Norovirus outbreak on the Crown

[luv-my-kids]

Yup, delayed departure due to a deep clean. Anyone had one of these at Port Everglades. Hopefully, they can beat the 2:30pm start. I imagine check-in will begin sooner, however. It's going to be crowded over there as folks will be out of hotels with nowhere to go.

 

 

I know........we are not sure what to do. We have to check out at 11:00 am and the hotel shuttle is taking us to the cruise port. I understand they have to get all the cleaning done, but I called Princess they said nobody was on the ship now. They already will already be deported before it gets to Fort Lauderale. .......just wondering.

[AndWe]

I know........we are not sure what to do. We have to check out at 11:00 am and the hotel shuttle is taking us to the cruise port. I understand they have to get all the cleaning done, but I called Princess they said nobody was on the ship now. They already will already be deported before it gets to Fort Lauderale. .......just wondering.

 

That can't be right. They are at sea now, and will be arriving in Ft. Lauderdale on Nov 8 at 7am. I doubt that all passengers left the ship in Norfolk yesterday.

 

I think someone lied to you!!

[Kingofcool1947]

I know........we are not sure what to do. We have to check out at 11:00 am and the hotel shuttle is taking us to the cruise port. I understand they have to get all the cleaning done, but I called Princess they said nobody was on the ship now. They lalready will already be deported before it gets to Fort Lauderale. .......just wondering.

 

Are you certain?

Edited November 7, 2017 by Kingofcool1947

[whatcruiseisnext]

Yup, delayed departure due to a deep clean. Anyone had one of these at Port Everglades. Hopefully, they can beat the 2:30pm start. I imagine check-in will begin sooner, however. It's going to be crowded over there as folks will be out of hotels with nowhere to go.

 

 

 

Unfortunately we were on a delayed boarding on the Crown in 2012. We were originally told that boarding would begin at 230pm as were are being told this time. We began boarding around 330pm. I doubt it will be earlier than 230pm. In 2012 if you went to port you were allowed to drop off luggage and then you and your carry on were directed to the convention center to wait. It was a crowded mess and departure was delayed.

 

The outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness of the Crown happen every cruise.at a higher rate than on other ships according to what we have been told in talking to ships officers and medical professionals in other Princess ships. Outbreaks don’t have to be reported until they reach a certain level and on shorter cruises that level doesn’t usually get met. We were on the Crown sailing after a deep cleaning in 2012 and the sailing we were on ended up having such a high rate of the Noro the CDC made the ship turn around and cancel cruise. We never got off at any port and ship returned early to Fort Lauderdale. I would expect that the cruise departing the 8th will still have cases onboard. Remember some people are doing BtoB’s and maybe they are some of the infected ones. SO..... handwashing and more handwashing and keep hands away from face!

 

 

 

 

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[ExploringTheGlobe]

We are boarding the Crown on Nov 8 and just received notice that boarding is delayed due to additional sanitation precautions once ship arrives in Fort Lauderdale. Boarding will not even begin until 230pm and the notice states that they may notify us if additional delays happen

 

 

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I'm on this cruise too! Can't wait!

[Griller]

Times like this is when you are glad you bought the Princess "cancel for any reason" insurance.......... why put yourself at risk if you can cancel with little or no penalty?

[rbt001]

Times like this is when you are glad you bought the Princess "cancel for any reason" insurance.......... why put yourself at risk if you can cancel with little or no penalty?

 

Really? I'll be on the cruise 11/08 and have sailed on Crown twice in the past without incident.

 

Most the the people with upcoming cruises on Crown have stated in this thread they are going and don't share this "doom and gloom, end of the world" attitude about Crown Princess.

 

We'll be careful. We won't:

 

-lick the handrails,

-sneeze all over the cards at the poker table,

-take a bite out of something from the buffet, then put it back if we don't like it,

-pick our nose before pressing an elevator button,

 

So Griller, I think we've got it covered.

 

Oh, and didn't you mention that you were taking your business to another cruise line? How is their board and topics? Go check them out.

[Griller]

Really? I'll be on the cruise 11/08 and have sailed on Crown twice in the past without incident.

 

Most the the people with upcoming cruises on Crown have stated in this thread they are going and don't share this "doom and gloom, end of the world" attitude about Crown Princess.

 

We'll be careful. We won't:

 

-lick the handrails,

-sneeze all over the cards at the poker table,

-take a bite out of something from the buffet, then put it back if we don't like it,

-pick our nose before pressing an elevator button,

 

So Griller, I think we've got it covered.

 

Oh, and didn't you mention that you were taking your business to another cruise line? How is their board and topics? Go check them out.

 

 

I did book one time recently on Celebrity rather than on Crown for the similar itinerary.

 

Seemed like common sense to me, but I have two more cruises booked on Princess, just not on Crown. That will make 71 cruises on Princess, and quite a few on many other lines.

 

Please don't misquote me

[ExploringTheGlobe]

Times like this is when you are glad you bought the Princess "cancel for any reason" insurance.......... why put yourself at risk if you can cancel with little or no penalty?

 

Because there is always a risk and I want to go on a cruise!

[rbt001]

I did book one time recently on Celebrity rather than on Crown for the similar itinerary.

 

...

Please don't misquote me

 

Actually I didn't quote you: I raised a question on what I thought I remembered. In this case it was perhaps wishful thinking: not many care to confront Debbie Downer or hear of her misadventures and mishaps.

[metairiegal]

How disappointing to have looked forward to it for so long and now read this.

 

Hoping for the best for our 11/18 Crown cruise.

[ScottChez]

I wanted to present an other way of looking at this as starting now, it is a totally different ship now. There is a reason the Northern cruises get Noro more.

 

The sailing with the outbreak was on a North Easter Fall Cruise far up north to look at the fall leaves.

Typically older people with an average age of 60 is on board. They have stats on this.

Seems like the older you are the more that chance of getting sick due to a compromised emune system.

 

Also it was up north and cold , everyone in side.

North the ship will be for the Caribbean down South where its warm with younger customers outside drinking a lot at the pools.

 

Fact is the future sailing are a totally different ship as in there is different customer ages and more are out side.

Think what they say about flue shots, the elderly need it first for a reason so do the very young, also you dont get the flue as much in warmer weather as everyone is out side.

 

I am sure this ship will be fine. I am on it in Nov 13 also. I will bring wipes and hand sanitizer like everyone else. We will be fine.

 

TIP: use hand sanitizer BEFORE and AFTER going through the buffet line. Before in case your about to get sick and dont know it yet, and after for after you touched the spoons and scopes. It just use hand sanitizer at your table as you bring your food back. What ever you do dont touch your face thats how it get in your system

[copdoc]

Really? I'll be on the cruise 11/08 and have sailed on Crown twice in the past without incident.

 

We'll be careful. We won't:

 

-lick the handrails,

-sneeze all over the cards at the poker table,

-take a bite out of something from the buffet, then put it back if we don't like it,

-pick our nose before pressing an elevator button,

 

.

 

My advice would be to:

-not touch the handrails after others may have licked (or for that matter, even touched) them, or

-play poker with cards that others may have touched (or licked to keep with your theme)..

without washing your hands prior to eating or touching your face

and to:

-not take anything from the buffet that anyone else may have taken a bite out of, and

-not pick your nose AFTER you touched the elevator button.

 

Of course, no precautions that any passenger takes can prevent oral/fecal route contamination by food handlers. For that, we will need to rely upon the Noro Princess, I mean Crown Princess Crew.

 

See y'all on the 18th.

[RDC1]

Times like this is when you are glad you bought the Princess "cancel for any reason" insurance.......... why put yourself at risk if you can cancel with little or no penalty?

 

You have a greater chance of catching Noro eating out a restaurant then on a cruise ship so I guess you don't take a risk doing that between October and April. Higher rates for schools, doctor offices, Nursing homes, hospitals, airports, etc. so I guess you just stay home for those six months. After all why put your self at risk.

[Griller]

You have a greater chance of catching Noro eating out a restaurant then on a cruise ship so I guess you don't take a risk doing that between October and April. Higher rates for schools, doctor offices, Nursing homes, hospitals, airports, etc. so I guess you just stay home for those six months. After all why put your self at risk.

 

I think that is actually not true if there is already Noro pre-existing on the ship you are boarding, regardless of sanitizing Noro is known to quite often carry on from one cruise to another.

 

And last I looked the current outbreak of GI illness on Crown was not confirmed as Noro, maybe it is now?

[Whirlybird]

I’ll be on the Crown starting 11/18 for the Thanksgiving holiday cruise. I’ve been on 3 Princess cruises out of more than 30 where there was serious outbreak of Noro. Never got sick, but I did get it after visiting my mother in the nursing home once. I’ve never been that horribly sick, it was awful. I take a drug called Donnatal for IBS. I tried it when I had Noro and it really helped to minimize the stomach cramps. Whenever I cruise I always bring the Donnatal in case I get Noro.

 

 

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[RDC1]

I think that is actually not true if there is already Noro pre-existing on the ship you are boarding, regardless of sanitizing Noro is known to quite often carry on from one cruise to another.

 

And last I looked the current outbreak of GI illness on Crown was not confirmed as Noro, maybe it is now?

Even in a major outbreak which is seldom back to back the infection rate hardly ever crosses 5% of the passengers an outbreak reported under VSP is any time you exceed 3%. Normal populations in the US gets about 19-21 million cases per year out of 325 million or about 6.1%. Most of time when the ships are on enhanced measures the numbers are pretty low .1% to .5%.

 

So no, even if a ship has had Noro present on the previous cruise your odds are better off on the ship.

[Steelers36]

It will be interesting to see if any cruisers on the trip come and post here about anything that went on. Here is a report of things I know from today's departure for NOV 8-13 voyage.

 

Drove into Terminal 2 just before high noon and it was QUIET. Hardly any vehicles or people outside. We could see people already checked in and seated inside. Spoke to a Princess rep outside and 2:30pm was still the official time. He said might be a rush then.

 

We left and went out to 17th St as planned to Panera Bread for lunch. Drove wife & daughter back to T2 a little before 1:00pm and they had no wait for security nor priority check-in. They were sent upstairs to priority seating (we are Platinum), so that was not full yet. Cannot tell you if a swarm of passengers showed up closer to the 2:30 time as emailed. I think this work out great for wife and daughter as they got lunch, had no waiting outside nor lines inside and were comfortably seated upstairs.

 

Boarding commenced probably around 1:30pm or shortly thereafter for Elites. Wife was on board before 1:45pm, but no one was allowed to go anywhere much until 3pm. They were sending folks upstairs to eat, but wife and daughter parked in Piazza near IC at first. Later, they checked on dining table and put in a change request. I do know they could even step into the Future Cruise Consultant area to drop the FCD form off when first boarded.

 

I imagine they were allowed to cabin decks as announced by 3:00pm. I had a picture sent to me from the balcony by 3:30pm.

 

Muster was announced for 4:45pm and sailaway was announced for 5:30pm. Tough situation for early diners who wanted to experience sailaway.

 

Ship headed off the dock about 5:55pm.

 

I am not aware to this point of any other special procedures and such.

[mellon1]

We are going on the Crown 1/28-3/2/18. Guess I am a little nervous here. I must admit when my brother in law and his wife went on Crown, they did get the Noro. They are clean freaks too and cleaned there room (I told them to do that!). We don't do the buffet at all though. We stay in a suite so we can go to Sabatini's for BF and always get a table for 2 at dinner. I go to the Sanctuary and hubby stays on the balcony. Lunch we may do burger, hot dog, pizza or room service. Never use public bathrooms. If I have to go, the room is straight up the elevators from the dining room, so no biggie. We have our own anti-bacterial soap I bring too. We also bring wipes for our hands in case we shake hands with anyone. We do clean the room and periodically wipe things down, door handles etc. I don't know what else we can do except pray we don't get the dreaded Noro.

[ScottChez]

It is a fact. You can only get Noro if it enters your body.

This means dont touch your face and dont touch your food and then eat it. For example dont get a dinner roll and touch it and then eat it. If you have Noro on your hands it then gets on the roll, then you eat it.

Wiping your room helps with other virus but only some to none with Noro as you need stronger cleaners like Bleach or an other cleaner (I forgot the name).

This is why only a few ever get Noro on Ships, but they have to report it at such small numbers like 13 to 30 people depending on the size of the ship. If that is say out of 3,300 people we are talking just a small percentage, same percentage you get on land but they dont have to report it.

In other words, dont touch your face and you cant get it so dont worry, this is all just hype and bad press.

[copdoc]

It is a fact. You can only get Noro if it enters your body.

This means dont touch your face and dont touch your food and then eat it. For example dont get a dinner roll and touch it and then eat it. If you have Noro on your hands it then gets on the roll, then you eat it.

Wiping your room helps with other virus but only some to none with Noro as you need stronger cleaners like Bleach or an other cleaner (I forgot the name).

This is why only a few ever get Noro on Ships, but they have to report it at such small numbers like 13 to 30 people depending on the size of the ship. If that is say out of 3,300 people we are talking just a small percentage, same percentage you get on land but they dont have to report it.

In other words, dont touch your face and you cant get it so dont worry, this is all just hype and bad press.

 

 

As of yesterday, there were 184 reported passengers and 12 crew ill on CP. The number of passengers is likely a multiple of that reported number.

 

Some good educational material, including information on food contamination: https://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/downloads/foodhandlers.pdf

[Griller]

Because there is always a risk and I want to go on a cruise!

 

But don't you want to minimize risk?

 

There are other cruise ships with less risk specially right now with a current outbreak, I think I would want to see a ship clear of GI trouble for a couple of weeks before I would choose to cruise on it.

 

And don't you want to go on a cruise you will enjoy rather than suffer on?

[USCcruisecrazy]

Because there is always a risk and I want to go on a cruise!

 

Don't pay attention to the scare tactics of some...here are some actual stats according to Consumer Traveler:

 

Of the ships that were infected with Noro Virus this past year, 94.1% of crew and passenger were not affected at all...approximately 6% of all US citizens are infected by Noro Virus each year...only 0.01% of cruise ship passengers are infected.

 

The CDC reports you are more likely to catch the virus at healthcare facilities such as nursing homes and hospitals where 50% of all infections occur. Schools, restaurants, and summer camps are the next top most likely places where you will catch Norovirus.

 

The bottom line is that you can catch it anywhere if you don't take precautions and it is more likely to affect you in day to day living than on a cruise ship. I have been infected once and that was from food at a Christmas Party prepared by someone that did not know they were infected. All but 2 people at the party caught it.

 

Go on your cruise...have fun...if you are on the 9-17 Dec Crown cruise, hope to see you there!!

[montu6]

I don't think anyone mentioned it, but The Crown had a water problem while we were disembarking on the 25th. All water for the ship was turned off for an hour or so. I was in the restroom before I realized that there was no water. Couldn't wash hands. I did use sanitizer but still felt yucky! They did close all pubilc restrooms. I wonder if this could have been a factor in the outbreak?

[Arwen]

I have not contracted Noro on any of our over 20+ cruises, but I have had horrible luck at getting it here right at home. Three years ago at a wedding reception was the first time in over 40 yrs and then just this past October. The October Noro was HORRIBLE! So bad that in the a.m. I had hubby take me to the ER for IV fluids.

 

I have some left over anti-emetic , "Zofran" sublinguals. Zofran is by prescription, but it works sooooo well. I also have some left over anti-nausea suppositories from a recent procedure.

 

Both will be going with me in my first aid kit when we leave for our 10 day Caribbean cruise on the Ruby coming up in three weeks.

 

Unbelievable that anyone makes it out "alive" from Noro. You do feel like you are dying!