Passengers protest on cruise ship hit by vomit bug (From Daily Echo)
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Two protest meetings held by passengers on P&O's Oriana over norovirus outbreak
7:14am Wednesday 12th December 2012 in News
Passengers protest on cruise ship hit by vomit bug
PASSENGERS on board a Southamptonbased cruise ship have held two protest meetings amid claims that hundreds have been struck down with a vomiting bug.
P&O’s Oriana has been hit by an outbreak of norovirus on a cruise around the Baltic.
Travellers on board the ship, which is currebtly in Hamburg and is due to return to Southampton on Friday, have contacted the Daily Echo claiming there are more than 400 people who have fallen ill with sickness and diarrhoea.
But P&O’s parent company, Carnival, says there have only been nine recorded cases of the stomach bug, Passenger Chris Meadows from Southampton said that voyagers were only informed there was norovirus on board after they had checked in for the cruise, which left Southampton on Tuesday, December 4.
He said the buffet restaurant had been closed since the second night and crew had been dictating where and when passengers could eat.
He even described how one female passenger returned to her cabin to find her steward vomiting into her toilet bowl.
Chris, who is travelling with partner Vanessa Herrington, added: “Onboard events and activities have been greatly reduced, leaving us with very little to do and spending most of our time in our cabins.
“It is estimated that over 400 people have been stuck down with the virus, with a minimum time of 48 hours being confined in their cabin.
“However, partners of those who are affected and not ill are free to come and go from quarantined cabins thus potentially spreading the virus to others.
“This is my first ever cruise and my partner’s 19th cruise.
She has never experienced such a horrendous holiday, and it has left me wanting to be back home and not wanting to set foot on another cruise ship in fear of another disastrous holiday.”
A Carnival spokesman told the Daily Echo: “There are 1,843 passengers on board, the number of passengers with active symptoms today [Tuesday] is nine.
“As is currently standard procedure across our fleet, all the ship’s passengers were provided with a precautionary health notice advising of widespread norovirus activity and the health measures to avoid contraction and spread, both on board and whilst ashore.
“The captain is regularly updating the passengers and crew on the situation and advising passengers with gastrointestinal symptoms to report to the medical centre.
“Unwell passengers are asked to comply with the doctor’s instructions and isolate themselves in their cabin until non-contagious.”
P&O Cruises has promised to refund all medical expenses incurred in relation to the illness.
Comments(29)
EarlyRiser
says...
7:48am Wed 12 Dec 12
so a few people have the raving hab dabs, so what
There's Always Been Ethel
says...
8:25am Wed 12 Dec 12
OSPREYSAINT
says...
8:29am Wed 12 Dec 12
Linesman
says...
8:44am Wed 12 Dec 12
Could this be a reason why they want to move to Liverpool?
Rockhopper
says...
8:55am Wed 12 Dec 12
spread.
Never been my choice of a holiday...
Of the Ilk
says...
9:00am Wed 12 Dec 12
A good regime of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating will certianly reduce the spread.
Perhaps the passengers should take some of the responsibility.
Big Mac
says...
9:06am Wed 12 Dec 12
Of the Ilk has got it right.
MGRA
says...
9:36am Wed 12 Dec 12
Of the Ilk wrote:you can suggest it but of course you are completely wrong. The reason Noro spreads on cruise ships, hospitals and holiday complexes is simply because of the way water is used/stored and the close proximity of the passengers. Couple this with the incubation period for the virus of about 8-10 hours and you have a situation whereby many are infected before anyone knows there is a problem. Its a winter problem because its spread in confined spaces easily and in the summer people are out more ( on cruise ships too ). Its a hazard of cruising and if you want to be 100% sure of avoiding it, go hiking in scotland instead where your chances of getting Noro in the winter are about 1,000,000 times less likely.
Dare I suggest that poor personal hygene is the main reason why these viruses spread.
A good regime of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating will certianly reduce the spread.
Perhaps the passengers should take some of the responsibility.
sotonwinch09
says...
9:39am Wed 12 Dec 12
News Fanatic
says...
10:25am Wed 12 Dec 12
Of the Ilk wrote:I have read numerous reports on cruise websites of people refusing to apply handcleaning gel when entering restaurants. Some people have seen people leave toilets without washing their hands, then go in to a restaurant again without applying gel. Unfortunately it is the inconsiderate minority who ruin the holidays of many. What can cruise operators do?
Dare I suggest that poor personal hygene is the main reason why these viruses spread.
A good regime of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating will certianly reduce the spread.
Perhaps the passengers should take some of the responsibility.
southy
says...
11:11am Wed 12 Dec 12
News Fanatic wrote:So what was the old passenger liners doing right when they had a 90% British Crew, there was no hand gel back then.
Of the Ilk wrote:I have read numerous reports on cruise websites of people refusing to apply handcleaning gel when entering restaurants. Some people have seen people leave toilets without washing their hands, then go in to a restaurant again without applying gel. Unfortunately it is the inconsiderate minority who ruin the holidays of many. What can cruise operators do?
Dare I suggest that poor personal hygene is the main reason why these viruses spread.
A good regime of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating will certianly reduce the spread.
Perhaps the passengers should take some of the responsibility.
S Pance
says...
11:41am Wed 12 Dec 12
Seems sensible to me. It works.
Why can't cruise lines implement them, or is it somehow beneath them to poach an idea from a holiday camp?
espanuel
says...
11:41am Wed 12 Dec 12
Big Mac
says...
11:49am Wed 12 Dec 12
Nine out of 1,843 stated by the spokesperson of Carnival – and they are hardly going to be telling anything other than the truth.
I've witnessed it first hand(sic) and most lazy lardar5es can't even be bother to adhere to the hygiene advise, let alone use it.
AndyAndrews
says...
12:09pm Wed 12 Dec 12
southy
says...
1:31pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Big Mac wrote:Even in the 60's and 70's it would off been reported, they was more open to public than they are now, I can remember a ship being put into Quaratine because of a American Girl had German Measels.
No sickness reported in the 60's because no internet/media scaremongery to blow it out of proportion.
Nine out of 1,843 stated by the spokesperson of Carnival – and they are hardly going to be telling anything other than the truth.
I've witnessed it first hand(sic) and most lazy lardar5es can't even be bother to adhere to the hygiene advise, let alone use it.
News Fanatic
says...
1:44pm Wed 12 Dec 12
southy wrote:There were probably no help yourself buffet restaurants on cruise ships when the crews were all-British. These buffets are the first to be closed or restricted when there is a bug outbreak. Also, cruise ships were much smaller in those days - Independence of the Seas which operates from Southampton carries 5,000 passengers. The more passengers, the greater the risk.
News Fanatic wrote:So what was the old passenger liners doing right when they had a 90% British Crew, there was no hand gel back then.
Of the Ilk wrote:I have read numerous reports on cruise websites of people refusing to apply handcleaning gel when entering restaurants. Some people have seen people leave toilets without washing their hands, then go in to a restaurant again without applying gel. Unfortunately it is the inconsiderate minority who ruin the holidays of many. What can cruise operators do?
Dare I suggest that poor personal hygene is the main reason why these viruses spread.
A good regime of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating will certianly reduce the spread.
Perhaps the passengers should take some of the responsibility.
bazzeroz
says...
1:45pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Rockhopper wrote:Quite right and, that doesn't include the crew. You wouldn't catch me on one of them blocks of flats, oh no!
When you are isolated at sea with 1843 on board a cruise ship it is not surprising any illness/virus can be easily
spread.
Never been my choice of a holiday...
Stephen J
says...
1:47pm Wed 12 Dec 12
espanuel wrote:There has always been sickness at sea, even in the 'old days' and even on the best-run British vessels. In the '60s the biggest risk for liner and cruise passengers was probably food poisoning, or other bacteria-related infection, and it was a serious problem that had to be tackled. But with improvements in understanding and hygiene these risks have dropped considerably. Why no norovirus in the old days? Because it's a virus - it mutates itself into existence - and the first recorded cases weren't until the 1970s. If norovirus had been around on liners in the ‘60s, rates of infection would probably have been far higher than they are on any of today’s cruise ships.
Southy, for once I have to agree with you. When I sailed in the 60s on cruise liners there was non of this sickness and as you say no hand gel. The only sickness you had from passengers was sea sickness in rough weather. The QE/QM sailed on cruises with 1400 passengers and 1200 crew, no sickness then and not until the 90s did this problem start. And yes P&O did have Goanese for crew on there ships in the 60s and still have to this day.
sass
says...
2:12pm Wed 12 Dec 12
News Fanatic wrote:They can hand out disposable latex gloves instead. If I gel my hands on the way in to a buffet it doesn't kill what ever I pick up afterwards.
Of the Ilk wrote: Dare I suggest that poor personal hygene is the main reason why these viruses spread. A good regime of hand washing after using the toilet and before eating will certianly reduce the spread. Perhaps the passengers should take some of the responsibility.I have read numerous reports on cruise websites of people refusing to apply handcleaning gel when entering restaurants. Some people have seen people leave toilets without washing their hands, then go in to a restaurant again without applying gel. Unfortunately it is the inconsiderate minority who ruin the holidays of many. What can cruise operators do?
Smart Bomb
says...
2:56pm Wed 12 Dec 12
georgetheseventh
says...
3:31pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Smart Bomb wrote:This is most likely caused by drinking water taken on board that has come in contact with sewage.
The sad truth to this is that the ship was infected on at least the previous cruise (to Grand Canaria) and maybe the one before that. People were ambulanced off at Lisbon and again at Southampton when it returned the morning of 4th Dec. But by that very same afternoon, she was sailing again.
Its enough to make you throw up.
I like the way peeps on here are so sympathetic also enough to make you want to throw up...innit.
georgetheseventh
says...
3:32pm Wed 12 Dec 12
OSPREYSAINT wrote:You mean..'throwing' this up..innit.
I don't know why they keep bringing this up.
AD07881
says...
4:35pm Wed 12 Dec 12
That's why I think this story is here
cantthinkofone
says...
4:41pm Wed 12 Dec 12
There was a story earlier this year where the passengers were complaining of an outbreak of gastroentiritus. Their complaint was far more valid.
100%HANTSBOY
says...
5:42pm Wed 12 Dec 12
Linesman wrote:Who wants to move to Liverpool? P&O?
Another Southampton cruise ship with the virus.
Could this be a reason why they want to move to Liverpool?
IronLady2010
says...
6:57pm Wed 12 Dec 12
I know when we return from India we all get sprayed before take off on the aircraft. Must be cheaper than dealing with compensation claims.
bazzeroz
says...
9:26pm Wed 12 Dec 12
AD07881 wrote:You must be an 'older person' then, lol.
Older people get ill a lot. Older people go on cruises a lot. Older people complain a lot.
That's why I think this story is here
hulla baloo says...
7:30am Wed 12 Dec 12