JoeyandDavid

I learned my lesson last year ............... :wink:

Skipper I had been forewarned about Chicago.. so I purposely booked thru DFW.....because of some of the stories I had heard... Skaolboy that tsa website has so much information...thanks.

Customs and Boarder Patrols Web site has some remarkably interesting information... I truly enjoyed a document called Know before you Go.. I saved it :wink: But it's a nice site...Check it out ... http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/faqs.xml

Celebrity Cruises Statement Regarding Mercury <] POSTED: 7:14 am PDT June 9, 2006 Here is a statement issued on June 9, 2006 by Michael J. Sheehan, who is the Director of Corporate Communications for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.: The seven-night sailing of Celebrity Cruises' Mercury that began in Seattle on June 2, experienced an elevated number of people with a gastrointestinal illness. Over the course of the sailing, 115 of the ship's 2,034 guests and three of its 847 crew members experienced the illness, which is thought to be a Norovirus brought onboard by a guest previously exposed to it. Those affected by the short-lived illness responded well to over the counter medication administered onboard the ship. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Noroviruses affect 23 million Americans annually. The only illness that is more prevalent is the common cold. During the normal cold and flu season each year, there is an increase in Norovirus incidents across the country in hospitals, day care centers, nursing homes and schools, according to Dave Forney, chief of the Vessel Sanitation Program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With the increased number of Norovirus cases on land, some cruise ships have seen a corresponding increase in Norovirus incidents. In response, Celebrity Cruises has taken numerous proactive steps to control and eradicate the illness' transmission onboard Mercury. Some of these stepped-up procedures include: • Implementing a three-stage illness prevention program. The program's action plan outlines specific, heightened sanitation procedures for crew members, from the captain to housekeepers. • Implementing enhanced cleaning procedures and protocols, as recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. • Using special cleaning products and disinfectants to clean throughout our ships. • Conducting special cleaning of all "high-touch" areas on the ship, including, but not limited to, countertops, restroom and vanity surfaces, door handles, railings and grab bars, exercise equipment, TV remote controls, light switches, elevator buttons, and computer keyboards. • Having two additional physicians joined the ship in Seattle, bringing the total number of doctors onboard to four, along with three nurses. "Cruise ships have rigorous protocols and procedures in place to manage and eradicate the transmission of Norovirus," Forney said. "In addition to being held to the highest sanitation standards in the world, cruise lines have worked meticulously and effectively to actually break the cycle of transmission during most cruises, which requires a lot of effort and expertise." "The reason you hear about Norovirus on cruise ships is because they are required to report every incidence of gastrointestinal illness," Forney said. "Nowhere else in the public health system of the United States is Norovirus a reportable illness. Norovirus is not a cruise-ship illness, but an illness commonly seen in many settings throughout the United States." Mercury sailed from Seattle on Friday, June 2, and visited Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Alaska, Hubbard Glacier and the Inside Passage. The sailing ends in Seattle, on Friday, June 9, as scheduled.

SEATTLE--The Celebrity cruise ship Mercury returned to Seattle on Friday morning after many of its passengers came down with a gastrointestinal illness during their 7-night voyage to Alaska. The cruise company said 115 fell ill. Passengers told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News as many as 300 people were sick. Three of the ship's 847 crew members also experienced the illness, a suspected Norovirus brought onboard by someone previously exposed, according to the cruise line. The Mercury carried 2,034 passengers on the voyage. The ship left Seattle on Friday, June 2. Passengers said people starting getting ill Monday, June 5. "There's a whole lot of people on this boat that are sick," said Jay Schuyleman, from aboard the cruise ship Mercury. "They've been all over the boat scrubbing it down. The whole thing smells like Clorox." Passengers also said security aboard the boat checked the rooms of everyone who had reported the virus every four hours to make sure they were quarantined in their rooms. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Noroviruses affect 23 million Americans annually. The only illness more prevalent is the common cold. "The reason you hear about Norovirus on cruise ships is because they are required to report every incidence of gastrointestinal illness," said Dave Forney, chief of the vessel sanitation program of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Protection, in a statement. "Nowhere else in the public health system of the United States is Norovirus a reportable illness. Norovirus is not a cruise-ship illness, but an illness commonly seen in many settings throughout the United States." Celebrity Cruises blames an increased number of Norovirus cases on land for the increase in incidents on board their ships. The company has instituted a new illness prevention program focusing on increased sanitation, enhanced cleaning procedures and special cleaning of "high touch" areas on the ship. The company has added two additional doctors to its crew, bringing the total number of doctors onboard the Mercury to four, along with three nurses. Mercury visited Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Alaska, Hubbard Glacier and the Inside Passage.

Around here we sometimes referr to those as a joey moment.. i do that all the time ....sometime I have so much egg on my face I can feed a family of 5 :grin:

Hey Jackel.....Make sure you start your roll call ( just follow the examples ) so that when people browse they know where to find you :).. It does sound like an awesome trip.... and tell Tammy I said 50 is a great age.....(just between you and me this year 51 is the best! :D)

pacruiser First cruises are special and can be very addictive..dont sweat the small stuff and have a blast

Hi CUatC, Welcome to Cruise Crazies!! Love your screen name how cleaver ..Hope to see you posting often!

Personally i dont know .... anybody know miami springs??

Oh I know a Carol and Bob .. where are they from?

Hi btate, Welcome to Cruise Crazies!! Hope to see you posting often!

The best thing about concierge to us is the fact if its not on the menu just write it in.... We always start our room service breakfast with egg Benedict.. If I can think of it they will make it... Try it and see :grin: Tonia help with the trains in Europe check this out ...http://www.eurail.com/ Its everything from a-z on trains in Europe

Hi Welcome to Cruise Crazies!! Hope to see you posting often!

Hi Welcome to Cruise Crazies!! Hope to see you posting often!

Hi Welcome to Cruise Crazies!! Any friends Of Cheryl are most definitely friends of ours!Welcome aboard

Hi Welcome to Cruise Crazies!! Hope to see you posting often!

Thanks Miss Jackie we are doing fine thanks . joey(and David too!)

what about gate-wick for our return .. What do you know about that airport?....

Please do......thank you!

But of course... It would be our pleasure

I would want the capability, although I doubt we would use it...