Posted on 12/07/2007 10:46:34 AM PST by cll
An unammed cruise ship of Norwegian registry sailing the Caribbean Sea, has requested the urgent assistance of the U.S. Coast Guard and the Puerto Rico Ports Authority. An undetermined number of passengers have come down with "gastrointestinal problems". At least one requires hospitalization.
The cruise ship is approaching the Port of the City of Ponce in Puerto Rico's southern coast and will be docking later today. Authorities there are standing by to provide assistance.
The ship is expected to continue to Miami after dropping off the patients.
Let me guess. You're a travel agent who gets travel premiums for selling lots of RC trips.
Lots of people can say they walked across the street through traffic and didn't get hit also. Until their number comes up.
No, I am not a travel agent. I am a military retiree ho happens to like that company.
ho = who, lol
Yeah, that was a dangerous one!
Probably not a factor unless crew boarded from Mexico.
Cruises (like RVing) seem to be helln on earth to me....why anyone would willingly go on one puzzles me.
Now even more.
The ship was enroute from St. Lucia.
Only one pax required evacuation. He’s now ashore with his wife. The ship doctor requested medicines from shore for other passengers, who will remain on board until they arrive in Miami.
Breakout not as widespread as initially suggested by the reports.
Who had the fish?
My daughter, who got sick almost every time out on Royal, would disagree with you.
** CLARIFICATION ** - It was an elderly passenger that got sick and it was a precaution. Not a breakout, as initially reported.
I read too many horror stories about cruise ships. Sickness, mechanical breakdowns, poor service, etc. You couln’t pay me to go.
Save your money this year. Wait for a good stiff recession to improve customer service in the travel industry.
Hi all - I am on board the Pearl - sailed 11/30 out of Miami. There has indeed been a siginificant noro outbreak on-board. This was reported to the CDC in the last several hours. After talking to folks in hallways and elevators, and seeing the LONG line in the medical bay - I'd say a lot of people have been infected. We just left out last port (St Lucia) and two days at sea on our way back to Miami. FYI - this has been my most favorite cruise yet.
(posted 12-06-07 5:45pm)
Seems like NCL is having a little problem. We just got back from a 15 dayer on Princess and while we were in Honolulu there was an NCL liner in there I don’t remember which one but CNN on board said there were over 300 passengers affected on board, plus several of the crew. MAKES YOU WONDER.
Talk about inside info! Thanks!
http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=2303
December 7, 2007
Noro Outbreak on Norwegian Pearl May Cause Delay
Rumblings on the Norwegian Cruise Line boards alerted Cruise Critic to the fact that there is a norovirus outbreak on Norwegian Pearl, which is en route back to Miami after a nine-night southern Caribbean sailing that started on November 30. The outbreak may cause the ship’s next sailing, slated to depart on December 9, to be delayed.
At noon (EST) yesterday, member JJSlim posted that he had heard from two people onboard the ship that there was a possible outbreak. Nothing at that time had been posted to the Center for Disease Controls Web site. Later, member Dogbeau posted from the Pearl, stating that indeed there is a noro outbreak and that the line of ill passengers stretching out the door of the medical center was very long.
Today the CDC has the information on its Web site, stating that 273 passengers, or just over 11 percent, had been affected. Reports this afternoon from Dogbeau and member Kaitaiga, who is also onboard, indicate that that return trip was interrupted to offload a group of ill passengers via tender just off the coast of Puerto Rico.
Dogbeau claims that a ships officer stated that more than 600 passengers had become ill. The CDC has not yet posted an update to its original report.
A spokesperson from NCL states that approximately 10 percent of the passengers became ill, and that while the cruise line continues with proactive preventative measures, passengers scheduled for the cruise departing on December 9 will be given the option to cancel without penalty. Further, according to the CDC, embarkation for the sailing will be delayed while further disinfecting takes place and the CDC carries out an extensive investigation.
NCL has not yet responded to our queries about the passengers taken off the ship today.
Second only to the common cold in the number of people affected by the range of pathogens known as Norovirus, they are particularly aggressive on an enclosed cruise ship. They are not airborne viruses and can only be acquired by contact, so its imperative to wash your hands frequently and use the sanitizers provided.
Well keep you posted as we learn more.
—by Jana Jones, Cruise Critic contributor
This is shortsighted. All that you mentioned is quite rare when considering the number of ships. Poor service and mechanical breakdowns are really quite rare. I've been on 20 cruises and it is the best bang for the buck vacation that you can buy. On a week's cruise, you can go to four different vacation spots and your hotel moves with you! Not only that, you don't have to worry about making restaurant reservations every night (a pain during busy season) and you get a list of great shore excursions that you can painlessly sign up for.
All in all, it is the most stress free vacation that you can get.
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