Noro On Board, And Yet People Still....

[GonzoWCS]

3 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Ignoring things like Noro is basically spread by contaminated surfaces.  A surface contaminated on one cruise will remain contaminated into the next cruise.  Surfaces touched by departing passengers get touched by new passengers. 

 

Even if the ship goes through an extended deep clean and delays boarding for a few hours not all surfaces will get caught. Since such a deep clean does not occur unless the problem has gotten rather bad and for multiple cruises multiple cruises in a row having Noro is not unusual.

 

Also you often have passengers on B2B which could carry it from one cruise to another

 

Then you have the potential for it to be carried on board again by another passenger boarding.

Considering that 6% of the US population will get Noro during any given year, usually in a 4 month period the odds are pretty good that there will be at least one passenger boarding each cruise during that period.  After all we know how honest cruise passenger are when it comes down to missing their cruise or acknowledging that they have been or do feel ill.

Great Analysis!

[quincytoo]

7 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

By the way when I saw this thread, I thought to myself cruising is definitely back, as I haven't seen a "noro" thread since before cruising started back up! 😂

Yup me too 

[malba2366]

15 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

... don't take simple steps to protect themselves.

 

Received the noro notification letter in my cabin  two nights ago.

 

Washy washy is enforced at the entrance to the HC. A crew member has to hand you a silverware burrito and a plate.  The crew serves bulk food and even has to hand you individual portion containers. If you want to add some salt or pepper, you have to request a crew member to do it for you. The usual norovirus response.

 

It's very easy to keep from catching noro.  Just settle in at your table, pull your chair in, don't lay your silverware directly on the table, and BEFORE you touch your face with your hands or touch any food going into your mouth, sanitize your hands.  You do carry your own sanitizer, correct?

 

Norovirus is spread the fecal-oral route and all you need to do is break the chain of transmission.  Act as if every surface is contaminated and simply wash your hands often and sanitize them before you touch your face or your food.

 

Fifty plus cruises so far, several with norovirus outbreaks, and I've never been sick yet.

 

Norovirus is very easy to spread despite hand washing/sanitizing before eating.  You may be one of the 20% or so of the population that is immune to Norovirus due to not having the binding sites for Norovirus present in their GI tract.

[suzyed]

9 hours ago, MissP22 said:

On the Enchanted they encouraged use of hand sanitizers and washing at the buffet but few people did. It was not enforced and as I recall not one time were we asked to wash up before eating. There were sanitizer dispensers at the DR entrances if you wanted to use them.

Very few passengers were wearing masks and hardly any crew. 

I did hear of once case of Covid and it did appear that they still had groups of cabins reserved to Covid cases since they were blocked off from entering. 

 

We washed our hands and used the sanitizer...why wouldn't we?  Very available.  We didn't wear masks however. And we never put our silverware on the table. We asked each time for them to wipe down the table for us before we sat.
The only indicator we saw that MAY have pointed to illness was that our neighbors on the ship, from our 1st day, had food trays in front of their door several times a day for several days.  I think they may have already been on the ship for the previous 10 day sailing.  After about 5-6 days, the trays disappeared and I saw the room steward talking to them.  They were wearing masks and stayed in the cabin, but we kinda figured they had been sick.  We didn't ask the steward...figured it wasn't our business and not sure he would have told us anyway.

[PescadoAmarillo]

We’ve sailed on lots of noro cruises without ever getting it. To me, it’s far easier to avoid that anything spread by air. Immediately we stopped touching any of our food with our hands (i.e. eating nuts with a spoon at the PES lounge), and kept up our standard cruise practices (using hand sanitizing wipes after touching menus and before picking up our silverware and keeping our hands away from our faces). 
 

I did catch it once while traveling, on Easter Island.  I spent a hellish night in a cold, spartan hotel bathroom with the sink outside of arms reach from the toilet and the roosters outside crowing nonstop. I’d still take it over any lung infection. 

[justafem]

Did anyone else get a warm fuzzy feeling from the just Noro topic?  Call me weird, but it was refreshingly normal to read this topic after the 3 years of not so normal.

 

That said, our first cruise, many moons ago, my daughter and her roomie got Noro, while hubs and I didn't.  Noro is thankfully fast. 

 

On the other hand, I've had covid 3 times, first on the grand princess ill-fated Feb 2020 Hawaiian, then on carnival 2022.  I also got covid in the real world. And I'm vaxxed and boosted.  

[SargassoPirate]

9 hours ago, malba2366 said:

Norovirus is very easy to spread despite hand washing/sanitizing before eating.  You may be one of the 20% or so of the population that is immune to Norovirus due to not having the binding sites for Norovirus present in their GI tract.

That natural immunity thing may be what keeps me well.  I've joked with my personal physician that I may have some sort of super immunity since I never get the flu, the last cold I had was in the 80s and I'm still covid free after not wearing a mask anywhere or anytime unless it was required.

 

BUT, I still take reasonable precautions with food and drink.

[wannagonow123]

Just got notification of delayed departure on Caribbean Princess for Saturday due to Gasto related illnesses on board right now.

[RNRcruisers]

We board the Caribbean Princess on February 10th. Hope it gets cleaned really well before then!

 

[suzyed]

12 hours ago, PescadoAmarillo said:

We’ve sailed on lots of noro cruises without ever getting it. To me, it’s far easier to avoid that anything spread by air. Immediately we stopped touching any of our food with our hands (i.e. eating nuts with a spoon at the PES lounge), and kept up our standard cruise practices (using hand sanitizing wipes after touching menus and before picking up our silverware and keeping our hands away from our faces). 
 

I did catch it once while traveling, on Easter Island.  I spent a hellish night in a cold, spartan hotel bathroom with the sink outside of arms reach from the toilet and the roosters outside crowing nonstop. I’d still take it over any lung infection. 

I haven't had it but DH got it, we believe from the market in Tahiti (just one more reason we are not thrilled with Tahiti.) Once he got it, it seems others did too...perhaps from the market also or one of the many food trucks on the pier.  There didn't seem to be a problem onboard until after Tahiti....so I  blame that. Fortunately it only lasts a few days but UGH!
We actually were delayed disembarking and had to wait for the CDC to come on and inspect.

[SargassoPirate]

3 hours ago, wannagonow123 said:

Just got notification of delayed departure on Caribbean Princess for Saturday due to Gasto related illnesses on board right now.

They're already wiping down every surface in sight, so I suspect your delayed departure may be a bit of theater just to make on-coming passengers feel better since the cat is out of the bag about noro on the ship.  Just my opinion, but then I am very skeptical about corporate/government actions in the face of possible bad publicity. 

 

 

[Guest ldtr]

22 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

They're already wiping down every surface in sight, so I suspect your delayed departure may be a bit of theater just to make on-coming passengers feel better since the cat is out of the bag about noro on the ship.  Just my opinion, but then I am very skeptical about corporate/government actions in the face of possible bad publicity. 

 

 

On turn around day the crew is quite busy.  You have some surfaces getting wiped down every  day, but not so much during turn around when it would be especially important.  Not even enough time between the last passenger getting off (usually those having or getting over Noro are the last off (at least that was protocol pre-covid) and the first passenger boarding.  

 

All of the public hand rails, elevator surfaces, door knobs, all surfaces in the cabins, not during a normal turn around day. During a deep clean then a good percentage of those will get done, but even then not all.

[PescadoAmarillo]

30 minutes ago, memoak said:

I was in there for broken ribs and was never asked about any covid symptoms 

Ouch! Sorry you had to go through that. 

[PescadoAmarillo]

I think a delayed boarding for noro is, in large part, due to more extensive cabin cleaning. We noticed that soft items, such as throw pillows  and bed runners were removed and laundered on turnarounds when we cruised on B2B cruises with noro. 

[MissP22]

31 minutes ago, memoak said:

They will not quarantine you unless you come up positive on the PCR test they will give you. We simply carry a supply of self tests with us and test every 5-6 days on a cruise. No need to get the test from medical if you just have sniffles. On the Ruby in December masks were optional in the medical center and no one was being tested unless the had “real” symptoms. I was in there for broken ribs and was never asked about any covid symptoms 

They once quarantined me for 2 days when I went to medical & complained about food poisoning which I thought I got from their buffet.

This was long ago, before Covid.

I've learned not to ask or even question medical for advice unless your very sure that it's serious. 

[GonzoWCS]

4 hours ago, wannagonow123 said:

Just got notification of delayed departure on Caribbean Princess for Saturday due to Gasto related illnesses on board right now.

Thanks for the information

 

Cheers

[SargassoPirate]

1 hour ago, MissP22 said:

They once quarantined me for 2 days when I went to medical & complained about food poisoning which I thought I got from their buffet.

This was long ago, before Covid.

I've learned not to ask or even question medical for advice unless your very sure that it's serious. 

We used to call that the Green Apple Quick Step when I was a kid.  

 

She Who Must Be Obeyed carries a little medical kit with her for travel and I bring it along when I travel alone, but I've never needed it so far.  Some chewable Pepto tablets, some throat lozenges, some lysine in the event of a cold sore, some antiseptic cream, a few bandaids, and an emergency dental kit.  If we are traveling on land in a third world country we add a suture kit and some super glue for lacerations (more sanitary the local shaman and most "hospitals")

 

I agree, I wouldn't report to sick bay unless it was serious, especially at the risk of a huge medical bill or quarantine.

[beg3yrs]

Regarding the post a ways back that stated something like Covid can kill you but Noro only lasts a couple of days ....

 

A few years ago a CC member died from Noro on a cruise. It was the wife of a wondeful couple always wore matching Hawaiian shirts. Really nice folks, we met them in a hotel and cruised with them as well. I think he was Richard. The whole thing was tragic.

 

Anyway, Noro can kill so taking precautions is still a good idea even if it's more rare for a death than Covid.

[Bobbiegentry]

13 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Regarding the post a ways back that stated something like Covid can kill you but Noro only lasts a couple of days ....

 

A few years ago a CC member died from Noro on a cruise. It was the wife of a wondeful couple always wore matching Hawaiian shirts. Really nice folks, we met them in a hotel and cruised with them as well. I think he was Richard. The whole thing was tragic.

 

Anyway, Noro can kill so taking precautions is still a good idea even if it's more rare for a death than Covid.

Very sad. 😞

[Jagajak1]

We are scheduled to board the Caribbean Princess in two days.  HOPING all is handled but I know that is a lot to ask in something like this.  Is there any update from the ship as far as how bad the outbreak has gotten?  Hundreds, thousands, ? I guess we need to stock up on good quality hand sanitizer and just be aware of what we touch.  Any update from someone on board would be wonderful

THANKS 🙂

 

[PacnGoNow]

Just now, Jagajak1 said:

We are scheduled to board the Caribbean Princess in two days.  HOPING all is handled but I know that is a lot to ask in something like this.  Is there any update from the ship as far as how bad the outbreak has gotten?  Hundreds, thousands, ? I guess we need to stock up on good quality hand sanitizer and just be aware of what we touch.  Any update from someone on board would be wonderful

THANKS 🙂

 

I’d go to the roll call and see how it’s going.

Stay safe. I’m sure they’ll do a deep cleaning in port. 

[PacnGoNow]

5 minutes ago, Jagajak1 said:

We are scheduled to board the Caribbean Princess in two days.  HOPING all is handled but I know that is a lot to ask in something like this.  Is there any update from the ship as far as how bad the outbreak has gotten?  Hundreds, thousands, ? I guess we need to stock up on good quality hand sanitizer and just be aware of what we touch.  Any update from someone on board would be wonderful

THANKS 🙂

 

Not a very active roll call, but you could post your question there.

 

 

[Guest ldtr]

5 minutes ago, Jagajak1 said:

We are scheduled to board the Caribbean Princess in two days.  HOPING all is handled but I know that is a lot to ask in something like this.  Is there any update from the ship as far as how bad the outbreak has gotten?  Hundreds, thousands, ? I guess we need to stock up on good quality hand sanitizer and just be aware of what we touch.  Any update from someone on board would be wonderful

THANKS 🙂

 

A Noro outbreak must be reported to the CDC immediately when 3% of passengers and crew get ill during a cruise.

 

They have 15 days to report if the level is greater than 2% but less than 3%.

 

As of this time the Caribbean Princess does not show up on the CDC web site, though Royal Caribbean Brilliance of the Sea 1/16-1/21 cruise and the P&O Arcadia 1/3 - 4/13 cruise have reported and on the list.  So that would mean probably less than 100.  From what I recall Princess starts putting preventive measures in place anytime there is more than 7 cases.

[Jagajak1]

that is really good information lDTR (or LDTR?)  Thanks so much.  

[Ken the cruiser]

Here’s the CDC link if you want to see which cruise ships have reported an outbreak this year as well as past years.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm