The Outbreak: Sickness for the Passengers, Barbados Bar for the Crew

Illness is no joke on a ship. Because of the close contact, confined space and air-conditioning it spreads faster than the average titbit of gossip.

Our first warning of the outbreak of noroviral illness was yesterday morning as the departing passengers queued for emigration. An unassuming gentleman approached asking for a bag which his wife proceeded to be sick into … in the middle of the photo gallery.

Hit squad were immediately called and arrived looking eerily like the scientists in ET to section off the entire area (a dream for the hour and a half long queue waiting behind the poorly culprit). As the sanitation process-namely the ‘sprinkle and tinkle’ procedure-was put into place the passenger services manager held the offending bag aloft. Pity the only available receptacle happened to be one of the small clear poly bags we send prints down to the lab in. A veritable feast for the eyes.

Off we all popped in blissful ignorance for a fun day at The Boatyard, Barbados’ unofficial crew bar. This blissful venue is fully kitted out with floating inflatable trampoline, climbable iceberg and huge rope swing into the sea. What’s more there are pina colada drinking competitions with ‘shark bites’ for the lucky winners (as deadly as their name would suggest).

At 7pm almost the entire crew return tired, elated and ever so slightly sizzled to find the entire ship is on RED ALERT. No deck privileges for crew so no passenger gym, spa, restaurants, theatres, bars or club. No touching passengers, no displays and constant sanitation of every surface touched by…well anyone really. Monica Gellar eat your heart out!

Aah well life must go on and there’s a fancy dress party in the officer’s ward room tonight