CHARLESTON, SC – A very popular cruise line isn’t going to get many positive reviews after a recent incident!
A recent Celebrity Cruise trip into the Caribbean turned out to one to forget for roughly 350 people. Cynthia Martinez, spokeswoman for Celebrity Cruise, said that 326 of the more than 1,800 passengers began complaining Sunday of upset stomachs vomiting and diarrhea. She also reported that 27 of about 850 crew members experienced similar symptoms.
The ship, the Celebrity Mercury, left Charleston on February 15. It was the first departure in a newly-expanded year-round schedule of cruises from South Carolina as the industry expands in the state.
It is still unclear what caused the outbreak. Norovirus is often a common cause for similar symptoms that sweep closed quarters on cruise ships. A clear determination will have to wait until samples that were dropped off in Puerto Rico are tested.
The 12-day Caribbean cruise is expected to return Friday after stopping at various islands in the Caribbean including Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Kitts and the British Virgin Islands. Celebrity brought on an additional doctor and two nurses Monday to assist the ship’s existing medical team.
“Sick passengers will be given a certificate to be used toward a future cruise,” said Martinez. The value of the voucher will be “based on the number of days a guest is isolated divided by the total of cruise fare paid.”
My wife and I are scheduled to board this ship Friday. Should we go?
Get food poisoning from our fast food restaurant, and recieve a gift certificate for two free sandwichs! Now thats marketing!
I was on the celebrity Mercury Feb.15 to Feb.26 2010, those numbers were grossly underestimated. It was more like 800 passengers. They only count those that were seen by a nurse or doctor. They need to clean up their act. I would not return on that rust bucket.
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Bad news for their cruise. Really it is the most dangerous thing, which can happen on cruise ship
The virus that was the problem is called the Obama Virus.
I was once in a cruise on carribean ! It was great !
My husband and I recently took a 14 day Carabian cruise with Celebrity in December 2011, (Constellation) and the last night of the trip I became severly ill with the Nordo Virus and was throwing up and felt like I was dying. I went to the Nurse and got a shot to stop vommiting and that was the worst day of my life and ruined my trip. When we returned home the next day, my husband got the sickness but not as severe as mine was. I know that also another person at our dinner table got the virus while we were on the ship as well as many others. I really liked their service and their hospitality,but this incident ruined it for me and I will not cruise with them again.