Just off the Bliss. Possible Norovirus

[Newleno]

On 4/15/2019 at 5:07 PM, schmoopie17 said:

 

So, you're saying that it's typical for a cruise line to make an announcement to the entire ship that if you ate something on shore that made you sick, they'll provide free medical care? 

 

 

 

Hmm It does not matter where someone got sick the point is noro spreads like a fire, so you got to put it out as fast as possible, take every precaution necessary.  Ships get noro this aint nothing new, sounds like NCL was doing what they could to stop the spread and or take precautions.

[DCP]

1. We were on the 03/30 sailing of the Bliss also. The ship took precautions, it was obvious they didn't think it was noro. We were appalled at the people who ignored the hand sanitizing too! I took to telling the women I witnessed leaving the public restrooms without washing their hands that they were disgusting. My hubby thought for sure someone was going to punch me at some point. Another scene we witnessed was a man, woman and their 10 -12 year old son completely ignoring the washy washy girl at the buffet. She asked them repeatedly to please let her spray or to please wash their hands, and they flat out refused. A few minutes later there was a ships officer standing near the washy washy girl. I am sure he was there to enforce that everyone comply. I couldn't believe how that entire family REFUSED to do any sanitizing at all before heading into the buffet. Other than this, we had a wonderful cruise, and we didn't get sick at all. (but we were diligent in washing hands entering AND leaving the buffet and many times during the day!)

[Budget Queen]

On 4/15/2019 at 3:59 PM, schmoopie17 said:

My reason for posting the original message was to show the absurdity of NCL to say it was caused by eating food onshore. If that were truly the case, they wouldn't have immediately put hand sanitizer dispensers in every elevator, offered free medical services to everyone who became ill from eating food onshore and propped all the doors of the public rest rooms open so nobody touched the handles. 

 

One other thing to note. When handing your card to the waiters and bartenders, none of them are wearing gloves or washing their hands each time they handle a card. Imagine the germs on their hands after handling numerous cards. Yuck. As stated previously, the actions of people in the buffet were exceedingly gross and disgusting (which pretty much describes the food in the buffet...not to mention cold).

You are making wrong assumptions.  Absolutely-   based on REPORTS,   all those actions would have immediately been put in place.   You seem  to suspect,  NCL  is the "cause",  and trying to blame an outside vendor.      What is your expertise?   Health care practitioner?    containment is essential-   numerous problems with reinfecting.   

 

It is NOT enough to rely on hand sanitizers.   Actually you are contaminated,  as soon as you touch-  anything.    Best reduction is to never eat with your hands-   which-  isn't going to go well with the finger lickers.      Myself,   I absolutely do this,  NEVER do I ever eat with my hands on cruise ships.  

 

Another major contaminated areas is the drink dispensers.   People seem to think it is just fine to contaminate all the spigots,  by refilling.   

 

Yep a lot of spit swapping going on and a major source of transmission.   

[jethrojam]

On 4/15/2019 at 7:12 PM, tallnthensome said:

I don't know ....... some of the tours were food based tours so maybe food poisoning? I'm sure they investigated and questioned those who became ill and if they were all on a tour together. However, it's more likely that the origin started on the ship due to reasons being mentioned. The only person I saw wearing gloves handling room keys was the girl at the desk doing reservations in the Manhattan. She would check people in with their room key wearing a glove and ten she took our room key and soaked both sides of our key card on a sponge that must have been soaked with some sort of antibacterial fluid. There's so many spots being touched by people: Railings, door handles, elevator buttons, chairs, silverware, slot machine buttons ..... it's impossible to keep up ...... I saw the staff wiping rails and buttons often. 

Regardless of where the virus came from, it is in NCL's best interest to at least initially say it came from somewhere else.   Admitting guilt immediately in the litigious world that we live in is never a good idea for an company, or individual.  People would be faking illness just to get a free cruise out of them; mass hysteria and paranoia would ensue.  Better to just blame someone else and get busy cleaning/sanitizing.  

[HowardK]

I always bring those anti bacteria hand wipes and use them as well.  However, my last 2 Escape cruises I did have problems on the last day- I don't know if that was from the ship itself or a combination of weather changes and not great sleep.

 

The one night I did do a group dinner at a restaurant someone next to me was sneezing and that seemed to do me in the next day.

 

I also bring tums, sore throat spray , pepto tablets (not that they are 100% effective) and a few other items .

[marktwothousand]

2 hours ago, HowardK said:

I also bring tums, sore throat spray , pepto tablets (not that they are 100% effective) and a few other items .

I’m the same way! I bring all those things at a MINIMUM. I got really sick just before a week on the Excape last year and so I had NO access to medications when we were at sea and I learned my lesson from that one boy let me tell you. Now I pack for all eventualities. 

[marktwothousand]

On 4/17/2019 at 12:25 PM, Newleno said:

I could not agree more, I dont know why the cruislines dont have literature, videos, even information given during the safety drill about how to conduct oneself at the buffet so that other people dont get sick.  Cruiselines wont do it though

This would be an amazing and also SIMPLE idea! As a promo video on one of the Norwegian safety channels!

[sparkygirlfamily]

8 hours ago, jethrojam said:

Regardless of where the virus came from, it is in NCL's best interest to at least initially say it came from somewhere else.   Admitting guilt immediately in the litigious world that we live in is never a good idea for an company, or individual.  People would be faking illness just to get a free cruise out of them; mass hysteria and paranoia would ensue.  Better to just blame someone else and get busy cleaning/sanitizing.  

Every virus on a cruise ship comes from somewhere else, a human being brings them onboard.  I was actually surprised this past week on the NCL Star when I noticed ship housekeeping staff were spraying busses and vans before shore excursions left with virkon.  When I asked about it assuming it was a pesticide for zika and they said no, its a viralcide because we were a late arrival in port the busses had already been used by passengers of another cruise line and they wanted to ensure that transmission between ships was minimized.

[HowardK]

I am very tempted when I go next time to wipe down my door, sink, closet handles etc.... 

I could see why I got sick on the Escape the first time- 3 or 4 hours of sleep everynight and 40 drinks for the week.

However, the second time I was sleeping 6 to 7 hours (but did have weather changes, a hot NYC day before sailing, followed by a cold excursion from Bar Harbor (worth it)- Also, i had a few less drinks lol.

[Smq123]

We were on the Breakaway in December 2019.  All of a sudden the cruise director kept emphazing A LOT to wash your hands. Next day all bathroom doors were left opened & all condiments disappeared. 3rd day paper menus that were thrown out after you touched them. 4th day all restaurant staff were wearing rubber gloves. We found out they quarantined a whole floor of passengers for 3 days. Staff had it too. They disengaged your card. You were quarantined with your whole cabin whether you are sick or not. 

 

Understand the precautions taken, but it seems silly that they don't make a public announcement so that people use more caution. Every day you're provided more clues that norovirus has hit your ship. Now we know how to recognize the clues. 

 

There was also a flasher on that cruise that we reported to security & staff numerous times. Nothing was ever done. On day 9 of an 11 day cruise one woman suggested we demand an audience with the captain or threaten to go to the press once we disembarked. We all decided deck 16 was the safest place to avoid him because as much as we were aware of him he started to avoid us knowing we were all on 16. Day 10, on deck 16, a smoking area, a man tells me a story of how a man attacked him by the pool by grabbing his private parts & he was having a cigerette to kind of de stress from the whole ordeal. When he was attacked his 1st reaction was the throw the man up against the wall & grab him by the throat. Several men ran to his defense. The victims defense. Security was called and the man was immediately taken away & the man was shocked no questions were asked of him. I laughed & said did the man look like this (describing the flasher) and he said yes! I said security was well aware of him for the past 10 days. At least 20 people a day complained about him. He has been flashing people by the pool for the past 10 days & we were terrified he would enter a bathroom with a child present. One lady is about to start a mutiny. Thank god they finally got him. Although you could argue if they had taken it serious you're unfortunate incident would have been avoided & the security of passengers would have been enforced. I know people might suggest that security & staff would have to witness the flashing themselves before doing anything. The truth is if security or staff watched him for more than 15 minutes they could have witnessed it themselves. Many times, over 10 days, when he repeatedly proceeded to flash passengers. He did, as the days progressed, tend to change shirt s & bathing suits several times during the day. As he got smarter we got smarter too & would report to each other his various outfit changes & what color he was now wearing so we could warn other passengers. 

[SailBreakaway]

Every square inch of the vessel is monitored by video surveillance.  My experience has been that ship board security is very hands off and avoids conflict at all costs until someone somewhere decides it crosses some sort of risk/reward line.  They could have taken care of that issue long before they did.  That's an entire different topic for a different thread and time.... 

 

Maybe he misunderstood the meaning of  'Freestyle Cruising' 🤣

[Smq123]

Hahahaha...that last line made me laugh! Fantastic!

 

That cruise was by FAR the strangest cruise I had ever been on. I neglected to mention 6 people also died on that cruise. I'm hoping others who were on the cruise see this post & respond as well. Fortunately, 4 cruises since that one & I realize that was just an unfortunate sailing. 

 

And i I got slaughtered in the casino! We are CAS cruisers. 

 

Thank you for the laugh. I hope we meet someday on the high seas. 

[newmexicoNita]

Not that the OP is reading this now: it has been close to a months since posting, but it is obvious there problem was not Noro. If it had been, the ship would have taken the road SMQ123 said the Breakaway did. WE have been on cruises where there has been a breakout or even after one and they bend over backwards to protect the passengers.