Travel Tips From the Seven Dwarfs: Sneezy

Your intrepid blogger narrowly escapes the death trap that is
Connecticut.  While the Norovirus started in Norwalk, Ohio,
rather than Norwalk, Connecticut, the Ohio city an hour east of
Cleveland is in the Connecticut Western Reserve, an area of
Ohio originally claimed by the Colony of Connecticut, a claim
certified by a grant from King Charles II.  Besides, at the time
daughter Amy attended UConn, I thought the Norwalk in Norwalk
Virus was the one in Connecticut, making my panic to escape
no less real than that of TV talking heads afraid of cruising..

I'm always surprised by the relish with which TV talking heads report on an outbreak of Norovirus on a cruise ship, frequently resulting in outrage over the alleged unsafe conditions on board.

The fact that Norovirus formerly called the Norwalk Virus, got its name from Norwalk, Ohio, where the first known outbreak occurred in 1968 at an elementary school, is rarely mentioned. 

I've never heard the talking heads convey the fact that in 2013, the last full calendar year for which results are available, Norovirus affected 1 in 15 Americans on land, whereas on cruise ships, the rate was 1 in 12,000!

A cruise could be just what the Doctor ordered. 

In other words, in 2013 you were about 800 times MORE LIKELY to contract Norovirus IF YOU STAYED HOME than if you went on a cruise.

Let that sink in.

If you've been duped by the media and called your son's flu that he contracted in his college dorm in Arizona the "cruise ship flu," you're forgiven, but don't do it again.  And if someone else makes the same mistake, correct them so they don't continue repeating talking head memes and further embarrass themselves.

That being said, remember to wash your hands frequently with soap, whether on a cruise or at home, and especially before eating.

At the entrance of most cruise ship restaurants and buffets, you will find disinfectant gel.

Use it!

As further precaution, when walking around, steer away from strangers who seem to be obviously sick, but don't mistake hay fever for Ebola.

Sneezy, Not Sickly

Just because Sneezy happens to sneeze due to dust or pollen, don't make him a pariah.

Then again, if you have allergies that give you symptons similar to infectious diseases, before going out in public, take one of the wonderful remedies available like Zyrtec or Benadryl, especially when you're on vacation around lots of strangers who may not understand the root of your condition.

On a cruise ship at sea, however, Sneezy would likely find he has fewer hay fever symptons, because the public and private spaces are kept immaculately clean and dust free.  Daily cleaning and disinfecting routines by cruise crews minimize dust and pollens that could trigger symptons as well as infectious bacteria.

And if you want to make your cruise even healthier, consider one of the new special spa access staterooms, like Aqua Class on Celebrity.  All cruise ships include the opportunity to exercise, including ocean view walking/jogging paths, workout rooms and pools, but staying in the spa section, which on Celebrity includes a dedicated Aqua Class restaurant called Blu with a "healthier" alternative menu, makes it easier to stay focused on physical rejuvenation at sea.

Improve your health. Take a cruise.