Post date: Feb 05, 2012 11:25:38 PM
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES (FEBRUARY 5, 2012) (NBC) - More than 100 people on board a cruise ship operated by a unit of Carnival Corp have fallen ill with a stomach virus, the latest setback facing the world's biggest cruise company, which came under scrutiny last month for the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy.
Passengers on board two cruise ships operated by a unit of Carnival Corp are struck with a stomach virus, the latest setback facing Carnival, which came under scrutiny last month for the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy.
Ninety passengers and 13 crew members on the Ruby Princess cruise ship contracted the Norovirus, a contagious gastrointestinal illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea for one to three days, Julie Benson, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises, a unit of Carnival, said in a statement.
The Ruby Princess set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 29 to the Caribbean and returned to Florida on Sunday (February 5), as scheduled. Another Carnival ship, the Crown Princess, was affected by the same virus last week, but it has been sanitized and has already embarked on its next cruise, Benson said.
"It was really terrible because of the the way the people treated us in the medical center," said Jack Chen, a passenger on board the Ruby Princess.
"It's been a nightmare. We lost two full days of our cruise. I mean, we spent thousands and thousands of dollars for this cruise to stay in my room vomiting, diarrhea," said Sandy Palumbo, who sailed on the Crown Princess.
Carnival is dealing with the financial impact of the Costa Concordia shipwreck, which tarnished its image and raised questions about the safety of the entire luxury cruise ship industry. The Costa Concordia capsized off the coast of Italy, killing 17 people. Fifteen people are still missing.