Noro on Liberty - Live

[Cruising Fool]

Does anyone know when the REAL number of sick passengers total is released? You all know Royal caribbean is trying to keep the real total hush hush.

 

My opinion after reading the reports from people on the ship that many more then just 165, as Squire posted in this thread that each day they noticed how much more empty the pool deck was on this cruise.

 

Since Heavy Surf was sick toward the end of the cruise maybe they might also give us idea as to how many they think were sick on the ship since they went to see the Doctor on the ship.

 

Jimbo:)

This morning my husband was speaking to an RCI medical employee that was flown to the ship and arrived onboard in Labadee. She said that there were about 200 passengers sick and NO crew sick. We were also told that they pinpointed the illness to two passengers who brought it onboard.

 

I kept a low profile onboard once they started cloroxing the ship. I am extremely sensitive to chemicals. When I did leave the room I had to wear an N95 mask similar to the ones that the crew was wearing while cleaning the ship. (I carry one with me at all times - due to possibly getting in a crowded elevator with someone who's wearing a bottle of perfume.)

 

I really do believe that RCI was doing everything possible to keep the illness contained. No, it wasn't the best cruise, but these things happen due to passengers who don't wash their hands. (The ship looked like a chemical factory gone awry - once they sprayed the clorox, they never wiped it off until Friday night. So many fixtures were ruined from the clorox, too. What a shame for a new ship - and what expense!)

 

My husband and I have been lucky and never got the virus. This probably due to the fact that we cruise a lot and have learned never to touch a bannister, a bathroom door, elevator button, etc. (we use elbows or knuckles to push buttons with and then make sure we wash our hands ASAP.)

 

I feel sorry for those who got sick on this cruise. It really wasn't fun, but it won't stop us from taking another cruise.

 

Hope those that were sick are feeling better soon.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

CRB 04, I am so glad you said this. I know hand washing is so important, but the Windjammer staff, for example, can't put wash basins at the entrance and make everyone wash and suds their hands before they enter. Thus the crew did the next best thing, stood "guard" while passengers wiped their hands with the Purell wipes and disposed of them in the special containers.

 

I almost feel that virtually anything to wipe the hands, even a dry untreated paper napkin, might help loosen up some viruses from the hands.

 

The attitude I took was that the officers and crew were doing their level best to follow the very best information known about Noro-virus and make sure as many passengers complied as would be possible. That some do not comply is problematic. I suppose they reason that all the Purell hand wipes will accomplish nothing because it is wrong-headed, but, for me, I felt I was doing the best known thing to help out. I got sick anyway, as it turned out, but maybe I could have been sicker otherwise.

[andsail]

First thing you learn during your nurse education -- once you realize those facts you can NEVER leave a bathroom without protecting your hands!!!!!!

I no longer put my purse on kitchen counters, tables at home or in restaurants...the bottom of your purse is FULL of germs.

In home health care you learn that you must put a paper towel under your bag in everyone's home so you don't transfer anything from one home to the next--

 

sorry to feed everyone's germ paranoia :eek:

but facts are facts.

 

This is so true. I come in my house from the back door so I take off my scrubs right there. I leave my clogs on a shelf by the door in the basement after wiping them down daily with disinfectant. Also, I keep clorox wipes in my car to wipe that down regularly. I try my best to avoid bringing hospital germs home. I really can't help it. It's like second nature now and you can never be too careful.

[nrh322]

Does anyone know if they launder the bedspreads and otherwise sanitize the upholstered things in the cabins where quarantined guests were staying? I was just thinking about all the times my kids have had the stomach flu (noro) and puked in the bed...:eek:

[Cruisegirl6]

On cruises and hotels we make sure we do not have a bedspread, its the most horrible thing in a room, certainly not washed after each guest, well I am assuming, better safe than sorry I say!

[AdMaven]

I think RCI has gone to duvet covers, not bedspreads. Seems to me that's what we had in February on the Monarch.

[weegl]

We just returned home from the LOS and I couldn't wait to see what was being said...everyone that was on the ship was spot on in describing the situation. Bleach everywhere, clothes streaked from leaning on walls, handrails etc. It put a pall over the entire trip. However, we are certian that there were many more people sick than what was being released...I heard many times that those "feeling sick" were not going to seek help as they heard that they would be put in isolation and didn't want to ruin their vacation.

 

The staff was really stressed and they did indeed close many venues (Rockets, Sorrentos) to use these crew in other areas. The food offerings also changed as they quit the carving stations and stopped offering fresh fruit. My parents' attendent was told that he would have to cancel his vacation (he was scheduled to go home today) in order to stay on the ship and support cleanup....needless to say he was one unhappy Jamaican!

 

On the last day they confined all dining to the Windjammer and the Promenade Cafe until dinner in the main dining room...then they closed the Windjammer...room service was hit and miss as they told all passengers that the sick patients had room service priority and they could not guarantee delivery to the rest of the ship.

 

I'm starting to form and opinion that the larger ships will see more and more of these types of outbreaks...too many people in one confined space increases the odds dramatically.

 

We were fortunate and never got ill; even so, the looming presence of the noro kinda gave everyone a certain cautiousness that ran through the entire ship, whether you were sick or not.

[fred20036]

I just returned from Liberty's May 26 sailing, what a mess. The hotel side of the operation of the ship was stressed to the max. My cabin was only made up once a day, had to ask for towels, even toilet paper. My cabin attendant was a no show today, did not even bring the sea pass summary. Employees looked exhausted today and the ship is full of those nasty bleach streaks everywhere. Lots of ruined clothing due to bleach stains. Rocky start for the Liberty.

[psmerks]

Did the health club stay open?

 

Patti

[Merion_Mom]

Just got off Liberty of the Seas theis morning. This was our cruise. The second night we ate at Portofino. Hubby didn't seem to enjoy it as much as usual. I thought that was odd. He always enjoys his emals. That very night he got really sick...was so sick he stayed in bed all the next day. We just blew off our San Juan excursions. Some forty dollars gone for nothing. I stayed in the room with him because it wasn't much fun to tour alone.

 

He was recovered the next day, so we toured St. Martin, but, lo and behold, I felt "strange" and by the early evening I was one sick dog and lost everything I'd eaten. I broke blood vessels all over my face from the vomiting. (Not a pretty picture, sorry.) I have chills so bad my teeth were chattering. Hubby piled both robes on top of me, but my feet were still cold. Next morning I felt so bad, I decided to see the doctor.

 

Well, the wait was over an hour, the line was so long. I felt so sorry for the kids at the medical center. One little boy was sitting and retching in a pink tub. A woman beside me was 89 years old. It couldn't be good for her to have noro.

 

Here's what happens. You see the nurse. Fill out a CDC form that asks what food you ate, when and where. When the nurse calls your name again, she takes your temperature. She passes out medicine depending on whether you are vomiting or have diarrhea. She gave me a shot of Phenergan which hurt like heck and bled. I was too sick to care much.

 

Then, be aware of what happens next. You are given a paper to sign that quarantees you in your room for 48-hours from the last of your symptoms--not the first--the last. Anyone in the room with you who is not sick must stay also for 24 hours.

 

If you break the quarantine, you will be put off at the next port and pay your own way home. Hubby got socked with the 24-hour quarantine. I got 48. So his ended at 1:40PM on Labadee day. He was bound and determined to go, so he went down to the tender to be there at exactly 1:40PM. He put his sea pass in the slot and sirens went off. It was 1:38PM ship's time. They let him go anyway. (Well, what is two minutes?:D )

 

While he enjoyed himself at Labadee watching the zipline, I grew worse. Diarrhea had set in. The doctor called--my first time to speak with this severely overworked man. He added 24-more hours onto my quarantine. In fact, he said I had to stay in the room until I left the ship today! My cruise was cooked. Essentailly all I did for three days was lie in bed.

 

When I left the ship about 9:00AM, the sirens went off for my Sea Pass, but they left me go because what would they do...make me stay on board for the next cruise? Actually I wish they had, because between the day Hubby was sick and the three I was sick, I spent four days in the cabin out of a seven day cruise.

 

But I am not whining about my situation. Many people had it worse than I did...a lot worse, elderly folks, children, whole families, people with compromised health to begin with such as diabetics. I DO NOT blame Royal Caribbean. This can happen on any ship, any cruise line.

 

I'm just telling what happens, so you will know should this bad luck befall you. You will be quarantined in your cabin. Room service delivers meals to your door, but will not enter. The room steward gives you clean towels but cannot enter. A masked staffer comes in and sprays some antiseptic-smelling mist all over the drapes and surfaces and leaves.

 

If anyone has questions about quarantine rules, I'll be glad to answer if I know the answer.

Heavy Surf, thanks for this and your other outstanding posts on this thread. You have given exactly the kind of report and information that is needed - and you are exhibiting an incredible outlook and attitude.

 

Kudos to you, and speedy recovery of your full health and strength!

 

:)

[Host Kewlguy]

I agree with Carol. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences on board Liberty. My sympathy goes out to everyone who has been negatively affected by this unfortunate situation. Both passengers and crew alike. It's times like these when Cruise Critic is most valuable as a source of news and information. I know I have learned a lot about Noro just from reading this thread.

[Cruising Fool]

Heavy Surf, thanks for this and your other outstanding posts on this thread. You have given exactly the kind of report and information that is needed - and you are exhibiting an incredible outlook and attitude.

 

Kudos to you, and speedy recovery of your full health and strength!

 

:)

 

I totally agree with you. Heavy Surf did a great job explaining the situation and kept a great outlook and attitude!!

 

Hey, Heavy Surf - how come you never came on our actual boards for the May 26th cruise? Were you at the M&M? With your attitude I certainly would have liked to have met you.

[IEddy]

We were also on this cruise and here are some random thoughts after reading this entire thread. I do see a tendency in this thread of the people that were not on the cruise to minimize the impact, as well as those that have never had a run of a version of a Norovirus to minimize that as well. This in contrast to the people that were on the ship and that have experience with the illness. While it didn’t ruin the cruise it certainly did put a significant damper on it and neither the wife nor I got ill. As having experienced one of these viruses in the past I can tell you they are two days of your life you don’t even want back, I am a healthy 30 something and can’t imagine experiencing it as a youngster or elderly person. It seems as though your body wants to get rid of something very badly and uses all of its ability to expel things to what can only be described as a surprisingly violent degree. Having experienced this I find it hard to believe the symptoms could be attributable to sea sickness as they are night and day. The ship staff was under considerable pressure as there were many more required to keep the increased cleaning and serving going. In speaking with some of the staff, of some stature, I do not think there was a significant number of staff taken ill. I do know they were all working virtually continuously at various jobs and their attitudes did deteriorate as the situation went on. In contrast, the here to for, reported numbers of passengers is artificially low. I believe this was a significant outbreak. There were noticeably less people on deck as well as in the dining rooms. As reported above, both representatives from the CDC and additional medical staff were brought onboard in Haiti. We heard reliable reports that ALL linins were going to be removed from the ship and replaced. The sailing of the vessel being delayed was the best case scenario if RCL and the CDC were confident that all of the cleaning and preventative measures went without a hitch all day Saturday while in port. Another thing I found in this thread that was seemingly misleading was the statistics on how this is contracted. I find it odd that people think there is a difference between contracting it from food or from person to person direct transmission. This illness comes from one person and is transmitted to another person, there may be food in the middle of this transaction but there is only one way to get it, you put something in you that came out of someone else. Another cruel reality is that there is a lag between contraction and symptoms. During that time you can transmit it, being completely unaware you have it. The ship being delayed in arriving in Miami was, in fact, due to the wind, it was gusting above 60 knots and for the ship to enter the channel we had to wait for it to subside to less than 40. It was quite something to see the water being blown out of the pools in the h20 zone at 5am. We were doing a dance with a carnival ship just outside the channel both waiting for the wind to die down. All in all, not our best cruise experience. We will definitely cruise again and have learned some things along the way. It is just really disappointing to have to deal with such a significant thing while trying to relax on vacation.

[swwake]

Hi everyone! I am on the LOS right now. First let me say, I love this ship! It is amazing in every way. Second - RCI spared no expense to sanitize and prepare the ship for us. There are some inconveniences (like we couldn't get into our rooms until after 9pm and some didn't get luggage until overnight - also, the rooms were cleaned first, then sanitized, and for some of us, they didn't get a chance to wipe the clorox, etc down from the sanitzing until today (so we slept in rooms that needed a quick wipe-down).

 

Still no self-serve buffets, which causes it to be a little slow - think: every hamburger has to have made-to-order condiments added by staff. Everyone must use hand-wipes before entering any food place. Johnny Rockets wasn't open today. Neither was the arcade. I heard those were the first two places to close last week.

 

Gym is open. Everything is really clean. There are cleaners everywhere.

 

Yesterday we all had to sani-wipe before check-in, then at the convention center, they followed us in the bathrooms and cleaned every toilet after every use. made sure we washed our hands AND used the sani-wipes. It was comforting.

 

All-in-all - even for the inconveniences, this is wonderful so far.

 

Oh yes, and I saw questions above about duvets, etc. We didn't even get toilet paper until late last night, kleenex, bathroom cups, and duvet didn't come until today. So I assume they were 100% cleaning all of them. Also, our room steward said that they had emptied all ice from the ship, so we had some trouble getting ice in our room until late this morning.

 

Again - RCI is handling this with amazing class. 99% of the RCI employees are amazing. The biggest problem we have had is with room keys not working (I have been to guest services 5 times today to get keys re-programmed, and they have re-programmed the door lock twice.) I think I read that this has been an issue with LOS since the beginning.

 

Did I say "I LOVE THIS SHIP"??? I really do.

[kulekhatt]

Thank you swwake! I have been so concerned. Your post was very nice and helpful to me. Thank you for taking the time to post. Have a wonderful cruise!!! Kim:)

[Langley Cruisers]

swwake, thank you so much! Enjoy yourself on the cruise and have a great time. I hope everything is up and running very soon for you.

 

God bless.

[nrh322]

Swwake... Thanks for giving us all the head's up! We'll be sure to keep our fingers crossed and our prayers prayed that your cruise is happier and healthier than last week's. Now get off the computer and go have your vacation! :)

[swwake]

Swwake... Thanks for giving us all the head's up! We'll be sure to keep our fingers crossed and our prayers prayed that your cruise is happier and healthier than last week's. Now get off the computer and go have your vacation! :)

You are all quite welcome! Now, I must log off and find a cocktail.... :)

[mickey-mouse]

My sister returned from this cruise and said that there were alot of people sick and that her and her husband were sick with diarhhea for 2 days. Luckily her 2 college age kids didn't get sick, but they were disappointed that their was hardly anyone their age on the ship. The smell of bleach everywhere made everyone feel sick.

[KillaFee]

I feel so bad for anyone that contracts this. I've never gotten it while onboard and if I ever get it I'll be pretty bummed - that's why I wash my hands like a crazy person after handling just about anything that's been touched by other people. The sad fact is that so many people on cruises (well, everywhere I guess) don't wash their hands after using the restroom and then they go around touching everything. Blech.

ANYWAY....it does sound like the Liberty wasn't handling it well, but any sailing on any cruise line w/noro involved is not going to be "business as usual". I was on the Carnival Liberty in the Mediterranean and there was a noro outbreak and they dealt w/it the same way (only worse, there were no hand sanitizers anywhere at the time - brand new ship too :D ). They had alot of things closed down and everything was changed to accomodate the sick....etc..etc...and passengers were all whining and moaning about it. So while I understand that some people hate RCI now and think that they mishandled it, just know that other cruise lines do the same exact thing.

Laura

[Cruising89143]

You are all quite welcome! Now, I must log off and find a cocktail.... :)

 

 

Thanks for the report. Yes the Liberty is an amazing ship in every way.

 

I can't imagine how tired the crew of this ship must be right now. You know that most had to work non stop to get every inch of this ship cleaned. Glad to see that RCI is doing a good job of trying to keep everyone safe from this stuff. A cocktail sounds good right now!!!!!! Actually a mojito from Bolero's sounds really good right now.:)

[Cruising89143]

I feel so bad for anyone that contracts this. I've never gotten it while onboard and if I ever get it I'll be pretty bummed - that's why I wash my hands like a crazy person after handling just about anything that's been touched by other people. The sad fact is that so many people on cruises (well, everywhere I guess) don't wash their hands after using the restroom and then they go around touching everything. Blech.

ANYWAY....it does sound like the Liberty wasn't handling it well, but any sailing on any cruise line w/noro involved is not going to be "business as usual". I was on the Carnival Liberty in the Mediterranean and there was a noro outbreak and they dealt w/it the same way (only worse, there were no hand sanitizers anywhere at the time - brand new ship too :D ). They had alot of things closed down and everything was changed to accomodate the sick....etc..etc...and passengers were all whining and moaning about it. So while I understand that some people hate RCI now and think that they mishandled it, just know that other cruise lines do the same exact thing.

Laura

 

I had it one time on a ship but it was before we heard anything about it in the media. It was one of the worst things I have ever had to deal with. For two days I only got out of bed to run to the bathroom.

[Mercy]

I Actually a mojito from Bolero's sounds really good right now.:)

 

LOL Yes, it does.

Have a great time SWWAKE!!! Thank you so much for letting us know what is going on. Enjoy & be safe.

Mercy

[Jotul]

Thanks for the update, swwake. I've been waiting anxiously for an update from the ship, since we're leaving in two weeks. Hope your cruise goes really well, and that you have lots of good health and fun! Look forward to seeing future updates. :)

[Mercy]

If any of you gusy are interested. Shirl just posted from Liberty on our roll call. Everything is getting back to normal. They are having fun.

this is the site if you want to check it out.

LIBERTY OF THE SEAS Roll Call 06/09/2007 - Page 10 - Cruise Critic Message Boards