Royal Caribbean vacation turns nightmare as Norovirus sickens almost 100

Almost 100 voyagers on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that arrived in South Florida fell ill in regard to a norovirus outbreak, authorities stated. As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 94 passengers and four crew members aboard the Serenade of the Seas had gastrointestinal symptoms, that includes vomiting, diarrhea, and fatigue, in the ship’s 13-day voyage.

The ship left San Diego on September 19, with stops in Mexico and Costa Rica. After passing through the Panama Canal, the Serenade of the Seas docked in Cartagena, Colombia on Monday and came to PortMiami just before 6 a.m. Thursday. The cruise is set to continue to Panama later that day.

Understanding Norovirus

Norovirus is a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus that spreads immediately, mainly in confined spaces like cruise ships. Its symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache, and weakness, often lasting one or two days.

Passenger Experiences

Many passengers conveyed firsthand accounts of the outbreak. Margie, who disembarked in Miami,cited, “I started feeling really funny in my stomach, and it only lasted like, I don’t know, 36 to 48 hours.” Another voyager described, “I got sick, I was the only one in our state room that got sick, probably four days before we arrived in Miami. We saw in the news that there were like 70 people. I figured it was more, because I talked to a lot of friends, and a lot of them were sick as well, and none of them reported it, because if you report it, they quarantine you.”

Crew Response

The crew of the Serenade of the Seas initially confirmed the outbreak to the CDC on Sunday. By that time, elevated sanitation actions and passenger isolation protocols had already begun. One passenger cited, “We were notified when we were in Huatulco, Mexico, we were notified of them being aware of it, and they were immediately cleaning everything. They had everything barricaded off. They had the staff, all the staff there was an engineer from the engineer room, there was the lifeguard in the Windjammer [Marketplace] because it was blocked off, and they were serving us instead of us just going right up and getting the food.”

Passengers applauded the crew for their efforts. Margie mentioned, “It was all good, because they gave you free room service, and they took really good care of you.”

Personal Account: Bob Pettit

Bob Pettit, 87, who was traveling with his son Josh, said about the criticality of his illness. “It really hits you hard, violently,” he mentioned. Bob added, “I'm 87 years old, I've never been this sick in my life.” After Twenty-five cruises in, this was the first time he had faced such a serious illness. Bob and Josh cited the crew’s stricter cleaning measures and hygiene practices in the ship.

Despite the outbreak, passengers remain optimistic. Bob and Josh mentioned that they already intend to plan future cruises, with hopes that the situation gets better. The CDC confirmed that this is the third norovirus outbreak on a Royal Caribbean ship this year.

FAQs:

Q1. What is norovirus?
Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach virus that leads to diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach ache.

Q2. How does norovirus spread?
It spreads via contaminated food, surfaces, or direct contact with infected persons.