Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Tribune News Service
Tribune News Service
Business
Brian Niemietz

Nearly 300 passengers fall ill onboard Ruby Princess cruise ship

Nearly 10% of the passengers onboard a Ruby Princess cruise became ill with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea between Feb. 26 and March 5, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The cause of the outbreak that sickened 284 passengers and 34 crew members is not known.

The crew of the Galveston, Texas-based ship said it responded with increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, informing embarking passengers of the issue and collecting stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases, which were delivered to the CDC.

Health officials met the ship when it docked in Texas, according to CBS News. Princess Cruises reportedly suspects that norovirus, also called “the cruise ship virus,” may be to blame for last week’s illnesses. The CDC reports norovirus is frequently detected at sea because health officials track illnesses on cruise ships.

Cruisermaps.com indicated the Ruby Princess was docked on an island north of the Honduras coast Wednesday. It visited Mexico, Belize and Honduras during the voyage in which illnesses were reported.

The ship sailed into infamy at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic when 2,700 of its passengers were permitted to disembark in Sydney, Australia, despite several people onboard showing signs of respiratory illness. The decision was blamed for roughly 900 COVID-19 infections in Australia.

Ruby Princess launched on Nov. 8, 2008. It was christened by reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter of “The Bachelorette” fame. The ship’s webpage promises relaxation and “new adventures.”

Travel site Cruise Critic awarded Princess Cruises its “Best Innovation/Tech” honor in 2022. It was given a 4.5 out of 5 editors’ rating overall.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.