Horrible Experiance with DCL - Please be aware!

[Doctor P]

This is a difficult situation and one that, IMHO, is probably not being handled as well as it might otherwise be. I see a problem with DCL offering you a credit in the amount you paid for the cruise--the credit should be for a future cruise of the same length in the same season and not a credit for the amount of money you paid. Since cruise rates increase and many use early booking discounts, the incentive to be made whole by not cruising when sick is that you get the same type of cruise in the future without shelling out a considerable additional amount of money. If you still need to shell out a lot of extra money to take an equivalent future cruise, the incentive to lie or to be upset with the decision is greatly increased.

 

[AnnMorin]

What if you went on your "once in a lifetime vacation" were perfectly healthy BUT someone else who was ill lied and got on the ship. What if you contracted the virus because of that person's untruth, would you still feel it is ok for someone to not be truthful? If your trip was ruined, you were ill the entire time or most of it, quaritined etc..not because you got on the ship ill but because someone else did your perspective might be different.
I agree with Doc the voucher should be not for what you paid but for a free cruise in the same season (value, high or whathave you) in the future, that way you don't have to worry about your 1300.00 not being enough for the next years cruise.

 

[justcruisin]

If "vomit and stool are contagious for at least 3 days after recovery and can be contagious up to as long as 2 weeks." (according to the CDC) .... wouldn't that mean the virus is detectable and potentially a test could be run?

I truly don't know what I do if a family member puked and had a slight fever ....


Anyone ever take a probiotic like lactobacticillicus (I don't recall the over the counter trade name....)

 

[debaudrn]

The problem with testing is that you need an accessible laboratory and/or specialized equipment to run the tests. I don't know if this is available once on board the ships.

 

[wide awake]

This whole post brings up an issue that drives me crazy. Many times you are contagious before you are even aware that you are ill, therefore someone who is totally innocent, not withholding anything, could be the Typhoid Mary of the ship. That said, I feel that DCL was well within its rights to deny passage in this instance. This person was obviously ill before she ever got on the bus. I can understand why the CM didn't deny her passage...the CM is not a doctor...imagine the fuss !!!! Given that it was not possible to diagnose her illness, she needed to stay off the boat. That she didn't get her cruise documents till late means nothing...I think it says right in the booklet that by accepting them you are accepting the conditions even if they aren't signed. And one of the conditions is that the carrier - DCL- can deny boarding if they think a passenger has a contagious illness. If you are obviously ill do not be surprised if you are denied boarding...if you start feeling ill, ethically you need to get some medical help. This whole thing comes down to realizing that bad things happen, and many times it is not anyone's fault...and if you want to like and respect yourself, you have to do the right thing for everyone, not just yourself or your family.

 

[Dean]

A few thoughts. First I can understand how frustrating this was. DCL could definitely have handled it better. Still, the illness described sounds more like a virus than food poisoning. The fact that no one else got ill doesn't really mean that much. If it were staph, you'd expect symtoms within 1-6 hours as you had but expect to be VERY ill but no symptoms for more than just a few hours. Since there was diarrhea the next night as well, that rules out Staph, the only cause of food poisoning that would not be contagious, the rest are actually infections and as such would be contagious though not as much so as some of the viruses.

As for testing, there are many causes and no way to rule them all out by a quick test. The driver notified the OP that they would have to be cleared, that was a warning. If she hadn't said anything and then you were surprised at the port, that would have been different.

I'd have to agree they did the right thing but still understand how stressful this all must have been. Unfortunatley most people in your situation wouldn't tell them and I bet you wish you hadn't.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

What if you contracted the virus because of that person's untruth, would you still feel it is ok for someone to not be truthful?

I am seeing a lot of comments being along these lines (not trying to single you out AnnMorin, your quote is just a good starting place to make my point).

But what I don't see is anyone talking in these threads about what passengers should be doing to avoid getting sick. After all, as others have posted in this or other theads, people can be contagious even before they know they are sick. Once on board, DCL does a very good job of reminding people to practice good hygiene. As many of you already know, lots of studies have been done and always show an alarming number of people don't even attempt to wash after using the restrooms (remember the Sienfeld episode where Jerry encounters the cheif cooking Jerry's dinner that night). Because of the combination of people who will be dishonest, and there will be people who are sick and don't know it, when you go on a cruise or any vacation, or even just daily life, you have to remember that anyone around you might have an infectious disease, and that practicing good hygiene will seriously deter the transmission of these diseases.

I love the fact that DCL how has sanitation wipes that it provides at the entrance to all the resturants. So even if you forgot to wash before dinner and are too lazy to go back, you still don't have an excuse for not practicing good hygiene.

At the same time, I don't mean these comments to imply that sick people should be allowed passage or that it's an excuse to lie to DCL regarding health questions. But just because someone around you is sick does not mean you are going to get sick as well.

 

[year2late]

I wholeheartedly agree that this was a frustrating and upsetting thing to have happen on a family vacation. That is why there is such a push not to spread this to other families.

As Hookoodooku pointed out proper hygene and protecting yourself goes a long way. It is too bad you can't depend on everybody to do the same!

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Wide awake and Dean.........I posted earlier in this thread that on our 11/30/03 Eastern sailing we had a few "land days" prior at POR. Before the bus even arrived at the resort we were given a questionare/waiver to read and sign. It read something like this "I, nor anyone in my sailing party has had flul like symptoms in the past 48 (I think that was the time) hours." If this was answered honestly by the origional poster she never would have been given access to the bus. If the poster answered "no" because she felt it WAS food poisoning, well, that leaves DCL off "the hook" in my opinion. I have posted here many times to gane the origional poster reply to what she or her husband answered to those questions.......still no reply.

 

[AnnMorin]

Originally posted by HooKooDooKu


I love the fact that DCL how has sanitation wipes that it provides at the entrance to all the resturants. So even if you forgot to wash before dinner and are too lazy to go back, you still don't have an excuse for not practicing good hygiene.

Sanitation wipes can give one a false sense of security, you should wash your hands with SOAP for several mins. and then use a sanitizer if you wish. I personally am not comforted in the least with a sick person who lied to get on the ship who then is "too lazy" to wash their hands is going to "decontaminate" themselves with a little towelette.
I still feel it is wrong and very selfish for someone who knows they are ill to board the ship. Their vacation has no more value than mine does, why should mine be put in jepordy because of them? Those same people would be livid if they were infected because of some elses lie.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Sanitation wipes can give one a false sense of security, you should wash your hands with SOAP for several mins. and then use a sanitizer if you wish.

AnnMorin,
You are absolutely right. Sanitation wipes are not a replacement for proper hygiene. Unfortunatly, the people who never give proper hygiene a though when they leave a restroom are also just as likely to skip the sanitation wipes.

I only pointed out the information about the sanitation wipes to point out what steps DCL is taking try to reduce the spread of diseases on board. They also have signs at every sink in the ship informing you of the "proper" way to wash your hands, and I think they had signs posted on the mirrors of public restrooms as well. I also noticed that the cabin stewarts now wear rubber gloves while cleaning rooms (and I think they switch gloves as they move from one room to another).

I personnally would rate DCL as doing a poor job of dealing with their customers before they board the ship. But I would rate them as doing an excelent job for what they are attempting to do once on board. Acctually, from the stories I've heard here on the board, is sounds like DCL is sometimes going to extreams (case in point being a story that when something like child choked on a piece of food, vomited as a result of choking on the food, went to see the ship's doctor, and got put in 48 hour quarantie despite the fact that they only vomited once, had an alternate explination than a stomic virus, and showed no other sympotms of being sick).

 

[Dean]

Originally posted by LAMPSKIES
Wide awake and Dean.........I posted earlier in this thread that on our 11/30/03 Eastern sailing we had a few "land days" prior at POR. Before the bus even arrived at the resort we were given a questionare/waiver to read and sign. It read something like this "I, nor anyone in my sailing party has had flul like symptoms in the past 48 (I think that was the time) hours." If this was answered honestly by the origional poster she never would have been given access to the bus. If the poster answered "no" because she felt it WAS food poisoning, well, that leaves DCL off "the hook" in my opinion. I have posted here many times to gane the origional poster reply to what she or her husband answered to those questions.......still no reply.

I'm not sure how this applies. You are assuming if they answered yes they would not have been allowed on the bus even, I don't know if that's true or not. Still, lying on the form might leave DCL off the hook but potentially make a lot of people ill.

 

[Carol RN]

I am an Emergency Room nurse and always bring the equivalent of a small pharmacy with me when we cruise. I would never use the ship's physician or nurse!

 

[Nick@ VB+OKW]

Originally posted by Carol RN
I am an Emergency Room nurse and always bring the equivalent of a small pharmacy with me when we cruise.

................

 

[kcashner]

I'm a physician...and on my first cruise, travelled with much of what I thought I might need. In fact, my pediatrician took me to his sample room and told me to take anything I wanted, then proceeded to hand me things--he and his wife travel frequently and always take medications along.

After needing nothing for several trips, I quit this process. Now I take some tylenol and a basic antibiotic. Most of what else I might need is available over the counter, even on the ship! If I need more than that, I probably do need "professional help!"

I guess my plea would be for people on board to use the same kind of common sense we hope people use at home. If you are sick enough that you would make a doctor appointment at home, you probably need to see the ship's doc. If you have a sniffle, a low grade temp, a little stomach ailment, or whatever and you would normally watch it at home for a day or two, do the same on the ship.

And, I'll echo what others have said...hand washing and more hand washing......

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Dean.........I reread the posts and there is NO answer to the question. I called DCL and asked for a copy of that form. They are going to try to e-mail it to me if not, they will fax it to my house.
Kcashner.....I had "the virus" after our 12/01/02 "replacement" cruise while we were back at WDW. I got it Friday at about 4:30 p.m. We walked around Epcot all day....then all the sudden......stomach cramps and dizziness.....I NEVER get sick. I went to the room wrapped myself up in the blanket on the bed and slept (between bathroom trips). DW slept in the other bed and DD's stayed in our friends room. I woke up the next morning and was real dehydrated....drank some water and then was fine. A little slow....but I felt fine. DD's and DW NEVER caught it.

 

[cruisnfamily]

Originally posted by kcashner
I guess my plea would be for people on board to use the same kind of common sense we hope people use at home. If you are sick enough that you would make a doctor appointment at home, you probably need to see the ship's doc. If you have a sniffle, a low grade temp, a little stomach ailment, or whatever and you would normally watch it at home for a day or two, do the same on the ship.

This is the most sensible thing I have heard!

 

[Cruisin]

I have been thinking the same thing.
If you were at home and threw up once or twice would you run to the doctor.
Just because you are on a ship, do you have to go to the doctor for every sniffle or case of vomiting or diarrhea? Especially if you know it is just seasickness or in the case of the child choking on something and then vomiting?

 

[LAMPSKIES]

Kcashner......totally off the discussion but, you are a doctor. Why would I, (who NEVER gets sick when the rest of the family does) get that "virus", be with DW and 2 DD's for 10 days, and they don't? We stayed in the same room at WDW, in the same stateroom on the ship and ate at all the same resturants... together?

 

[The4OfUs]

Originally posted by LAMPSKIES
Kcashner......totally off the discussion but, you are a doctor. Why would I, (who NEVER gets sick when the rest of the family does) get that "virus", be with DW and 2 DD's for 10 days, and they don't? We stayed in the same room at WDW, in the same stateroom on the ship and ate at all the same resturants... together?

Not a doctor, but had a similar experience recently with the flu, where I had it BAD...and a few days later DS came down with it - I suffered for 2 weeks, he suffered for 3 days. DD and DH did not get it.

I've been the most stressed, getting the least sleep, so I figured that my immune system was the most "run down"...?