Feeling unwell after a cruise.

[COLLEYBERRY]

Some input please. Both my husband and I have been feeling unwell since our cruise (upper respiratory) He's about two days ahead of me and seems to be on the mend now.

This also happened to us after our first cruise last year. We are both in excellant health and are very ,very diligent when it comes to hand washing. After years in health care , I thought I had built up immunity to most germs:)

Is this a common aftereffect of cruising? Perhaps more cruises are the answer( fine by me:) ) to build up immunity. May I ask what others have experienced?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have never gotten sick after a cruise.

Do you fly to get home after a cruise? There are a lot of germs on a plane.

Your are right -- better start to book and cruise more to build up your immune system.

[Sailor Gal]

Oh that's too bad. I've never felt ill afer a cruise, but have gotten many upper respiratory problems from flying. After a cruise I have felt like I was "rocking" for a few days as I'm sensitive to motion, but never sick.

[matondo]

I agree with the flying angle. I have felt that way several times after flying. We have taken two cruises and have never felt ill and we flew home after the cruise. I too rock and roll for a few days. It is a weird sensation.

[fann1sh]

Sounds like "Con Crud" to me.

 

Which of course, means I'll have to explain that term....I attend science fiction conventions. This involves traveling from a distance to attend a much anticipated event with hundreds (sometimes thousands) of others. You meet lots of new people, stay up late, eat differently than you would at home, and usually don't get much sleep. Wonderful fun, but when you get home it's a real letdown.

 

Sounds a lot like a cruise, huh?

 

Unfortunately, many people get sick after they get home. Sometimes it's intestinal - for me it's usually upper respiratory. Conventional wisdom says it's caused by a combination of being in a confined space and exposed to new germs, plus lowered resistance from travel, stress, and change in routine. Like you, I'm meticulous about hygiene, but sometimes "stuff" happens anyway.

[Copper10-8]

That is not uncommon Colleyberry and DW and I have both caught it (the crud) coming home. It seems that especially in the last 2-3 years, there has been an increase in gettin sick on the way to, or after arriving home. I agree with the previous posts in that it is easy to catch something, no matter how careful you are, when you find yourself in a confined environment such as a ship, an aluminum tube with wings, etc.

[usha]

COLLEYBERRY, hurry up and get well:)

(and post the rest of your 'dam review!):D

[May4]

I'm sorry to hear that you're feeling sneezy and stuffy after your recent cruise. Although I haven't gotten sick after being aboard a ship - or airplane for that matter - I can sure see how it could happen. When flying back from Rome a few months ago, I'd say that at least 30% of the pax sitting around us were coughing or appeared feverish. I avoided catching anything, but I'm still not sure how.

 

I DO agree that more cruising to build up immunity would be a wise course for you.:p

[CowPrincess]

Virtually everyone I know gets upper respiratory problems after flying. Blame the plane, not the ship.

 

Get well soon!

[pipedreams62]

I always suffer after getting off a cruise. The depression kicks in as I'm walking off the ship. Then it's back to the "real world" arriving home to resume life,no room steward no waiter,no towel animals,it's terrible. It takes me a good month to get adjusted.

[Lionesss]

A couple years ago after Flying to Disney I got the head cold to beat the band.

This year, cruising I didn't want to go through that again.

Vitamens on hand for months ahead of time, getting enough rest, and eating properly, we did sail.

On the last day of the cruise, I started to get stuffy nose.

Took a nap, and woke up with a head cold.

I fully blame my cold on the re-breathing of re-cycled airline air. I was the only one in our party to get sick.

The Mariner of the Seas was clean, and wiped down non-stop. I cannot blame it on them. They handed out wipes before every eating establishment, and they were available at the promenade resturants.

I just must be sensitive to air line traveling.

I hope you feel better.

Later

[jtl513]

Is this a common aftereffect of cruising?

 

After our RCCL cruise last year when we drove to/from the port my DW was suffering UR symptoms, and went to a doctor. He told her it was walking pneumonia, and it was very common to catch it on a ship.

[ekerr19]

DH and I both felt really sick after getting off the Westerdam last December. We had not flown yet. We knew it had to be something from the ship as it hit us both within an hour of each other, about 4 hours after disembarking.

 

That was the first and only time we felt ill after cruising.

[Juanita462]

On our cruise last year a pax brought a virus onboard and within days was quite ill. that virus spread through the ship and one man died from it. I asked the doctor why they didn't quarantine people for something like that and he said they would have had to quarantine half the ship - he had it twice himself. It cost me a month's enjoyment of my cruise and over $300 in medical bills. So, it does happen onboard too.

 

I never realized how selfish and inconsiderate people can be - when I got sick I quarantined myself in my cabin until past the contagious stage - very few did that and people were hacking and coughing all over the ship, tour buses etc. It is like someone coming to work with a streaming cold and being proud of themselves for showing up - never thinking about how many people will get sick from their "bravery" One person's cold can be someone else's pneumonia. Yes, I realize that in today's economy taking a day off can be a problem - ok, then wear a mask as they do in Japan and wash those hands after blowing the nose.

 

Re: flying, I read about a woman who always wore a mask while flying and never picked up a virus after starting to do that. If anyone asked why she wore the mask she just said that she thought she might be starting a cold and left people thinking how considerate she was.

[lettienets]

I have noticed on long cruises 15-20 days, in the second week I start to notice a lot of coughs and sniffles and hacking when in the show lounge. Also I notice it when waiting in the lounge to get off the ship for a tour. I actually make a point of not sitting near anybody like that.

I too have gotten sick after trips. Sometimes I think it is because you pick up germs after being around so many people in close quarters on airplanes, airports and ships. At home, being retired I am not around that many people in a day anymore.

[COLLEYBERRY]

Thanks everyone Well it's nice to know we aren't alone. I am feeling much better than the first week back. I couldn't go to work not fair being around patients( xray technologist) when you are unwell.I had time to write reviews :) )

Rallied this week but still kind of blah.Makes sense close quarters/ change of routine are the culprits.Just wondered if like laundry it was something I could look forward to bringing home each trip.

We already have a transatlantic booked for next Sept. (14 days. ) I figure I'll either have immunity or end up in intensive care.Doesn't matter I am still going.:D :D

DD said" Hey Mom maybe there's a 'cruise cough' like the "kennel cough' dogs get. It's ok folks I handled it.

Thanks again.

[PathfinderEss]

Just got back from a cruise on Thursday and I'm now listening to my DH hacking and coughing in the next room. He swears he gets sick after every cruise, and you know he could be right. We did fly for this cruise, which I think causes more of these UR then being on a cruise ship. Traveling by plane for several hours, with the re-circulation of germs of sick passengers by all means could be the culprit to some UR problems. Back years ago they use to filter the air on planes because of the smokers on board but now that smoking is not allowed they only re-circulate air. I don't have an answer for this problem but have to agree with a lot of you, we have suffered from this "crud thing" after cruising, but have no idea how to keep it from happening. Certainly not the best way to end a cruise though.....

[GmaPajama]

... Re: flying, I read about a woman who always wore a mask while flying and never picked up a virus after starting to do that. If anyone asked why she wore the mask she just said that she thought she might be starting a cold and left people thinking how considerate she was.

On a flight to a cruise port a year or so ago, a fellow airline passenger passed the time by sneezing - loudly and continuously. Of course we both had colds 3 days later. When we got home I purchased a box of these masks and take them with us now every time we fly. I swear we'll put them on the next time we encounter a sneezer ... but I like this polite way of stating it's a personal choice.

[COLLEYBERRY]

COLLEYBERRY, hurry up and get well:)

(and post the rest of your 'dam review!):D

 

Just finished posting it. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Glad you are feeling better.