How ironic that the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) should report that the incidents of norovirus on ships reached its lowest level for almost 10 years in 2009 just as Fred Olsen was battling with its latest outbreak.
It says there were just 13 outbreaks on ships operating from US ports, down from 34 in 2006, even though more people were cruising.
Somehow I don't think Fred Olsen will take heart from the report. Balmoral and Boudicca were both hit with the vomiting bug during their Christmas and New Year cruises. Cruise Critic says it's the third time in less than a month that passengers have been taken ill on Boudicca.
In a statement, Fred's managing director Mike Rodwell said: "This is just the time of the year when the norovirus, or winter vomiting virus, becomes widespread in the UK, and being highly contagious it can spread very quickly in the confines of a cruise ship."
True. But what about the outbreak on Balmoral in September? Or the outbreak on Marco Polo in last July? He can't blame winter for either of those.
Rather than make meaningless statements, Fred really does need to do something and fast to get the bug in check.
May I suggest a few lessons from the readers of Cruise.co.uk, writing in response to news of the Boudicca Christmas outbreak.
This from Shelledpea:
"This report says a lot about the customers that FO attracts especially as has been pointed out so few staff are coming down with the virus as opposed to the pax! Maybe a quick guide to hand washing i.e hot water, soap, as hot as you can stand for 1 min minimum like in the food trades! Not the quick flick under a cold tap and then longer under the hand dryer that some people do."
This from PropShaft:
"I do feel that the cruise lines should now send everybody an information sheet with the cruise tickets on virus information and basic passenger hygiene, and what is required of passengers during the cruise. Sterile wipes for wiping door handles etc are a good idea, but when we see someone leaving the toilet without washing hands we should call them back and remind them, that they have forgotten. It's our own safety they put at risk."
Cruise.co.uk readers are in no doubt that the bug pops up time and again on Fred ships because its passengers are all rather elderly.
It's true, they are. But if that has a bearing, either because older people are more prone to illness or because they are less concerned about hygiene, why don't Saga, Swan Hellenic, Voyages of Discovery or Spirit of Adventure get regular outbreaks as well?
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Jane Archer
Comments (6)
Balmoral returned to port this morning as planned & will be having a deep clean before going on her world cruise tonight. She has had illness on her cruise that ended today...BUT....she has only had 3 outbreaks over the last 12 months.
Whereas Boudicca ended her last cruise 24 hours early and delaying her next one by 24 hours, thus giving 3 days for extra deep cleaning...she has had 3 outbreaks in the last 6 weeks.
I think the media have been in such a hurry to report the outbreaks & complaints from Boudicca in the Daily Mail that they then muddled the two ships up and basically accused FOCL of being substandard as a whole....the media have had knives out for line anyway recently.
I have also heard from the grapevines that there has been a massive outbreak of noro type illness in Funchal for the last few weeks, which would have had an impact on the ships calling there recently.
Something that would be of interest is that Queen Victoria and Oriana were both in Funchal along with Boudicca last week. I wonder if those two ships had any illness on board...and if we will ever know that they did. Since both firms are owned by CCL and CCL not being very open about such things, unless guests on those ships come out and say anything, we will probably never know if a problem existed or not.
Another thought has crossed my mind...crew shoreleave in Funchal. Boudicca has been to the port 3 times in 6 weeks, the city has had the illness running rife for a similar amount of time, so it is conceivable that the crew did start it off by chance after visiting shore in Funchal and eating is a cafe or whatever.
Posted by Ally Jones | January 8, 2010 8:45 AM
Posted on January 8, 2010 08:45
Just an update...Queen Victoria has indeed got an outbreak of noro type illness. There has been some debate as to whether she will be allowed into NYC this morning, but from what has been said by passengers on board the crew have cancelled all receptions on board and closed down the self service buffets.
So chances are that Oriana & AIDAluna will have had problems too since they were in Funchal with Boudicca and as I said above, the city has been fighting an ongoing battle with noro since the start of December last year.
Some of the crewmembers are from Portugese territory countries and Funchal is where they often disembark during their free time in port and go catch up on the news and generally eat & drink in the many restaurants & cafes there. Add in the few thousand passengers who do the same and that is where you can get heavy proliferations of noro that spread through the ships like wildfire, often multiple outbreaks...such as the case with Boudicca.
Posted by Ally Jones | January 11, 2010 11:18 AM
Posted on January 11, 2010 11:18
Figures released from Cunard yesterday afternoon were that 43 passengers and two crew has norovirus, so a small outbreak so far. I was told absolutely the ship would berth at New York yesterday evening as scheduled and indeed it is there this morning.
Posted by Jane Archer | January 12, 2010 7:12 AM
Posted on January 12, 2010 07:12
Figures released from Cunard yesterday afternoon were that 43 passengers and two crew has norovirus, so a small outbreak so far. I was told absolutely the ship would berth at New York yesterday evening as scheduled and indeed it is there this morning.
Posted by Jane Archer | January 12, 2010 7:13 AM
Posted on January 12, 2010 07:13
The CDC have now provided figures...significantly higher than Cunard suggest...and the early arrival was arranged with CDC...
Cruise Line: Cunard Cruise Line
Cruise Ship: Queen Victoria
Voyage Dates: 01/04 – 01/12
Number of passengers who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of passengers: 179 of 1,874 (9.55%)
Number of ill crew who have reported being ill during the voyage out of total number of crew: 8 of 983 (0.81%)
Predominant symptoms: diarrhea and vomiting
Actions: In response to the outbreak, Cunard Cruise Line and the crew onboard the ship and the Vessel Sanitation Program are taking the following actions:
* 2 of 5 onboard clinical specimens tested for Norovirus were positive, and samples are being collected for CDC lab analysis
* the ship began this first leg of a world cruise in Southampton, England on 4 January and will disembark some 800 passengers in NYC (all sea days - no other ports)
* the ship is attempting to arrive some 18 hours early to the NYC port, weather permitting (1 pm on 11 January)
* VSP will board the ship to evaluate the conditions onboard, but it has not been determined at what port and date (Queen Victoria leaves NYC on 12 January and arrives 15 January in Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale).
* the ship is actively following their outbreak prevention and response procedures to gain control of the outbreak and at least one of the companies public health staff is joining the ship in New York to help with the organization and implementation of the disinfection to be done at the port between cruise segments
* additional cleaners have also been arranged to board the ship on 11 and 12 January
* VSP has requested and is receiving GI reports twice daily from the ship and is awaiting other documentation for review
Posted by Ally Jones | January 12, 2010 11:03 AM
Posted on January 12, 2010 11:03
I was'nt sure I would like this site since it was about Fred battles with tummy bug - again (Cruise Lines) but I was wrong and thought it was cool and found it on AOL . Thanks and I'll be back as you update.
Posted by smith knife sharpeners | May 13, 2010 2:32 AM
Posted on May 13, 2010 02:32