Island Princess outbreak :(

[kana1215]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/06/03/alaska.sick.ship.ap/index.html

 

I'm hoping all is well on the Dawn because we leave on the 21st!

[LEtue]

Is it my imagination or do these outbreaks happen in the early weeks of each Alaska season more than in the later months?

 

Carnival Miracle 11/07/04

 

Jewel of the Seas 11/20/04 - Thanksgiving Journey on the Jewel

http://www.cruisecritic.com/interests/groups.cfm?ID=47

 

[kana1215]

The sad part is almost all of it could be prevented with proper hygiene! It isn't an air borne virus. It comes from ingesting it, so that means that someone had contact with their stool or vomit,didn't wash properly and then touched another surface. Someone working in the kitchen touches that same surface and then fixes you a sandwich! Ekkkkkkk!!

 

We are litterly wallowing in poop soup!!

 

I work in a hospital and I have to force patients to wash after using the toilet. I walk them right up to the sink and they act confused. Uhm, wipe butt and then wash....ding, ding...good idea.

[Budget Queen]

Yes good handwashing is NECESSARY. Be certain to wash with running water, soap and friction. LEAVE water running while you dry your hands and turn off faucet and open door with towel, then discard. At meals- have santizier wipes/gel for frequent use if you handle the utensils for serving. Avoid touching food with hands- I know it isn't cool to eat bread with a fork. But I have in the past eaten it holding a napkin when I didn't think my hands were clean enough. If you get into these habits - they are life long- consider it.

[Urban trekker]

Letue - we only hear about this virus when there are more than 10% of the people on a sailing get sick as they have to report it to the CDC etc - an outbreak often happens in smaller numbers on many cruises and the only thing you may notice is all of a sudden you are served your meals in the buffet rather than helping yourself and Kana 1215 you are so right - on my recent Panama Canal cruise many people had to be strongly reminded to use the sanitizers etc in the buffet and even after being asked just went through the motions.

 

Dennis

 

Sun Princess to Alaska May 2000

Norwegian Sun Panama Canal 4/11/04

Norwegian Sun - Pacific Coastal 4/27/04

[LEtue]

So I guess it was my imagination. I realize the reporting method but just thought it seemed to happen more in the early sailings...thanks, everyone.

 

I won't ever touch a faucet or door in a public bathroom either. Unfortunately, I have seen many people leave rest room after just going through the motions too

 

Carnival Miracle 11/07/04

 

Jewel of the Seas 11/20/04 - Thanksgiving Journey on the Jewel

http://www.cruisecritic.com/interests/groups.cfm?ID=47

 

[mpk]

Yeah, this is one of my pet peeves. I hate that I have to be like a Felix Unger or Niles Crane when it comes to bathroom fixtures, but I have seen one too many people do their business and just walk right out the door. Yuck...

 

It is really a shame to see those health dept yellow signs on the mirrors. It says something like handwashing with soap is required for food workers. Duh! It should be required for everyone!

[jer]

Alright, I'm sufficiently paranoid about this one now.

 

What's the story with buffets? If you are careful enough to wash/sanitize your hands after touching the serving utensils, aren't you afraid that the germs from the utensils have already found their way down to the food itself?

[idex]

Ewww.

[travelgirl87]

Unfortunately, norovirus outbreaks also occur on land. I still get a bit queasy when I see surf and turf on the menu after a bout with the disease following a holiday dinner party last December.

 

According to the CDC, a lot of the virus transmission is through contaminated food or beverages. Food may be contaminated at its source or during preparation. Steaming shellfish may not completely kill the virus. Fruits or vegetables that are not thoroughly cleaned may harbor the virus. Even lightly chlorinated public drinking water may be a source of transmission.

 

Public restrooms can be a problem. I hate those new air-dryers for hands -- turning off the water faucets (or opening the door to leave) with bare hands recontaminates what was freshly-washed.

 

Also, it's not just dirty bathrooms that are a problem. Contaminated stairway railings and counters are also a problem. Even the arms of chairs in theaters can be a problem.

 

As an earlier poster said....ewww!

[Coral]

I believe ships have to report if more then 3% are sick (not 10%).

[bayman]

This thread starts as "Island Princess outbreak" -what ? when? We leave in a few days on the I.P.and would really appreciate some info so we can know how paranoid we have to be.Thanks

[fajitapita]

Check this CC link out for info

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1124

 

***Nancy***

 

Song of Norway 12/79

Tropicale 12/84

Explorer of the Seas 8/3/02

Mariner of the Seas 1/4/04

 

Serenading to Alaska for our 10th anniversary!

Roll call for Serenade 8/1/04 click here

Time until our next cruise

[bayman]

Thanks for the leads -somehow I'm not reassured,I hate to think I'm gonna wear gloves the whole time . One hopes that the ship's contact points (door knobs ,banisters etc. ) are cleaner than ever !

[Shariship]

When we travel to Mexico, my husband and I start taking Acidophilus a week before we leave and take it the entire time we are there. We have been 7 times and have never gotton sick. We eat everthing and drink the water also. Perhaps it would be wise to take the pills before a cruise too. We of course follow hand washing procedures too.

[kana1215]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>This thread starts as "Island Princess outbreak" -what ? when? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Uhm, I think my link kind of answered all of that. I would never post something without facts or information.

[jbeeg]

About prevention, Shariship says she and her husband take acidophilis while in Mexico. I do too because I have had problems there in the past. Last yr, while on acid (ha, ha)in Mexico, I got very sick. I lay there in intense discomfort, wondering how I would ever be able to eat in Mexico again. I got better about 36 hours late and discovered that several others at the pool potluck had also gotten sick. All our symptoms were as described for the norovirus. So much for acidophilis. I will be washing often.

Jane

[Urban trekker]

Read in the Vancouver papers yesterday that at least 10 people on the Island Princess stayed, visited or were in the vicinity of the Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho Park near Lake Louise prior to their cruise - where there was a serious outbreak of the norowalk - so it appears that it was carried on to the ship and no started as a result of the ship.

 

Hope this helps

 

Dennis

 

Sun Princess to Alaska May 2000

Norwegian Sun - Panama Canal 4/11/04

Norwegian Sun - Pacific Coastal 4/27/04

[cruznbelle]

We will be on the Island Princess July 10th. I've already purchased a pack of travel Purell and have instructed DH to use it after leaving any bathroom, casino, before and after dinner etc. I'm hoping this will help. The bottles are small enough to carry in a pocket without bother.

 

I used to take Bactrin (sulfa based, 1/day) as a preventive when vacationing in Mexico (after experiencing a 2 week boat with dysentery). Worked like a charm. Any body know if Bactrin has any preventive effect on Norovirus?

 

IFlyTheHouse

[kana1215]

My husband and I take Grapefruit seed extract with us and that kills 800 different viruses, parasites, germs, salmonela bacteria and anything else that attacks the body. We both swear by it and wouldn't travel without it. It cures a common cold if you catch it in the first day or two. I'm not a physician so do your own research..........

[cujosmom]

Norovirus is a VIRUS. Bactrim and penicillin(sp?) do not work on Viruses. It just has to "run its course".

 

Until we set sail to Alaska on the Serenade of The Seas

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[bucsfan1029]

We were on the Serenade last week and we're actually in Skagway at the same time as the Island Princess. When we got back on the ship, I knew something strange was going on. There were hand sanitizer machines all over the ship and we were not allowed to enter the buffets or dining areas without using first sanitizing our hands. Our waiter also told us that the entire dining room was scrubbed down on Wednesday night as a precaution.

 

As far as I know there wasn't an outbreak on our ship, but I really appreciated the steps Royal Caribeban took to ensure everyone's health.

[Guest]

My inlaws were on a land only trip near Lake Louise and half of their group came down with the virus.. So I do think that this time it did not originate on the Island Princess, but was carried aboard...

 

Rhonda

[Urban trekker]

RhondaPerr - this is probably the group that i mentioned in a post above - so it was probably brought on board - all we can do as passengers is wash, wash and wash and don't get upset if we can't shake the captain's hand on formal night as someone on another board was complaining about - it is considered proper not to shake hands on board ships.

 

Dennis

 

Sun Princess to Alaska May 2000

Norwegian Sun - Panama Canal 4/11/04

Norwegian Sun - Pacific Coastal 4/27/04

[rogeralan]

Each time we entered the buffet on Coral Princess we were required to wipe our hands with a disinfectant substance that was dispensed as you entered. Everyone was required to do the same.