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quote:Princess Cruises is canceling the remainder of its cruise to Hawai'i after nearly 300 passengers and crew members reported symptoms of the Norwalk virus. Officials with the cruise line in Honolulu on Saturday reported 247 aboard had fallen ill, but that number has climbed as others have reported symptoms of the gastrointestinal virus while the ship sailed to Kaua'i and Maui.The illnesses aboard the Princess ship Sun Princess, which arrived from Los Angeles last week, is the latest in a string of Norwalk virus outbreaks since late last year.Similar problems were reported last November and December on Holland America Line's Amsterdam, Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic, Carnival Cruise Line's Fascination and P&O Cruises' Oceana. P&O is Princess Cruises' sister company based in England.Princess spokesman Thomas Dow said the decision to end the cruise early was based on consultation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Hawai'i state health officials."It's an extremely difficult decision," Dow said. "After talking with our medical staff and with the public health authorities, everyone's in agreement that this is the right thing to do."The ship's original itinerary was to spend the next five days sailing the Pacific on the way back to Los Angeles, where the 15-day cruise would have ended."We're concerned that we'll have another increase if we have all the passengers together 24 hours a day on the ship," Dow said. "I think we know more about this virus now than we used to and we understand if it comes aboard it is very infectious, that if we're not able to jump right on it and eradicate it in the first couple of days it's a very difficult thing to overcome."A total of 265 passengers reported illnesses, amounting to 13 percent of the 2,029 passengers aboard. Another 29 crew members fell ill.About 30 passengers were still ill with the virus yesterday, with four new cases that day.
Officials with the cruise line in Honolulu on Saturday reported 247 aboard had fallen ill, but that number has climbed as others have reported symptoms of the gastrointestinal virus while the ship sailed to Kaua'i and Maui.
The illnesses aboard the Princess ship Sun Princess, which arrived from Los Angeles last week, is the latest in a string of Norwalk virus outbreaks since late last year.
Similar problems were reported last November and December on Holland America Line's Amsterdam, Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic, Carnival Cruise Line's Fascination and P&O Cruises' Oceana. P&O is Princess Cruises' sister company based in England.
Princess spokesman Thomas Dow said the decision to end the cruise early was based on consultation with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Hawai'i state health officials.
"It's an extremely difficult decision," Dow said. "After talking with our medical staff and with the public health authorities, everyone's in agreement that this is the right thing to do."
The ship's original itinerary was to spend the next five days sailing the Pacific on the way back to Los Angeles, where the 15-day cruise would have ended.
"We're concerned that we'll have another increase if we have all the passengers together 24 hours a day on the ship," Dow said. "I think we know more about this virus now than we used to and we understand if it comes aboard it is very infectious, that if we're not able to jump right on it and eradicate it in the first couple of days it's a very difficult thing to overcome."
A total of 265 passengers reported illnesses, amounting to 13 percent of the 2,029 passengers aboard. Another 29 crew members fell ill.
About 30 passengers were still ill with the virus yesterday, with four new cases that day.
Joe at TravelPage.com
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