Influenza Type A on Enchanted Princess

[LPG27]

I was on Enchanted May 6 to 13.   Beautiful ship, great food and staff.  Unfortunately my husband and I caught the flu onboard midway thru our cruise.    There were many people in the sick bay and many others coughing around the ship.    Apparently from some recent facebook posts the bug continues to circulate.   My only reason for this post is to warn guests who will be boarding soon to be extra careful.  I would hate for for any of you to end up sick as we did.   Also when packing bring cold and flu medicine because it was very hard to get the right medicine in the foreign country and it was  very expensive to visit the medical center on board..   Have a wonderful trip!    It is truly a great experience if you are not sick! 

[Coral]

I heard someone on Ruby Princess (Alaska) also got the Flu - Type A.

 

I hope you feel better. I had the Flu Type A H1N1 one year over Christmas and it was horrible.

Edited June 2, 2023 by Coral

[DUCHESSRN]

My neighbor came back from Viking river cruise with same.

[AZjohn]

1 hour ago, LPG27 said:

I was on Enchanted May 6 to 13.   Beautiful ship, great food and staff.  Unfortunately my husband and I caught the flu onboard midway thru our cruise.    There were many people in the sick bay and many others coughing around the ship.    Apparently from some recent facebook posts the bug continues to circulate.   My only reason for this post is to warn guests who will be boarding soon to be extra careful.  I would hate for for any of you to end up sick as we did.   Also when packing bring cold and flu medicine because it was very hard to get the right medicine in the foreign country and it was  very expensive to visit the medical center on board..   Have a wonderful trip!    It is truly a great experience if you are not sick! 

Thank you for the heads up.

I’m curious if you both happen to get this seasons flu vaccine as it was designed for

type A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1)pdm09?

 

Not bringing it up for any other reason other than your title said type A and just was wondering if this seasons vaccine helped or not?
 

cheers

[LPG27]

28 minutes ago, AZjohn said:

Thank you for the heads up.

I’m curious if you both happen to get this seasons flu vaccine as it was designed for

type A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1)pdm09?

 

Not bringing it up for any other reason other than your title said type A and just was wondering if this seasons vaccine helped or not?
 

cheers

AZjohn, Great question!  I got the flu vaccine this season, as I always do.   My husband did not get the vaccine.  I had a mild case and was better in three days.   My husband, on the other hand, had a bad case with fever  and all the flu symptoms which continued for the following two weeks of our travels through Italy and Switzerland.   Even when we got home last week he continues to be fatigued every day.   It really knocked him out.     I would say the flu vaccine definitely helped me!   Enjoy your cruise.

[AZjohn]

15 minutes ago, LPG27 said:

AZjohn, Great question!  I got the flu vaccine this season, as I always do.   My husband did not get the vaccine.  I had a mild case and was better in three days.   My husband, on the other hand, had a bad case with fever  and all the flu symptoms which continued for the following two weeks of our travels through Italy and Switzerland.   Even when we got home last week he continues to be fatigued every day.   It really knocked him out.     I would say the flu vaccine definitely helped me!   Enjoy your cruise.

Thank you so much for your reply and giving my wife and I hope if we catch it (we are not going on Enchanted but we can likely get it from anyone).

 

cheers!

[Coral]

1 hour ago, AZjohn said:

Thank you for the heads up.

I’m curious if you both happen to get this seasons flu vaccine as it was designed for

type A/Victoria/2570/2019 (H1N1)pdm09?

 

Not bringing it up for any other reason other than your title said type A and just was wondering if this seasons vaccine helped or not?
 

cheers

I hate to say this but if you got the flu vaccine in the fall, it probably is no longer protecting you. They try to tell people to wait until October/Nov so it will carry people through February/March time frame (most common times in North America for flu). At least this is what I hear on the news.

 

 

[Nicole&Pete]

Can anyone give me any pointers to try and avoid viruses on a ship?

[stoneharborlady]

17 hours ago, Coral said:

I hate to say this but if you got the flu vaccine in the fall, it probably is no longer protecting you. They try to tell people to wait until October/Nov so it will carry people through February/March time frame (most common times in North America for flu). At least this is what I hear on the news.

 

 

My doctor considers October/November to BE the fall, as do I.

[SargassoPirate]

11 minutes ago, Nicole&Pete said:

Can anyone give me any pointers to try and avoid viruses on a ship?

Having worked in public health and safety before I retired, I can offer what's worked for me for years and during the restart.

 

Take all of your vaccinations.

 

Wash your hands frequently and then use sanitizer before after you are seated, you've pulled your chair in, and handed the menu back and before you touch any food.  Resanitize if during the meal you touch any common use items such as a salt shaker.

 

If you find yourself sitting anywhere near somebody coughing, get up and move - no matter how much you wanted to see that show or how good those seats are. 

 

Essentially, treat the world and those around as contaminated and break the chain of transmission between the world - them and yourself.

 

[Coral]

19 minutes ago, stoneharborlady said:

My doctor considers October/November to BE the fall, as do I.

My point is if you get it in the fall, it probably is not protecting you in June for North Americans.

[Coral]

21 minutes ago, stoneharborlady said:

My doctor considers October/November to BE the fall, as do I.

And do do I.

[Ken the cruiser]

40 minutes ago, SargassoPirate said:

Having worked in public health and safety before I retired, I can offer what's worked for me for years and during the restart.

 

Take all of your vaccinations.

 

Wash your hands frequently and then use sanitizer before after you are seated, you've pulled your chair in, and handed the menu back and before you touch any food.  Resanitize if during the meal you touch any common use items such as a salt shaker.

 

If you find yourself sitting anywhere near somebody coughing, get up and move - no matter how much you wanted to see that show or how good those seats are. 

 

Essentially, treat the world and those around as contaminated and break the chain of transmission between the world - them and yourself.

 

To go along with this, take the stairs whenever practical rather than the elevator. However, if you want to take the elevator, have a mask handy so you can put it on if others decide to join you. Don't worry, after 3 years everyone is used to masks and you won't be judged. Also, if more than 6 people are in the elevator, get out and either walk the rest of the way or take the next elevator.

 

When you are deciding where to sit in the theater before the show, make it a game and look for seats where folks won't be sitting directly behind you, which are usually on the side or in the balcony rather than in the center. We were just on a 33-day transpacific cruise on the Eclipse on a packed ship and were always able to find them. However, at the same time we would notice very few people, if any, would move if there were people coughing behind them let alone put a mask on. 🤔

[stoneharborlady]

51 minutes ago, Coral said:

My point is if you get it in the fall, it probably is not protecting you in June for North Americans.

Maybe, I am not sure how long they are supposed to last.  

[I am tristram]

1 hour ago, SargassoPirate said:

Having worked in public health and safety before I retired, I can offer what's worked for me for years and during the restart.

 

Take all of your vaccinations.

 

Wash your hands frequently and then use sanitizer before after you are seated, you've pulled your chair in, and handed the menu back and before you touch any food.  Resanitize if during the meal you touch any common use items such as a salt shaker.

 

If you find yourself sitting anywhere near somebody coughing, get up and move - no matter how much you wanted to see that show or how good those seats are. 

 

Essentially, treat the world and those around as contaminated and break the chain of transmission between the world - them and yourself.

 

 

Thank you.

 

I'm a little weary about advice from a pirate though!

 

[LPG27]

7 minutes ago, stoneharborlady said:

Maybe, I am not sure how long they are supposed to last.  

All I know is I got my flu shot last September in California and it definitely protected me from getting very sick.   There were only 2 days where I felt I needed to rest.    My husband (no flu shot) had fever, fatigued every day, excessive coughing up etc, for three weeks.    

Also I would say SargassoPirate gave great advice to future cruisers.    Let me add, if you choose to use the steps try not to hold the handrails and if you do make sure you use the hand gel which is located all over the ship.

[katisdale]

Never touch your face unless you have just washed your hands (or used sanitizer). This is so hard to do but it works.

[Coral]

40 minutes ago, stoneharborlady said:

Maybe, I am not sure how long they are supposed to last.  

They want people to wait until October/November so it covers people through February/March when the typical flu season ends for us. Though people in Australia are probably getting hit now and they travel across the world which complicates matters.

[mtnesterz]

1 hour ago, stoneharborlady said:

Maybe, I am not sure how long they are supposed to last.  

Coral is right, but to directly answer your question, generally four to six months.

[Ken the cruiser]

Here’s a fun fact about the annual flu shot. I’ve been taking them annually since I joined the military back in 1971 and every year since then, to include the latest one last fall. The last time I got the flu was when I was in high school. Just saying ….

 

[Coral]

Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

Here’s a fun fact about the annual flu shot. I’ve been taking them annually since I joined the military back in 1971 and every year since then, to include the latest one last fall. The last time I got the flu was when I was in high school. Just saying ….

 

And I have gotten the flu 2 months after the flu shot....... Though I work in education.

[Ken the cruiser]

Just now, Coral said:

And I have gotten the flu 2 months after the flu shot....... Though I work in education.

The hazard of certain work environments does play a part in all of this as well I would imagine. I’m assuming being a teacher you’ve gotten your annual flu shots every year as well.

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

The hazard of certain work environments does play a part in all of this as well I would imagine. I’m assuming being a teacher you’ve gotten your annual flu shots every year as well.

I do get annual flu shots every year.

 

I am not a teacher but am exposed to faculty, staff and students continually. 

[LPG27]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Here’s a fun fact about the annual flu shot. I’ve been taking them annually since I joined the military back in 1971 and every year since then, to include the latest one last fall. The last time I got the flu was when I was in high school. Just saying ….

 

I am with you Ken, I worked in health care and have had a flu shot every year since 1976.  Neve got the flu until this trip!   And like I said it was pretty mild.  

[suzyed]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

And I have gotten the flu 2 months after the flu shot....... Though I work in education.

There are various strains of Flu, it's possible that you got a different strain than what the shot was directed to.  
The new "Senior Flu Shot" covers 4 different Flu strains....hope it works out better for all of us!
It also takes about 2 weeks for it to kick in.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2023 by suzyed