Topic: Norovirus on Aurora!

We were on the Christmas/New Year cruise on Aurora.

I am sure someone in the cabin just up the corridor from us had the bug. Food was delivered to their cabin using disposable cutlery and paper plates. We saw the cabin being disinfected. I think the hand rails and lift buttons are what need to be cleaned to prevent the spread. We always use a paper towel to open the lavatory doors.

Hi hope the problem if sorted by march as we are picking up the ship in singapore to capetown, any advice??????

QUOTE:

We were on the Christmas/New Year cruise on Aurora.

I am sure someone in the cabin just up the corridor from us had the bug. Food was delivered to their cabin using disposable cutlery and paper plates. We saw the cabin being disinfected. I think the hand rails and lift buttons are what need to be cleaned to prevent the spread. We always use a paper towel to open the lavatory doors.

I'm sure your'e right. With half a million cases reported in the UK I would expect every cruise ship to have some passengers incubating the disease when embarking. In this respect I feel very sorry for Fred Olsen who get pilloried by the media but are as far as I know the only company who are totally up front and keep all passengers fully informed and updated from the first case - not a practice of most cruise lines who to my own knowledge try to keep things quiet!

We have just come off the Equinox and there was an outbreak on there. 4 days before the end of the cruise the ship went to stage 2 (code red) and all self service in the buffet was stopped. Everybody having to ask a crew member for their chosen food items.
All condiments were removed from the dinning room tables and the bread and butter was taken round and served by the waiters and not left on the table.
There was an announcement from the Captain too who urged everyone to use the sanitisers more frequently and make sure their hands were clean. The crew were extremely busy cleaning just about every conceivable hard surface available including every sunbed handle.
It just amazes me that there are still people who despite hearing all these warnings still think they are not at risk or to blame.

No mention anywhere in the media about this outbreak.

Well, good on you rovin' roger - first person I've seen admitted they have an inside cabin, I get a bit fed up with so many who tell us about concierge class, suites and balconies. Join us on the lower decks sometime, it's just as much fun! Thanks Roger, have a great trip.
Gordy

If you saw the 'Mighty Ships' programme on UK Sky TV about Queen Mary 2 a couple of weeks back they showed how they handle a case of Noro virus. Including a complete sanitisation of a cabin, all bedding, towels taken away in dissolvable bags and into a special high temp washing machine and a deep clean on any public spaces that passenger may have used.

They seem to be getting very hot at handling these cases, but agree with the point it's lunacy for a passenger to board if they have any of the symptoms.

We went on the 2008 Aurora world cruise and the norovirus was no where to be seen , I am sorry It has reared its ugly head on your world cruise, I hope you do enjoy your world cruise , we had a wonderful time so much so we are going again next year on the Aurora. As for the pirates well from OZ up to HK plenty of security and all sorts of rumors but thank goodness no sign of a pirate. The Daily Mail stated yesterday that hospitals were struggling with virus and 500,000 people had actually caught the virus and 140 wards had closed down, seems like a few boarded the Aurora, happy cruising.

QUOTE:

Well, good on you rovin' roger - first person I've seen admitted they have an inside cabin, I get a bit fed up with so many who tell us about concierge class, suites and balconies. Join us on the lower decks sometime, it's just as much fun! Thanks Roger, have a great trip.
Gordy

Hey! I always book an inside love the privacy and it’s great for my afternoon nap.:D
The money we save goes towards excursions and the odd spar treatment for SWMBO

My husband and I sailed on QM2 last year. March through to April Singapore to Southamton on the third leg of the World cruise. When we boarded in Singapore, 24 hrs later Norovirus broke out! Rumour had it that it was carried on from a BA flight from Manchester. We were on a BA flight from Manchester, but there was also two other flights from Manchester/ Singapore leaving the the same time.
Within two days the ship was infected with the Norovirus. It lasted about two weeks and over 250 passengers were confined to their rooms. Cunard did a great clean up job! Apart from the usual do not serve yourself for tea or coffee or touch anything in the buffet area, they had a mass cleaning operation taking place. All walls from floor to ceiling, left to right,top to bottom, were cleaned each day. All handrails,skirting boards, walls mirrors and paintings were sanitizes. All publc toilet doors where left open.
( Not the cubicles) all public areas were cleaned and cleaned again.
Captain Bates was very good and each day at noon gave an update of the situation.
I myself was more than concerned as I did not want to catch this dreaded bug. I was unfortunate to have caught the Norovirus a year earlier on QE2. I was struck down with it very quickly and with no prior symptoms. One minute I was OK and the next I was chucking up and the next I had the other to follow. I did not know if I was dead or alive!The Doctor came and I was given an injection and confined to quarters for three days.
I missed the most important port calls of our voyage. So did my husband as he had to stay with me.
The thing with this bug is it spreads like wild fire. You are confined to your room for at least 36 hours you can not on no condition leave your room. The room is fumigated.
Trained staff came along and removed all bedding etc.they cleaned the whole room and this was 2-0am.They wear white masks and overshoes and I was made to feel like a prisioner and told under no conditions must I leave my room. When I felt better they came and did a total fumigation on everything we owned and all that was in our room.
On Queen Mary 2 I heard a rumour that passengers left the ship to go on shore excursions. Rumour says they were PUT OFF of the ship.
I can not qualifiy this but I know that Cunard take it very serious. On QM2 I never got ill (thank God) but I was prepared. I had bought lots of sanitizing hand stuff and I take immune boosting tablets. Plus I was well armed with medication for the effects of the
bug.
I live in Cyprus and you can buy medication over the counter so I was well armed. Plus the fact I now know the virus is airborne so really no matter what hapens if you are prone to it you will get it. All I now try to do is keep myself healthy and I take immune boosters and eat the correct food and build my ressistance.
I work in a 5 star spa resort, four months ago I had the same symptoms and ended up in the clinic here in Cyprus. I was diagnosed with Gastroenteritis. I was told this is an airborne virus. I was told this can to anywhere there are groups of people.
I must say I can undertand people not wanting to own up to being unwell on entering the ship. However if one does feel unwell it is only fair to your fellow passengers to try to steer clear of human contact. I myself felt dissapointed at missing out main port of call and can understand anyone wanting to go on a port call if they are feeling a bit better. However rules state that you have to be confined for 36 hours. lets hope you all stay fit and healthy.

Maggie In Sunny Cyprus