Has anyone else had air quality issues on the Crown

[tillys mom]

We returned from a Crown British Isles cruise last week, and I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Several in our Facebook group also had health issues and that was from a very small sample size. Our cabin was comfortable the first week, but then we started waking up with us and the bed soaked even though the thermostat was as low as it would go. I started with a little cough but could never shake it. It may have been just a few of us, but if there is a problem, then it needs fixed.

[jasbo49]

My wife and I developed bronchitis near the end of our June 6-18 BI cruise. I can't really say what the cause was, though. 

 

Jim

[waltd]

There  are always complaints about air and heating  on many of Princess ships.    Did you contact the desk and have them send someone up to take a look at it.  Sometimes they can adjust it from the room.    The other issue that always comes up is your neighbors.    If a few of your neighbors open their slider during the night to get some fresh air  you will have issues with your air circulation.   This happens on the older ships.   Just a few thoughts.  

Edited August 27, 2019 by waltd

[Colo Cruiser]

1 hour ago, tillys mom said:

We returned from a Crown British Isles cruise last week, and I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Several in our Facebook group also had health issues and that was from a very small sample size. Our cabin was comfortable the first week, but then we started waking up with us and the bed soaked even though the thermostat was as low as it would go. I started with a little cough but could never shake it. It may have been just a few of us, but if there is a problem, then it needs fixed.

Cruise cough. It is on every ship we have sailed on.

[Steelers36]

42 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Cruise cough. It is on every ship we have sailed on.

True, but hardly surprising with 2,000+ people that some have a cough before, during, or after.

[XBGuy]

A traveler boards a ship carrying a bug.  He may not know that he has it--he may have picked it up from a fellow passenger on the airline flight to the port city the previous day--or, maybe, he does know that he has it.  He is in pretty close contact with quite a few people and is in remote contact with thousands.  The first thing he does after boarding is head to the buffet where nobody is going to tell him he has to wash or sanitize his hands.  So, he proceeds to contaminate half a dozen serving utensils.  Of course, he is going back to the buffet for dessert--at least one.  Now, to get to and from the buffet did he press any elevator buttons, or did he hold the railing in the stairways?

 

It is not surprising, at all, that multiple people catch a bug on a cruise ship.

 

I have disembarked from a couple ships with some sort of respiratory infection that I'd picked up.

 

I recently read, here on Cruise Critic, that on Holland American passengers are not allowed to serve themselves in the buffet the first few days of every cruise.  That may be annoying to some (like me, for instance), but I have to agree with its prudence. 

[katisdale]

When you cruise with people from all over you are exposed to bacteria and viruses that are not part of your regular exposures. If you don't have immunity you just may catch something - says the woman who got pneumonia about 25 days into a 49 day cruise. I don't think the ship's heating/ac/ventilation had anything to do with it but my fellow cruisers did.

[chengkp75]

Yeah, I can't say how a warm/hot room would cause pneumonia, but it is common for the dry AC air to dry out people's nasal tissues, which is a primary defense against airborne illness.  Use of a saline spray can reduce the incidence of URI when cruising.

[hpeabody]

I am following in your footsteps. LOL 🙂   I board in Southampton Sept 10th and I stay on for the TA.  I was watching your travels unfold.  I will miss not seeing the Tattoo this time 😞

I am generally not one to get colds or respiratory ailments.  But, it seems I get on a ship and WHAM!  I get sick. Even though I do take precautions.  I think it really is the exposure to so many and diverse germs and viruses coming from our fellow passengers.  And, that not everyone takes the proper precautions.  I have come to expect to to get sick and come prepared with my own remedies.  I am sorry your got sick, NOT FUN!

[tillys mom]

Thanks Holly, I hope you stay well.

I don’t have an agenda here, except to stay well. We are on the Emerald TA in November,  and I never want to be this sick again. We did well until the cabin got to being hot at night and we were really sweating. I know that if it happens in November, I will be looking for help.

Is there a particular antibiotic I need to get a prescription for? 

Thanks for any help.

[chengkp75]

4 minutes ago, tillys mom said:

Thanks Holly, I hope you stay well.

I don’t have an agenda here, except to stay well. We are on the Emerald TA in November,  and I never want to be this sick again. We did well until the cabin got to being hot at night and we were really sweating. I know that if it happens in November, I will be looking for help.

Is there a particular antibiotic I need to get a prescription for? 

Thanks for any help.

Since most upper respiratory infections (including one of two types of pneumonia) are viral, antibiotics are useless.

[suzyed]

6 hours ago, tillys mom said:

We returned from a Crown British Isles cruise last week, and I was diagnosed with pneumonia. Several in our Facebook group also had health issues and that was from a very small sample size. Our cabin was comfortable the first week, but then we started waking up with us and the bed soaked even though the thermostat was as low as it would go. I started with a little cough but could never shake it. It may have been just a few of us, but if there is a problem, then it needs fixed.

Not air quality issues but AC issues.  Don't know if they are related or not.

[hpeabody]

49 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Since most upper respiratory infections (including one of two types of pneumonia) are viral, antibiotics are useless.

 

This, what chengkp75 says above. 

 

I start taking the zinc lozenge Coldeze at first sign of a cold. If I catch it just right, it is very mild and just a few days.  If I don't get it in me right away, then I get really sick.  I also bring Tylenol cold medicine which does help ease symptoms, but probably not for a serious respiratory problem

[neverbeenhere]

If you get “seriously” sick, go to the physician on the ship. 

[suzyed]

6 minutes ago, hpeabody said:

 

This, what chengkp75 says above. 

 

I start taking the zinc lozenge Coldeze at first sign of a cold. If I catch it just right, it is very mild and just a few days.  If I don't get it in me right away, then I get really sick.  I also bring Tylenol cold medicine which does help ease symptoms, but probably not for a serious respiratory problem

I used Airbourne gummies with Vit C and it seems to help!

[Times Prince]

Years back while " sailing on a Grand class ship we developed some respiratory issues.  For us they originated while using a hot tub in the spa area.

These were exacerbated by us having an Ocean View cabin (not a balcony).   My wife, being sensitive to bronchitis, ended up going to the ship's doctor who suggested our problem was made worse by having an inside cabin with an air conditioning system that included recirculated air.  Apparently people who have existing respiratory issues can be sensitive to this.  His recommendation "Next time book a balcony cabin.  Open the balcony door a couple of times a day for 10-15 minutes, which will refresh the cabin's air."

 

We've done this on every cruise since and have had better, healthier cruises.  Now if we could only do the same to change out the air on airplanes - We have a documented history of catching bronchitis following flights.

 

[hobbyfarmer2]

I changed my game the last three cruises and did not get sick.  I vigorously washed my hands over a dozen times a day, especially before and after the buffet.  I did not touch the handrails despite sticking almost exclusively to the stairs.  I had a paper towel in my hand to wrap around the door handle if I used and when eciting a public washroom.  I opened my balcony door 2-3 times a day to bring in some fresher air.  I also tried to refrain from touching my lips or eyes with my hands.  No guarantees but it does stack a few more odds in my favor or so I would like to believe.

[chengkp75]

How about hotels?  Most of these either are 100% recirculated air, or the same 80% recirculation that the ship uses, for all cabins.  Especially since the cabins have a full time exhaust fan (in the bath) drawing air out continually, and this is made up by fresh air continuously.

[npcl]

On a cruise you are dealing with 3000 people from not only various parts of the country but from different parts of the world (different types of viruses, different seasons at home, etc.).  It only takes a couple of people to bring a URI on board for it to spread throughout the ship.  Anything over 10 days and you can often see the progression by counting the number of people coughing in public areas. 

 

Bottom line lots of people, relatively compact environment, viruses from other regions perfect environment for spread of URI, no matter which cruise line one is on.