Noooo – Lorraine is talking about “germy” dirty!
No matter how diligently crew members work to keep common areas sanitized, people can - and do get sick on cruise ships – the reasons are simple. Cruise travel brings together large numbers of people from different cultures and climes, and in confined areas illnesses can quickly spread. When passengers go ashore they can bring back “bugs” from the visited ports. It’s also quite possible that some of those “bugs” were “home grown” - brought onboard by passengers who may not have even known they were sick - those “nasty little buggers” like to simmer a few days before attacking. Consider too, that many travelers have passed through crowded airports and flown for hours in re-circulated air – perfect breeding grounds for germs. Put them all together and your ship could be the lead story on the evening news.
The most common illness is “gastrointestinal distress” - (we all know what that means) triggered by a group of viruses referred to as “Noros.” What to do? At the first sign, seek medical attention in the ship’s infirmary – many lines offer such treatment free of charge. Unfortunately, many cruisers are hesitant to do so as they fear stateroom confinement – not exactly their idea of a “dream vacation” - but a move that can save a lot of fellow passengers a lot of grief.
How to protect yourself? First of all, if you’re cruising during the “season” – be sure your flu/pneumonia immunizations are current. WASH WASH WASH YOUR HANDS – use the alcohol-based hand sanitizers located at various points around the ship – and always USE A PAPER TOWEL TO OPEN THE DOOR WHEN EXITING A PUBLIC FACILITY (germs, germs, germs.) Carry packets of sanitizing hand wipes when visiting ports – one can never be too careful!
Even if you have never gotten sick before, it doesn’t mean it can’t happen. Pack your “good hygiene” manners along with your cruise clothes. Protect yourself against the “Typhoid Mary” types who forget to pack theirs!
Is Lorraine trying to frighten you? Of course not! She’s simply offering a few common sense rules to make sure your cruise vacation is as memorable as you expect. After all, you don’t want to make the evening news – LOL!
