Noro on Infinity?

[FolsomMike]

I just received a text and email from Celebrity saying that there is a current issue on the ship with "gastrointestinal illness." We are set to board for the next sailing in five days. Is it likely that the problem will carry over to our cruise? Also, is there anyone here who is currently on the ship? I'm wondering how extensive the problem is. I also noticed that the Summit is currently having the same problem. My wife is freaking out about this. :(

[mom says]

The only way to specifically diagnose any outbreak as Noro is through lab testing, which can't be done in the limited facilities on board. Irregardless, if there is a problem then measures are instituted to limit its effects, and deep cleaning/disinfecting is done.

 

Tell your wife to stop freaking out. That's not going to help anything. Bring along a bottle of hand sanitizer (and use it). Better yet, just practice good handwashing technique and do it frequently. Keep your hands away from your face. These are standard recommendations for travellers, whether cruising or not. Noro (and many other GI illnesses) follow the fecal/oral route and are mostly spread by hands that aren't clean.

[jelayne]

We always take a pack or 2 of Clorax Disinfecting Wipes with us and wipe the phone, remote, door handles, etc.

[FolsomMike]

The only way to specifically diagnose any outbreak as Noro is through lab testing, which can't be done in the limited facilities on board. Irregardless, if there is a problem then measures are instituted to limit its effects, and deep cleaning/disinfecting is done.

 

Tell your wife to stop freaking out. That's not going to help anything. Bring along a bottle of hand sanitizer (and use it). Better yet, just practice good handwashing technique and do it frequently. Keep your hands away from your face. These are standard recommendations for travellers, whether cruising or not. Noro (and many other GI illnesses) follow the fecal/oral route and are mostly spread by hands that aren't clean.

 

You don't know much about human behavior, do you? Have you ever tried to tell someone to calm down? :rolleyes:

[Iamthesea]

I just received a text and email from Celebrity saying that there is a current issue on the ship with "gastrointestinal illness." We are set to board for the next sailing in five days. Is it likely that the problem will carry over to our cruise? Also, is there anyone here who is currently on the ship? I'm wondering how extensive the problem is. I also noticed that the Summit is currently having the same problem. My wife is freaking out about this. :(

 

That's really interesting that Celebrity sent you an alert 5 days before the cruise. What exactly did they say? Are they giving you the option to cancel or did they just want to notify that there may be a delay in boarding? What?

[Melissalcsw]

You don't know much about human behavior, do you? Have you ever tried to tell someone to calm down? :rolleyes:

 

 

That's funny.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[FolsomMike]

That's really interesting that Celebrity sent you an alert 5 days before the cruise. What exactly did they say? Are they giving you the option to cancel or did they just want to notify that there may be a delay in boarding? What?

 

they just said that a "small number of guests" were having issues and that boarding would be delayed to 2 pm so they could sanitize the ship and the cruise terminal. Is it unusual to get this notice 5 days in advance?

[Iamthesea]

I guess not. It's actually a good thing, but that makes me think the problem must be serious.

 

We boarded a cruise last year that had Noro, and the cruiseline tried to hide it somewhat. An email was sent to us the night before the cruise to inform of delayed boarding. Unfortunately, we did not received the notice until checking email the next morning when we were already at the pier. :rolleyes:

[easyboy]

I just received a text and email from Celebrity saying that there is a current issue on the ship with "gastrointestinal illness." We are set to board for the next sailing in five days. Is it likely that the problem will carry over to our cruise? Also, is there anyone here who is currently on the ship? I'm wondering how extensive the problem is. I also noticed that the Summit is currently having the same problem. My wife is freaking out about this. :(

The cruise line will do all it can not to let it carry over to your cruise. This is usually done thru deep cleaning. It will also institute measures not only to protect you, but also the other incoming passengers not infecting again you and the ship during the sailing. The sanitation guidelines will be given to you.

[chengkp75]

I guess not. It's actually a good thing, but that makes me think the problem must be serious.

 

We boarded a cruise last year that had Noro, and the cruiseline tried to hide it somewhat. An email was sent to us the night before the cruise to inform of delayed boarding. Unfortunately, we did not received the notice until checking email the next morning when we were already at the pier. :rolleyes:

 

I wouldn't say that the cruise line "tried to hide it somewhat". The requirement for a deep cleaning remediation generally comes about when the number of cases of GI illness reaches the USPH threshold of 2% of passengers and crew. So, if this threshold was reached in the OP's case 5 days before the previous cruise ended, that's when it was decided to conduct a deep cleaning. In your case of a previous cruise, the threshold was not reached until the last day or so of the cruise, so that's when the decision was made and notification sent out.

[Iamthesea]

In my case, the cruise before ours had significant cases of Noro. We talked to several passengers that were on the cruise before. Some had been quarantined early in their cruise. We were told that the ship tried to hide the fact that there was a problem.

 

In fact, I learned of the problem when I went online to Cruise Critic while waiting to board. I cannot remember if the cruise line sent email mentioned why there was a delayed boarding. But you may be correct that the CDC did not get involved until later in that cruise.

[chengkp75]

In my case, the cruise before ours had significant cases of Noro. We talked to several passengers that were on the cruise before. Some had been quarantined early in their cruise. We were told that the ship tried to hide the fact that there was a problem.

 

In fact, I learned of the problem when I went online to Cruise Critic while waiting to board. I cannot remember if the cruise line sent email mentioned why there was a delayed boarding. But you may be correct that the CDC did not get involved until later in that cruise.

 

The trigger threshold is a cumulative number, so there does not need to be 2% at any one time. Also know that every cruise ship, every cruise, must report to the USPH/CDC all cases of GI illness at least 24 hours prior to entering the US. This must be done, even in the rare cases where there are no cases to report.

 

Since this is the USPH's true mandate, the prevention of the introduction of contagious diseases into the US, not the health and wellness of cruise passengers, it would fall very heavily on the cruise line if they tried to cover up the number of cases of GI illness reported, to the point where the ship could be banned from embarking passengers in the US, or having each and every crew member and passenger interviewed by a USPH inspector prior to disembarkation.

[Sandtrap328]

If the ship has a Norovirus outbreak, your wife has a good reason to freak out.

 

It is a terrible illness to catch! If you or your wife catch it, you both will be quarantined for at least 3 days in your cabin. You will be spewing from both ends every hour.

 

The ship will not be a pleasant experience, either. Bleach cleaning all the time and smell of chlorine all the time.

 

If it can be backed out of with no penalty, do it.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Sandtrap328

[Kartgv]

If the ship has a Norovirus outbreak, your wife has a good reason to freak out. It is a terrible illness to catch! If you or your wife catch it, you both will be quarantined for at least 3 days in your cabin. You will be spewing from both ends every hour. The ship will not be a pleasant experience, either. Bleach cleaning all the time and smell of chlorine all the time. If it can be backed out of with no penalty, do it.

 

Not necessarily. We've been on a couple of cruises immediately after a deep cleaning due to outbreaks on the previous cruise. The only inconveniences were having to be served by staff in the buffet (not necessarily a bad thing) and not having things like salt & pepper shakers on the table. Neither of us, nor anyone we had met on the cruise, contracted the malady.

 

We've also been on a cruise with a very active Noro outbreak (reached 3%). There was lots of cleaning going on, but I don't remember overpowering chlorine odors. Again, neither of us nor anyone we knew got sick. Another more positive way of looking at it is that 97% OF THE PASSENGERS ONBOARD WERE NOT SICK AT ALL! The cruise turned out to be our best ever, so it would have been a real shame to miss it.

 

So, please don't freak out. Yes, Noro is an ugly thing if you do get it, but the majority of passengers manage to avoid it. Just be very aware of your surroundings - wash your hands thoroughly and OFTEN; use knuckles to touch elevator buttons; if you must use hand rails on the stairs, try using a lower rung rather than the top rail; if you use the buffet, take a quick trip to the rest room to wash you hands after handling anything like common utensils or menus; don't touch any part of your hands to any part of your face. It's my understanding that Noro is only spread through contact, not airborne, so it is entirely possible to protect yourself from it with some common sense.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Kartgv

[FolsomMike]

I just got an email saying I've been upgraded to an AquaClass room. Could be this be related to the outbreak? (I know, gift horses). Also, is the Blu dining room an additional choice or an alternative to the Main Dining Room?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Gordoncruickshank]

We had this on the Eclipse a few years ago. They delayed boarding, did the deep clean and continued cleaning more than usual for the first 3 days. In the buffet, everyone was served with plates, cutlery and serving spoons on the inside of the buffet. This lasted for 3 days until they were sure the problem had gone away.

 

Take antibacterial wipes and to all the surface in your cabin, phone, remote light switches just to be sure and don't hold on to the rails on the stairways. This problem gets transferred by contact so the less times you place your hands on surfaces that others use the better. Use the cleaning liquid before entering any food place, which you should be doing anyway. It is unlikely that this will have a material affect on your vacation.

 

My wife did as your did but was happy with the way it was handled.

 

If you are in AQ you can eat in either Blu or in the Select dinning part of the main dinning room. I think you need to make arrangements with one of the Maître's.

 

If you intent using the main dinning room a lot make sure you reallocate some of your gratuities as all of your dinning ones will go to Blu if you are in AQ. Don't bother if you only do it a few times.

[EdgeSport2.7TT]

You don't know much about human behavior, do you? Have you ever tried to tell someone to calm down? :rolleyes:

LOL

 

[marycruz]

I just got an email saying I've been upgraded to an AquaClass room. Could be this be related to the outbreak? (I know, gift horses). Also, is the Blu dining room an additional choice or an alternative to the Main Dining Room?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Yes you would eat in he BLU restaurant.

 

Also not to worry. You will have the cleanest ship when you board if they are doing deep cleaning. We have experienced this. If the ship is cleared after you board then things will go back to normal (as far as the crew having to serve you everything). :)

[bird203]

i was just in the cruise that you are taking about and as the cruise got into the later part of the trip, there were more and more restrictions-more hand sanitizers everywhere-you had to be served everything and constant and i mean constant sanitizing of everything-doors etc. can't tell you how pervasive the problem was but it was enough to make the ship worried. we were fine. and a lot of people I saw with regularity seemed to be. the problem may have started on the cruise before.

[cb at sea]

There is probably more "noro" in you local grocery store (and schools, churches, etc..) than on the ship. The difference is, a ship has to REPORT it....your schools, churches and grocery stores do not.

 

Noro is everywhere. Use good hygiene and never, ever touch your face..and you'll be fine The entry point for this virus is your MOUTH, NOSE and EYES....you can sit on a toilet seat without fear...so PLEASE, be seated!

[helen haywood]

One piece of good advice I read about staying well was to eat nothing with your hands. Eat everything with a fork, knife and/or spoon. You may wash your hands...and then just pulling your chair close to the table, or using the salt shaker on the table...touch something with germs...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app