Norwalk on Grandeur of the Seas

[cyelee]

Heard this on the local Tampa station this morning, 95 people have come down with it. Thought I would pass this along for people going on this ship soon.

[kenandlinda]

What is it???:confused:

[cyelee]

It is a stomach virus that gets passed very easily not only on cruise ships but anywhere. There is a thread on here about Norwalk on the Explorer - very informative about this virus. Just wash your hands all the time and keep a bottle or antibiotic wipes with you all the time to help prevent you contracting it.

[Ollie_WA]

Yikes, I hope they have it all sanitized by the time we get on the ship in 6 weeks!!!

This seems to be happening more and more lately! Kind of scary...guess I will pack my anti-bacterial handsoap!

Ollie:)

[crookedhalo]

It does seem to happen more frequently at this time of year. But stop and think, this time of year is easier to get sick - rapidly changing weather. Cold then warm then cold again. Everyone dresses unwisely and then gets sick. Seems to disappear again around April or May (at least to my memory!). JMO.:)

[imightylucky]

Did a google search and found no references to virus on Grandeur. Any idea what station it was broadcast on???:rolleyes:

[cyelee]

I saw this while watching the morning news on local station Tampa Channel 8.

 

GO to TBO.com and click on WFLA or go to http://www.WFLA.com and they have the story posted there also.

[imightylucky]

Thanks cyelee for the info, found the story. Hope they clean ship before we get there in April.

[Jacob0525]

Thanks for the information, I just read the article. My wife, I, and my two sons are going on the Grandeur on March 16th. We have already packed some anti-bacterial lotion for the cruise, but we are going to pick up some of the wipes to. My oldest son just turned 4, and my youngest is 8 months. We want to make sure those two are protected, especially with the kids wanting to put their fingers in their mouths all the time. My 4 year old can be bad about that sometimes. It kinda does take away the fun of a vacation when you have to worry about something like this though.

[ZippySuzy]

Dang, I'm going on this ship tomorrow! I did not need to see this. I should have stayed away from this board. (I'm supposed to be packing anyway!) Guess I better stock up on the anti-bacterial soap, wipes, etc. The best advice I can give anyone else is to stay out of the hot tub and the public showers. Oh, and wash your hands often.

[SissasMomE]

Dang, I'm going on this ship tomorrow! I did not need to see this. I should have stayed away from this board. (I'm supposed to be packing anyway!) Guess I better stock up on the anti-bacterial soap, wipes, etc. The best advice I can give anyone else is to stay out of the hot tub and the public showers. Oh, and wash your hands often.

 

 

Actually, the hot tub is safe. The heat alone will kill the virus. Wash your hands often - you'll be fine.

[Jfultz81]

Hope this question isn't too off topic..but does RCL have the hand sanitizer stations at the entrance of restaurants like NCL does or should we carry our own with us?

[teajak]

Hope this question isn't too off topic..but does RCL have the hand sanitizer stations at the entrance of restaurants like NCL does or should we carry our own with us?

No they do not, we were on the Grandeur in Jan. and they were not there. Celebrity has them also and I sure missed them on this ship.

[wolfcathorse]

The hand sanitizer stations vary from ship to ship. Vision had them, even 1 outside at the gangway for you to use before you reboarded. The others were on the wall at the entrance to Windjammer, very unnoticable. So many of RCI's ship might have them, its just that people didn't notice them. If you think about it, this time of year IS flu season, I've had Norwalk at home and I wasn't just home from a trip on a plane or ship! So stay away from the malls too!

[WhiteSoxFan]

Be aware, as pointed out in the Explorer norovirus threads, that anti-bacterial lotions, wipes, etc. are not anti-viral. The best prevention is frequently and thouroughly washing your hands. Don't put you finger near your eyes, nose and mouth. Easier said than done with kids.

[Ronaldo807]

I go on the grandeur tomorrow and was just wondering if this would delay me being able to get on the ship around noon instead of 2:00 as the cruise documents advise???

[Firefighterhoop]

By the post on the Explorer for the person on it this week, they said they wern't able to board at the usuall 11-1130ish, it was delayed till 1...

 

It is stomach flu season. I have a hunch, that a lot of the people that are coming down with it during the first few days were already exposed and contageus previous to entering the ship.

[Firefighterhoop]

Here is the full post from the NBC Channel

 

Norovirus Strikes Cruise From Tampa

 

Skip directly to the full story.

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY amccartney@tampatrib.com

Published: Mar 10, 2006

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TAMPA - When the Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship left Tampa on Monday for Mexico, it had 2,261 passengers and 754 crew members. At least one of them was carrying a nasty virus.

Nearly 100 passengers and crew were quarantined in their rooms while the ship docked in Cozumel, officials said Thursday.

The culprit likely was norovirus, an illness that causes diarrhea and vomiting and can spread quickly in the tight quarters of a ship, said Dave Forney, of the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Miami-based Royal Caribbean International, which operates the Grandeur of the Seas, notified Forney's office of the outbreak Wednesday. According to a statement released by the cruise line, health officials in Mexico required everyone with symptoms of norovirus to remain on the ship.

That meant at least 88 guests and eight crew members not only were forced to stay onboard but also couldn't leave their rooms.

Forney, who runs the CDC's vessel sanitation program, said norovirus is common in nursing homes, day care operations and any other place where people live in close quarters. It affects millions of people each year, but once an outbreak occurs on a cruise ship, the operator is required to report it, he said

[arabrab]

Actually, the hot tub is safe. The heat alone will kill the virus. Wash your hands often - you'll be fine.

 

The Hot Tub water will be safe after pathogens are exposed to the chlorine for up to 4 hours, but not necessarily any sooner. The lip/edge/railings may not be exposed to either the chlorine or disinfectant wipes very often at all. Overall you still want to try and keep your face out of the water, and your hands away from your face. Hand washing is always a good idea, but don't rely on the hot tub (or pool water) being sanitary -- it ain't necessarily so.

 

Barb

[megessey]

Ok, 95 people out of 2500 doesn't sound like an outbreak to me-- that's less than 4% of the passengers on board. Its possible that those 95 would have gotten sick if they were at home. If it were out of control, the number would have gone higher, right? Sounds to me like the cruiseships ARE being safe and sanitary about this if its such a low number of people.

[Dave85]

I've always wondered this reading 8,000 of these threads... how do they actually enforce a "quarantine" once they "quarantine" you?

[webteach]

The number is very low and is incorrect. I went to the nurse at 7pm as I was coming down with it and she chased me away. Many people got it when they got home, too.

[sj25]

Yes.....I was one of those that got it when we came home from the March `6th cruise....I had it for 2 1/2 days....

But was glad it was when I got home not on the boat....

[time4u2go]

It is a stomach virus that gets passed very easily not only on cruise ships but anywhere. There is a thread on here about Norwalk on the Explorer - very informative about this virus. Just wash your hands all the time and keep a bottle or antibiotic wipes with you all the time to help prevent you contracting it.

Antibacterial lotion and wipes will not help. Norwalk is a VIRUS, not a bacterial infection. The wipes may help a little, but only because they physically wipe stuff off your hands, not because they kill anything. Washing your hands is the best defense, to try and WASH OFF whatever on your hands might be carrying the virus.

[mrsrosner]

I just got the Grandeur today, and yes the Norwalk joined our cruise population! I traveled with my girlfriend, her college-aged daughter and three of her college girlfriends. My girlfriend's daughter came down with the virus, and was extremely ill. So ill, that they went to the doctor and was given a shot, other medications, and confined to her cabin for 24 hours, and her three roommates were also confined.

 

There were hand sanitizer everywhere on the ship. No one was allowed to serve themselves at the Windjammer, all done by crew.

 

All public restrooms, hand railing, and elevators were constantly being "sanitized" with a bleach solution. Unfortunately, it took a day or so before everyone was aware of the "bleach", and a lot of folks had clothing ruined!

 

RCL will be compensating the girls with a cruise credit, but don't know how much yet.

 

Will try to answer any questions.