Thread: Brilliance Transatlantic Crossing has Noro Virus

Ken, you got it right. Double yuck!

Thanks Hanna, It's gross really.

I agree its really scary and rather yuck how the germs are transferred. I work as at an airport in the Uk in physical contact with hundreds/thousands of passengers a day (and their luggage) - I have seen the hand cleansers near our workstation but have never been told how often to use it!! Hence I could be passing on the bugs and they could end up anywhere - really frightening stuff!!! I think something needs to be done - guidance at least on what to do.

One thing this particular article didn't mention: according to CDC, infected humans begin shedding the virus through stool before symptoms occur. The viral load/shedding apparently can begin mere HOURS after infection!

OK, everyone go wash your hands NOW!

I was on this cruise and find it hard to believe that 130 people were taken in the tenders for medical treatement. This would have been the talk of the cruise if true and we heard nothing of the sort. Also my husband required medical treatment during the cruise for other reasons and we became quite familiar with the medical staff. According to them, there was an outbreak of a virus but it was not Norwalk. Of course, people were still ill but.

Nana, I am so happy you posted this info. We love to get all the facts here, but since we are still growing, we don't always get "live" info.

Welcome to CLF!!!! Be sure to introduce yourself ("Hi I 'm Nana20904" is sufficient!) on the introductions board, so others can welcome you too.

Having just returned from a cruise in the Med there was a minor outbreak of norwalk and passengers were confined to their cabins for 48 hours.

The majority of outbreaks are brought onto the ships by us passengers who maybe work in hospitals, schools etc.

Cruise lines need to implement anti-bacterial hand gels prior to entering food areas, bar areas and dis/embarkation areas.

The cruise line I travelled with had specialist cleaners who went throught the ship 3-4 times a day to spray all door handles, lifts etc as this "bug" can spread like wildfire.

It would certainly be easy to have people removed from the ship without passengers knowing. I noticed lots of luggage on the dock when we were tendered into Villefranche. My wife speculated that people had left the cruise at that port.

Additionally, I've read so many people blaming passengers for bringing the virus aboard on other ships. Is it so hard to believe that food poisoning is been caused by improper food handling or contaminated food? This cruise we're referring to had been at sea for 7 days prior to the outbreak, so it would have shown up much earlier if someone had brought it aboard. Furthermore, once everyone was warned about the outbreak, no one was allowed in the eating area without using the hand sanitizers, handrails and high touch areas had been repeatedly cleaned and people weren't shaking hands. None the less, people kept getting sick. It seems pretty clear that this was caused by something introduced into the food supply.

I've been plenty sick in my lifetime, but whatever hit me on the Brilliance of the Seas was something special. I will always maintain that it was something I ate.

Ignatz, I suspect that when many people get sick on ships, there's more than one reason. On my last cruise, I had terrible cramps. Afterward I realized it was because I was eating many more vegetarian meals (so many good ones). If you change your diet for more than a few days, that can affect you. Being around sick people can affect you. Eating new foods that your system isn't used to can make you feel bad too.

I am very ready to believe that you ate something that didn't agree with you - whether due to poor food handling or not - and that others on the ship could have had the virus.

The main thing is that everyone is getting better - I hope!