IF Ship has active NORO before you get on...

[Fogfog]

I was reading on the Celebrity thread about the Connie having an current outbreak...and we are paid in full for a Chirstmas cruise on her in less than 2 months.

 

Someone mentioned that the line has to tell you before you board if they are under bleaching activity etc and that you can opt out and not go..:confused:

 

So

if traveling with the family--and we drive to FT L to find a sick ship--I guess I could try and look at availability of ships within a day or so--and revised the vacation plans...I certainly am going to watch this and also watch availabilty online for options...:(

 

Has anyone had to travel on a ship during bleaching?

 

Or have you had the opportunity to opt out and not go?

 

I get sick if I don't run the fans while spraying Chlorox cleanup in my shower--can't imagine vacationing with that..

 

Any thoughts?

[cruisead]

We've been on during a bleaching process and other than the smell of the chlorine, it didn't affect our cruise at all. If you get down to FLL and choose to opt out, because they have rules about submitting passenger manifests 72 hours before a cruise departs, you're not going to be allowed to just walk over to another ship and get on, even if it had open berths. Those new Immigration rules prevent that.

[Fogfog]

We've been on during a bleaching process and other than the smell of the chlorine, it didn't affect our cruise at all. If you get down to FLL and choose to opt out, because they have rules about submitting passenger manifests 72 hours before a cruise departs, you're not going to be allowed to just walk over to another ship and get on, even if it had open berths. Those new Immigration rules prevent that.

 

 

Wow---thats intersting because you can get an airline ticket at the counter walk-up...even international.

 

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a sick ship clean?

[lvtotrvl1]

Wow---thats intersting because you can get an airline ticket at the counter walk-up...even international.

 

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a sick ship clean?

 

Airline tickets are totally different than a cruise ticket as far as walking up to a ship and getting on. Prior to 9/11 it was possible. It is nearly impossible to do that now...although I have read some posters that say they have done it.

[Philip217]

"IF" a ship is sick is overly optimistic. Every cruise ship leaving from a North American port this year will be carrying passengers with Norwalk Virus.

The CDC tells us that they estimate every new cruise boards between 40 and 60 passengers suffering from some form of NLV. Unfortunately those people either do not yet know that they have it, or they do know and hide it for fear of being denied boarding. They are willing to gamble with your vacation in order to save theirs.

 

It is then up to the ship to try to quickly identify those people and confine them, meanwhile sanitizing all around them at every turn - so that you do not come down with the virus.

 

Sometimes they are successful, sometimes not so successful.

 

EVERY DAY on EVERY cruise ship, we are spraying and fogging large quantities of chlorine and other chemical bleaches into the air to kill NLV and other viruses. We are not required to announce it to anyone. The CDC only requires us to publicly announce any NLV cases over 2% of our total ship population.

 

When you realize that 10% of the American population has NLV every year, and our numbers rarely even approach that 2% threshold, we are looking pretty good. The odds that you will contract NLV on a ship are lower than contracting it at work or at school.

 

The downside to these bleaches is their effective lives. Diluted chlorine bleach evaporates very rapidly into the air - and dissipates even faster. At the normal dilution we use (1,000 parts per million) chlorine bleach evaporates by 50% every 30 minutes.

[crusinmama06]

*Usually* a ship is cleaned up within weeks. If it isn't, then they cancel a week's worth of cruising and disinfect the entire ship form top to bottom.

 

So by Christmas, it should be fine.

[Fogfog]

"IF" a ship is sick is overly optimistic. Every cruise ship leaving from a North American port this year will be carrying passengers with Norwalk Virus.

The CDC tells us that they estimate every new cruise boards between 40 and 60 passengers suffering from some form of NLV. Unfortunately those people either do not yet know that they have it, or they do know and hide it for fear of being denied boarding. They are willing to gamble with your vacation in order to save theirs.

 

It is then up to the ship to try to quickly identify those people and confine them, meanwhile sanitizing all around them at every turn - so that you do not come down with the virus.

 

Sometimes they are successful, sometimes not so successful.

 

EVERY DAY on EVERY cruise ship, we are spraying and fogging large quantities of chlorine and other chemical bleaches into the air to kill NLV and other viruses. We are not required to announce it to anyone. The CDC only requires us to publicly announce any NLV cases over 2% of our total ship population.

 

When you realize that 10% of the American population has NLV every year, and our numbers rarely even approach that 2% threshold, we are looking pretty good. The odds that you will contract NLV on a ship are lower than contracting it at work or at school.

 

The downside to these bleaches is their effective lives. Diluted chlorine bleach evaporates very rapidly into the air - and dissipates even faster. At the normal dilution we use (1,000 parts per million) chlorine bleach evaporates by 50% every 30 minutes.

 

 

Thanks Philip

 

I guess I can't personal imagine going anywhere when I feel sick like that--Intestinal bugs are horrible...

 

The last time I got something like that--it was food poisoning from she crab soup at a local resturant here in FL...Haven't been able to stomach that again in 18 months..!!:eek: I coulnd't hardly move off my own counch let alone go on any vacation!:o

 

I guess Noro is kind like kids and strep--The kids get this at school--and pass it around--and when moms don't keep their guys home while sick--everyone else gets it...

And unless teachers then have all of the desks and hard surfaces claned off--It can take weeks for the infection to stop...

 

Our family is pretty vigilant about handwashing etc...but the thought of people sick with that is yucky....

 

Makes you NOT want to shake hands with people when you meet them.:eek:

 

Thanks for your valuable input...

 

I hope the Constellation is cleaned up before we sail....

[crusinmama06]

Thanks Philip

 

I guess I can't personal imagine going anywhere when I feel sick like that--Intestinal bugs are horrible...

 

Because of the incubation period, people could have it and not know it when they board. Think about it. Airplanes are filled with germs. Someone could pic up Noro on a plane and carry the illness right with them onto the ship. They wouldn't show signs of the illness for about 24 hours.

[Fogfog]

Because of the incubation period, people could have it and not know it when they board. Think about it. Airplanes are filled with germs. Someone could pic up Noro on a plane and carry the illness right with them onto the ship. They wouldn't show signs of the illness for about 24 hours.

 

 

I think you are right :cool: and that its much more likely than other threads that say people get on board sick etc are just upset because widespread illness ruins everyone vacation

because most intestional stuff lays you out flat for enough time that who could bear traveling? not me.

HEad colds and travel--are more likely occurances than the kind of viralent stuff that makes you that sick --

kwim:o

[kitty9]

I recently did a cruise on Crystal, from Los Angeles to Hong Kong and when we made a stop in Honolulu, three agents from Hong Kong's governmental health agency, came on board. The day before we were to dock in HK, everyone on board the ship, passengers, crew and officers, had to report to the show lounge and have their temperature taken. If anyone had any kind of a fever, they had to report to the medical center for further tests and if it was shown they had any kind of illness, they were not allowed off the ship in HK until they no longer had a fever. If they still had a fever when the ship had to leave, they had to report to a local hospital. You had no choice.

 

I agree with the poster who said you can no longer walk up to a cruise ship and board it the same day as departure. Homeland Security/US Immigration says all cruise ships departing a US port, must submit their full passenger manifests 72 hours before departure. I know that Crystal screwed up with our LA to HK cruise because they didn't submit their manifests for our stop in Hawaii 48 hours prior to our arrival, so we had to sit in the ocean for a full day, cruising around Oahu for 24 hours, before they would clear our ship.

[Fogfog]

I recently did a cruise on Crystal, from Los Angeles to Hong Kong and when we made a stop in Honolulu, three agents from Hong Kong's governmental health agency, came on board. The day before we were to dock in HK, everyone on board the ship, passengers, crew and officers, had to report to the show lounge and have their temperature taken. If anyone had any kind of a fever, they had to report to the medical center for further tests and if it was shown they had any kind of illness, they were not allowed off the ship in HK until they no longer had a fever. If they still had a fever when the ship had to leave, they had to report to a local hospital. You had no choice.

 

I agree with the poster who said you can no longer walk up to a cruise ship and board it the same day as departure. Homeland Security/US Immigration says all cruise ships departing a US port, must submit their full passenger manifests 72 hours before departure. I know that Crystal screwed up with our LA to HK cruise because they didn't submit their manifests for our stop in Hawaii 48 hours prior to our arrival, so we had to sit in the ocean for a full day, cruising around Oahu for 24 hours, before they would clear our ship.

 

 

WOW:eek:

now thats a story...hanging out to be cleared...

how did that affect your initerary--did the cruise then run one day longer?

 

I guess if we get to FTL and the ship is still sick--we will have a heavy decision to make...:confused:

 

We chose cruising this holiday for a more peaceful holiday

 

since last year we were on the plane that made the front page of the Wall Street Journall--it was grounded and locked (we flew Switzerland to the US--and got caught in the big storm--they had to ground us in Tulsa--which is NOT an airport with immigration officers..it was a mess and after 10 hrs on the tarmac--after an overseas flight--they flew in another crew to fly us out to our original termination pt...)

 

We were thinking ok--cruising--drive to the port--get on the ship--and enjoy an peacful holiday no euro to dollar penalty and no airport delays...

 

but a noro-ship--:eek:

[larronry]

Note to self if take a cruise to HK pop a Tylenol or Advil before reporting to lounge. I'm kidding of course although man if I had a minor but why would I need a hospital geez. Well definetly need cruise insurance on that itinerary.

 

Anyway people on the Connie are saying that they are smelling the chlorine and that does bother me since my son has asthma and I'm sure that irritates it. Noro virus doesn't scare me, but it's not something I want to deal with of course. I know it's something that we deal with not on cruise ships as well. Last August and September we had a bad stomach bug going around south Florida that my son ended up catching. Took two weeks to clear it out of his system. Doctor thought that because it was his first one his system had a hard time recovering. One of the reasons I didn't ween him from the pacifier during the day was because I wanted to have something to stick in his mouth besides his fingers. After the cruise it will be crib and car only. Another mom told me to stick in the car.

 

Anyone have any suggestions for something to use as a stool so that it's easier to wash a toddlers hands for the full 20 seconds. (really hard to pack something else in the suitcase)

[Fogfog]

Note to self if take a cruise to HK pop a Tylenol or Advil before reporting to lounge. I'm kidding of course although man if I had a minor but why would I need a hospital geez. Well definetly need cruise insurance on that itinerary.

 

Anyway people on the Connie are saying that they are smelling the chlorine and that does bother me since my son has asthma and I'm sure that irritates it. Noro virus doesn't scare me, but it's not something I want to deal with of course. I know it's something that we deal with not on cruise ships as well. Last August and September we had a bad stomach bug going around south Florida that my son ended up catching. Took two weeks to clear it out of his system. Doctor thought that because it was his first one his system had a hard time recovering. One of the reasons I didn't ween him from the pacifier during the day was because I wanted to have something to stick in his mouth besides his fingers. After the cruise it will be crib and car only. Another mom told me to stick in the car.

 

Anyone have any suggestions for something to use as a stool so that it's easier to wash a toddlers hands for the full 20 seconds. (really hard to pack something else in the suitcase)

 

 

I am an asthmatic--so is our younger son.

 

Gosh :D I forgot about standing on one foot--while using my other knee under his bottom to hold him over the sink as I am washing his hands...:p

 

also have done the football style hold--under the arm--hanging their upper torso over the sink with little wet hands flailing around:p

[larronry]

I am an asthmatic--so is our younger son.

 

Gosh :D I forgot about standing on one foot--while using my other knee under his bottom to hold him over the sink as I am washing his hands...:p

 

also have done the football style hold--under the arm--hanging their upper torso over the sink with little wet hands flailing around:p

:D

Have I mentioned that my son is 24 months and 30 pounds 13 oz. and I'm stronger then DH (boy I hope he doesn't read these boards but if he does he knows it's true and admits it:eek: ) But when I get tired and boy dealing with my son is exhausting I have a lot of trouble trying to hold him up to a sink trying to hold him and end up smooshing his stomach but I guess I'll somehow manage. I just hope he won't fight in the process or grab all the stuff my husband will leave in the bathroom since I really won't have a free hand to protect the stuff.

 

Yes my son's middle name is trouble.

[kitty9]

Fogfog, we lost a full day that we were supposed to have in Hawaii. And then, they made us sit right outside the port area without being able to tie up until exactly 10am. Very weird.

 

There were three people who were confined to their cabins on the ship because they had some kind of intestinal virus. But they were better within 24 hours and were able to leave their cabins.

[Fogfog]

Fogfog, we lost a full day that we were supposed to have in Hawaii. And then, they made us sit right outside the port area without being able to tie up until exactly 10am. Very weird.

 

There were three people who were confined to their cabins on the ship because they had some kind of intestinal virus. But they were better within 24 hours and were able to leave their cabins.

 

 

That is a shame...what a disappointment..:confused:

 

 

a:eek: s for the noro etc--I guess I will wait and see what comes of the Constellation and how the weeks go along....since I think she is north still...and the pax tend to be older I believe on those itineraries...so evidently they can be sick from overeating rich foods more often then younger tummies

 

hopefully the cleaning can be done and the ship wont be sick by the time its in the carribean again

[toledo]

If the prior cruise had norovirus, we would not get on the ship. I have read at least two reviews on the Carnival board where people got on and regretted it. Many of the activities were cancelled. Buffets were closed. Bleach ruined articles of clothing. Constant reminders were blaring over the televisions and loudspeakers. Do a search under norovirus and you will find them.

[MEcruzr]

From the CDC website regarding Noro, in reference to a study they conducted: "In this study, common settings for outbreaks include restaurants and catered meals (36%), nursing homes (23%), schools (13%), and vacation settings or cruise ships (10%)."

 

If you're going to avoid a cruise ship because you MIGHT get Noro, then you better also avoid all restaurants and catered meals, don't visit anyone in a nursing home and quit school because you have a better chance of getting sick at these place than on a cruise ship. ;)

 

Honestly, we can't avoid exposure to Noro. The best we can do is try to limit it. With all of the talk/hype regarding Noro and cruising, people will be extra careful about hand washing/hygiene so ships SHOULD become even safer for us. I've never seen anyone at a restaurant offer me Purell at the door. I've also never worked in a school where all the surfaces were cleaned several times a day (more like once a YEAR). I'm thinking a cruise ship is less likely to cause me illness than staying home and working! lol

 

Of course, everyone will have to make their own decisions about whether to cruise or not... just make those choices based in reliable information. Go to the CDC website and educate yourself about Noro. Then decide what's best for you.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-factsheet.htm

[larronry]

I've never seen anyone at a restaurant offer me Purell at the door.

Although they don't force it's use Sweet Tomatoes (Home of the 55 foot Salad and Vegi bar) has Purell before you take your plates.

[abba_dabba_doo]

:D

Have I mentioned that my son is 24 months and 30 pounds 13 oz. and I'm stronger then DH (boy I hope he doesn't read these boards but if he does he knows it's true and admits it:eek: ) But when I get tired and boy dealing with my son is exhausting I have a lot of trouble trying to hold him up to a sink trying to hold him and end up smooshing his stomach but I guess I'll somehow manage. I just hope he won't fight in the process or grab all the stuff my husband will leave in the bathroom since I really won't have a free hand to protect the stuff.

 

Yes my son's middle name is trouble.

 

I know it's another thing to pack, but they do make folding step stools if you're interested. So it would lay flat in a suitcase:

 

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/10813_ez-fold-step-stool.htm

[larronry]

I know it's another thing to pack, but they do make folding step stools if you're interested. So it would lay flat in a suitcase:

 

http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/10813_ez-fold-step-stool.htm

Oooo now that looks cool. Thanks. :)