Personal hygiene is key to a healthy voyage

[Jason]

Personal hygiene is key to a healthy voyage

By Cath Urquhart, Travel Editor

YOU are more likely to catch the norovirus on shore than on a cruise ship, according to William Gibbons, director of the Passenger Shipping Association, whose 27 cruise line members include Fred Olsen.

“It is endemic in the UK population and we calculate that about 1 in 30 Britons gets it every year,” he said. “By comparison, 1 in 200 British cruise passengers gets it. It’s prevalent in schools, hospitals and old people’s homes, but if a hospital ward shuts it makes the local paper, whereas an outbreak on a cruise ship is headline news.”

Recent years have seen a consistent rise in passenger numbers, reaching 1,070,000 in 2005. This year the number of Britons expected to take a cruise is set to reach 1,250,000. Tony Peisley, an industry analyst, said: “There’s no evidence that the norovirus is affecting bookings. I would be surprised if it was — (Britons) are sanguine about these things.”

Over the past few months, after norovirus outbreaks on cruise lines including Fred Olsen and Princess Cruises, PSA members have introduced more stringent measures to protect passengers.

These include writing to them before boarding to inquire about existing health problems, insisting that ill passengers are confined to their cabin for 24 to 48 hours and introducing handsanitisers, which dispense an anti-bacterial liquid, on the way into restaurants.

It is impossible to pinpoint the source of the norovirus. It is not inherent to a ship, but is brought on board by a crew member or passenger. Strict personal hygiene is the way to avoid it.

[schatje]

I agree that washing your hands can cut the spread of illness way down. I like the sanitizer gel they use now on the ships before you enter the food court.

[Longboysfan]

It may help the cruise line if the GEL<] everyone before they get on the ship.

[schatje]

Longboysfan you have a very good point!

[JoeyandDavid]

but if it is in the luggage .....the clothes from the hotel the night before?..I am sorry but some folks are just plain Nasty.

[btate]

Does this mean I am gonna have to shower more than once a week?

[Longboysfan]

Not unless they GEL<] you completely on the dock before you board. ;)

[schatje]

Why can't they just have the hand sanitizer in more places on the ship then just at the food court. Look at how many people touch the hall rails etc. etc. but then again how many people actually use the gel?