QE2 & Norovirus

[Coolgran]

So much in the press about Norovirus lately, just wondering about QE2. When last aboard there was a good system of hand sterilisation all over the ship, what suprised me was that people grumbled about using them!!!! My only gripe was that they shut the library without warning and we had to buy books when on shore---two days later. Love reading when on a cruise but do not want to carry books in my luggage I would much rather browse in the Library.The sterilisation must have worked there did not appear to be any outbreak of the dreaded virus:confused:

[Kindlychap]

When they have never had an outbreak, and P & O have regular outbreaks, it is clear that Cunard have got it right. Better to lose the bibrary for a couple of days than everyone be ill.

[Anteeta]

When they have never had an outbreak, and P & O have regular outbreaks, it is clear that Cunard have got it right. Better to lose the bibrary for a couple of days than everyone be ill.

 

Not sure that QE2 has never had an outbreak, but certainly the problem is worse on P&O. But P&O and Cunard are owned by the same company. As transmission of this particular bug can be controlled/prevented by proper hygiene it's disappointing that the standards don't appear to be consistent.

[pnhmrk]

It's disappointing that the standards don't appear to be consistent.

 

Inconsistencies between fleets I can understand. I don't understand why, on the same ship, they can enforce hand sanitising sometimes and at others be very lax. At Christmas they were lax, if you didn't sanitise then they weren't that bothered. Once the World Cruise was over if you didn't sanitise they'd chase after you!

[dougnewmanatsea]

I believe there was a 'bug' of some sort on the Christmas cruise - at least that was the explanation we got for the extraordinary sanitary measures this past January.

 

I am not complaining but it was rather amusing to see some of the measures... For example, normally there is of course butter in a butter dish on the table. When they are on "virus alert", they replace this with sealed single-serve butter packets. But most amusing was that rather than simply placing those on the table, they are served by the dining room stewards... With tongs! I guess you can never be too safe, but sometimes the measures that are taken can reach the comical.

 

I too have noticed that passengers seem to gripe about using the hand sanitizer. Clearly it is not that it is so difficult - I think people just do not like being "told what to do". I guess that's human nature!

 

Either way, they do seem to pay a great deal of attention to this problem... Though to be fair, all cruise lines and ships, at least recently, seem to be making a very big effort in this area. If nothing else, cruise lines are aware of the amount of negative publicity that an outbreak can create so obviously it is in their best interests to do everything they can to ensure that it does not happen.

[travel-to-go]

I believe there was a 'bug' of some sort on the Christmas cruise - at least that was the explanation we got for the extraordinary sanitary measures this past January.

 

I am not complaining but it was rather amusing to see some of the measures... For example, normally there is of course butter in a butter dish on the table. When they are on "virus alert", they replace this with sealed single-serve butter packets. But most amusing was that rather than simply placing those on the table, they are served by the dining room stewards... With tongs! I guess you can never be too safe, but sometimes the measures that are taken can reach the comical.

 

I too have noticed that passengers seem to gripe about using the hand sanitizer. Clearly it is not that it is so difficult - I think people just do not like being "told what to do". I guess that's human nature!

 

Either way, they do seem to pay a great deal of attention to this problem... Though to be fair, all cruise lines and ships, at least recently, seem to be making a very big effort in this area. If nothing else, cruise lines are aware of the amount of negative publicity that an outbreak can create so obviously it is in their best interests to do everything they can to ensure that it does not happen.

 

I suspect the tongs use was less of a sanitation item than a presentation issue. I cannot imagine them handing the butter to you in their hands! And it would tend to warm the butter (which ome might not like) if it were handled.

 

As for not using the sanitizers, there are some who may be sensitive to the contents. People with dry skin probably wouldn't want to use them. I tend to not use them too much for two reasons- I am allergic to soap and can be sensitive to such things. Right now I have gone through four rounds of anitbiotics plus prednisone trying to get rid of horriblle ugly sores and flaking dry itchy skin on my legs. I have been threatened next with intravenous antibiotics and have been told not to soak in my nice jacuzzi I put in two years ago. I have gotten two other type of infections as a result of the medication supressing some good forms of bugs that keep in check other forms of bugs. Of course I had to be careful visiting my dad as he has a particularly life-threatening infection called MRSA (methicillin resistant Stapholoccus Aurea), a form of sepsis. I have to be extremely careful with any sort of handcreams and lotions as they can make me break out, and it is painful and quite uncomfortable. I have been allergic to soap since I was a teenager (I know, they say all teenagers are allergic to soap! I really was!) I have used Aveeno since I was a kid- It runs about $3-4 a bar and melts if you look at it cross-eyed! Most of those contain alcohol. A person on antabuse could have a severe reaction even! (Do they still use Antabuse? I haven't heard of it, I don't think, since the seventies, when I knew a nun who was on it!) The other reason I am careful about the use of too many of these "antibacterially treated" items, is there is criticism that they are creating super-immune and antibiotic-resistant bugs. Also, that children are not gaining the natural immunities that come from being exposed to small amounts of certain bugs when they are heathy and can create natural permanent antibodies. Sometimes I think people who are overly obsessive about these may inadvertantly be creating more trouble for themselves than good! (i'm talking obsessive here!-BTW, I always thought it odd that people who are afraid of getting germs from toilets seats have no qualms about making them nasty for other people to try to use! Some of us don't have our "hovering licenses!" -just an aside- it's one of my "ya gotta wonder" things! Geez, if you're gonnna hover, and not have good aim at that, lift the damn seat, please? )

 

Karie,

Who has to put in her 3 1/2 cents worth anyway! (the cost of thought futures has gone up on the spot market with light sweet thoughts up to $65.00 a barrel, while Crude thoughts are as cheap as ever)

[mariaemp675@hotmail.com]

Karie,

 

I think i got all that, but it made me dizzy. :rolleyes:

 

But it did make me wonder, did Jack at Sea and his lovely wife ever find out what made them ill on their Round the Horn cruise?

 

Maria - who thinks your opinion is worth at least a nickle.:D

[Olls]

Purell's main ingredient is ethyl alcohol (like vodka!) and will not create "super germs" - we use it and put on some hand cream - no germs and soft hands! ...Hope this helps!

[travel-to-go]

Purell's main ingredient is ethyl alcohol (like vodka!) and will not create "super germs" - we use it and put on some hand cream - no germs and soft hands! ...Hope this helps!

 

Gosh, Olls,

I do use it on occasion, but not excessively. it can dry and crack the hands. The hospital had this cool stuff that comes out as a foam. (You don't need to wipe or dry it off, either) But I don't do Vodka.

Do they have any that comes in Tequila or Rhum?

 

Karie,

Who gets absolutely FURIOUS at places that call themselves a martini bar that don't know that martinis- REAL martinis are made with GIN! Vodka is for weanies who don't like the taste of REAL liquor! PAH!

[pnhmrk]

I believe there was a 'bug' of some sort on the Christmas cruise - at least that was the explanation we got for the extraordinary sanitary measures this past January.

 

Just to check - we are still talking about the QE2 aren't we? There was no sign of any bug at Christmas (again we are talking Christmas/New Year 2005/2006 aren't we?). On that cruise the requirement to sanitise was very lax. I think that it's a case of Cunard not knowing what's happening on its own ships.

 

I am not complaining but it was rather amusing to see some of the measures... For example, normally there is of course butter in a butter dish on the table. When they are on "virus alert", they replace this with sealed single-serve butter packets. But most amusing was that rather than simply placing those on the table, they are served by the dining room stewards... With tongs! I guess you can never be too safe, but sometimes the measures that are taken can reach the comical.

 

The butter packets were used for breakfast and lunch, but normal butter in the evening. They weren't served to us, but put in a butter dish.

 

I too have noticed that passengers seem to gripe about using the hand sanitizer. Clearly it is not that it is so difficult - I think people just do not like being "told what to do". I guess that's human nature!

 

Yeah, but in May they were chasing after passengers who didn't sanitise!

 

It would tend to warm the butter (which one might not like)

 

Yes, but it would spread easily. We got some that was so hard it could still have been frozen.

 

Who gets absolutely FURIOUS at places that call themselves a martini bar that don't know that martinis- REAL martinis are made with GIN! Vodka is for weanies who don't like the taste of REAL liquor! PAH!

 

Does gin (other than Blue Sapphire or other special brands) have any flavour?

[dougnewmanatsea]

Just to check - we are still talking about the QE2 aren't we? There was no sign of any bug at Christmas (again we are talking Christmas/New Year 2005/2006 aren't we?).

Yes, and yes.

 

I joined QE2 on 3 January, right after the Christmas/New Year's cruise ended.

 

They were in a "sanitary tizzy" - I thought it was because of a bug on the previous cruise, but I guess not!

 

The butter packets were used for breakfast and lunch, but normal butter in the evening.

Actually, we had normal butter towards the end of the six day crossing! And I believe it partially depended on what restaurant one was in.

 

The whole butter business was a bit of a mystery to be honest!

 

I abhor those little butter packets and will excuse them only on grounds of sanitation.

[pnhmrk]

The whole butter business was a bit of a mystery to be honest!

 

On the 26th May for part of our breakfast both my partner and myself had Ginger Marmalade on our buttered toast. After breakfast we both said that we wouldn't have the marmalade again because it tasted a bit like turpentine substitute smells. At lunch our bread had the same taint and we surmised that it was the butter causing it. After that we checked the butter before eating it - about 3/4 had that flavour, in the end they brought us butter in a butter dish. We were told that nobody else in the restaurant complained about it except us.

 

No real point to the story except that butter on the QE2 is a mystery!

[Coolgran]

How did we get from Bugs to Butter? However I do sympathise with people with skin conditions and I also think we may pay TOO MUCH

attention these days to Hygene therby causing super bugs, although in a confined environment it is probably neccessary. I was just annoyed that the Library was closed without notice!!! Then all everyone did was swop books between themselves anyway. I just could not see the point especially as one could go in and read the books IN the library:rolleyes:

[cunardqueen]

So much in the press about Norovirus lately, just wondering about QE2

 

On the QE2 away back in Oct 2004 on the 19 night med cruise there was a mini outbreak,l know,this because the guy in the cabin opposite mine was confined to his room for two days, he did say that he had all the medical bills paid for, all his clothes laundered and he could have whatever he wanted for room service! there were a few other cabins with the sanitisation sign.

It was good however to see the hand sanitser machines being used.

On a slightly different note, did anyone hear that on the world cruise the handshaking at the Captains party was stopped and the Gentlemen hosts were sanitising their hands between dancing. whatever next:rolleyes:

cheers

Myles

[dougnewmanatsea]

On a slightly different note, did anyone hear that on the world cruise the handshaking at the Captains party was stopped

Yes, I was there :) !

 

The handshaking was resumed a few days into the cruise/crossing, along with the open butter.

[QE2 fan]

We were on the 10th June Mediterranean cruise last year, and there was an outbreak of the 'bug'. The usual invites to parties in the Boardroom were cancelled, and the crew were disinfecting continually. I don't know how many people got it, but I did hear one person say they were supposed to be in their cabin, but they were out walking about through the ship, which makes all the crew's efforts pretty much in vain.

[Coolgran]

I was also on the 10th of June cruise last year. We enjoyed the Ports of call. Stayed on for the Trafalgar cruise as well and saw quite lot although the weather was against us Drawing in as it did.