I really don't think you could pay me enough money to go on a cruise these days.
Two Cruises return to S. Florida with at least 200 sickened, possibly by norovirus
By Robert Nolin
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted December 11 2006
For the third time in two months Sunday, luxury cruise ships sailed into South Florida ports bearing sick passengers.
More than 100 passengers and crew arrived in Port Everglades on Princess Cruise's Sun Princess showing symptoms of norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness that resembles stomach flu. And 99 passengers and 11 crew members came down with the virus on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas -- for the second time in a week, said officials with the Miami-based cruise line and federal regulators.
Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, was held over at the Port of Miami for additional cleaning under the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two additional doctors and 45 more cleaning staff will board the ship for its next Caribbean voyage, now scheduled to begin Tuesday.
The CDC issued a no-sail recommendation for Freedom of the Seas, spokesman Curtis Allen said Sunday night. "It's fairly rare that we issue a no-sail recommendation," he said. "It's been several years."
On Dec. 3, the same cruise ship returned to Miami with nearly 400 people ailing from the same symptoms after a seven-day cruise.
On the Sun Princess, the latest outbreak struck 97 of 2,013 passengers as well as six crew members after the vessel returned from a 10-day Caribbean cruise. Spokeswoman Julie Benson of the Santa Clarita, Calif.-based cruise line said those stricken were complaining of stomach illnesses such as diarrhea, cramps and vomiting.
Although not yet confirmed, the illness is expected to be norovirus, Benson said. The highly contagious condition quickly spreads aboard ships through human contact, contaminated food or liquid, or by touching an infected surface and transferring the virus to the mouth.
The Sun Princess underwent extensive cleaning Sunday, Benson said. The ship departed at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, port officials said.
Benson calculated the stricken passengers at almost 5 percent of the ship's total roster. "This was not a serious one," she said.
On Nov. 19, Carnival Cruise Line's Liberty pulled into Port Everglades after a 16-day cruise in which 534 of 2,804 passengers complained of an intestinal virus. Of the 1,186-member crew, 142 were treated for the sickness.
Staff researcher Barbara Hijek and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Two Cruises return to S. Florida with at least 200 sickened, possibly by norovirus
By Robert Nolin
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted December 11 2006
For the third time in two months Sunday, luxury cruise ships sailed into South Florida ports bearing sick passengers.
More than 100 passengers and crew arrived in Port Everglades on Princess Cruise's Sun Princess showing symptoms of norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness that resembles stomach flu. And 99 passengers and 11 crew members came down with the virus on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas -- for the second time in a week, said officials with the Miami-based cruise line and federal regulators.
Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, was held over at the Port of Miami for additional cleaning under the direction of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Two additional doctors and 45 more cleaning staff will board the ship for its next Caribbean voyage, now scheduled to begin Tuesday.
The CDC issued a no-sail recommendation for Freedom of the Seas, spokesman Curtis Allen said Sunday night. "It's fairly rare that we issue a no-sail recommendation," he said. "It's been several years."
On Dec. 3, the same cruise ship returned to Miami with nearly 400 people ailing from the same symptoms after a seven-day cruise.
On the Sun Princess, the latest outbreak struck 97 of 2,013 passengers as well as six crew members after the vessel returned from a 10-day Caribbean cruise. Spokeswoman Julie Benson of the Santa Clarita, Calif.-based cruise line said those stricken were complaining of stomach illnesses such as diarrhea, cramps and vomiting.
Although not yet confirmed, the illness is expected to be norovirus, Benson said. The highly contagious condition quickly spreads aboard ships through human contact, contaminated food or liquid, or by touching an infected surface and transferring the virus to the mouth.
The Sun Princess underwent extensive cleaning Sunday, Benson said. The ship departed at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, port officials said.
Benson calculated the stricken passengers at almost 5 percent of the ship's total roster. "This was not a serious one," she said.
On Nov. 19, Carnival Cruise Line's Liberty pulled into Port Everglades after a 16-day cruise in which 534 of 2,804 passengers complained of an intestinal virus. Of the 1,186-member crew, 142 were treated for the sickness.
Staff researcher Barbara Hijek and The Associated Press contributed to this report.