astoria probably has more Noro, but those folks check in and out on a daily basis so most aren't aware Noro is around, late February and March seem to be the peak in the NYC area.

 

Folks do need to wash frequently, hard to think why some ignore that simple task.

[disfan13]

Just home from the Gem - Great cruise - a shame some got sick - but it should have been a lot less people. There were many who just didn't give a crap - and didn't wash hands - drop serving utensils etc.

 

Onto how they sanitize - lot was explained above already but while leaving today we noticed all mattresses were removed in addition to all water pitchers - glasses - magazines etc - everything was sterilized. They really were doing a great job.

[Loonbeam]

Actually there are some people who have a genetic resistance to Noro and other GI virii but that's not immunity and not to every strain nor does it help with bacterial infections...

 

There are many different strains of Noro, you can be immune to one that you were recently infected by, immunity only lasts a few months at most. Its more likely , you'll get another strain. But, immunity, sorry.

 

As for the cleaning process, they clean thoroughly and frequently but its not 100%. And wipes like Lysol and Purell Sanitizer are about useless, frequent washing the hands is the best hope. Stay away from handrails, elevator controls, buffets, menus, public restrooms and shaking hands, all can be poisoned.

 

Do your best, 13 cruises and my wife and I and BIL/SIL have never been sick a day, thats luck and being aware.

 

Ships are confined to groups,the Waldorf Astoria probably has more Noro, but those folks check in and out on a daily basis so most aren't aware Noro is around, late February and March seem to be the peak in the NYC area.

 

Folks do need to wash frequently, hard to think why some ignore that simple task.

[fshagan]

Hi :)

 

Would you mind sharing your routine ? I got pneumonia 4 times last year. Thanks. Cinci:)

 

gwsster got it (she's my wife). She buys the bleach / lysol wipes that we use. We get all the hard surfaces ... especially in the bathroom, but also at the vanity, the pulls and doors of the cabinets, etc.

 

The CDC says alcohol based sanitizers, at 60% or higher, work to kill noro. You don't need industrial strength cleaner that will melt the flesh off your hands. A 1000 to 5000 ppm solution of bleach .... that's five to 25 tablespoons of bleach in a gallon of water ... will kill noro.

 

I don't know what the incubation period is ... the time between contracting the virus and showing symptoms ... but I just read the CDC site and they said you can be infectious for up to two weeks after being sick. I suspect a lot of people bring it on board after recovering without imagining that the stomach flu they had two weeks ago is still alive and breeding inside them. And probably a few bring it from the hotel or the airplane on the way to the ship.

 

I have to believe the incubation period is pretty short, because it seems like people start getting sick in an school, Chipotle, or cruise ship within a day or two.

[TraJon9]

I am a clean freak and yet have had it 3 times in my life and it is just the absolute worse. 2/3 from traveling. The other from my high school. It is so vivid no matter how many years it has been just how awful it gets. I sure wish there was a vaccine.

 

All three times have been in Feb or March. I can't prevent my husband from bringing it home with him, he travels frequently. But I do avoid cruising then. Is there a specific time of the year for the virus?

 

For me the horrendous symptoms occur for about 12 hours and then it subsides. I feel so bad for the thought of managing in a cabin bathroom with others.

[cacj]

Thanks for all the thoughtful and insightful replies.

 

We have witnessed so many uncool behaviors on a ship, it is amazing that the crew can keep up and reverse the infection so quickly.

 

I had a bartender share that it was amazing how many folks would just swoop in and try to grab a garnish from the container (like a cherry, lemon, lime wedge) and he had to call them out on it. He said people would defend their behavior ("I only grabbed it by the stem" or "I only touched the one I took" or "my hands are clean, I just washed them"). He would politely say, "you are welcome to have one, but please, please ASK me for it."

 

He felt overwhelmed sometimes by the frequency of the occurrence. He said that he himself had his hands in a bucket of bleach hundreds of times a day, and pointed to the bucket he had nearby. His hands were sore from the exposure.

 

We trust the level of dedication the crew and leaders on ships have in the fight against infections.

 

It is the lack of awareness by our fellow shipmates that can be frightening.

 

Again, thanks for the great information by all who answered. Happy sailing.

[Paddy41]

We were on the GEM 3 weeks ago . Our cabin had been sanitized after an outbreak of a respiratory illness on the ship .However,a day later we had a plumbing issue in our cabin and after it was resolved asked our cabin steward to re-sanitize the cabin ,specifically the bathroom and it was never done.

 

We were on the recent Gem cruise with the noro virus outbreak and both of us caught it. The room steward was not allowed to clean the room. A special crew came in to sanitize the bathroom each time we phoned (due to number of passengers ill it did take several hours before they would arrive) and another crew came in once only to change the bedding and vacuum. We were isolated 48 hours..me first and then my husband got it just as the first 48 hours was ending so we were isolated another 48 hours. That cabin needed massive cleaning when we left and I wonder how they managed it.

[Paddy41]

Just home from the Gem - Great cruise - a shame some got sick - but it should have been a lot less people. There were many who just didn't give a crap - and didn't wash hands - drop serving utensils etc.

 

Onto how they sanitize - lot was explained above already but while leaving today we noticed all mattresses were removed in addition to all water pitchers - glasses - magazines etc - everything was sterilized. They really were doing a great job.

 

On the same cruise as well. Heard from someone on the cruise after us and they noticed cabins being gutted of all furniture and the carpets being steam cleaned. Mattresses removed.

In San Juan we noticed a truck backed up to the side of the ship and crew throwing mattresses onto the truck. Must be the ones they removed from the cruise before us where they said it was the 'flu' that hit, not noro virus.