Norovirus on Dawn

[billc102]

rich ny sorry we missed the meet and greet. we had a great cruise sorry you got sick. we meet a couple of people who came down with the virus, but we were lucky not to get it. felt like something was up when they stopped offering snacks at the bars and then the salt and pepper shakers disappearing.

[DocJohnB]

A hands off policyis going a little too far in my estimation. If indeed there is an outbreak that would be a different story. Our first 2 sailings on Celebrity they were nowhere to be found, but last year on HAL they had them.

Nita

 

Nita - don't mind the NCL cheerleading, but you really have to quit busting the other line's chops, when you don't have your facts straight.

 

Celebrity has had hand sanitizers on their ships since at least 2003. We cruised on the Millennium in the fall of 2003 and they were outside the Dining Room entrances and the entrance to the buffet line. HAL had them on the Volendam back in 2002. I DO notice these things.

 

What pleasantly surprised me in this regards on the Dawn last month was the number of sanitizing stations and their locations. Come aboard from shore and there was a member of the crew ready to zap you with some of the sanitizing agent. Each and every dining venue had at least one at its' entrance.

 

Some people here think they are being compulsive/obsessive in cleaning surfaces in their rooms, etc. I don't think so. (although I do not routinely do so). I think complacency is major factor in the spread of this virus. I don't know how many times I saw other passengers depart a public restroom without washing their hands. I believe that the best route is to sanitize your hands as often as possible, not only with the solution provided, but with soap and water as well. Heck, wash your hands when you leave your room and sanitize them before you eat your meal - even if you don't stop anywhere in between.

 

Actually, a hands off policy would indeed be a good thing. As it is, going to a hands off policy after an outbreak has occurred is akin to "leading the horse out after the barn catches fire (or one of those other stupid cliches). Think about it for a minute or two. The less people handling serving spoons, the less chance there is for spreading the virus that way.

[DocJohnB]

Actually, norovirus can be spread by contaminated food, although that is usually via contaminated water (salads, shellfish in contaminated waters, etc.), and much less likely than person-to-person either via aerosol or via surface contamination. It is estimated that about 7% of the U.S. population gets norovirus each year. The bulk of these are in confined populations: schools, close living accommodations like institutions and old age homes, and cruise ships.

 

So, I do agree that some of our CCers are most definitely paranoid (or are they being humorous -- with a somewhat warped sense of humor).

 

Bill

 

Taken from the CDC website:

 

How do people become infected with noroviruses?

 

Noroviruses are found in the stool or vomit of infected people. People can become infected with the virus in several ways, including:

 

* eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus;

* touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus, and then placing their hand in their mouth;

* having direct contact with another person who is infected and showing symptoms (for example, when caring for someone with illness, or sharing foods or eating utensils with someone who is ill).

 

Persons working in day-care centers or nursing homes should pay special attention to children or residents who have norovirus illness. This virus is very contagious and can spread rapidly throughout such environments.

 

[newmexicoNita]

Nita - don't mind the NCL cheerleading, but you really have to quit busting the other line's chops, when you don't have your facts straight.

 

Celebrity has had hand sanitizers on their ships since at least 2003. We cruised on the Millennium in the fall of 2003 and they were outside the Dining Room entrances and the entrance to the buffet line. HAL had them on the Volendam back in 2002. I DO notice these things.

 

What pleasantly surprised me in this regards on the Dawn last month was the number of sanitizing stations and their locations. Come aboard from shore and there was a member of the crew ready to zap you with some of the sanitizing agent. Each and every dining venue had at least one at its' entrance.

 

Some people here think they are being compulsive/obsessive in cleaning surfaces in their rooms, etc. I don't think so. (although I do not routinely do so). I think complacency is major factor in the spread of this virus. I don't know how many times I saw other passengers depart a public restroom without washing their hands. I believe that the best route is to sanitize your hands as often as possible, not only with the solution provided, but with soap and water as well. Heck, wash your hands when you leave your room and sanitize them before you eat your meal - even if you don't stop anywhere in between.

 

Actually, a hands off policy would indeed be a good thing. As it is, going to a hands off policy after an outbreak has occurred is akin to "leading the horse out after the barn catches fire (or one of those other stupid cliches). Think about it for a minute or two. The less people handling serving spoons, the less chance there is for spreading the virus that way.

sorry, but NCL had them first. We were on the Connie in 2003, Thanksgiving, no hand sanitizers at that time but the Jan before, same year NCL did have them. I can't comment on HAL as I didn't cruise them in recent years until last year. You could be right. if so I stand corrected, but Celebrity, not the ship we were on nor did RCI. I certainly don't remember them on the Zenith 2 years ago either. They may have been at the buffet lines, but I am certain not at the dining room entrance nor the casino.

As for the hands off policy, I will still say I think this is carrying things too far, but that is only my opinion. I know others feel differently. That is what these boards are all about. Washing hands is still the answer and I don't think enough people bother. I always cringe when I am in a public restroom and see people not even quickly wash their hands.

 

Again, if HAL had the hand sanitizers before NCl thanks for letting me know. I certainly am not infallable. The first time I was them on NCL I beleive was Jan of 2003. It was the old Sky.

 

Nita

[RichNY]

wow, $200... I don't think I would ever want to get sick on a cruise ship or anywhere else as a matter of fact, what a way to put a damper on a vacation but $200 OBC makes it a little easier to accept. Hope all is well now.

 

Nita

 

The $200 was quite a shock to me too...About 2 hrs after returning from the medical center I was called by the nurse and she informed me about the credit..good thing I was in my cabin..:D..

 

After I was feeling better , our cabin was totally stripped down and all the surfaces were cleaned with bleach..

[jimswims]

Is the reason that he won't be doing much for you because the staff are working flat out to contain the virus and it's all hands to deck as they would say?

 

That would make sense but that is not what he said. He said that it was because the cruise was too short for such services :confused: .

 

We still had a great time.

[billie5]

Actually, Doc John, I don't understand why you are quoting me. Nothing you wrote contradicts anything I said. If you will read a little further on the subject, you will find that the usual way "eating food or drinking liquids that are contaminated with norovirus" occurs is through a "water route": typically uncooked salad ingredients and shellfish from contaminated water. Interestingly, these are the usual foods which travelers to less-developed countries always avoid, not for norovirus but for many other infectious contaminants which also use the water route. (As the spinach problem last year in the U.S. demonstrated, this is certainly not the only way contaminants can enter the food chain, simply the easiest route.)

 

Bill

 

PS: I've been to more than 90 countries, many less-developed, some on the U.N. list of the poorest nations on earth (eg., Mali, Burkina Faso), and I have not been sick a single day. For what it is worth, it is not my great health; as I write (from Virginia) I am recovering from a several day intestinal infection. I believe my good fortune is because (1) I avoid like the plague what is not cooked or peeled, including the all-time super no-no ice cubes, and (2) on trips not exceeding a couple of weeks - most of my trips - I take 6 pepto bismol tablets each day. The CDC admits the pepto routine works great, but does not recommend it since it feels the consumption of bismuth over extended periods has not been adequately tested. I figure a week or two, several times a year, can not be a problem. For an NCL cruise in January, I will follow some of the great suggestions on this string. For an Ethiopian trip in February, back to pepto bismol and super-fussy food choices.

[Minn.cruisers]

Are these safety procedures going o n during the 14 day Circle the Caribbean that left NY port yesterday at 4PM.

How is Tropical Storm Noel affecting them as they sail to the Caribbean?

We have our CC group sailing now, we had to cancel the cruise. :(

[ria926]

I was on the Dawn NE/Canada cruise right before the cruise to nowhere and I did get the virus. NCL did a fantastic job, trying to control the spread but with passengers acting with total disregard of the sanitizing policy its no wonder it spread. The Dawn had to post security at the sanitizers to make sure people used them..There were notices posted in the Daily warning the passengers about the virus, asking them to report to the ships doctor immediately if they had symptoms and not charging for the visit or the medications. Still people waited , some two and three days, to report it...I reported as soon as I had the symptoms about 6 days into the cruise.

 

I was confined to my cabin for 24 hours, no big deal ,considering how I felt. To my surprise I received a $200 OBC ...not too shabby.

 

Hey Maria ...we just missed you..

 

Hi Rich,

 

Hey rich we just missed you and loretta..Sorry to hear you got sick. NCL did a great job on our little 2 day trip. Nina and I went with my cousin, last minute. Boy going from the Garden Villa to an inside with 3 people god what a change. But what do you want we booked in September and had to wait for someone to cancel. We're going to book another 2 day in April next year. Had fun..........Jose was there, and boy did we have a great margaritta clinic. We had drinks with Jaques and he heard all about the clinic. Going to go to bermuda next year hopefully, and going to Alaska in 2009. How was that cruise........actually I heard the crowd is a bit older. I wanted to go. let me know........

 

Maira

[DocJohnB]

Actually, Doc John, I don't understand why you are quoting me. Nothing you wrote contradicts anything I said.

 

Bill,

 

Actually was just giving a reference to what you had written - wasn't really quoting you as such. Have no disagreement with what you are saying. Some people need to read an "official" source and I was just leading them to the site.

[billie5]

Sorry. Now I understand.

 

Bill

[RichNY]

Hi Rich,

 

Hey rich we just missed you and loretta..Sorry to hear you got sick. NCL did a great job on our little 2 day trip. Nina and I went with my cousin, last minute. Boy going from the Garden Villa to an inside with 3 people god what a change. But what do you want we booked in September and had to wait for someone to cancel. We're going to book another 2 day in April next year. Had fun..........Jose was there, and boy did we have a great Margarita clinic. We had drinks with Jaques and he heard all about the clinic. Going to go to Bermuda next year hopefully, and going to Alaska in 2009. How was that cruise........actually I heard the crowd is a bit older. I wanted to go. let me know........

 

Maira

 

 

Hey Maria...you know what they say...Location...Location...Location...:D but the good news is that you were on a cruise, especially on the Dawn..

We saw Jose a few times on our first day and never saw him again.....and we never got to any clinics..:( just bad timing.

 

Yes the crowd on this cruise was a bit older...it made us feel young..:rolleyes:

 

The crew did do a fine job controlling the virus but when you have pax that refuse to follow the rules it makes it a lot tougher..one night security was posted at the buffet, pictures in hand, looking for pax that were supposed to be confined to their cabins..

 

We still have to do dinner with Virginia..

[ria926]

Hey Maria...you know what they say...Location...Location...Location...:D but the good news is that you were on a cruise, especially on the Dawn..

We saw Jose a few times on our first day and never saw him again.....and we never got to any clinics..:( just bad timing.

 

Yes the crowd on this cruise was a bit older...it made us feel young..:rolleyes:

 

The crew did do a fine job controlling the virus but when you have pax that refuse to follow the rules it makes it a lot tougher..one night security was posted at the buffet, pictures in hand, looking for pax that were supposed to be confined to their cabins..

 

We still have to do dinner with Virginia..

 

There were passengers on our cruise that were against even disinfecting with the hand wash!! But there are always a few in the bunch......I didn't want to push with Virginia.......I hope things are good with her......Have you heard from her???? We still have to get together....probably after the holidays because we have so much going on. but why don't we make a date!!! Get ahold of Viriginia......and let me know......

 

Maria

[RichNY]

Some people were red flagged and could not get off the ship..another couple supposedly did not want to stay in their cabins and wanted off...NCL was ready to fly them home but they changed their minds and stayed on...

 

Virginia is ready.....she is getting back to me with some dates..:D We can still post on the old roll call..see you there.

[BikerAl]

The crew did do a fine job controlling the virus but when you have pax that refuse to follow the rules it makes it a lot tougher..one night security was posted at the buffet, pictures in hand, looking for pax that were supposed to be confined to their cabins..

 

Tasers should be issued to security, and anyone not washing their hands or using sanitizer should be zapped. I can hear it now..."Don't tase me bro, I'll sanitize"

 

While that is tongue in cheek, I do think passengers that refuse should be disembarked, and return home at their own expense. This is not a minor illness, folks die from it.

 

Al

[RichNY]

That would have been some sight...tasers and alcohol.....OHHHH look at the pretty blue flame...:D ..that should take care of the germs...

 

Some were ready to be sent home...but it was going to be at NCL's expense...that, I don't get...

[BikerAl]

I don't get it either Rich. Some folks just believe cruise companies are made of money, so let's blame them, and demand something for nothing. These are the same folks who cause insurance rates to be what they are today. Hmmmm...perhaps another taser target.

 

BTW, I am the lone Yankee fan, in a family of die hard boston fans.

 

Al

[ria926]

Some people were red flagged and could not get off the ship..another couple supposedly did not want to stay in their cabins and wanted off...NCL was ready to fly them home but they changed their minds and stayed on...

 

Virginia is ready.....she is getting back to me with some dates..:D We can still post on the old roll call..see you there.

 

Ok see you there!!