Noro virus on Ambition

[marielco]

I just heard from a friend on Ambition at the moment.  She just came down with the virus and has been quarantined along with her travelling companion. Apparently a number of passengers have come down with it. My husband and I were on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas visiting the Greek isles last month.  My husband came down with the virus as did a lot of other people on the ship.  We have been cruising for years and never encountered it before.  Is Noro virus more prevalent this year in Europe?

[Host Jazzbeau]

21 minutes ago, marielco said:

Is Noro virus more prevalent this year?

I've definitely been seeing posts about noro in several forums on Cruise Critic this season.  Either the precautions during the Covid re-entry helped prevent the spread of noro, or it was losing out to the alpha virus.  Anyway, as Arnold famously said "I'll be b-a-c-k!"

[Britboys]

Many people have had a lower immunity post lockdown so easier to pick up bugs. There were a lot of cold viruses doing the rounds earlier in the year.

[marielco]

Things got worse on Ambition today. Areas closed including pool, hot tubs even the library!  No self service in the buffet. 

[Waju]

There were a few people that I know of on the previous Iceland cruise that had 'sicky bugs' too.

 

Shame really as it probably mainly due to people not hand washing, we sat close to the buffet entrance and probably only 2 out of 10 used the sanitizer.

[Swinney]

Yes me and a friend got the bug also.

We also tested positive with covid along with a few others. (Double wammy)

Sharing the waiter's pen when signing for drinks with or without the package prob spread germs also.

[Swinney]

Just now, Swinney said:

17 hours ago, marielco said:

Things got worse on Ambition today. Areas closed including pool, hot tubs even the library!  No self service in the buffet. 

Yes. I was on the ship untill last Tues. Lots with the bug and came off with covid

[Aulanis]

We are sailing on 8/8 hope they have it cleaned up by then and are enforcing hand washing

at the buffet / dining areas

[Mrscw]

On the ship now still some people suffering,but if everyone listened and acted on instructions things would improve. Crew doing their best so ok wait a little longer to be served but do what rather that than be ill 

[Aulanis]

12 minutes ago, Mrscw said:

but if everyone listened and acted on instructions things would improve.

 

Yes, that's the problem .

Thanks for the update 🙂

[ConnieTact]

On 7/25/2023 at 10:16 AM, Aulanis said:

We are sailing on 8/8 hope they have it cleaned up by then and are enforcing hand washing

at the buffet / dining areas

What is the latest? Are things improved now? We’re onboard 3/9. Thanks 

[yorkshirephil]

On 8/16/2023 at 8:10 AM, ConnieTact said:

What is the latest? Are things improved now? We’re onboard 3/9. Thanks 

All extra precautions were dropped after 07/08 so am assuming they had no new cases during the first few days. Everything was open, we had a great cruise and the ship was full. Please feel free to ask if you want any info.

[ConnieTact]

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

All extra precautions were dropped after 07/08 so am assuming they had no new cases during the first few days. Everything was open, we had a great cruise and the ship was full. Please feel free to ask if you want any info.

Thank you! That sounds promising! Great to hear you enjoyed it!

Regarding the entertainment, what times were the main shows? Also, who did you have in the way of singers in the bars? Was there enough space for everyone who wanted to see shows? Thanks 

[yorkshirephil]

Just now, ConnieTact said:

Thank you! That sounds promising! Great to hear you enjoyed it!

Regarding the entertainment, what times were the main shows? Also, who did you have in the way of singers in the bars? Was there enough space for everyone who wanted to see shows? Thanks 

Main shows were 20:30 and 22:30 the early show was busy and you had to be in for 20:00 to get a good seat, however we were not aware of anyone not getting in as some evenings we were fairly late in. Two girls who play violin and piano played most nights in the Clifton lounge, they were on our last two Ambience cruises and are very good. Alex Dennis played piano and sang in Pendennis bar and Party tunes trio played in The Cavern. Some evenings some of the show team singers did a caberet in one of the bars, these were popular and again you needed to be in good time to get a seat. We thought the entertainment was pretty good overall.

[Aulanis]

We were in the late shows  , not by choice,  and there was room for all.  One crazy thing is]that there are several levels and each has fixed bench seating then  on the same level they have a row of  movable ( if you can lift them)  swivel  chairs that are the same height.

  The bench seating is more comfortable but  you risk a tall person sitting straight in front of you.  If it is a show that you have to see as well as hear we found it better to suffer the discomfort.   Occasionally there were no fixed seats and we just had to sit in front of someone else.   There were also the types who take a comfortable back seat  and put an article on the seat in front. Witnessed a group of 4 who initially had 8 seats then maybe decided 15minutes in they didnt like it and 2 of them left  so there were then 2 people with 8 seats !!!

       As to the sickness  I was surprised we didnt have much as whilst self serve was out they did not  really police the hand washing as I have seen on other ships  and people just walked into the buffet without washing or even using the sanitiser.

      Another anomaly was  you couldnt press 2 buttons to get a cup of coffee but if you wanted any sauces  you were directed to a tray of various bottles to help  yourself which of course meant picking up the bottle opening the cap  squeezing it replace the cap and return to the tray.   Hope you cruise says clear  it can of course depend on where the cruise is going and if people pick up a bug eating while ashore.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Aulanis

[ConnieTact]

1 hour ago, Aulanis said:

We were in the late shows  , not by choice,  and there was room for all.  One crazy thing is]that there are several levels and each has fixed bench seating then  on the same level they have a row of  movable ( if you can lift them)  swivel  chairs that are the same height.

  The bench seating is more comfortable but  you risk a tall person sitting straight in front of you.  If it is a show that you have to see as well as hear we found it better to suffer the discomfort.   Occasionally there were no fixed seats and we just had to sit in front of someone else.   There were also the types who take a comfortable back seat  and put an article on the seat in front. Witnessed a group of 4 who initially had 8 seats then maybe decided 15minutes in they didnt like it and 2 of them left  so there were then 2 people with 8 seats !!!

       As to the sickness  I was surprised we didnt have much as whilst self serve was out they did not  really police the hand washing as I have seen on other ships  and people just walked into the buffet without washing or even using the sanitiser.

      Another anomaly was  you couldnt press 2 buttons to get a cup of coffee but if you wanted any sauces  you were directed to a tray of various bottles to help  yourself which of course meant picking up the bottle opening the cap  squeezing it replace the cap and return to the tray.   Hope you cruise says clear  it can of course depend on where the cruise is going and if people pick up a bug eating while ashore.

That’s handy to know about the seating arrangements. Thanks for the tips! I’d be the one asking them to move their stuff so we could sit down! 😅😂

I think I’ll carry my own hand-gel so I can stay clean when I need to. Really would be wise to have hand-gel next to the bottles if they are going to leave them out. 

We’re only onboard for two nights (tester!) so we’d be very unlucky to catch anything in that short time…watch this space! 🤞
I plan to do an another online review so, really, watch this space! 😂

[KeriG]

On 8/21/2023 at 5:54 PM, ConnieTact said:

That’s handy to know about the seating arrangements. Thanks for the tips! I’d be the one asking them to move their stuff so we could sit down! 😅😂

I think I’ll carry my own hand-gel so I can stay clean when I need to. Really would be wise to have hand-gel next to the bottles if they are going to leave them out. 

We’re only onboard for two nights (tester!) so we’d be very unlucky to catch anything in that short time…watch this space! 🤞
I plan to do an another online review so, really, watch this space! 😂

Don't forget hand gel doesn't kill Noro Virus - the only way is to wash your hands well. 

 

I'm considering the Christmas cruise to the Caribbean on this ship but it's a long cruise and I haven't sailed with Ambassador before. The anti infection precautions are important to me as I have an auto immune issue. I've mainly sailed with P&O previously and have never had an issue on their ships. 

[Pasty feet]

Hello we are debating to sail on the Caribbean cruise as well. It’s an unknown quantity for us and any accounts of the ship would be very welcome. We will probably book a junior suite. Any advice please.  Help!!!!