recent posts of Noro virus

[BethA]

On a few trip reports I saw several cruisers have come down with noro like viruses. Are there still a lot of precautions taken to prevent this? Is this an isolated incident or something that happens every cruise? A school not too far from here was shut down for almost a month because of the virus.

 

[CM_Mom]

On the 5-1 Magic cruise we saw permanent signs at the entrances to restaurants reminding people to wash their hands frequently and the restrooms are very convenient to the restaurants. My DD says that the crew is CONSTANTLY reminded to take appropriate precautions. My take is that Disney is constantly on guard to prevent things like this.

When the children check into the club their hands are squirted with handsoap and their first activity is to go wash their hands. The CMs in the Club have very strict requirements to enhance health safety. One of their job rotations is toy cleaning and housekeeping has a person assigned to the Club floor for bigger clean up jobs.

When you board they ask if anyone in your party has had fever or flu like symptoms. Unfortunately, I think some people lie.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

On the 5/22 cruise there were definitely some CM's down ill. They kept the reasons on the down low but we suspect that it was due to stomach problems as one of other CM's let that slip out. My hair appointment was cancelled and rescheduled because the stylist was sick. And for 4 of the 7 nights our assistant server was ill also. We saw vomit in the hallway on the way to beatstreet and heard of one passenger with an ill child. We are a handwashing family but both my son and I tend to come down with illnesses easily. I braced us for the worst and just enjoyed the trip. We were lucky and didn't become ill, particularly when you consider that our assistant server was one of the ill people and he was serving the food! It really is just the luck of the draw.

 

[kellib36]

Originally posted by Tiiiigergirl
We saw vomit in the hallway on the way to beatstreet

FYI, in Disneyspeak, its called a "protein spill"! ;-)

 

[BethA]

CM mom--does your daughter say that many CMs get ill. With the small quarters that they have I wonder if they isolate them or not and how long they are quarantined. On our cruise last year I saw much more wiping down of elevator buttons, etc that are touched by everyone. Do they still have people serving in the buffet lines or are the guests all handling the utensils etc? See a lot of kids take things and put them back. I always watch my younger son closely, but not everyone does.

 

[MarkRG]

Noro like viruses are one of those things you cannot innoculate against. We'll have it around forever, and should ALWAYS take the precautions when in any public places, not just on the ship. Wash hands often, use the anti bacterial stuff, etc. Just because it's not the headline in the media anymore doesn't mean it will just go away.

 

[ThreeCircles]

Originally posted by BethA
Are there still a lot of precautions taken to prevent this? Is this an isolated incident or something that happens every cruise?

First, DCL takes a lot of precautions but that doesn't mean that the guests do likewise. If anyone acts as a great means of virus contamination, it would be your fellow cruisers. An example? During one of our cruises (actually the one prior to the cruise that was cancelled due to a true case of the Norwalk Virus) we attended the Castaway Club Reception. We counted a total of five children who would run their hands across the ice sculpture, lick their fingers, and then repeat the process. And it’s Disney's responsibility to guard against this type of activity? I think not. That's why we have parents.

Second, people get sick. People get sick on land just as they do on ships. Not everyone who feels ill has a virus. In a total of five cruises I have seen three individuals getting sick. Two were children and one was an adult. Now, the adult that was getting sick ran from Rockin' Bar D and had obviously had way too much to drink. I feel no pity for anyone who drinks himself or herself into throwing up. I also have to wonder if the kids became ill because of the level of food intake and their activity level on the ship. I think it's difficult at times for kids to judge when they've had their fill of ice cream, soda, french fries, and pizza. With an unlimited supply, it may be tempting for them to overeat. This coupled with the "bouncing-off-the-walls" activity level that is often seen on the ship may be more than enough to result in a few upset stomachs.

Finally, it's been my observances that anytime the word "virus" is mentioned on the Dis Boards things tend to get blown out of proportion. As I mentioned, I sailed on the Thanksgiving cruise prior to the cancelled cruise in 2002. We took appropriate precautions (you know, the common sense type stuff: washing your hands after you use the restroom) and we were fine. As were 2200 other guests on that cruise.

 

[CM_Mom]

In answer to your question about CMs getting sick. My DD got a cold the second week of the cruise that ran it's course and she was fine. My guess is that it was from working around LOTS of kids when she hadn't been around kids for while.

The rules are if ANY CM has a "protein spill" they are isolated in their room for at least 48 hours AND their roommate is also isolated in the room for at least 24 hours.

Also, if there is a "protein spill" in the Club, the affected area is immediately "roped off" and a special housekeeping team is called to clean it up. If the CM gets "splashed" they are sent to their quarters for shower and a change of uniform. The dirty uniform is placed in a plastic bag and turned in to Wardrobe for special disinfecting.

I agree with Three Circles that Disney DOES take these things seriously and we would probably all have no worries if the GUESTS were as serious about health safety as the Crew.

FYI, DD says that "let's all go wash our hands" is a favorite activity in the Club both because the kids like the MAGIC faucets and for the obvious health reasons.

If there's a higher than normal number of reported illnesses among the guests, Disney increases the amount of cleaning fior that cruise and the following cruises.

 

[aprilgail2]

For my duaghters age group in teh kids club after every activity they are sent to the bathroom, if they don't have to go to the bathroom they still have to go wash their hands. On the way in they are told to put their hands out and they squirt soap in their hands, they have to rub them together making bubbles then they were allowed into the club to rinse them off. I was pretty impressed about the handwashing going on in there! I had walked my daughter to the bathroom and one little boy was walking out of the bathroom and he didn't wash his hands, the CM was standing right there making sure everyone did and he sent him right to the sink to wash. They were painting the boys bathroom while we were there one day and the boys were using the girls bathroom, well that was to much for my daughter....boys in the girls room...heaven forbid LOL....she talked about that for 2 weeks after the cruise LOL!!

 

[MarkRG]

Originally posted by ThreeCircles
First, DCL takes a lot of precautions but that doesn't mean that the guests do likewise. If anyone acts as a great means of virus contamination, it would be your fellow cruisers. An example? During one of our cruises (actually the one prior to the cruise that was cancelled due to a true case of the Norwalk Virus) we attended the Castaway Club Reception. We counted a total of five children who would run their hands across the ice sculpture, lick their fingers, and then repeat the process. And it’s Disney's responsibility to guard against this type of activity? I think not. That's why we have parents.

THIS is exactly the point I was trying to make. WE have to be the protection, not rely on DCL alone to do it for us. And that does mean everywhere, DCL, WDW, your local mall, wherever that's a public place. That's how these things spread.

 

[goin2disneyagain]

I left the 5/22 cruise with a sinus infection and everyone else in my party has at least a cold. We were all healthy before we took the cruise and we all repeatedly washed our hands. I heard several other people complaining about allergy and sinus problems. We saw vomit Thursday night leaving Animators Palate at the entrance to the resteraunt. I agree that it is not solely the cruise lines responsibility but there is only so much you can do to protect yourself from what others are doing and the air circulation is very poor. This was my 1st cruise and to be honest I am now a little gunshy about taking another for fear that I would end up sick. That is sad too because I had a great time on the cruise, luckily my sinus infection didn't really develop until 2 days before we were due to disembark. Before I would cruise again I would have to beg my doctor to give me an antibiotic to take with me just incase I needed it. I was on the phone by Saturday afternoon having one called in for me as it is.

 

[minnieandmickey]

Take it from someone who recently had this virus (last week) take all the precautions you can. My DD came home with it on Friday had it all weekend, DH came down with it on Tuesday, and I came home with it on Wednesday. I was out 2 days and went back to work on Friday and my boss told me to go home because I didn't look very good I guess. One of the local papers had a write up on it. I just know that our cruise in December we will have all the precautions we can with us.

 

[BethA]

I wish everyone was as careful as the posters here. Would certainly cut down on illnesses spreading. Some people just don't care--perhaps the same ones who let untrained children in the pool. The Mickey pool is so gross because of that--I hate to let my son use the slide. People amaze me some times. At WL once we saw a child about 7 squat down right next to his mother's chair to go to the bathroom. Needless to say we got up and moved. Can you believe she said--oh honey we aren't at home-maybe you better go inside. I thought I'd die!!

 

[DoomBuggieDriver]

Oh gosh Beth,
That is just too funny. (not very funny when you are sitting next to them though. Can you believe how people can be?

 

[debm]

For those that go a cold or sinus infection during the cruise....chances are you were exposed BEFORE you got on--just didn't show symptoms yet. Especially if there is some kind of infection. For example, it is my understanding that when children get ear infections it is not the infection inside the ear itself that is cotagious it is the runny nose/congestion that caused the infection that they can transmit. And just because a child gets a cold does not mean that they will get the ear infection---some are more susceptible. Don't be scared to cruise just because of getting sick. And anti-bacterrial washes are not going to help with viruses. Soap and water is just as good in that case. I think people can go overboard. Our family washes before meals and after the restroom plus they hear me frequently say, " Don't touch!!!!!"

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Well a 24 hour stomach virus is running through my entire family NOW so hopefully on our cruise in a month we will all be immune! Not much comfort to DD#1 who is missing the next to last day of school and yearbook distribution today!
Robin M.