norovirus on Oriana- was it already there?

[Invincible]

Just back today from the X105 Oriana cruise, there were problems with norovirus from about the second or third day out and precautions were put in place for the remaining 2 weeks of the cruise, my wife suffered as did both occupants of the next cabin. I'm just wondering if anyone was on X104 and if they had problems on that too as it seems it broke out so quickly there was a lot of speculation onboard as to whether it had already been on the ship before we boarded.

[curlywurly]

Originally Posted by Invincible

Just back today from the X105 Oriana cruise, there were problems with norovirus from about the second or third day out and precautions were put in place for the remaining 2 weeks of the cruise, my wife suffered as did both occupants of the next cabin. I'm just wondering if anyone was on X104 and if they had problems on that too as it seems it broke out so quickly there was a lot of speculation onboard as to whether it had already been on the ship before we boarded.

Hi,

We were on X104 and there was no sign or mention of norovirous. I hope that your wife recovered quickly and that you were both able to enjoy the remainder of your cruise.

[southwinds]

I had it last winter.. but not on a cruise.. I picked it up by going to a local school ( where they had been out breaks but we didnt know that) and I know I wash my hands when I return from keep fit... well I take a shower.. BUT I still got it.. just shows you how easy it is to pick up.. and NOT just as sea. Its ghastly I hope your wife is better..

[Venator Caudicum]

Originally Posted by Invincible

Just back today from the X105 Oriana cruise, there were problems with norovirus from about the second or third day out and precautions were put in place for the remaining 2 weeks of the cruise, my wife suffered as did both occupants of the next cabin. I'm just wondering if anyone was on X104 and if they had problems on that too as it seems it broke out so quickly there was a lot of speculation onboard as to whether it had already been on the ship before we boarded.

Sounds to me as if carriers from the big wide world brought the virus on board, and then some questionable hygene caused the spread.

This is the normal way that the virus gets on board. It isn't the cruise line - it is dirty passengers who don't know basic hygene.

[tom_uk]

Originally Posted by Venator Caudicum

Sounds to me as if carriers from the big wide world brought the virus on board, and then some questionable hygene caused the spread.

This is the normal way that the virus gets on board. It isn't the cruise line - it is dirty passengers who don't know basic hygene.

I agree with the first part of the first point, but not necessarily with the rest. The passengers could have picked it up from surfaces, etc, at an overnight hotel before the cruise. Then, having been infected, they could have been shedding virus onto surfaces onboard before they became symptomatic.

There's no point in wondering how it got aboard, or who 'brought it'.

[whitestar68]

Ive just returned from X105, and am wondering whether Norovirus will crop up on the next cruise.. I know someone on this cruise so will find out in time..
I contracted it onboard, Im guessing from some dodgy toilets near the theatre but its impossible to be certain. All I know is that I felt like death for a day, then slowly recovered strength. Am extremely OCD about hand washing now and its amazing how you can improvise opening doors and pressing buttons without skin contact!
All in all the staff and crew (and most of the passengers) reacted very well to the increased alert states regarding cleanliness and various teams did well to sanitise the ship but one must wonder when a ship has had the virus how hard it is to eliminate totally. Indeed on arrival at Southampton I saw a stair carpet being replaced, hate to think what can hide in even a disinfected carpet!
Sadly missed a couple of ports due to Norovirus, and another infection reared its head too- so it wasnt a holiday at all, indeed I need holiday to recover, I wonder if P&Os are feeling generous......
First time with P&O and very underwhelmed by the experience. Looking forward to Cunard again, maybe even a non Carnival company.

[BrianI]

Originally Posted by Invincible

Just back today from the X105 Oriana cruise, there were problems with norovirus from about the second or third day out and precautions were put in place for the remaining 2 weeks of the cruise, my wife suffered as did both occupants of the next cabin. I'm just wondering if anyone was on X104 and if they had problems on that too as it seems it broke out so quickly there was a lot of speculation onboard as to whether it had already been on the ship before we boarded.

As the symptoms show 1-2days after infection and you say it was 2-3 days, it seems likely that it was brought on board by someone on your cruise.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norovirus
Norovirus is quite widespread in the general population and in most UK hospitals but it only seems to get publicised on cruise ships
Brian

[LibraLass41]

Originally Posted by Venator Caudicum

Sounds to me as if carriers from the big wide world brought the virus on board, and then some questionable hygene caused the spread.

This is the normal way that the virus gets on board. It isn't the cruise line - it is dirty passengers who don't know basic hygene.

Why dirty passengers?
Could it not be dirty CREW? - they are human too - and were on the previous cruise and the one mentioned! Its very easy to blame the fare-paying passenger, isn't it?

[Venator Caudicum]

Originally Posted by LibraLass41

[/b]

Why dirty passengers?
Could it not be dirty CREW? - they are human too - and were on the previous cruise and the one mentioned! Its very easy to blame the fare-paying passenger, isn't it?

On the ship that was suffering from Norovirus when I was aboard, the ration of passengers to crew was in the region of 300+ passengers and a handful of crew. Given that there was a 2:1 ratio of passengers to crew, that makes it pretty clear?

Mind you, that was Cunard. Are you saying that P&O crew aren't up to the same standard?

[capasamari]

When I worked in a UK hospital, Norovirus was known as the "Winter Vomiting Bug", so maybe it is a problem but it's not so obvious because of the different name.

Carol x

[Invincible]

I think I got the answer I wanted that apparently it wasn't on the previous cruise, the reason for asking was that it appeared so quickly after leaving Southampton, from day 1 salt and pepper wasn't on the tables in the main dining room and the hot air hand dryers had all been switched off in favour of disposable hand towels in the toilets.

Thankfully my wife recovered quickly and other than a little discomfort one day when I thought I might have caught it I was unaffected, it didn't spoil my holiday and I enjoyed my time on Oriana although both I and my wife felt that P&O's standards are falling a little and the restaurant and cabin staff weren't as good as we've experienced previously but that's another topic really.

Hopefully everyone on X106 are enjoying themselves without the curse of the norovirus.

[Invincible]

I think I got the answer I wanted that apparently it wasn't on the previous cruise, the reason for asking was that it appeared so quickly after leaving Southampton, from day 1 salt and pepper wasn't on the tables in the main dining room and the hot air hand dryers had all been switched off in favour of disposable hand towels in the toilets.

Thankfully my wife recovered quickly and other than a little discomfort one day when I thought I might have caught it I was unaffected, it didn't spoil my holiday and I enjoyed my time on Oriana although both I and my wife felt that P&O's standards are falling a little and the restaurant and cabin staff weren't as good as we've experienced previously but that's another topic really.

Hopefully everyone on X106 are enjoying themselves without the curse of the norovirus.

[anivo]

My husband and I were on the previous Oriana cruise to the Med and we had no reports of the norovirus being on the ship and certainly we werent aware of any problems. One gent's toilet was out of bounds due to a possible leak and maintenance was being carried out. There were no restrictions in the self service restaurant or any part of the ship.

[joediamond01]

Norovirus Oriana April/May 2011 we suffered a attack of the Norovirus on deck A and believe it is still on the ship now and would like to no who else has suffered during the most recent cruise and how many people have suffered ? and whilst we undertake to be healthy when we embark on the ship we have seam to have no confirmation from P & O that the ship is virus free when we embark. if anyone has any thoughts on this matter please reply

[u2cruiser]

Originally Posted by LibraLass41

[/b]

Why dirty passengers?
Could it not be dirty CREW? - they are human too - and were on the previous cruise and the one mentioned! Its very easy to blame the fare-paying passenger, isn't it?

I often think this. The cabin stewards are going from one bathroom to another, using the toilet brushes and touching cabin surfaces 2 or 3 times a day. Whole corridors could easily become infected with it.

The state some pax leave the public toilets never ceases to amaze me. Someone has to clean that up. The cleaners must be very open to the virus.

[BORDER REIVER]

There's so many nasty viruses out there that we don't wait for any announcement of an outbreak before using precautions. I've seen the lack of hygeine in some passengers on ships and among the public in toilets on shore and it's scary. Our attitude is that if other people won't take precautions, then we will....and we do. We always gel up before leaving the house and wet-wipe our hands after finishing shopping. The same goes for cruising, we gel up before leaving our cabin and don't use the public toilets on board. We rarely go anywhere without a small bottle of protective gel and our car has both gel and anti bacterial wipes in both front door pockets.
Are we overdoing it? No, I've seen people come out of toilets and go straight out in to shops without washing and I've seen cruise passengers deliberately avoiding the cleansing stations at the entrance to the buffets.
It's our own health and we do all we can to look after it.

[LibraLass41]

Originally Posted by Venator Caudicum

On the ship that was suffering from Norovirus when I was aboard, the ration of passengers to crew was in the region of 300+ passengers and a handful of crew. Given that there was a 2:1 ratio of passengers to crew, that makes it pretty clear?

Mind you, that was Cunard. Are you saying that P&O crew aren't up to the same standard?

Nope, I just question your comment that its dirty passengers that don't know basic hygiene
You say it as if it is a fact and it isn't.