Air con & health issues

[Ginb56]

Hi. We've an outside cabin on Oriana in the summer and I've a question about the use of air con in enclosed cabins (we had a balcony on first cruise so had fresh air much of the time). I've read reviews on CC before about some people having dry throats or developing a cough or infection after a cruise - put down to the air con and/or dirty filters perhaps. Has anyone had such an unfortunate experience, or have you been absolutely fine? How often do they change filters or can you tell if it's mucky, ask for a new one? Any tips or thoughts would be good to share - thank you!

[the english lady]

Hi. We've an outside cabin on Oriana in the summer and I've a question about the use of air con in enclosed cabins (we had a balcony on first cruise so had fresh air much of the time). I've read reviews on CC before about some people having dry throats or developing a cough or infection after a cruise - put down to the air con and/or dirty filters perhaps. Has anyone had such an unfortunate experience, or have you been absolutely fine? How often do they change filters or can you tell if it's mucky, ask for a new one? Any tips or thoughts would be good to share - thank you!

 

If you spend all the day inside on a ship you will probably find the air con effects you. It has a drying effect on the air. So you end up with coughs and throats. As long as you get outside as often as you can you will be fine.

We have never had a problem, but then again I don't find a seat indoors somewhere and sit there all day...I have seen people do that.

You will get the normal run of the mill coughs and colds but that is just people not being careful about spreading and sharing their germs.

I don't know how often they change the filters. One would imagine on a ship the air going into the system (at sea) would be a lot cleaner/fresher than in a hotel in a city lets say.

Some people in the past have suggested letting a wet flannel dry out in the cabin..this gets moisture back in the air.

Edited March 21, 2016 by the english lady

[Keith1010]

Some people say they do get sick because of this.

 

Not sure how often filters are changed.

 

I suspect the ones in rooms are pretty dirty. Same for hotels.

 

Keith

[john watson]

I try to set the air conditioning hot/cold to as neutral setting as possible. This reduces the volume of air pumped out which is of course dry air. I think the problem generally is not germs but the drying out of the throat. Wet flannel and sink with water left in it help humidify the air.

 

Regards John

[kruzseeka]

Agree with the points raised; dry air and being indoors will increase the potential for coughs and infection spread. I guess the filters could be an issue but there is probably a fairly rigorous programme of checks and replacement - I'm sure it's on some H&S schedule. Ideas to help moisten the air may help with the drying out of respiratory surfaces but probably helps the bugs proliferate too.

 

I think it's a hazard of cruising along with other hot spots for infection transmission like schools, planes and hospitals. Lots of people concentrated in a confined spaces just make it so easy for air-borne germs to be spread and the more people pick it up, it spreads exponentially so a large number of people are soon affected.

 

We try to be sensible and vigilant using anti virus spray, antibacterial wipes to clean the remote, phone etc in the cabin, and as suggested on other posts we try to avoid handrails, lift buttons as far as possible and use our own cabin toilet rather than public ones but that's mainly to try to avoid NV. As far as coughs are concerned, be outside as much as possible but otherwise I'm not sure there's much more you can do but would hope sufferers would be considerate of others by covering their mouths and not coughing in your face!

 

But having said that we were talking to friends who had suffered with this dreadful cough on their last cruise and someone they know swore by First Defence, a Vick product, for plane journeys believing that a squirt before the flight gives them protection during the flight (I do think long plane journeys are a big factor in picking up coughs). Perhaps others have a view on how effective that is - but I guess you couldn't adopt that approach for a whole cruise! Incidentally this same friend is suffering from a cough/chest infection he's had for nearly two months and had been nowhere near a cruise beforehand!

[lostboys]

Weve just returned from Oriana and it was the equivalent of a floating doctors surgery! I have never heard as much coughing & sneezing in one place. Personally i wouldnt cruise on her again, the ship itself can handle the sea ok but the age of the other passengers means theres nothing to do onboard unless you are 65+. Never again!

[balf]

Weve just returned from Oriana and it was the equivalent of a floating doctors surgery! I have never heard as much coughing & sneezing in one place. Personally i wouldnt cruise on her again, the ship itself can handle the sea ok but the age of the other passengers means theres nothing to do onboard unless you are 65+. Never again!

 

 

What did you want to do?

 

David.

[the english lady]

I have used first defence when I thought I was going down with a cold. It seems to dry all your sinuses up, so no runny nose.

Having said that if you then stayed in an air con place all the time you would probably compound the problem.

Really it is best to try and get as much fresh air as possible.

I was always surprised on Arcadia, when even when the weather was quite pleasant and the sun was shining, you still had people spending the day lounging around the covered pool area.

The smell of clorine would stop me spending more than 20 mins there.

[Ginb56]

Thanks for all the tips and experiences - very helpful background. I guess I'm just a bit twitchy as a friend's Mum contracted pneumonia straight after a cruise and subsequently died - but there may have been an existing health weakness of course. Luckily we're both hale and hearty, and being in our early 60s will look forward to being 'youngsters' on Oriana from the sound of it! We're going for the destinations but will join in whatever's arranged too as it all adds to the novelty - though not the bridge (yawn). Bingo and knitting maybe...?! Seriously though, older people can be so interesting to chat to, so freedom dining is great as we get new friends each night - and can avoid the coughers and splutterers too!

[the english lady]

Weve just returned from Oriana and it was the equivalent of a floating doctors surgery! I have never heard as much coughing & sneezing in one place. Personally i wouldnt cruise on her again, the ship itself can handle the sea ok but the age of the other passengers means theres nothing to do onboard unless you are 65+. Never again!

 

I don't think its the ship, its the time of year. A lot of people boarding probably had the sniffles..which they shared with all.. People together in a confined space and Bobs your uncle and Charlie is your aunt.

[lostboys]

What did you want to do?

 

David.

 

Anything other than knitting, beginners line dancing, listening to music that was pre 1960, bingo, and back ache seminars!

[Nikkipink]

Anything other than knitting, beginners line dancing, listening to music that was pre 1960, bingo, and back ache seminars!

 

Sounds pretty much like an average P&O cruise, except for the music as on Ventura I like to use the jukebox in the Exchange to get some up to date music.

[Balaena]

Often used to get the dreaded cough and sore throat with the air con but not now. We have two points of defence, the first is to slip a thin piece of cooker hood filter between the grating and the exit point of the air con. We did this on a cruise on Ventura in the September and when we returned to that same cabin in January, the filter was black with the air con usage! we are breathing that in!! Second point of defence is a smear of vaseline up each nostril before settling down for the night. And I guess, wash your hands all the time and never touch your mouth with anything other than your toothbrush and knife and fork.

[Bobby Sheffield]

Just back from a 2 week transatlantic cruise on Azura (returned last Friday) and I can confirm that we had problems with aircon whilst onboard. I was laid up in bed for 4-5 days out of the holiday due to a very bad chest infection. My son contracted a viral infection with 3 days to go.

 

The cause was the aircon making the whole room damp. I had to call reception on 2 occasions one night and request they got the sheets changed.

 

Room, our clothes and bedding were very damp to the touch and that was on a low aircon setting. We've never had a problem like this in the past and it spoiled our holiday.

[jeanlyon]

There are chest infectiions all over the place down here in the South West. People laid up in bed for 3 weeks or more. It's going round. On a ship, it only takes one person with it to pass it round. The aircon just exacerbates the problem. It's nothing to do with the ship itself.

 

It's funny hearing about "what to do". We love Oriana, but I don't need other people to make my entertainment. I love just being on the ship, out in the open air, reading a book, playing quoits, playing table tennis. I don't do seminars or spas. I like to swim. I'm on holiday!

 

I also dont need loud piped music, open air screens with loud noise on there. Everyone is different

Edited April 4, 2016 by jeanlyon

[jenny wren]

I have researched this subject quite a bit as I constantly had coughs and colds every time we cruised.......having tried various solutions I now buy a saline nasal spray from Superdrug pharmacy or Amazon and religiously spray up my nose before going to bed....(to keep nasal passages moist)...then smear Vaseline around nostrils (Also good for hay fever sufferers apparently).......then at any sign of a sore throat I suck a Strepsil (antiseptic) ........this has kept me healthy for several years now....touch wood!!

Of course fresh air is also important and the beauty of Oriana is that even when Prom deck and upper outside decks are closed in inclement weather, the aft decks will remain open for you to fill you lungs with good sea air!!!!! :)