Sick After Dream Cruise

[Anchors Away 2016]

nd how many germs are we collecting while holding (aka "wiping") our hands down the rail while taking the stairs?

I feel it important to provide a different point of view here. Holding the handrail while going up and down stairs is a VERY effective way to reduce the risk of falls, and falls are a serious risk, just as sickness is. You can wash your hands before you eat, and keep your hands away from your face, but if you don't hold the handrail on the stairs, I guess slowing down is one way to compensate. I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do, I'm just saying you have to weigh the risks. In my opinion, the risk and consequence of falling down the stairs is greater than the risk of getting sick by touching the railings.

 

[wombat_5606]

Oh my goodness; I NEVER touch the railings on the ship! Or elevator buttons. And I always use a paper towel to turn off faucets (and my elbow to turn them on and get the paper towel if a lever is needed). Disney is good about having doors that push open (elbow) to exit the restrooms and trash cans right by the exit for people like me who use the paper towel to touch anything after washing! Tongs at buffets... that's a toughie! Maybe I'll use a saniwipe. lol

I always use the wipe they hand out, wipe my hands and then keep it with me to use again after I've been through the buffet line and used the drink dispenser.

 

[IBelieveInTheMagic]

Remember too - once any "outbreak" reaches a certain level, DCL will start to incorporate a lot of these guidelines themselves. For example, the menus will get wiped down, they will serve food, etc. When they would offer the galley tours, they'd show there is a sign posted for the different levels (I have a picture somewhere) and several items are referenced and if I remember it goes by green, yellow, then red. It's been awhile since I looked the pictures of the different steps/guidelines however.

I think most people try and do what they can to prevent getting sick but I also believe sometimes, it's just your turn or time and it happens. Hope everyone is feeling better soon.

Heather

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I feel it important to provide a different point of view here. Holding the handrail while going up and down stairs is a VERY effective way to reduce the risk of falls, and falls are a serious risk, just as sickness is. You can wash your hands before you eat, and keep your hands away from your face, but if you don't hold the handrail on the stairs, I guess slowing down is one way to compensate. I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do, I'm just saying you have to weigh the risks. In my opinion, the risk and consequence of falling down the stairs is greater than the risk of getting sick by touching the railings.

What i actually do is lean my bent arm on the railing, and as I walk, i slide the side of my arm down the banister. I am prob not being clear, but it gives me the ability to grab the railing if i feel unsteady. I actually do this at home, too (not for fear of germs, but I usually have my hands full as I run up and down the stairs ). Works for me at home bc i always do feel like i may fall esp when I'm wearing just socks on the wood stairs. I know it might sound odd, and i never really thought about it, but that is what I do!

 

[Frozen2014]

DS and I got noro at home last year. Sure changed our hand-washing habits! How embarrassing it was for us, to get an illness that showed our friends that we don't always wash our hands before we eat!

Because it doesn't matter even a little bit what other people do, but the thing that will prevent US from getting sick is if WE wash our hands before putting our hands to our faces. Keeps me from eating fingerfoods and rolls if I've had to serve myself with tongs etc, but that's no problem.

That bout of noro shamed us into better hand-washing habits. Thanks noro!

Hand washing is definitely essential. However I must say it is no guarantee. Back in November, norovirus was going through my kids school. One kid got it. Then 6 days later the next. I was home with both when they were sick, but I was constantly washing my hands...everytime I touched them, everytime I washed their plates, etc, everytime I touched a light switch, tap, etc. I also constantly lysolled all door knobs, switches, the stair railing, etc And yet, 6 days later I got it. Dont' know how as I was soooo careful. Having said that, I have actually heard that norovirus is so hard to kill, as it doesn't die from disinfectants and and heat. Bleach is the way to get rid of it. So when its in a large area (school, cruise) it can get out of hand and pass quickly.

 

[WDWJDS]

I feel it important to provide a different point of view here. Holding the handrail while going up and down stairs is a VERY effective way to reduce the risk of falls, and falls are a serious risk, just as sickness is. You can wash your hands before you eat, and keep your hands away from your face, but if you don't hold the handrail on the stairs, I guess slowing down is one way to compensate. I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do, I'm just saying you have to weigh the risks. In my opinion, the risk and consequence of falling down the stairs is greater than the risk of getting sick by touching the railings.

Oh I wasn't saying don't hold onto the rail. Just know that they are also havens for germs.

 

[squirk]

I don't think so. Most people die from things unrelated to germ-spread illness. The human body starts to break down after its most fertile reproductive years are over, and that's a whole different evolutionary issue.

But would our most fertile reproductive years last longer then?

I truly have no idea. I just wonder what the cascade effect would be over tens of thousands of years.

 

[wombat_5606]

What i actually do is lean my bent arm on the railing, and as I walk, i slide the side of my arm down the banister. I am prob not being clear, but it gives me the ability to grab the railing if i feel unsteady. I actually do this at home, too (not for fear of germs, but I usually have my hands full as I run up and down the stairs ). Works for me at home bc i always do feel like i may fall esp when I'm wearing just socks on the wood stairs. I know it might sound odd, and i never really thought about it, but that is what I do!

I do this too! I probably get a lot of funny looks.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I do this too! I probably get a lot of funny looks.

(hopefully we're not ROFL bc we fell!)

 

[wombat_5606]

(hopefully we're not ROFL bc we fell!)

The only time I fell down the stairs was about 20 years ago. I was on another cruise line descending their 2 floor long curving grand staircase with a glass of champagne in one hand, on formal night, and my heel caught on the hem of my gown! Classy!

Unfortunately, the rest of the cruise, I looked like I'd been in a car wreck. I know people were talking about me that trip!

 

[Cackyschmackers]

The only time I fell down the stairs was about 20 years ago. I was on another cruise line descending their 2 floor long curving grand staircase with a glass of champagne in one hand, on formal night, and my heel caught on the hem of my gown! Classy!

Unfortunately, the rest of the cruise, I looked like I'd been in a car wreck. I know people were talking about me that trip!

Oh, no! That's terrible! Hope you were somehow able to enjoy the rest of the cruise! !

 

[wombat_5606]

Oh, no! That's terrible! Hope you were somehow able to enjoy the rest of the cruise! !

Oh, yes, I did! Luckily, except for some massive bruises, I wasn't hurt. I was very, very sore, but nothing was broken.

 

[NCConch]

We got on the Dream the day after CHristmas. A few of us on my cruise group mentioned we had colds when we got off the ship. It happens!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Disney is good about having doors that push open (elbow) to exit the restrooms

Not that I've found. I've always had to use a paper towel to grab the handle on the door (opening into the restroom) to exit.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Not that I've found. I've always had to use a paper towel to grab the handle on the door (opening into the restroom) to exit.

Really? I thought i noticed the opposite and that it was done purposely. Maybe I'm thinking of the parks. Hmmm

 

[DMDaisy31]

You know what really grosses me out? People not washing their hands after using the bathroom. Know what grosses me out even more? When they openly do not wash their hands in front of the other people in the bathroom.

That means, like, you probably never wash your hands after using the bathroom, if you no longer even have the self-awareness to hide your lack of hygiene from others. And it makes one wonder what other filthy grossness you engage in throughout your day.

YES!!!! In a public restroom, it floors me when people do not wash their hands!!!!!!

 

[Napoleon Dynamite]

Oh my goodness; I NEVER touch the railings on the ship! Or elevator buttons. And I always use a paper towel to turn off faucets (and my elbow to turn them on and get the paper towel if a lever is needed). Disney is good about having doors that push open (elbow) to exit the restrooms and trash cans right by the exit for people like me who use the paper towel to touch anything after washing! Tongs at buffets... that's a toughie! Maybe I'll use a saniwipe. lol

I always sanitize with an alcohol wipe after handling the tongs at the buffet! Our weekend trip to the ranch...I did just that. Meanwhile, our traveling mates didn't..and ended up sick. From that? Who knows, but I'm neurotic lol

 

[Starwind]

Hand washing is definitely essential. However I must say it is no guarantee. Back in November, norovirus was going through my kids school. One kid got it. Then 6 days later the next. I was home with both when they were sick, but I was constantly washing my hands...everytime I touched them, everytime I washed their plates, etc, everytime I touched a light switch, tap, etc. I also constantly lysolled all door knobs, switches, the stair railing, etc And yet, 6 days later I got it. Dont' know how as I was soooo careful. Having said that, I have actually heard that norovirus is so hard to kill, as it doesn't die from disinfectants and and heat. Bleach is the way to get rid of it. So when its in a large area (school, cruise) it can get out of hand and pass quickly.

Norovirus can go airborne when a person infected with it vomits, so you may not even have caught it from anything you touched... From the Washington state Dept of Health Fact Sheet on Norovirus: "Norovirus can become airborne, so being in or passing through a room in which an infected person has vomited can infect you simply by breathing." (www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/4400/332-083-Norovirus.pdf)

There are some disinfectants that will kill noro, but most do not. Even of the ones that do, sometimes the contact time required (where a surface has to remain wet with the disinfectant) is quite long, making its use impractical for many types of applications. Also, apparently there isn't a really good test for "does this agent kill noro": they actually don't use noro in the certification tests, but another related organism; some studies have since discovered that some substances can kill that organism but NOT noro...

SW

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Norovirus can go airborne when a person infected with it vomits, so you may not even have caught it from anything you touched... From the Washington state Dept of Health Fact Sheet on Norovirus: "Norovirus can become airborne, so being in or passing through a room in which an infected person has vomited can infect you simply by breathing." (www.doh.wa.gov/Portals/1/Documents/4400/332-083-Norovirus.pdf)

There are some disinfectants that will kill noro, but most do not. Even of the ones that do, sometimes the contact time required (where a surface has to remain wet with the disinfectant) is quite long, making its use impractical for many types of applications. Also, apparently there isn't a really good test for "does this agent kill noro": they actually don't use noro in the certification tests, but another related organism; some studies have since discovered that some substances can kill that organism but NOT noro...

SW

Thank you for all that clarification. I more we know the better off we are.

 

[Cruiser4]

We were on the three night, 1/13 Dream cruise. The morning after we got back I developed severe vomiting and diarrhea, and it sounds like several others in our DIS group did as well. My DH joined the group for the cruise after us because he was curious if others were going to get sick, and apparently several off that sailing are as well. For anyone sailing, please be extra careful with your hygiene! A few of us emailed DCL to make them aware that we were sick, but wanted to make others aware so that you can take precautions. In ten Disney cruises this is the first time any of us has gotten sick.

Hi. We got sick too. How can I get in touch with you?