Norovirus – who is really to blame?

Some of our cruise lines are getting really bad press at the moment as they just don’t seem to be able to get the on board outbreaks of Norovirus under control. Fred Olsen Balmoral is having a really bad time of it, despite the cancellation of a three day mini cruise in order to give the ship a really deep clean in an attempt to banish it. An attempt that failed dismally.

The criticism in the press and from cruisers knows no bounds, laying the blame firmly at the feet of Fred Olsen, however, having spoken to three different couples who have just returned from Balmoral’s recent ‘Around the UK’ cruise it seems that the cruise line is not to blame.

I spoke to each of the three couples independently and they all told the same story. They told me that the crew did everything within their power to maintain cleanliness on board, constantly cleaning all the public area’s as well as keeping the cabins in tip top order. The swimming pool was closed for the duration of the cruise, and the usual measures were in place in the restaurant – staff serving food, paper menu’s, no salt and pepper pots on the table etc.

The problem then? The passengers! Despite announcements being made regularly over the tannoy asking people to ensure they used the hand sanitizing gel and to wash their hands after using the loo the passengers were just ignoring the message. All of my clients said that they repeatedly saw fellow passengers coming out of the public toilets without washing their hands and walking straight past the sanitizing gel when entering or leaving the restaurant. In the end, crew members were stationed in the public loo’s to ‘police’ handwashing. Also, they were approaching people at the entrance to the restaurants to make sure they used the hand gel. It just staggers me that the staff had to take these measures! I just cannot believe that in this day and age that people do not follow the most basis rules of hygiene! And you know what, I bet they are the ones that come home and complain that they have suffered Norovirus on their cruise and been confined to their cabins.

If anybody has any thoughts or comments I would be glad to hear them – have you witnessed similar behaviour on cruises that you have been on?

Come on people, it really isn’t difficult. Just wash your hands and stop being so filthy!! Oh, and don’t forget the soap!!