Take a vacation:
MIAMI (Dec. 2) - A Carnival cruise ship returned from a three-day sail Monday carrying nearly 200 people who had contracted a gastrointestinal virus with symptoms similar to those plaguing other cruise liners.
A total of 190 passengers and four crew members on the Fascination reported vomiting and diarrhea, but it has not been confirmed that they have a Norwalk-like virus, said Tim Gallagher, a Carnival Corp. spokesman.
The ship was given a quick scrubbing and returned to sea with a new load of passengers later in the day.
Gastrointestinal illnesses have plagued more than 1,000 people on other cruise ships in the past few months, including Holland America Line's Amsterdam and Disney Cruise Line's Magic, causing those companies to cancel one sailing each to thoroughly disinfect the ships.
The 855-foot Fascination, carrying 2,428 passengers and more than 900 crew members, returned to the Port of Miami before sunrise Monday after a three-day voyage to the Bahamas.
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention oversaw a cleaning of the ship during its 14-hour port stay. At about 7 p.m. Monday, it sailed on a four-day cruise to Key West and Cozumel, Mexico, with all new passengers.
Canadian tourist Don Taylor, 34, stood on the Fascination's deck as the ship pulled away from the port, hoping this voyage would be free of the illness. He is a first-time cruise passenger.
''I'm a little apprehensive ... but I'm here to have a good time,'' said Taylor, of Cambridge, Ontario.
The ship's departure time was pushed back about three hours to allow more time to properly clean the ship, Gallagher said.
''We're taking all possible precautions ... given the recent incidence of Norwalk-like viruses on cruise ships,'' he added.
Fascination passengers will not receive a refund or compensation because most became ill late Sunday, the last full day of the cruise, Gallagher said. Passengers scheduled for Monday's voyage were offered the option of canceling their reservation to reschedule, and about 85 accepted the offer, officials said.
The outbreak will not financially impact Carnival, since cleaning costs are minor, Gallagher said.
Analysts say it's too early to say if the recent outbreaks will hurt the cruise industry's fragile recovery from the terrorist attacks last year.
Similar outbreaks have happened in the cruise industry for many years, and companies are adept at dealing with them, said Paul Keung, an analyst with CIBC World Markets Corp.
''People are inquiring (about the outbreaks) but it's unclear if their travel plans have changed,'' said Glen Reid, an analyst with Bear Stearns.
CDC experts have obtained lab samples from the Fascination and its passengers to determine if a Norwalk-like virus caused the outbreak, with test results expected within five days, said Bernadette Burden, a CDC spokeswoman.
The CDC does not currently have the exact number of viral cases that have been reported on cruises in recent years, but the number of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships has declined since 1990, she added.
The Norwalk virus, named for an outbreak 30 years ago in Norwalk, Ohio, and a group of Norwalk-like viruses are among several common micro-organisms that can cause diarrhea, stomach pain and vomiting for 24 to 48 hours, according to the CDC. They are spread through food and water and close contact with infected people or things they have touched. The incubation period is about two to three days.
The virus is a seasonal illness that peaks in the colder months, and is not uncommon, said Dr. Steven Wiersma, the state epidemiologist.
''We've already seen some (cases) in Florida - this is not just a cruise ship issue,'' he said, noting that outbreaks have taken place in nursing homes and on college campuses.
So, does anyone have any idea why so many of these cruise ships are having disease outbreaks? How many of you would like to take a cruise now? And what kind of compensation do you get if you come down with an illness--a ticket to another boat? Who pays the medical bills?
Cheers, D
