Norovirus and Disney?

[SL6827]

I haven't ever heard of a major outbreak of the Norovirus on Disney ships. Wonder why? Is the because of guest behavior with this line or the fact that the buffets are served by the crew? Or something else?

 

[Tripscarcare]

I haven't ever heard of a major outbreak of the Norovirus on Disney ships. Wonder why? Is the because of guest behavior with this line or the fact that the buffets are served by the crew? Or something else?

Guessing that probably helps with the spread, we have a few friends that came back two weeks ago from a Disney cruise. And there kids are small, and surprisingly no one was sick at all. Hoping its the same for our Disney Cruise in a couple months.

 

[SnowWhite2]

Not sure why you haven't heard of a norovirus outbreak on DCL but it happens all the time. DCL will shut down the buffet self service and will be CM served only. The drink stations will be manned by CMs from 7am to midnight. There will be more people wiping down railings and touch surfaces. I've been on several cruises with noro outbreaks. The last day they become less stringent as you are leaving and taking your germs with you.

 

[SL6827]

Not sure why you haven't heard of a norovirus outbreak on DCL but it happens all the time. DCL will shut down the buffet self service and will be CM served only. The drink stations will be manned by CMs from 7am to midnight. There will be more people wiping down railings and touch surfaces. I've been on several cruises with noro outbreaks. The last day they become less stringent as you are leaving and taking your germs with you.

No, I haven't heard of one.

 

[mamaburrito]

They happen more than you think. Little kids are germ spreaders.

 

[lanejudy]

No, I haven't heard of one.

It rarely makes the news. Plus I believe DCL puts measures into place to prevent spread before an “outbreak” gets widespread.

 

[cvjw]

We sailed the fantasy in December and saw so many CM’s with buckets of something washing down handrails and frequently touched surfaces. We sailed 5 weeks on the fantasy last year and that was the only cruise with such obvious cleaning protocols. We have been on other cruises when the ice cream became un-self serve in the middle of the cruise. We knew that norovirus was around!

 

[OKW Lover]

We sailed on the Treasure in January but never visited the buffet. Didn't notice any special precautions about norovirus other than the usual washing of hands or towelettes at the entrance to the restaurants.

 

[John VN]

It has ---

Disney Wonder
In 2016, 145 passengers and 14 crew members on the Disney Wonder fell ill with norovirus

 

[happycamper47]

Just got off the Fantasy and they were wiping everything (elevator buttons, hand rails, most touched stuff, etc) constantly, which they usually do all the time anyway. So that would definitely help prevent the spread.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Every single cruise line aggressively cleans, which is why you’re statistically more likely to catch notorious at a local restaurant than on a cruise ship. That Disney had only 4 ships in its fleet until recently, has a lot to do with why you don’t hear their name that often.

It’s just a DISBoard myth that DCL cruises are more clean. Royal’s Oasis class ships have almost 10,000 people on them, have been in service for nearly two decades and have had only a few small outbreaks. That’s extremely impressive.

You’re far more likely to wind up with the cold, flu or COVID. I’ve gotten respiratory Infections on 6/7 last cruises, including a 30-day earache. I would much rather have norlvirus.

 

[SL6827]

Is there a time of the year that Norovirus is more prevelant?

 

[FastPasser.]

Got Covid during a Fantasy cruise but nothing on RCCL’s super ship, the Wonder of the Seas. Go figure.

 

[lanejudy]

Is there a time of the year that Norovirus is more prevelant?

Winter, like many other cold/flu-type illnesses, but it can occur anytime. You do realize norovirus isn’t just on cruise ships, right? Every year there are outbreaks at schools, nursing homes, daycares, and anywhere large numbers of people gather.

 

[ThinkTink91]

Breakouts do happen, I was very lucky in my 10 contracts not to experience a breakout (one of the few perks of the 3/4 day rotation, not enough time for a breakout to happen) I WAS onboard in March of 2020 though and I'll tell you I smelled like bleach my last 3 weeks onboard. We had someone scheduled to constantly clean from open to close.

USPH inspects cruise ships in American ports twice yearly (no notice is given, it's a surprise when they show up) if you're curious about your cruise ships score you can google VSP scores (it's a CDC website) and you can see what they got. A pass is 86. DCLs most recent scores range from 96-100.

 

[TiggerKing]

Came down with Noro on the last night of our DCL Eastern Meditteranean back in 2008. I wasn't the only one in the infirmary. An RCL ship actually brought it into port in St. Thomas. That was the sickest I have ever been. Had to spend two days in a hotel near Port Canaveral before I could travel home.

 

[pjacobi]

Here is a link to CDC reports on Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships:

https://www.cdc.gov/vessel-sanitation/cruise-ship-outbreaks/

Outbreaks are only reported to the CDC if the rate is above 3%. If *you* get Noro and only a few other people get it on your cruise, it will not be reported to CDC.

You might be confined to your cabin for the duration of the cruise. Some travel insurances may cover "confined to cabin" case for extra fee.


-Paul

 

[SL6827]

Here is a link to CDC reports on Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships:

https://www.cdc.gov/vessel-sanitation/cruise-ship-outbreaks/

Outbreaks are only reported to the CDC if the rate is above 3%. If *you* get Noro and only a few other people get it on your cruise, it will not be reported to CDC.

You might be confined to your cabin for the duration of the cruise. Some travel insurances may cover "confined to cabin" case for extra fee.


-Paul

Cool. Thanks. Interesting info. I looked at the past few years, didn't see Disney on the list, but they may still have had some cases.

 

[vakamalua]

in addition to Noro, there are often outbreaks of airborne respiratory viruses. The theater & dining rooms are often a chorus of coughs & sniffles. In 15 DCL cruises, we have left the ship several times with terrible cough & cold symptoms that twice have become bronchitis. The newer DCL ships have even more opportunities for airborne transmission since there are fewer, crowded elevators, large gatherings in the atrium & dining rooms with the tables so close you can barely walk between them.