300 sickened on Royal Caribbean cruise ship

[ilovetexas]

I'm sorry but I would rather be sick on a DCL cruise than sick at home any day. First time in my four cruises I caught something on my last cruise....I still had a BLAST!!!!!!

I feel the same way! On our cruise last April, I was so sick but any day sick on DCL is way better than feeling good at home! I am a nurse and understand the virus issue and the strict importance of washing your hands but it sure beats being at home!

Seriously??? If you ever get noro on a cruise, we'll see if you still feel that way. We're not talking about a sore throat or sniffles here, this is a MAJOR GI illness. When >1 person in a cabin is vomiting and has diarrhea, how does that work? At home, you've probably got more than one bathroom so you can have more than one person at a time sitting on the toilet with a trashcan in their lap; it doesn't work that way on a cruise.

Trust me, when you or your kids are projectile vomiting....being on a cruise ship doesn't make it better....it makes it worse. It's the added twist of the knife that everyone around you is having fun while you are in your cabin, miserable, on a trip you were looking forward to. DCL will quarantine you to your stateroom (rightfully so) and you can lay there and vomit, or sleep if you're lucky, while your vacation goes down the toilet.

 

[wallawallakids]

Seriously??? If you ever get noro on a cruise, we'll see if you still feel that way. We're not talking about a sore throat or sniffles here, this is a MAJOR GI illness. When >1 person in a cabin is vomiting and has diarrhea, how does that work? At home, you've probably got more than one bathroom so you can have more than one person at a time sitting on the toilet with a trashcan in their lap; it doesn't work that way on a cruise.

Trust me, when you or your kids are projectile vomiting....being on a cruise ship doesn't make it better....it makes it worse. It's the added twist of the knife that everyone around you is having fun while you are in your cabin, miserable, on a trip you were looking forward to. DCL will quarantine you to your stateroom (rightfully so) and you can lay there and vomit, or sleep if you're lucky, while your vacation goes down the toilet.

This!! Unfortunately my son and I got noro last year over February break. It was going around school. It was AWEFUL. I have been sick in the past, even had meningitis and this was almost worse. We were so ill. High fevers, both of us were severely dehydrated. We had to go to the ER for medication and fluid transfers. I would NEVER want to have that on a ship. It was bad enough to have at home. My poor husband worked around the clock taking care of us. We couldn't move for days and we didn't really feel well for over a week. Both of us lost weight. It was BAD, BAD, BAD. I NEVER want it again and I hope no one in my family ever has to experience it again. NOT FUN AT ALL. Esp on a ship.

I feel for those people on that ship. Just awful.

 

[jake236]

So how does it work if you are sick and they don't let you board? Do you lose all the money you have paid? I understand if you have insurance you should be able to file a claim, however, does Disney do anything to credit you for what you have paid? Toward a future cruise, etc.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Nope. You don't board, you don't have insurance, your money is gone. It was pretty much acknowleged by someone they were interviewing on the news about this, that cruisers who were sick would probably lie on their pre-boarding form, because they know full well that they will lose all their money they paid for the cruise if they were barred from boarding for illness. The guy had a point.

 

[Fathawkeye]

In other words, the ship crew works very hard to keep the passengers safe, but not all passengers cooperate.

Thanks for the extra information. I think DCL does a great job. That's why I travel DCL (I don't have kids, nor want or like them) - its the best vacation hands down.
I didn't know if there was something I could take this week to help prevent against this, Lysol, etc?!

Cant wait... its like -19 degrees here today.

 

[ilovetexas]

Thanks for the extra information. I think DCL does a great job. That's why I travel DCL (I don't have kids, nor want or like them) - its the best vacation hands down.
I didn't know if there was something I could take this week to help prevent against this, Lysol, etc?!

Cant wait... its like -19 degrees here today.

Most hand sanitizers/wipes won't kill noro. You can take Clorox or Lysol wipes and wipe down handles, switches, etc. in your stateroom when you get there. Wash your hands well with soap and water OFTEN. It's less about killing the germs and more about getting them off your hands. Keep your hands away from your face; you'd be surprised how many times a day we touch our faces. Start being aware of it now.

Take reasonable precautions and keep your hands as clean as possible, that's the best you can do.

 

[justmestace]

Thanks for the extra information. I think DCL does a great job. That's why I travel DCL (I don't have kids, nor want or like them) - its the best vacation hands down.
I didn't know if there was something I could take this week to help prevent against this, Lysol, etc?!

Cant wait... its like -19 degrees here today.

It can happen on ANY ship. All of them now have hand sanitizers everywhere. On my NCL cruise a week ago, they even sprayed our hands before we got back on the ship from the ports.


PEOPLE ARE REPORTING GETTING NORO ON THE DISNEY DREAM LAST WEEK AND BEING QUARANTINED TO THEIR ROOMS.

No ship is any better than another at keeping this nasty virus at bay.

 

[justmestace]

In a nutshell: VIGOROUS hand washing, even under the nails....and it can stick to clothing, plates, fly up when a toilet is flushed....it's kind of come down to "the luck of the draw" if you get it or don't.


http://www.nbcnews.com/health/norovirus-why-washing-your-hands-isnt-enough-1C8143996

 

[pjacobi]

The virus can stay in your stool for 2 weeks or more after you feel better.

I was surprised by this fact, but I confirmed it to be absolutely correct at the CDC website:

http://www.cdc.gov/norovirus/about/transmission.html


-Paul

 

[RHSTigerMom]

Seriously??? If you ever get noro on a cruise, we'll see if you still feel that way. We're not talking about a sore throat or sniffles here, this is a MAJOR GI illness. When >1 person in a cabin is vomiting and has diarrhea, how does that work? At home, you've probably got more than one bathroom so you can have more than one person at a time sitting on the toilet with a trashcan in their lap; it doesn't work that way on a cruise. Trust me, when you or your kids are projectile vomiting....being on a cruise ship doesn't make it better....it makes it worse. It's the added twist of the knife that everyone around you is having fun while you are in your cabin, miserable, on a trip you were looking forward to. DCL will quarantine you to your stateroom (rightfully so) and you can lay there and vomit, or sleep if you're lucky, while your vacation goes down the toilet.

I can answer this! My husband and daughter both got sick on the Dream in December 2012. One had the toilet and the other had the shower. Our fantastic stateroom host brought and extra garbage can as well. That man, Than Than, got a huge tip because he was on his hands and knees scrubbing the bathrooms. My husband went to the medical center and he was quarantined to the stateroom for the day. We received a letter and a phone call from guest services saying stay in your cabin. Also, soft drinks & Gatorade from room service were free as were any PPV movies. It was supposed to be Castaway Cay day but we couldn't dock due to wind so we cruised around anyway and he didn't miss much.

 

[MagicBeginsAtHome]

I'm sorry but I would rather be sick on a DCL cruise than sick at home any day. First time in my four cruises I caught something on my last cruise....I still had a BLAST!!!!!!

I definitely wished I had been at home... I wasn't able to leave my stateroom (not that I physically could if I wanted to), and I missed the Animator's Palate dinner and the whole day at Castaway Cay (both of which were the main reasons I was on the cruise to begin with). It was miserable to have to walk the length of the ship to see the doctor, I wasn't sure I was going to make it without passing out. My husband had to pack all our bags by himself for disembarkation. It was a nightmare... so much so that DH asked if I was SURE I wanted to go on another cruise based on what happened the last time.

I still wonder if we should be going on our next one, because all 4 of us got a nasty stomach bug at Disneyland this last year, and it was miserable as well. I guess I'm still optimistic that we can make it ONE trip without a stomach virus??

 

[MagicBeginsAtHome]

The problem there is that I don't think sanitizer kills norovirus, which is typically what's causing these cruise ship stomach illness outbreaks. You have to wash your hands, and wash well, with warm water and soap and friction. And then to kills it on surfaces, you have to use a bleach solution. It's a TOUGH bug!
!

Thanks for this info. I suppose we'll just have to go scrub our hands in the bathroom after getting our food and hope for the best.

 

[Ravenne]

One of the passengers on the Royal Caribbean cruise is answering questions and posting about her experience on Reddit. http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1w9w0x/iama_passenger_on_the_explorer_of_the_seas/

One thing that didn't occur to me about the timing of the whole thing:

Morale is not very good. For sailing in paradise, there are a lot of bad attitudes from people that don’t seem to be sick. Lots of people getting screwed with their travel plans as we are arriving two days early into Bayonne, NJ right before Super Bowl weekend. There are no hotels available anywhere.

That just really sucks. I have a feeling trying to get a flight out would be nearly impossible too between the weather and Super Bowl prep.

Compensation details are forth coming. So far it looks like:
a $400 credit per room to use on the ship. $100 extra for 3rd and 4th passengers.
50% of what you paid for your cruise will be taken off the next cruise you purchase from Royal Caribbean if it's in the next year.
Many people are having to arrange extensive travel and accommodation plans for when they arrive back in port. I'm sure many of them will want any additionally incurred costs covered by the cruise line.

$400 credit per room to use on the ship? I'm guessing they can apply that to their already incurred room charges? What else would you want to spend $400 on when you're sick as a dog and stuck in a polar vortex?

 

[jlemieu1]

I definitely wished I had been at home... I wasn't able to leave my stateroom (not that I physically could if I wanted to), and I missed the Animator's Palate dinner and the whole day at Castaway Cay (both of which were the main reasons I was on the cruise to begin with). It was miserable to have to walk the length of the ship to see the doctor, I wasn't sure I was going to make it without passing out. My husband had to pack all our bags by himself for disembarkation. It was a nightmare... so much so that DH asked if I was SURE I wanted to go on another cruise based on what happened the last time.

I still wonder if we should be going on our next one, because all 4 of us got a nasty stomach bug at Disneyland this last year, and it was miserable as well. I guess I'm still optimistic that we can make it ONE trip without a stomach virus??

Sorry for your families sickness. I still would rather be on a cruise in 70-80F temp versus my local 0-10 F because I only go in the Fall/Winter. Also I even says this without the ability to "throw-up", imagine having to keep that stuff in your system for 24-48 hours.

 

[calimom951]

Anyone know if we can bring a can of this in our carry on? It is said to kill the norovirus. It is only the brand lll Lysol. No the disinfectant wipes.

http://www.reckittprofessional.com/...d=1&productLineId=62&searchType=PL&template=1

 

[JohnDS]

Anyone know if we can bring a can of this in our carry on? It is said to kill the norovirus. It is only the brand lll Lysol. No the disinfectant wipes. http://www.reckittprofessional.com/productpromain/ProductSearch.do?brandId=1&productLineId=62&searchType=PL&template=1

I'm bringing Lysol, also good for heating and ac units in hotels.

Sent from my rotary phone using DISBoards

 

[owensamo]

Anyone know if we can bring a can of this in our carry on? It is said to kill the norovirus. It is only the brand lll Lysol. No the disinfectant wipes.

http://www.reckittprofessional.com/...d=1&productLineId=62&searchType=PL&template=1

Aerosol bottles are on the prohibited item list for DCL (and I think pretty much all cruise lines).

However, you could get Clorox Hand-Sanatizing Spray - that apparently does kill Noro:
http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/Home/which-hand-sanitizers-kill-stomach-flu-viruses

I think this is it: http://www.amazon.com/Clorox-Commer...&sr=8-1&keywords=clorox+hand+sanitizing+spray

 

[Happy100]

I guess getting sick on a cruise is one reason to get a veranda room. At least when you feel up to it you can sit on the veranda and look out at the ocean or port.

 

[CruiseCrazy44]

I absolutely hate those wipes they hand out and the sanitizing gels that everyone carry aren't as wonderful as everyone thinks, studies are proving now. If Disney people are reading this, I'd like them to know, I'd be THRILLED if they would set up a soap and water hand cleaning station, like they have in the kids clubs(those use soap and water don't they?) outside of the buffets and dining rooms. Soap and water done right works way better than anything else.

 

[Zooshoveller]

Just an idea - What about using a napkin or even disposable gloves for handling buffet utensils to help shield germs.