What are the actual odds of getting sick on a cruise ship?

[squadron]

I suspect that a lot of the people who get sick on cruise ships already had the sickness when they boarded.

 

I think the airline flight is too blame - seem to get sick after flying even if it is not to a cruise. Squished into close quarters and I question how clean the airplane itself is.

[squadron]

A ship is not Canada. We have a high deductible insurance, which means we pay oop until we meet it. Dd got into a car accident. Totaled the car and was taken by ambulance to a trauma center where they did a CT scan and sent her on her way. Total cost was $20,000 (including the ambulance ride of 4 miles). It cost me $350 for a generic steroid ointment to treat eczema.

 

Our health care in Canada except for basic is not free - I pay for additional coverage plus extra for travel insurance. Extra coverage is often included with your employee package depending on where you work.

[Iamcruzin]

Cruise ships get a bad rap for the spread of noro because they are required to report it. Schools, restaurants and other public places are not required to do so.

 

 

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[wolfcathorse]

I've been sick twice but not with Noro, I found out I'm allergic to the heavy duty sanitizer they start using on the walls and hand rails when there is an outbreak of GI or Noro. It made my asthma come on so bad that my rescue inhaler wouldn't touch it. My doctor now has me take Symbacort if I don't take my nebulizer on board

[taglovestocruise]

Almost no one. Far fewer then on land.

 

Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships

 

 

 

 

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Noroviruses

 

People often associate cruise ships with acute gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus. But acute gastrointestinal illness is relatively infrequent on cruise ships despite its notoriety.

From 2008 to 2014, 74 million passengers sailed on cruise ships in the Vessel Sanitation Program’s jurisdiction. Only 129,678 passengers met the program’s case definition for acute gastrointestinal illness and only a small proportion of those cases (1 in 10) were part of a norovirus outbreak.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus. You can get norovirus from an infected person, from contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.

Learn more about norovirus

Why acute gastrointestinal illnesses including noroviruses are associated with cruise ships

 

 

• Health officials track illness on cruise ships. So outbreaks are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land.
  
• Close living quarters may increase the amount of group contact.
  
• People joining the ship may bring the virus to other passengers and crew.
  

[RDC1]

If by getting sick you mean catching Noro, the incidence rate on cruise ships are lower (about 1/10) the incidence rate on land in the countries where the ships are home ported. So your odds are good for staying healthy.

 

If on the other hand you are including upper respiratory infections your chances of catching one on on a cruise (especially a longer one) is considerably higher. The term cruise cough came about for a good reason.

[Merion_Mom]

There's your answer. If we concerned ourself with everything that had odds that low, we wouldn't leave our houses.

…………..and we would spend all of our time on our computers on Cruise Critic. :D:p:cool:;p:evilsmile:

[Goodtime Cruizin]

I'm willing to bet that the media reports norovirus at much much greater rate of it occuring on a cruise ship vs a church, school, etc. I often wonder why they sensationalize more than they should. Perhaps it's good cover or clickbait.

[fla gang]

Never had noro in my 25+ cruises but have gotten nasty upper respiratory infection several times.

[yuvraj]

I have been ill a number of times but never with Noro virus. I accept that getting ill is a possibility when I cruise.

[Robinhill]

Was telling my in-laws about our upcoming cruise, and my FIL made a crack about how it's a great vacation except for everyone getting norovirus. (Which is kind of funny criticism since he's been on several cruises himself). But it did make me think a little. Out of all the passengers who cruise each year, what percentage of them actually get sick? Is it more or less than get sick doing any other type of travel? Does it depend on your cruise line or where you are sailing? (We can make a pretty obvious assumption that there would be more in the winter). Cruise ships with viral outbreaks are certainly sensationalized, but has it been actually studied? Anyone have some stats to link?

 

i have been on 23 cruises and have never gotten sick. (Knock on wood).:D

[MaiseyM]

I'm not sure why these are made public, unless there was a Freedom of Information request, as no other entity, whether college dorm, elementary school, nursing home, or whatever, who all have to make reports to the CDC, none of them are made public. Many people think the USPH/CDC's job and reason for publishing these reports is to safeguard the health of passengers, but that is not the case. The USPH's mandate is to prevent these illnesses entering the US, not in informing the public that a ship has had a problem outside the US and some passengers are ill.

 

 

Interesting. I am sure the cruise industry feels like they get slammed while others are protected w/privacy of their data. With regards to getting noro anywhere else (college, school...) the only downside to a cruise is that you are really stuck there, in a small room w/limited home comforts. I would rather be home with the Noro than in a cruise ship, but I have to say, I was super pleased the way Royal Caribbean handled it. My son had it and the nurse/doctors were great. They called to follow up, they gave out medicine generously. I am not talking about them overdosing or anything, but they gave what we needed to keep him comfortable. It wasn't like my doctors in the US that want to do so much wait and see stuff. While I appreciate the precaution with issuing meds, when you're that sick, in the middle of an ocean, stuck in one small room, quarantined... you want meds now. They gave us Zofran, stomach meds, and all sorts of other meds w/out making us wait too long. To be clear : they weren't overzealous and carelessly throwing meds at us, but they gave him what he needed.

 

They also were clear about him being quarantined and not walking around the ship. I had no questions about that, as I couldn't even imagine him leaving the room b/c he felt so sick. But, no big surprise, they told me that people still leave the room when they knowingly have Noro b/c they want to get their money's worth of food at the buffet and stuff. :o He stayed put in his room. They put a discreet colored magnet above his door (where the general passenger wouldn't see it, but crew knew it was a flag for the room) to alert staff that this was a quarantined room. They gave us endless Evian bottled water (free) and did the special cleanings of the room. Thankfully, I was a germaphobe prior to getting on the ship, and brought more than enough hand sanitizer, Lysol wipes, and hand soap to limit the germs in his room after quarantined. He started feeling better on the day we arrived back in Florida and finally left his room a) b/c he was feeling better and b) b/c we were home, he had to get off the ship. When we left the ship, you show them your ID and they scan it. His beeped pretty loudly, to flag about his Noro. It was nice to know that they have alert systems in place to keep Noro patients in their room, in the event some want to run around the ship and share the germs. Our last surprise was a letter from Royal Caribbean with a future discount on another ship. It was expressing sympathy for his trip being interrupted by Noro and a thank you for following directions being quarantined. We didn't use the discount b/c you couldn't use it at Xmas (our next cruise) but it was a nice offer, considering I didn't complain to anyone.

 

It sucked that he got sick, but Royal couldn't have made the experience any more comforting, considering what he was dealing with. Our next ship: he was far more precautious about washing his hands. We all were!

[pcur]

If you go into any space anywhere there are a lot of people, and stay there 24 hours a day for 7+ days, you are exposed to whatever viruses they bring with them, and vice versa. If you or a family member are susceptible to colds and flu, then don't cruise during flu season. That's when most of the "cruise lung rot" (as Coralc puts it so well) happens.

 

I always cruise with a week's supply of our preferred cold remedies, and always take a good supply of cough drops. Pepto-Bismol, anti-diarrhea medication, cortisone cream, antibiotic cream, moleskin, band-aids, liquid Tylenol (works faster) all go in the little bag. If we don't use any of it, I switch it out once a year for new stuff.

 

Get your flu shot early if you're cruising in September - November, the "pre-flu" season. Helps your immunities with new viruses, anyway.

[Rala]

I think the airline flight is too blame - seem to get sick after flying even if it is not to a cruise. Squished into close quarters and I question how clean the airplane itself is.

 

You are so right! :D

[yancycruiser]

I did not read any of the posts - just responding to your question based on our experience. Been on 21 cruises and never got sick. Both wife and I carry hand sanitizers all the time and are very carefully to wash hands or use hand sanitizer before and after every meal. Do this and you will have a better chance of not getting sick. Good luck and have a wonderful cruise.

[sfaaa]

If you cruise during flu season, chances are you will catch the bugs and get sick.

[Reds4life]

Although not norovirus, my wife did have a bout with an intestinal issue on our 1st day on last months cruise. The ship did not sell immodium or pepto and we forgot to bring with us so she had to go to medical. She was quarantined to the room for 24 hours and then released with no further issues.

I had the same thing this week on Adventure. RC was nice about it because I mentioned that my salad dressing was served warm the night before. I really felt like I screwed up by eating it after it tasted warm but they insisted on taking care of me. Gave me a shot and Imodium. Quarantined but have me free pay per view and a future cruise certificate.

[BNBR]

1.6%

[chengkp75]

1.6%

 

Taking their figure of 129,678 total GI illnesses among 74 million passengers, that is 0.17%. Using their figure of 1 in 10 as being part of a noro outbreak (and I guess that could be construed as any case on a ship that meets the 2% reporting level), that is the 0.017% that I posted. So, even going to the higher number of general GI illnesses, that is still 1/10th of your figure.

[BNBR]

Taking their figure of 129,678 total GI illnesses among 74 million passengers, that is 0.17%. Using their figure of 1 in 10 as being part of a noro outbreak (and I guess that could be construed as any case on a ship that meets the 2% reporting level), that is the 0.017% that I posted. So, even going to the higher number of general GI illnesses, that is still 1/10th of your figure.

 

#FakeNews

[chengkp75]

#FakeNews

 

I don't think even he has argued against CDC data.

[lenquixote66]

Was telling my in-laws about our upcoming cruise, and my FIL made a crack about how it's a great vacation except for everyone getting norovirus. (Which is kind of funny criticism since he's been on several cruises himself). But it did make me think a little. Out of all the passengers who cruise each year, what percentage of them actually get sick? Is it more or less than get sick doing any other type of travel? Does it depend on your cruise line or where you are sailing? (We can make a pretty obvious assumption that there would be more in the winter). Cruise ships with viral outbreaks are certainly sensationalized, but has it been actually studied? Anyone have some stats to link?

My wife and I average 2-3 cruises a year .We have been cruising many years and never got sick.None of our friends and relatives or co-workers have ever gotten sick.

[davekathy]

So far,never.

[Ukigirl]

I’m one of those people that gets sick every season, flu...cold..stomach bug...I’m otherwise very healthy. Been on about dozen cruises and have never gotten sick, nothing. We fly from Michigan so being a plane is a concern too. I wash my hands a lot, take supplements but honestly, I think a lot of it is luck of the draw. My husband never, ever gets sick but guess what, got awful cold on a cruise and I never caught it from him.

[lenquixote66]

I’m one of those people that gets sick every season, flu...cold..stomach bug...I’m otherwise very healthy. Been on about dozen cruises and have never gotten sick, nothing. We fly from Michigan so being a plane is a concern too. I wash my hands a lot, take supplements but honestly, I think a lot of it is luck of the draw. My husband never, ever gets sick but guess what, got awful cold on a cruise and I never caught it from him.

 

 

 

I have not had a cold since March 2015 .However, in past years I would get colds non -stop (but never on ships)