Cruise Newbie

Just a friendly reminder to wash your hands several times a day when on a cruise ship…

The AP is reporting that more than 380 people aboard Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas cruise ship were sickened by the norovirus during a cruise which returned to port in Miami today. It’s suspected that the virus was brought aboard by a passenger upon embarkation on November 26th. Luckily, none of the cases were life-threatening, and the outbreak was relatively small considering that the Freedom of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship, with 3800 passengers aboard.

Norovirus, also known as Norwalk Virus, can produce stomach flu-like symptoms, and severe cases can be fatal for the very young or elderly. The symptoms are generally treated with over-the-counter medications.

With so many people sharing the same facilities day after day, the norovirus is easily spread aboard cruise ships. To help avoid the contracting the virus while cruising, make sure to wash you hands with soap and warm water before and after meals, and each time you return to your cabin. Anti-bacterial hand sanitizing gels such as Purell should also be used throughout the day when more convenient. It may be difficult to stay disciplined about hand-washing when you’re on vacation, but in this case, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of Pepto-Bismol.