12/3 FOS Cruise Lung Irritations

[kenf333]

They were cleaning for the virus, however the unorganized cleaning caused other health issues that need to be addressed and precautions taken for on behalf of all the passengers.

 

I thought that is why they were cleaning, I guess I'm unsure how you could prevent other passengers that had the virus from touching things if they did a section cleaning, and not a cleaning it when a passenger touched it. Sounds like a tough choice get sick or breath the cleaner. But I guess that is why the CDC got involved. Why is this virus only reported at sea, and not on land, is it like the flu???

[0ldog]

We were on the first cruise after the outbreak of the virus. No one could board the ship until after 5:30PM and we didn't sail until after 8:30PM. RCCL bussed thousands of us to Parrot Jungle for the afternoon- free drinks, food and entertainment....not bad until all 3000+ needed to get back to the port....what a logistics nightmare. The ship had been sanitized and would be everyday - smelled like a bleached hospital with a lot of Clorox. Many people had their clothes ruined by the bleach like spray and everything looked "scummy" where the spray got on mirrors and metal. You could not serve yourself in the buffet lines - most all of the crew worked 12 - 14 hour shifts. The main restaurants were closed for breakfast and lunch - Johnny Rockets never opened.....so the Windjammer was tryly a JAMMER. About 100 people were sick on our cruise so RCCL was closed down for the next scheduled cruise by the CDC for 2 days for a real scrub down - the ship then only sailed a 5 day itinerary. Our cruise will get a 20% value coupon for a future cruise - based upon the price paid for the cruise.

[Ocean Boy]

You don't have to be directly sprayed to inhale the fumes, as I said before, the solution was left wet dripping on everything....the entire ship was drenched. There was 3907 passengers on this ship and over 1400+ crew.

I wasn't negatively commenting on anything that you said. I completely understand about fume inhalation and chenical pneumonitis. My comment was directed toward PA Dutchman and the fact that just because you don't see something in a picture it dosn't negate the credibility of what is being said.

[beachlady58]

After reading the posts here I am afraid to book a cruise for next week - some good bargains out there but I can't stand the smell of bleach...any ships not affected?:confused: :confused: :confused: I was thinking of the Exploer or the Jewel...

[dachshunddoglover]

The three and four night cruises seem to rarely get the virus. If you want a quick getaway without the bleech smell, go for one of those. Several years ago, I got a bleech burn in my lungs from cleaning products mixed together. It does take a long time for the effects to go away, much, much longer than the noro virus. I hope RCI does come up with a procedure on how to handle this with the least disturbance to the passengers.

[CallagDeb]

I wasn't negatively commenting on anything that you said. I completely understand about fume inhalation and chenical pneumonitis. My comment was directed toward PA Dutchman and the fact that just because you don't see something in a picture it dosn't negate the credibility of what is being said.

I didn't take it negatively - I just am trying to impress on folks it should be done in a neat LOL orderly fashion, not in mass spraying. The crew was doing what they were told to do, and working darn hard at it. But when the gas masks came out we said YIKES.

[bubbadog]

well ty for the info,ill be sure to look out for them spraying when were on board,but i think rci did the best they could under the circumstances,and yes they probably should close areas first in a orderly fashion,but im sure you will write to them and let them know about it,my question is why didnt you leave the gym when you knew it was bad for you????or your deck chair???,did you ever tell your room steward that you were concerned or had breathing issues so that they could leave a note saying your room was just sprayed????,did you ever ask for a mask???,im sorry you dont think what they gave you was adequate compensation,but they they did compensate you didnt they,couldnt you have gone to the windjammer for a bit??? or were they spraying all the tables and silverware with ten gallon tanks there too??? if it was that windy i would of gone to the bow or stern whichever way it was blowing from so that the smell was downwind from me at least,and im pretty sure the cdc expects the cruise line to spray everything down to sanitize it,perhaps the rules for spraying are not detailed enough,at any rate you were compensated its better than a kick in the trousers huh??,i hope your next cruise is better:)):rolleyes:

[CallagDeb]

Guess you had to have been there. We really didn't think it was a problem until we realized it later in the week when we saw the gas masks come out that maybe the fumes could hurt us. And that was not until Dec 8/9 did they wear the bio masks. Then we started to say OH NO, maybe there was a problem we should have been told about breathing the fumes and touching the wet bleach to late we were days into the cruise. And quite honestly I didn't appreciate how serious it was until I saw the doctor.

 

For your information,

We did leave the gym

We did leave the deck, etc and so on,

And we did talk to RCI folks about it on ship after we saw the gas masks

 

You have had to experience this cruise to know what it was like. Sorry, but it is one of those rare experiences. We hope no one goes thru that.

 

As we stated all we wanted was the opprotunity to make an informed decision whether we sailed or not by RCI being up front with us. No perk, just a refund applied to a later trip. That was NOT afforded to us. Since it was NOT afforded to us and lots of folks have gotten chlorine irriation they need to rethink it next time, perhaps it will be your cruise, wouldn't you like that choice to know they are sailing under a red sail and what that will mean?

[dachshunddoglover]

It just reminds me how there is no consistency with Royal Caribbean. Some people get great respect and compensation (most recent Freedom passengers) and others with equally serious matters get nothing. I know situations may be slightly different but it seems to me it's by the grace of God that someone may get the "great" package and someone may get nothing. Some passengers have had horrible experiences (not myself, nothing but GREAT cruises for us) and gotten absolutely NOTHING, not even an "I'm sorry". It does concern me. I always say a prayer as we are leaving that nothing will go wrong. E-Beth

[AFT_LOVER]

started in Norwalk Ohio at a restaurant after 2000 people got sick after eating seafood. Thus Noro Virus.

 

Any place a large number of people are at, like schools, hospitals, nursing homes, airplanes, restaurants which call their's E Coli, and cruiselines. Just one sick person touching buffet tongs & hundreds are sick as you read.

 

But the media gets better ratings talking about RCCL than St Thomas More school.

 

 

I thought that is why they were cleaning, I guess I'm unsure how you could prevent other passengers that had the virus from touching things if they did a section cleaning, and not a cleaning it when a passenger touched it. Sounds like a tough choice get sick or breath the cleaner. But I guess that is why the CDC got involved. Why is this virus only reported at sea, and not on land, is it like the flu???

[zotzer]

Noro and e-Coli are two completely different things. EColi can actually kill you.

T

[Lynnees]

started in Norwalk Ohio at a restaurant after 2000 people got sick after eating seafood. Thus Noro Virus.

 

Any place a large number of people are at, like schools, hospitals, nursing homes, airplanes, restaurants which call their's E Coli, and cruiselines. Just one sick person touching buffet tongs & hundreds are sick as you read.

 

But the media gets better ratings talking about RCCL than St Thomas More school.

 

E-coli is not the same as noro virus. You are putting yourself at risk if you think that.

[Ocean Boy]

E-coli is not the same as noro virus. You are putting yourself at risk if you think that.

Actually tried to educate her about that matter on a previous thread. She obviously didn't learn anything.

[Lynnees]

Actually tried to educate her about that matter on a previous thread. She obviously didn't learn anything.

 

Why am I not surprised.

[wdw_dave]

You should consider suing if you have real damages like missing work and medical bills, in addition to pain and suffering. This is unacceptable. If there are health risks due to cleaning then RCCL needs to cancel the whole cruise and comp everyone. As much as I hate to see poeple sue. I would not hesitate when there it true negligence. In this case if they had the crew in gas masks but did nothing for the passengers ... sounds like a good case to me. They knowingly put passengers at risk. Getting sick with a virus can they basically can not control is one thing .. but thier procedures causing people to be sick is a lawsuit. Sometimes that is the only way that companies will change.

 

I am on the AOS in a few weeks and if the ship is dripping with Clorine then they will be giving me my money back and sending me home. With my older parents and two young sons I will not risk possibly permanent lung damage.

 

Thanks to the OP for letting us know about these risks. It is aparent RCCL is not going to.

 

Dave O.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Why am I not surprised.

 

You're not the only one :confused: :D :D

 

###

[kenf333]

You should consider suing if you have real damages like missing work and medical bills, in addition to pain and suffering. This is unacceptable. If there are health risks due to cleaning then RCCL needs to cancel the whole cruise and comp everyone. As much as I hate to see poeple sue. I would not hesitate when there it true negligence. In this case if they had the crew in gas masks but did nothing for the passengers ... sounds like a good case to me. They knowingly put passengers at risk. Getting sick with a virus can they basically can not control is one thing .. but thier procedures causing people to be sick is a lawsuit. Sometimes that is the only way that companies will change.

 

I am on the AOS in a few weeks and if the ship is dripping with Clorine then they will be giving me my money back and sending me home. With my older parents and two young sons I will not risk possibly permanent lung damage.

 

Thanks to the OP for letting us know about these risks. It is aparent RCCL is not going to.

 

Dave O.

 

Really, this is what is wrong in America, this is why health insurance costs so much. If you do not like the smell go to an open area and all should be fine. The OP is the only one that has said they have had issue's, and admitted that they had previous health problems.

[wdw_dave]

Really, this is what is wrong in America, this is why health insurance costs so much. If you do not like the smell go to an open area and all should be fine. The OP is the only one that has said they have had issue's, and admitted that they had previous health problems.

 

You have to be able to distinguish between meaningless lawsuits and ones with merit. The reason we have high heath care costs is that Americans want the best in medical care but then do not want to pay for it. In addition to the malpractice insurance. But if we were to stop putting liberal judges on the bench then these would decline. If a company is knowingly puting customers at risk without any warnings they are liable. A meaning lawsuit would be suing RCCL due to the Norovirus when al resonable measures have been taken to prevent it and it is not due to thier negligence. But again if they are pouring bleach everywhere and not taking percautions to prevent customers from inhaling toxic fumes then they are liable.

 

Not all lawsuits are bad. An I am not a lawyer even though I stayed at a Holiday Inn last night ......

[CallagDeb]

It's not a matter of suing, all we desire is up front honesty from RCCL and a development of cautious organized cleaning of the ships with the bleach so as to keep passengers from the fumes. We understand some folks from the cruise have called RCI and they have asked for copies of the doctor reports, maybe that will be enough. We can hope. It would be nice if they became the industry leader in this type of situation and have an effective plan of attack when encounter noro virus next time. They need to admit fumes can be more dangerous than contracting the virus.

[Freedom Cruiser]

Really, this is what is wrong in America, this is why health insurance costs so much. If you do not like the smell go to an open area and all should be fine. The OP is the only one that has said they have had issue's, and admitted that they had previous health problems.

 

Deb is not the only one that had problems. I was on the ship with a family group of 21 people ages 7-76. There are a number of us (more than half of my family) that are still having issues with eye irration, sore throats, coughs, breathing problems, ect. And no, not all of them have had previous health problems (ie my 7 year old daughter). I hopped on this to show Deb support.

Unless you were on this cruise you have no idea what went on. She is correct when she states that there was no place to go to escape the wet bleach and the fumes. I know we were in cabins very near to people who had the virus as we saw the medical staff right outside our cabins every day. We also saw the red bio-hazard bags on the floor outside of the doors of those who were sick near us. I don't know if they sprayed more on our deck because of this or not, but the entire area near our cabins was constantly covered with wet bleach. But to me it seemed the whole ship was like this by the middle of the week anyway.

Deb is also correct when she states that we were not offered any options at the pier nor were we informed of the number of people sick on the previous sailing. I did indeed ask upon check in and was told no refunds were being offered and the ship would be cleaned and safe to the passengers on our sailing. I was told that was why the boarding was being delayed and we were going to Parrot Jungle. I was concerned for the health and safety of my family, so I asked and was answered. Unfortunately, that was not how things ended up working out. I would have appreciated knowing that 380+ people were actually sick on the sailing before ours. I also came to find out later when I read an article written my Melissa Brown that there were people on her Thanksgiving sailing of the FOS that had the norovirus. So, that made our sailing the third one in a row. The Thanksgiving cruise did not have a high enough percentage to report to the CDC, but still, after two cruises with sick passengers, they might have been more upfront and offered us options rather then letting us board unaware.

And as far as the 20%, it expires one year within the date of issue. Does anyone have $20,000+ my family can borrow to finance a new reunion?.

Ann

[donnas902]

Add to the list of things to bring on a cruise:

Masks

Disposable gloves

Activities for inside cabin

 

just in case

[CallagDeb]

Add to the list of things to bring on a cruise:

Masks

Disposable gloves

Activities for inside cabin

 

just in case

clorox wipes

case hand santizer

book balcony cabin, folks quarrantined inside cabin 3 days went almost bonkers

[Ocean Boy]

Really, this is what is wrong in America, this is why health insurance costs so much. If you do not like the smell go to an open area and all should be fine. The OP is the only one that has said they have had issue's, and admitted that they had previous health problems.

If you do not like the smell?? How can you read through this thread and not realize that this does not have anything to do with not liking the "smell"?

[CallagDeb]

It doesn't matter whether folks had previous health issues or not they don't come on a cruise thinking they will be exposed the chlorine fumes for a solid 7 days. The cruise didn't come with a warning: May endanger existing health conditions.

[loulou942]

All, I remarked on the cruise I was concerned about chemical pneumonia from all the bleach spraying in especially confined areas as the gym, small bathrooms, our stateroom, etc on the FOS. The crew had 4 gallon back packs on them filled with the chlorine mix and with heavy duty sprayers and sprayed all the deck chairs even those close to you. I don't think this was a responsible reaction from RCI. They should have taken more precautions for their guests. Somedays the crew were gas masks as they sprayed, while we sat on chairs without protection.

 

Well tonight, I have been put on steriods, inhalers, and antiboitics not for noro virus but for chlorine exposure for a full week.

 

Be care if you are cruising on a sick ship that is getting sprayed! The staff needs to close areas and spray them without anyone in there, not spraying them amongest the guests as they were on the FOS. Exposure that long to chlorine will irritate lungs and sinus no matter what. You see to treat noro virus the mixture must be left on wet for at least 5 minutes. There was a time I was working out in the gym and 10 folks with bottles of chlorine sprayed all the machines around me at once even while my lungs were already expanded from a rigorous exercise routine.

 

Review this web site: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/chemical_pneumonia/page2_em.htm

 

RCI was hoping to kill the virus, but not much thought was being given to what the on board guests might suffer from because of it. There are a lot of us off the ship now sick, not with GI systems, but hacking cough, and cold like symptons. If the true count of folks sick from the last week be known to include all the lung irriations it would be quite a large number.

 

If anyone on this past week has a photo of the crew in gas masks spraying the cholrine please email it to me at callagdeb@aol.com. I am NOT suing or anything like that, I just want to make it known to them they should do things differently next time. Close the areas and do what you have to do, but get the on board guests out of the fumes.

Iwas on the celebrity Summit and I got really sick from the bleach. I coughed and coughed like I never had this kind of cough. I went to the Med center 11 times for the nebulizer. It didn't help much. I addressed this problem with the president of Celebrity . My husband wrote to him . This has been 2 weeks and we haven't heard from Celebrity re this matter. They appear to be indifferent. We cruise 3 times a year and this is the first time we have been exposed to this kind of excessive bleaching . The bleach usedon the summit was labeled for industrial use Hazards to Humans and domestic animals . Corrosive .. causes irreversible eye damage and skin burns. Because I spent so much time in the Med Center on the Summit I witnessed some people with burns Needless to say I did not have a good vacation . I think I can get you a picture of the crew wearing masks.