> Cruiselines F-P > Fred Olsen Cruises > Boudicca cruise cut short: It's a Norovirus nightmare

Update 22/4 - Statement received from Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines.

19/4 - Reliable sources have revealed that Boudicca's current cruise has been cut short after a yet another case of Norovirus.

Details are yet to be released, and Fred. Olsen haven't had the chance to comment. When we have more information we will post it here.

Boudicca has a bit of a track record when it comes to the dreaded gastro bug.

Let's hope Fred.Olsen give her an almighty good going over with the milton & flash this time...

How can Fred. Olsen tackle this problem once and for all??? Especially if, as a number have members have mentioned before, it's largely down to passenger personal hygiene??

How about washroom attendants to make sure passengers wash their hands before they leave?

Any more ideas anyone?

Relying on 100% of passengers to conform to the hand sanitizers is a complete waste of time.

I was on the Legend this time last year when when half the world was going to be wiped out with the latest flu epidemic.

You could not go into any restaurant anytime of day or night without someone in attendance at the entrance insisting you use the gel or wipes.

It's down to the cruise lines to enforce it.........Big Time

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Wilba

Fred Olsen enforces it at every eating place. In fact they are the only cruise line that I have been on that does so - all the others leave it up to choice and you can guess what some passengers choose.

Hi Robinson. I was looking on a few sites today and one mentioned that
noro had been on board. We keep saying that people use the bathrooms and rush for the door without washing their hands. I was thinking the same question as yourself (re attendants in washrooms).
This would mean more staff needed to cover all areas across the ship. On one ship the passengers were requested to use their own bathrooms whenever possible. As the cruise/liners use antibac to cut Noro down,this is not much use as said before Noro is a virus. I have been looking in the shops and products and all are anti bac and not antiviral. If the industry could produce an antiviral handwash then we would be nearer to keep the virus at bay.
EDNA

They have been in this situation many times - scrubbing down the ship; passengers changeover but one thing remains - the crew. On a process of elimination, if this keeps recurring then surely the answer lies in the fact that its not the hygiene of the passengers. Could it possibly be that its being passed on in some form/ way or other by the crew?

As the cruise/liners use antibac to cut Noro down,this is not much use as said before Noro is a virus. I have been looking in the shops and products and all are anti bac and not antiviral. If the industry could produce an antiviral handwash then we would be nearer to keep the virus at bay.
EDNA[/QUOTE]

It is possible to buy anti viral products I was looking at exactly that in Boots this morning ! Anti viral and anti bacterial hand gel....so it is on the market.

I think Thomson seem to have a good routine where they have someone at the gangway to make sure you use the gel before boarding....also when we were on recently the trips in Egypt had a crew member spraying each passengers hands as they returned to the coach....they also have the machines at each eating place....We have noticed in the past that they will serve the food in the buffet rather than everyone handling the utensils, but this was not the case on our most recent cruise with them.
We don't hear of them having problems with Norovirus !

You cannot get onto a Fred ship without being skooshed, and the same for any eateries. Last time we were aboard you were skooshed getting on and off the excursion coaches. They have it down to a fine art and still have problems - what else can they do?? The passengers have some responsibility.

I so agree Tiggertom. FO. are the strictest we have ever encountered.But they were the only one my OH. had the dreaded bug on. WHY? Carol

In fairness to Fred, I'm sure the company must be doing all that is humanly possible to eradicate Nora from their ships. Boudicca has had a few outbreaks now and it's not good for their reputation-obviously.
Short of the ship being 'policed' at every turn, I'm not sure what more they can do.

It is such a shame, cos your OH probably followed all the rules and it still happened!! What a shame