Shipboard Norovirus Outbreak – From A Passengers Perspective
Royal Caribbean's newest ship Liberty of The Seas suffered a Norovirus outbreak. Mail Buoy reader Joanne Giorgianni (aka The Savy Old Lady www.thesavyoldlady.com) was onboard Liberty of The Seas on her third sailing and experienced first hand what it's like to sail on a ship while the crew works to get control of a virus outbreak. While her trip was far from ideal, she provides a seldom heard perspective of what it's like to sail on a ship coping with a Norovirus outbreak.
We really appreciate her taking the time to share her experience. :D
CRUISING THE HIGH SEAS WITH THE NOROVIRUS; T'AINT FUN!
ROYAL CARIBBEAN LIBERTY OF THE SEAS VOYAGE #3 June 2, 2007
By The Savvy Old Lady Joan Giorgianni
A few weeks ago Hubby and I decided to treat ourselves to a little quality fun time by cruising the high seas on an impromptu cruise. We have finally reached our semi-early retirement days that we have long awaited after raising five little cherubs to adulthood. Okay, so we are not completely finished raising them because from my viewpoint, we will continue parenting until the day we die. Guess that's just one of those little things that should have been in the instructional manual that we never received when they were born.
Fortunately for us, we live in southwestern Florida and are a mere two hour drive from three major cruise ship ports of call and while on any given day we usually with financial considerations of course, can take advantage of the really good specials (sometimes called "Happy Hour Specials") the cruise lines have for same week sailings. Let me tell you, these cruse ship price deals are steals! We have had suites with butler service for the same price some people pay for an inside cabin; however, that's another story for another blog.
Click on "more" below to read the rest of Joan's story.
On May 30th we booked a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line's Liberty of The Seas with a departure date of June 2 out of Miami, Florida with a destination of Western Caribbean ports. This was to be the third cruise since their inaugural sailing and the Liberty of The Seas is touted to be the most sophisticated, flashiest and largest cruise ship in the world. Who wouldn't be excited to sail on this most modern and mammoth cruise ship that advertised a passenger capacity from 4600 to 5000 guests plus crew? Ah, yes what a glorious time we expected on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of The Seas. On May 31st, the very next day we received a call from our friendly travel agent informing us that the Norovirus (or as some call it the Norwalk virus or the stomach flu or gastroenteritis) had struck Royal Caribbean Cruse Line's Liberty of The Seas on the voyage that very week; just it's second regular voyage out. An estimated 175 passengers and 3 crew members became ill with Norovirus (or Norwalk virus or Norwalk-like virus). What an interesting time that must have been. Congratulations go out to the ship management and crew because it was our understanding from passengers we spoke with who had been on that second voyage that they all worked very very hard to keep this little nasty little bug from spreading like wild-fire. The good news for us was that our cruise on Liberty of The Seas was not going to be canceled but the boarding time and departure time would be extended since they had to sanitize the entire ship from the Norovirus outbreak before any passengers were permitted to board. Instead of a normal 12:00PM boarding (Hubby and I have a priority status on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines' loyalty program so we could get on a bit earlier.) we were now looking at a 6:00PM boarding with a 10:00PM departure. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines had graciously offered to bus all their passengers over to the Miami Convention Center for a buffet lunch with more comfortable surroundings than the terminal had to offer. Now, most of us have heard and read about the outbreak of the Norwalk Virus (bet you didn't know it's named after Norwalk, Ohio where the virus was first identified in 1972) on several cruise ships in the past but to date I haven't really read any first hand accounts of what takes place when an outbreak of Norovirus occurs on a cruise ship.
First I wanted to get some information on just what this little Norovirus thing was. Thank God for Mr. Google! I soon found myself checking out the many sites, including the CDC's (Center for Disease Control), for information on Norovirus. Much to my surprise the scientific community has now lumped together all gastrointestinal viruses excluding influenza into their category of Norovirus. They can call it what they like but its nasty and has an incubation period of 12 to 24 hours and lasts any where from 48 to 72 hours and is HIGHLY contagious. The symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramping. The high risk folks are the elderly and the young and dehydration is of major concern.
At 6:00PM we boarded Royal Caribbean Cruise lines Liberty of The Seas, and noticed the strong smell of Chlorine on board. We saw several crew members dressed in sterile-white decontamination jumpsuits, complete with those cute little booties and hair coverings (you know the one you see on all the medical shows) wiping down anything that didn't move; all the banisters, hand rails, glass fixtures, elevator doors and counter tops that any passenger might have touched. We were told our rooms would not be ready until 9:00PM and to go directly to the top deck to the Windjammer Restaurant for a buffet dinner. Upon entering the Windjammer, it wasn't difficult to notice that half the serving stations were closed and plastic gloved crew members were the only ones permitted to serve the food from the trays, unfortunately, this lead to long lines and some quiet grumblings. Missing from the tables were the usual salt, pepper and catsup and once a passenger left a table you were not permitted to sit down until a crew member sanitized the area. I swear there were more sanitizing solutions and Purell on board than there were guests and crew. It did not take long to realize this was not going to be your normal wonderful cruise.
As we left Liberty of the Seas' Windjammer I found a seat at a poolside table on the upper deck to wait for 2 more hours to go to our cabin. I sat there listening to endless PA announcements requesting certain passengers to go to the medical department on board. One cryptic message even said if passenger So-and-So did not report the ship would not sail; pretty scary stuff! Apparently, certain passengers were not permitted to board the Liberty of The Seas if they showed signs of Norovirus prior to sailing. We heard that if this were the case Royal Caribbean refunded their fares. The difficult part of containing the Norovirus or Norwalk virus was that once folks figured out what was going on passengers fearing quarantine in their rooms or being sent home at some port of call were not reporting their illnesses to medical staff. The ship's medical department's only choice was to use cabin stewards to check out the rooms and passengers for any signs of illness and were ordered to report anything that was suspicious immediately.
The sanitization procedure was extremely difficult and time consuming, especially, considering that this was one of the first times a ship of this size had to be completely sanitized while at sea. Bed linens, bed spreads, curtains all had to be laundered and mattresses were sanitized (not sure how but this must have been some job). Still kudos' should be given to the Captain, crew and the CDC for the extreme measures that were taken to insure the well-being and safety of all the passengers. The crew was working fourteen to sixteen hour days without a break but always had a smile on their faces. It was only the discerned eye that noticed the complete exhaustion these people were experiencing.
Upon finally entering our cabin on The Liberty of the Seas at 9 PM on the day of departure the strong stench of chlorine was present in the bathroom, it was if they had sprayed the entire room and upon entering it your eyes would burn. There were actually crystals of chlorine on all of the surfaces and my husband had to wash it all down so we could use the bathroom without choking. Our bed only had a sheet and there was no toilet paper or tissues, (Ooops!) and only hand towels. I got the distinct impression that this was the rule. We heard that many cabins were not made up, even at this basic level, until after 10 PM. Many of the staterooms beds were still not made. We finally got towels and a blanket around 11:30PM and toilet paper and tissues were brought soon thereafter when my husband called for them.
For the next three days countless PA announcements, many by the Captain himself, were made, especially at meal times, about the necessity of washing your hands before each meal. Necessary, yes, but somehow a little disconcerting when you were eating your lunch and listening to someone talking on the PA about the symptoms of Norovirus and Norwalk like virus, namely diarrhea and vomiting. There were many areas that were closed for at least three to four days or the entire cruise. They included part of the Windjammer, the twenty-four hour pizza, sandwich and desert bar. Some areas, such as Johnny Rockets, a wonderful hamburger and milk shake restaurant and the arcade (there was a special concern about children and teens and hand washing) were closed for the entire voyage. Passengers were not permitted to remove food from the Windjammer or dining rooms so we could not eat on the open decks or bring food to our rooms (room service did operate normally though after the second day). We were told the reason for this was so the crew would know where all the food was going. Well big surprise all the revenue center food and beverage outlets (coffee shop, Ben and Jerry's ice cream shop and the bars) on board permitted you to take food out. Hmmm, doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out that Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines was losing money on this cruise and I suppose that they had to make the revenue up for it somewhere.
Were passengers inconvenienced? Yes, but in fairness Royal Caribbean Cruse Lines gave each passenger a $100.00 credit on their account which could be used against any purchases on board or gratuities. Let's see now, $100 x 4995 passengers, yes the cruise was booked past the "comfortable" limit of 4600 advertised in the brochure that is almost a half a MILLION dollars in refunds, or at least on board credits. With the copious amounts of chlorine-bleach like sanitizer used many people found bleach stains on their clothing and Royal offered up to $50.00 in on-board credit for each item ruined (if the amount was more the claim needed to be submitted to RCI Central for approval after the cruise). The crew worked tirelessly sanitizing the rooms and open areas. Unfortunately, the sanitizing agent they used on the tables, chrome and glass on the ship left a noticeable film over everything. Although it was quite unattractive on a ship of this caliber, (and rather unappealing particularly on the restaurant tabletops) the teenagers found a way to add humor to the situation. Every morning standing at the elevator banks you could read messages from all the kids on board on the chrome elevator doors. The messages ranged from CLEAN ME PLEASE, Jimmy loves Janie, and to a few that I won't repeat but sure gave me a chuckle. Could this be the first reported instance of graffiti on a cruise liner while at sea? This had to be another first for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and the Liberty of the Seas.
Even with the massive sanitization that was constantly being preformed the Norovirus still remained on board. The numbers from the previous week were 175 plus passengers and a hand full of crew members that were stricken with the virus and on our cruise we were told it was only 1.35% (about 67) of the passengers; I don't know if any crew became ill. Still, the week went by with constant reminders of a virus that could strike at any time and it left many with a feeling of uneasiness. The meat served on board was always over cooked and many meals seemed to be recycled. Truthfully, I don't know if it was due to the virus or if Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines has now downgraded their food standards in lieu of the two "extra fee" revenue center restaurants on board. All I can tell you was when I sailed on the Enchantment of the Seas many years ago the food quality in the dining room and the level of service was equivalent to what their extra fee revenue-center restaurants are serving today.
A big question remains in my mind; should this ship have sailed on Saturday or, as Royal Caribbean did with its other mega ship The Freedom of the Seas when it was struck by the Norovirus recently, delay embarkation for a day or two to completely sanitize it. Was there a way that Royal Caribbean could have done something to give passengers the option not to go on this cruise and not suffer substantial ticket cost penalties I, and others, felt powerless, captive really, in this very uncomfortable, and un-relaxing environment. We really had no idea of the magnitude of inconvenience, discomfort and reduction in service that the on-board sanitization would cause. The sheer size of these mega ships and the number of people they hold make these virtually small cities. (I can't wait for the next generation of cruise liners to come). This was a no win situation for RCI but I fear it is one that is BOUND to repeat itself. In speaking with some of the supervisory staff on the ship they seemed to feel that there was plenty of protocol information in their procedure books on what to do in this sort of situation but what they don't have a good feel for is how to deal with customer service issues and deliver a good cruise experience while under such conditions; it may well be that this is impossible. Will these things hurt the cruise industry; will they have an adverse impact on mega-ship bookings? We will have to see. Lastly, let me say that what I considered a mediocre cruise due to the circumstances was only made worse when at the last evening's entertainment, Ken Rush, the cruise director, stood on stage and literally berated passengers who he claimed were negative and complaining when in his opinion this was a fabulous cruise. Excuse me Mr. Rush, how much did you pay to take this exceptional cruise? I would have thought a man representing Royal Caribbean would have had more sensitivity to the concerns of families with children and the seniors on board. Oddly enough the week before, Mr. Rush was one of the three crew members that came down with the Norovirus. Fortunately for him he was not in the high risk category for the virus. Let's see what he has to say when he pays for the cruise and brings his parents, grandparents and own small children on board a ship that has Norovirus and feels uneasy the entire trip!
So what can you do if you find your self in this situation, beside try and shoo away that dark-cloud over your head? Actually what should you do to protect yourself on ANY cruise? My best advice to all you cruisers out there is keep washing your hands when on board and watch your children very carefully. Keep a hand sanitizer product with you and use it between washings - it is NOT a substitute for washing but it helps keep potential infection down until you do wash your hands. Also having these hand sanitizers around serves as a good a reminder to keep washing those hands. Also, particularly you ladies, you might want to bring along some hand cream since the alcohol in the sanitizers dries out your skin regardless of what the labels may say!
Will this experience stop me from cruising...absolutely not! In fact Hubby and I are leaving this weekend on the Princess Cruise Lines Caribbean Princess for Eastern Caribbean destinations. You see we're always looking for more adventures and so should you. I must say that I will take all the necessary precautions to avoid the Norovirus but as "Old Blue Eyes" sang ..."THAT'S LIFE....BYE, BYE."
Royal Caribbean’s Fourth of July Sales Event
Book from a wide selection of Royal Caribbean cruises and get up to $400 in savings.
Available sailings range from 3 to 9 nights, to a wide variety of destinations around the world with departures between July and September 2007.
Click below to view the flier from Royal Caribbean with more details. Call us at 888-286-9827 to take advantage of this new sales event.
Royal Caribbean’s July Fourth Sales Event
Carnival Pride to Sail 8 Day Mexican Riviera Cruises Beginning in March 2009
Carnival Cruise Lines’ 2,124-passenger Carnival Pride will operate a series of eight-day cruises from San Diego, Calif., to the Mexican Riviera beginning in March 2009. Featured ports on this itinerary include Acapulco, famous for its sizzling nightlife, excellent beaches, myriad shopping and dining experiences, and death-defying cliff divers; Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, offering a unique combination of a quaint fishing village and world-class resort renowned for crystal-clear waters and gorgeous white-sand beaches; and Manzanillo, offering magnificent beaches and a variety of watersports opportunities.
Carnival Pride will operate the eight-day schedule from San Diego March 22 – April 30, 2009 (the vessel will also operate a seven-day Mexican Riviera cruise from San Diego departing April 23, 2009).
The 88,500-ton Carnival Pride offers a highly memorable vacation experience, with amenities that include a reservations-only supper club located at the top of a soaring nine-deck-high atrium, indoor and outdoor promenades, and 16 lounges and bars, including an elaborate multi-level theater showcasing lavish revues.
Also featured is a wedding chapel, 13,300-square-foot health and fitness center, a full gambling casino, and extensive areas for children’s and teens, part of the line’s top-rated “Camp Carnival” and “Club O2” programs, respectively. In addition to an Internet café, Carnival Pride offers Wi-Fi access and cell phone service.
Carnival Pride also offers a wide range of accommodation categories, including several levels of private balcony staterooms and suites. All of the Pride’s 1,062 staterooms feature the Carnival Comfort Bed sleep system with plush mattresses, luxurious duvets and high quality linens and pillows.
Prior to the start-up of its San Diego-based cruises, Carnival Pride will continue its current schedule of seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, Calif., through the departure of March 15, 2009. The new 3,006-passenger Carnival Splendor will assume the Carnival Pride’s year-round seven-day Mexican Riviera itinerary beginning March 29, 2009.
Reservations are currently being accepted for the Carnival Pride’s Mexican Riviera cruises from San Diego. Prices for the eight-day cruises start at $ 579 per person; the seven-day cruise starts at $479, based on double occupancy. Special discounts for third and fourth guests and round-trip air supplements from dozens of North American gateways are also available.
Seabourn Names Newest Ship Seabourn Odyssey
Seabourn Cruise Line has announced the name that will be given to its new, ultra luxury cruising vessel, presently under construction in Italy. The all-suite, 450-guest ship will be christened Seabourn Odyssey when she debuts in Venice in mid-2009.
Seabourn invited its Seabourn Club, an exceptionally loyal coterie of repeat guests, to participate in the fun by guessing the name before it was announced. With the incentive of a free cruise for two during the new ship’s maiden year for the winner, the contest drew thousands of entries from around the world by mail and email. Over fifty of those entries divined the correct name, and the winners, John and Hazel Coleman of Monaco, were drawn at random from among those who answered correctly.
Beginning last May, more than 8,500 tons of steel is being cut and welded to form the sleek hull and graceful superstructure of the line’s new, $250 million flagship, which, when she is launched, will be the first addition to any fleet in the ultra luxury segment of the cruise industry in six years.
Although three times the size of her smaller 10,000-ton sister ships, Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend, Seabourn Odyssey will carry just over twice as many guests, and boast the same gracious ratio of hospitality staff to guests and among the highest space-per-guest ratios in the cruise industry. In addition, the new vessel will offer more dining options than her sisters, as well as more types of suites, more verandas, more entertainment venues and enhanced spa and recreational facilities.
While Seabourn has yet to announce the first itineraries, there is some information on some incentives the line is offering to passengers interested in the ship's maiden voyages. Click "more" for details.
Plans for maiden year itineraries are still being finalized, but the initial level of interest and excitement prompted Seabourn to devise a system for accepting reservations that will be at once equitable to its loyal guests and supporters, and manageable for the company’s internal staff.
Guests who wish to sail on voyages during the maiden year can secure a spot on a waitlist by making a standard Seabourn deposit of $1,000 per person, or $2,000 per person for the actual maiden voyage. These deposits are being accepted now. Seabourn expects to publish the details of Odyssey’s maiden year schedules by the end of 2007. At that time, waitlisted persons will be notified in advance and given priority booking access, which will allow them to select the specific voyage and accommodation they prefer. These reservations will be accepted according to the following criteria:
Guests who sail with Seabourn in 2007 or 2008 will have first priority. They will be notified in advance and given a two week priority booking window. This will include anyone who books and sails on a cruise departing by the end of 2008.
Past guests of Seabourn who do not sail in 2007 or 2008 will be granted the second priority notification and a second two-week booking access.
A third priority booking period will be available to first-time Seabourn guests who have deposited for the waitlist.
After that, reservations will be accepted from anyone for remaining space on maiden year voyages, based on Seabourn’s standard deposit and booking policies.
Travelers can experience Seabourn’s award-winning style on cruises of seven to 28 days or more in Europe, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Asia, India and Arabia. Cruise itineraries explore landmark ports and lesser-known gems where larger ships cannot go.
2008/09 Princess Australia and Asia Itineraries Announced
From the jeweled palaces of Bangkok and the grandeur of China's Great Wall to the unique wildlife of Tasmania and the towering fjords of New Zealand, each year Princess passengers delight in the many unique destinations offered on cruises to Asia and Australia/New Zealand. The 2008-09 season will be no exception as the line will once again return to these exotic destinations with a full program of sailings, aboard the amenity-filled Diamond Princess. In addition, Sun Princess and Dawn Princess will be based in Australia for a series of unique voyages.
In total, Princess will now offer more than double the Australia and New Zealand capacity of any other cruise line, and will feature more capacity in Asia on voyages longer than 10 days.
The 116,000-ton Diamond Princess will offer 16 Asia and Australia/New Zealand sailings with a choice of five different itineraries traveling to some of the region's most intriguing ports. The season features more departures on the favorite Southeast Asia and China itinerary, and offers several spring sailings in addition to the traditional fall cruise options - representing a 33 percent increase in Asia capacity. A passenger favorite, Diamond Princess will be the largest and most feature-rich vessel sailing in the region, with more than 50 percent of staterooms offering a private balcony, perfect for enjoying the dramatic harbor views found on these itineraries.
Rounding out the program with new options, Sun Princess and Dawn Princess will sail between Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Asia, including an expanded series of cruises around the continent and new home ports in Melbourne and Perth.
"The wonder of Asia and beauty of Australia continue to delight our passengers year after year," said Jan Swartz, Princess' senior vice president of customer service and sales. "We're dedicated to providing our passengers with these rich exotic itineraries that never fail to create memories that last a lifetime."
Click below for more information about these newly announced itineraries. Call us at 888-286-9827 to book onboard.
Australia & New Zealand - Diamond Princess sails on Princess' classic 12-day Australia & New Zealand itinerary between Sydney and Auckland. The ship offers six sailings between December 12, 2008 and February 10, 2009 that visit Melbourne, Hobart (Tasmania), Dunedin, Christchurch, Tauranga and offer scenic cruising through the dramatic Fiordland National Park.
Southeast Asia & China - Diamond Princess features more sailings on this popular 16-day route between Beijing and Bangkok that includes calls at Nagasaki, Shanghai, Okinawa, Taipei, Hong Kong, Nha Trang (Vietnam), Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore. The ship offers six departures, with fall cruises sailing between October 6 and November 7, 2008, as well as spring sailings between March 14 and April 15, 2009.
Australia & Asia - Two options await passengers who want a glimpse of both the wonders of Asia and the dramatic natural attractions of Australia. The first choice, a 19-day Bangkok to Sydney route features Ho Chi Minh City, Kota Kinabalu (Borneo, Malaysia), Singapore, Darwin, Port Douglas, Airlie Beach (for the Great Barrier Reef), and Brisbane. Diamond Princess heads "Down Under" on this itinerary departing November 23, 2008. In spring, passengers can choose to sail from Sydney to Bangkok on a more southern route, featuring calls in Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Exmouth, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and Sihanoukville (Cambodia - for Angkor Wat). This enhanced 20-day adventure departs on February 22, 2009.
Alaska & Far East - A 15- and 16-day day voyage across the top of the Pacific, sailing between Anchorage (Whittier) and Beijing as Diamond Princess takes passengers to Kodiak Island, Sapporo (Japan), Vladivostok, Pusan (Korea), Kagoshima and Dalian (China). The ship sails from Anchorage (Whittier) on September 20, 2008, with a return sailing on a 16-day reverse itinerary departing Beijing on May 1, 2009. Both cruises can be combined with a Gulf of Alaska cruise to make a full 22- or 23-day-day journey, or even an extended 31- or 32-day sailing by adding in a Southeast Asia and China cruise as well.
Sun Princess and Dawn Princess Sail From Australia - In addition to Diamond Princess' program, Princess will also offer a series of special Australia-based cruises aboard Sun Princess and Dawn Princess. In what is Princess' largest Australia program yet, these two ships will offer 32 departures with 242 calls to 82 different ports. Sun Princess, which will make its home in Australia year-round, will be joined by Dawn Princess between October 2008 and March 2009 and together they will offer a unique line-up of cruise options including 28-day cruises around Australia, a new 13-day itinerary to New Zealand, and an eight-day voyage to Tasmania, in addition to a selection of other cruises to the South Pacific, Asia and a variety of Australian ports.
Early booking fares for the 12-day Australia/New Zealand sailings on Diamond Princess begin at $1,595 per person, based on double occupancy. Asia sailings on Diamond Princess start at $2,145 for a 16-day itinerary.
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