I just read about another cruise ship with passengers who have fallen ill thanks to the norovirus.  About 100 passengers and crew members on Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas have been puking and pooping with wild abandon thanks to the bug, which apparently also afflicted passengers on the cruise that left the previous week.  This is the second ship I’ve read about this week that is full of shitting.

Apparently, Princess Cruise Lines’ Crown Princess has also been sailing with sick people.  That ship left Los Angeles last weekend and soon there were 94 passengers and 23 crew members who were hit with the norovirus.  Norovirus causes vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, and dehydration.

Bill and I prefer small ships when we cruise, even though I usually get seasick.  Fortunately, neither of us has ever gotten a true sickness from being on a cruise ship.  I did have a nasty cold the last time I was on SeaDream, though.  I see from a Forbes news article, there have been eight outbreaks of the virus this year.  I don’t have any cruises planned in the near future, but I might hesitate to book one right now.  I definitely would be liberal about using the hand sanitizers most cruise ships offer and washing my hands.  It’s no good being sick while on vacation!

Interestingly enough, eleven people decided to disembark Crown Princess in San Diego.  Because they got off the ship at a different port than where the ship originated and they didn’t stop at a foreign country beforehand, each passenger was fined $300.  Apparently, Princess Cruises is going to pay those fines, rather than the passengers.  I think that’s only right.

Best thing to do while on a cruise ship is avoid buffets and practice good hygiene!  I feel sorry for the people who got sick.  I bet a lot of them will want to avoid cruise ships now.