Onboard the Statedam sailing under code red

[Tarheel72]

Thought you would like a report from the Statedam which is currently sailing under code red. Boarded the ship at 6 PM Sunday June 14 in Seward for the South bound Seward to Vancouver run. Was on my way to the spa to sign up for the thermal loungers and cutting through the Lido when I saw that the food was off limits and all of the other things that go with a code red situation. I saw a female with a HAL badge on her shirt headed for a table carrying a plate and asked her if we were under a code red. She looked like I just caught her cheating on a test. She started mumbling and try to run away from me. She finally said yes and I ask her how long they had been under code red and her answer, over her shoulder as she scurried away, was that she did not know the details. I knew better.

I went on to the spa and confirmed that the whirlpool and thermal loungers were shut down. I ask the spa manager for details and he said that they went code red the first day out to sea on the north bound cruise.

About 30 minutes later the Captain made an address over the PA. He spent five minutes talking about how there were gastrointestinal outbreaks in Alaska and how HAL was taking extra precautions and urged passengers to take them as well. He never once said anything about the ship being under any restrictions because of an outbreak on this ship.

Then I stopped by the lounge after dinner and they introduced the cruise director. To my surprise it was my friend who did not know the details of the previous weeks outbreak!

I know these things happen but I feel like HAL is lying and trying to cover up the seriousness of this. She could have told me that they had several passengers fall ill on the last cruise and were taking extra precautions. Instead she lied to me and ran away. The Captain could have made a similar announcement and urged all passengers to take the necessary precautions. Instead it came across along the same lines as telling your kids to buckle up and don’t speed when they take your car out for a Saturday night drive. Most passengers probably forgot what he was saying as soon as they heard it.

HAL, you disappointed me. You are coming across as a sleazy used car salesman.

PS: One of the two mismatched Verandah chairs is thread bear and nearly falling apart. I think I will take a picture and send it to HAL.

[Copper10-8]

Make the best of it and enjoy beautiful Alaska and your cruise!

Here's a hot tip: ask to speak to a housekeeping supervisor and show him the condition of your balcony chair and ask if it can be replaced and repaired. If that gets you nowhere, go talk to the GRM (Guest Relations Manager) Her/his regular hrs are in your daily program

[SandyMc]

I am so sorry to read about your Code Red status - well - not the status - just the fact that you were not told the truth. Several years ago we were on what we sadly recall the "bleach cruise" hosted by Celebrity. It truly was a nightmare with bleach everywhere, terrible service from an overworked crew and never an explanation to the passengers. :p As a result, we will never sail Celebrity again.

It's been some time since we sailed HAL but because all I have read about their treatment of illness on board their ships I have assumed their Code Red was 100% better than the treatment afforded passengers on the bleach cruise. I hope I am not wrong!

Please get your chair replaced and enjoy all the great things about your cruise! Remember - you could be on a Celebrity ship.........:eek:

[skankycat]

I am so sorry to read about your Code Red status - well - not the status - just the fact that you were not told the truth. Several years ago we were on what we sadly recall the "bleach cruise" hosted by Celebrity. It truly was a nightmare with bleach everywhere, terrible service from an overworked crew and never an explanation to the passengers. :p As a result, we will never sail Celebrity again.

 

It's been some time since we sailed HAL but because all I have read about their treatment of illness on board their ships I have assumed their Code Red was 100% better than the treatment afforded passengers on the bleach cruise. I hope I am not wrong!

 

Please get your chair replaced and enjoy all the great things about your cruise! Remember - you could be on a Celebrity ship.........:eek:

 

We were booked for a Celebrity cruise a few weeks after yours and were watching the boards. It did sound as though HAL handled that round much better. We agreed that the next time we sailed, we'd give HAL a try. Perhaps we should all just assume it's a summer for precautions (as usual). Forthrightness is another issue....

[GmaPajama]

I'm sorry to hear of your troubles with the crew regarding the code red. That is SO not like Holland America, in my experience. Twice, I've sailed under code red - and both times the captain and the rest of the crew were totally honest about it. We even had daily announcements from the captain ... giving the current statistics on board. I just can't imagine anything less than full disclosure when it comes to our health - and am, again, sorry you've had such a bad experience with that.

[momatibm]

Even before I sailed on the Noordam in 2008, I received an email from HAL detailing the problem -- explaining the thorough cleaning the ship would have once docked and providing a new embarkation schedule. Once on the ship the 'regular' precautions were in place with daily announcements as well as notices in our 'mail boxes'.

 

Most cases of Noro and other virus are brought on board by passengers that don't even realize they've been exposed. Many people exposed never experience symptoms all a matter of personal immune systems and personal hygeine. Closed societies -- schools, nursing homes, summer camps, dormitories and ships -- are the most susceptible. Airplanes are sites of exposure, but since those folks are only together for relatively short periods of time it's not as apparent as a breeding ground.

[Tarheel72]

Code red was lifted yesterday. Notice was a letter from the Capitan, indicated that they had no new cases, though he never said they had any old cases. It was not really a hassle, I just did not like the way they handled it.

 

Everything else is fine. Food is good, service is great (open seating and never had to wait for table for two at 7 PM).

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sorry to hear that your cruise is in Code Red.

[tokyo]

what does it mean and what are the implication for passengers who are not sick.

[Susie51]

I'm sorry about the code red. I'm glad it is lifted.

[hi4fun]

I am so glad code red was lifted early on, and you could enjoy the rest of the cruise. I will be on the staterdam in 4 weeks so delighted the food and service is great.

 

ENJOY THE REST OF OUR CRUISE

[missintahiti]

I was on the northbound leg where we were under code red almost the entire trip. It was our first cruise and it really did not affect us much but the staff were tired.

 

When we boarded in Vancouver we were greeted in our room with a note that the BC area had recently had an outbreak of gastro illness. It sounded suspicious to us and given that the southbound trip received a similar note about Alaska, it really does seem like HAL was being less than straight forward about the situation. The outbreak must have started on the southbound trip that ended in Vancouver on June 7 (when we got on). So, it makes you wonder how long things were going bad on the Statendam before we even boarded.

 

From what I heard the virus was really going around the staff more than the passengers.

 

As for the service and food, we found them both to be outstanding!

[Juanita462]

We have sailed on the STatendam 3 times and had code red every time. Strangely enough, those episodes were not reported on the list of ships that had noro onboard.

 

On one cruise we had been at sea for 5 days when the noro showed up - I walk the corridors for exercise and passed the doctor's office several times a day - there were many crew waiting for the doctor every time but no passengers - it is our strong feeling that the noro came from the crew, not the pax.

 

If there was an outbreak of gastro illness in BC that is news to us. Believe me, if there was noro around it would be in the headlines - especially with the swine flu outbreak.