One word that strikes fear into cruisers.
You’ve seen the stories in the news about boatloads of people becoming sick with the gastro bug that makes its way through cruise ships quicker than bed bugs in a cheap hotel. Since January, the Centers for Disease Control have listed Norovirus as the cause of 3 of 5 outbreaks on ships.
While many consider norovirus a cruise ship bug, it’s not limited to ships. Norovirus outbreaks occur in schools, nursing homes, dormitories… just about anywhere you have a large number of people coming in contact with each other. But because cruise lines are required to report norovirus outbreaks when 3% or more of passengers or crew report symptoms, outbreaks on the high seas usually gets media attention.
Norovirus comes on quick, fast and without warning and is easily transmitted from person to person by coming in contact with bodily fluids, contaminated surfaces or airborne particles emanating from the sick individual. Symptoms are, well, pretty foul but usually go away withing a few days.
Nobody wants to spend their hard-earned vacation time confined to their stateroom when on a cruise, so there are several things one can do to keep the dreaded norovirus at bay.
Wash your hands! Perhaps the simplest means of avoiding catching the bug is to wash your hands with warm, soapy water for 20 seconds – the amount of time it takes to sing Happy Birthday. I’m always amazed at the number of people, on land and sea, who use the rest room without washing their hands. Pretty gross, but this is the most popular way norovirus spreads. When you’re on a cruise ship, you’re going to be touching plenty of surfaces that thousands of others have touched, so wash your hands!
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Nqw5IZKQ3HI/VHzghY0z5eI/AAAAAAAA13I/3TFerkE6aYo/s144-c-o/IMG_4943.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115993125735820548294/QuantumOfTheSeasNovember23December12014#6087987660502328802″ caption=”Handwashing stations in the Windjammer Marketplace on Quantum of the Seas” type=”image” alt=”IMG_4943.JPG” ]
When on Holland America Line’s ms Veendam, there were fancy automatic hand sanitizing machines at the buffet entrance. Hand sanitizers are there for a reason, use them.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-6h46Wicy2Mc/U2Kek_t80JI/AAAAAAAAsBM/XXRrA0c4Wxo/s144-c-o/IMAGE_2317.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115993125735820548294/MsVeendamEasternCaribbeanApril24May12014#6008539211282305170″ caption=”Handwashing stations on the ms Veendam” type=”image” alt=”IMAGE_2317.jpg” ]
Avoid the buffet. Yeah, I know… you’re on a cruise how can one possibly avoid the buffet? Well, avoiding touching the serving utensils that thousands before you have used to fill their plate with goodness from the galley is tough, but those things are full of germs. Not everyone entering the buffet washed their hands or used the sanitizers, but they’re touching the utensils you’re about to use. Here’s what I do when I hit the buffet. I use the sanitizers on the way in, gather up my food, drop it off at a table, then go back to the hand sanitizer and give myself a good hand scrubbing before diving in. I’m also known to carry a pocket sized bottle of Purell with me for these times as well.
Watch the condiments. Salt and pepper shakers, ketchup bottles, etc on the tables may not have been sanitized properly before you sat down to enjoy your food. Be cautious when using them, or ask for single-serve packs of your favorite condiments and flavor enhancers. I don’t like to handle ketchup bottles or shakers in land-based restaurants, and always go the single-serve route whenever possible. This is another reason why that little pocket size bottle of Purell comes in handy.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uK6H4HjJZ0s/VJXdW_blEcI/AAAAAAAA1Ak/e3z7d0dIVsQ/s144-c-o/IMG_5958.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115993125735820548294/MSCDivinaDecember13202014#6095021057769804226″ caption=”No salt and pepper shakers on the MSC Divina” type=”image” alt=”IMG_5958.JPG” ]
Pack a zip bag with you. For what? The remote control. Yep. I keep a bag in my suitcase whenever I travel on land or sea. The remote control is full of germs and the first thing I do when I arrive in a hotel or cruise ship is pop that baby into the zip lock bag so I don’t have to touch those dirty buttons. Cruise ships and hotels do follow strict sanitizing guidelines for remotes, but they’re still a little too germy for my comfort level.
Avoid the public restrooms. I don’t like public restrooms to begin with, so this isn’t an issue for me. Being on a ship, your stateroom isn’t miles away, so when you have to go, choose your own bathroom over a public restroom. If that’s a little too far-fetched for you, re-read number 1 above!
I have been on cruises where a norovirus outbreak occurred. The last being during a Panama Canal cruise where the cause was traced back to contaminated ice that was served at a popular beach bar during one of our port stops. Precautions were taken onboard to limit the exposure to other passengers, and the captain kept us up to date everyday on the number of ill passengers.
When an outbreak occurs on a ship, there are very strict procedures put in place as far as cleaning and sanitation is concerned as well as limiting self-service in the buffet. Minor inconveniences, but well worth it. The infected passengers are quarantined in their stateroom to avoid having contact with others, as noro spreads very rapidly.
[pe2-image src=”http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9CZ05BbSl4c/UrSMnb16P0I/AAAAAAAAr2c/1798mI-g3V8/s144-c-o/IMAGE_431.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/115993125735820548294/MsZuiderdamPanamaCanalCruiseDecember9202013HollandAmericaLine#5959542816034668354″ caption=”Stateroom door handles are sprayed with disinfectant during a norovirus outbreak” type=”image” alt=”IMAGE_431.jpg” ]
It’s important that if you see someone get sick, or you exhibit symptoms yourself, that you immediately call the medical center onboard rather than try to hide your sickness for fear of being quarantined. With the rapid rate noro can whip through a closed environment like a cruise ship, limiting your exposure to others is extremely important and is a huge consideration for your fellow passengers.
Proper hygiene is key to keeping yourself healthy at sea.