Cabin cough

[rtdiva]

We’ve cruised a fair amount, I’d say on about half of the cruises one of us, despite being diligent with hand washing etc. becomes infected with a cough or sinus infection. 

Any suggestions as how you stay healthy are welcome.

Ann

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 minutes ago, rtdiva said:

We’ve cruised a fair amount, I’d say on about half of the cruises one of us, despite being diligent with hand washing etc. becomes infected with a cough or sinus infection. 

Any suggestions as how you stay healthy are welcome.

Ann

 

Cabin cough? A “fair” amount of cruises? “One of us” (only one or one at a time)? Sinus infection (respiratory cough and sinus infection can be very different things)? Same ship(s)/line(s)? Medical hx? Cruise lengths/destinations? Have you talked with your MD (particularly about the dx of your infections)? Time related to pandemic (now or historically)?

FWIW: Other than for the pandemic close down, we spend about 100+\- nights per year (across 3-5 cruises) on cruise ships - all part of our preferred line’s fleet (which we know has superior air filtration systems).
There have been the rare occasions when the time of year and itinerary triggers some allergy related issues that we expect. But they would happen whether on the ship or on land and we have OTC and Rx meds to deal with it.

 

If you’re experiencing your “cabin cough” now (since the restart of cruising), I certainly hope you’re reporting to the medical center onboard the ship for Covid testing.

 

Whatever is going on with you, I would suggest that you pick ships with the most modern HVAC filtration available. 
 

[rtdiva]

OMGosh !

Should I recite my health reports ?

World cruise, 7 day cruise, length of sailing or different ship seems not to differ. One of us at a time would either get a cough or sinus infection. 

Weve just back from Cunard QE got a cough, been on HAL, Princess, etc etc etc.

same thing!

Which lines in your experience have the best HVAC filtration?

[edinburgher]

We too often suffer "cabin cough" or what we call "cruise cough" and for some years have packed some cough sweets to take with us.  We don't blame ventilation issues, but put it down to a/c as we are unused to having a/c. and have noticed we also get it on occasional land trips which are hotel based if there is a/c in the room.

[John Bull]

Air-con is almost-always the culprit - it dries the air.

 

Is there much air-con in northern California?

People aren't used to air-con in the UK - there's little need for it, so it causes a dry cough for some folk when they're subjected to it on long-distance coaches, commercial aircraft, some trains, a few hotels - and cruise ship cabins.

 

If that's the cause, draping a few damp towels around the cabin (with the cabin steward's OK) helps alleviate it. 

 

For most folk it's nothing to worry about 

 

JB 🙂

[Flatbush Flyer]

3 hours ago, rtdiva said:

OMGosh !

Should I recite my health reports ?

World cruise, 7 day cruise, length of sailing or different ship seems not to differ. One of us at a time would either get a cough or sinus infection. 

Weve just back from Cunard QE got a cough, been on HAL, Princess, etc etc etc.

same thing!

Which lines in your experience have the best HVAC filtration?

Don’t need your entire Hx. But your second post had important details missing from the first. You may want to talk with your MD to rule out as many potential causes as is possible. And if you are truly having actual infections ask about an Rx for a course of appropriate antibiotics to carry with you in addition to whatever appropriate OTC meds bring you relief.

I know that Oceania upgraded its HVAC filtration during the pandemic shut down and assume that all NCL Holding fleet ships (e.g., Regent) did the same.

[Flatbush Flyer]

31 minutes ago, John Bull said:

Air-con is almost-always the culprit - it dries the air.

Is there much air-con in northern California?

People aren't used to air-con in the UK - there's little need for it...

Coastal NorCal (in particular, the SF Bay Area) has little need for AC due to mild climate and very little humidity.

[Markanddonna]

My DH has COPD which predisposes him to getting what we call "the cruise crud." He is proactively prescribed an antibiotic from our doctor. He has needed it about 50% of the time.

[ColeThornton]

Water    Water    Water

 

      Hydrate    Hydrate    Hydrate.

[shipgeeks]

We, too, blame AC.  We don't have it at home, and we no longer go to offices.

If hydration is the answer, thank goodness for the deliciousness of ship tap water.

[Nebr.cruiser]

As someone with severe allergies and recurrent sinus infections, which mostly manifest as terrible coughing, it's a horrible time to have these symptoms, re Covid.  If I tested every time I'd literally have to test once or more a week when having problems.  A good day is only minor coughing.  

 

I don't feel ships/airplanes cause any more problems for me than daily life, but my husband, who normally doesn't have upper respiratory problems, often comes down with something like this when traveling.  I blame airplanes more than the cruise itself, but then we are very used to air conditioning in summer where we live.

[edinburgher]

If that's the cause, draping a few damp towels around the cabin (with the cabin steward's OK) helps alleviate it. 

 

Thanks for that tip JB

[ovccruiser]

Ask for an ice bucket if there is not one in your cabin and leave it full with the lid off under the vent especially at night to hydrate the atmosphere in the cabin. 

[Hlitner]

8 hours ago, rtdiva said:

We’ve cruised a fair amount, I’d say on about half of the cruises one of us, despite being diligent with hand washing etc. becomes infected with a cough or sinus infection. 

Any suggestions as how you stay healthy are welcome.

Ann

 

This has long (decades) been a problem for my DW.  At one time she would get "cabin cough"on almost any longer cruise and it could take weeks (with medical treatment) to get rid of the cough.  But we have managed to almost eliminate the problem by taking a few simple precautions.  #1 is to avoid elevators (especially crowded elevators) as much as possible.   We do this by often using the stairways on ships with the bonus benefit of burning some calories and getting exercise.  and #2 is to simply avoid (and move away) from folks who have a bad cough.  This is just common sense.     

 

I should add that those two simple precautions are also helpful in this COVID world.  We have managed to take 4 cruises (14, 14, 20, 27 days) in the past year.  3 of those 4 cruises had a substantial number of COVID cases aboard and we somehow managed to avoid getting sick despite the fact that we socialize, hang out at crowded bars, and dare to have a great time.  That we both have stayed healthy is likely a combination of luck and taking some of the commonsense precautions mentioned above.

 

Hank

[*Miss G*]

The dry air on flights and indoor AC cause the nasal passages to dry out.  Use a saline nasal spray to moisturize and help protect against infection.

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Coastal NorCal (in particular, the SF Bay Area) has little need for AC due to mild climate and very little humidity.

 

.SF Bay Area encompasses a very large multi county section which most of uses AC.   I think you are right about coastal areas where hot dry weather doesn't prevail.       

[Flatbush Flyer]

34 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

.SF Bay Area encompasses a very large multi county section which most of uses AC.   I think you are right about coastal areas where hot dry weather doesn't prevail.       

Yes, I should’ve been more specific than just the general 9 +\- counties that might be referred to as the SF Bay Area.
 

Of course, once you move farther from the Pacific Coast or the Bay itself, temps rise and AC is useful. But, the Coast itself, as well as most of the actual Bayfront communities, rarely need AC and the humidity (what little there is) pales in comparison to East and Gulf Coast locations. We live directly on the Bay in Brickyard Cove on the northeastern shore and very few folks in our neighborhood even have A/C. 

[ldubs]

3 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Yes, I should’ve been more specific than just the general 9 +\- counties that might be referred to as the SF Bay Area.
 

Of course, once you move farther from the Pacific Coast or the Bay itself, temps rise and AC is useful. But, the Coast itself, as well as most of the actual Bayfront communities, rarely need AC and the humidity (what little there is) pales in comparison to East and Gulf Coast locations. We live directly on the Bay in Brickyard Cove on the northeastern shore and very few folks in our neighborhood even have A/C. 

 

When it comes to humidity, we are completely spoiled.   When I worked in SF, it was not uncommon to see a 25 deg temp swing from the office to my east bay home.  Crazy.   

 

Back to the cabin cough, I've had that happen but not routinely.  My problem is when I get hit with something like that, it hits me hard.   Mrs Ldubs has been known to imply I'm a wimp when it comes to the common cold!  

[rtdiva]

52 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

The dry air on flights and indoor AC cause the nasal passages to dry out.  Use a saline nasal spray to moisturize and help protect against infection.

We are on another cruise this fall our third this year, will pack nasal spray, more cough drops ( double sized bag from Costco) uncover an ice bucket, have wet towels plus stay off of elevators, stay away from others coughing, masked, gloved wear a haz mat suit. 
😀

We are in Rio Vista, on the Sacramento River.

Edited August 7, 2022 by rtdiva

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, ldubs said:

 

When it comes to humidity, we are completely spoiled.   When I worked in SF, it was not uncommon to see a 25 deg temp swing from the office to my east bay home.  Crazy.   

 

Back to the cabin cough, I've had that happen but not routinely.  My problem is when I get hit with something like that, it hits me hard.   Mrs Ldubs has been known to imply I'm a wimp when it comes to the common cold!  

We used to use the Marin side to get to work in the City - a much more pleasant drive than I-80 (partially because, on 101, when drivers flip you off m, they say “excuse me”). You could always tell a local’s car because it had a clothes hanging bar in the back seat with sufficient items to handle all the microclimates. And, in summer, it was easy to spot tourists walking across the GGB because they had on new sweatshirts that said  something about SF (purchased because they’d packed for summer in SoCal).

[LHT28]

We have gotten cruise cough on several cruises 

No all had A/C running it was  a cold weather cruise  & we also got sick

 It can be the dry air inside   but also people coughing & not washing  their hands  etc..

 Last cruise 2019  DH ended up in the medical centre along with many others  as we had been couped up indoors for several days  during a nasty crossing  which helped the virus spread

 

Being on a premium line is no guarantee  that you will be safer

 

[jsn55]

10 hours ago, rtdiva said:

We’ve cruised a fair amount, I’d say on about half of the cruises one of us, despite being diligent with hand washing etc. becomes infected with a cough or sinus infection. 

Any suggestions as how you stay healthy are welcome.

Ann

 

Used to happen to me after plane rides.  Starting wiping everything down on the plane that we could possibly touch and now rarely experience any respiratory issues.  I suspect it's the humidity levels and air flow that allow a bug to attack.

[shipgeeks]

I'm grateful that this topic has come up, and been discussed.  I realize that we use a humidifier at home all winter, and have not had any respiratory problems for a number of years.  We will consider doing the ice bucket or wet towel thing on our next cruise.

[LHT28]

27 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

I'm grateful that this topic has come up, and been discussed.  I realize that we use a humidifier at home all winter, and have not had any respiratory problems for a number of years.  We will consider doing the ice bucket or wet towel thing on our next cruise.

I bought  a small personal humidifier for our  cruise in Dec 2019   it worked very well keeping the air moist in the outside cabin

 

[Aquahound]

13 hours ago, rtdiva said:

We’ve cruised a fair amount, I’d say on about half of the cruises one of us, despite being diligent with hand washing etc. becomes infected with a cough or sinus infection. 

Any suggestions as how you stay healthy are welcome.

Ann

 

 

The air on ships due to recirculation, cooling and reheating of salt air, etc, results in very dry air.  This dry air can dry out your mucus membranes and make you more susceptible to outside allergens.  I recommend a daily dose of nasal spray to help counter the dry air being blown into the room.  That's what my DW has to do.  

 

And don't let anyone try to tell you to shop other lines.  🙄  This is something that occurs on all ships.