FORT LAUDERDALE — A Caribbean cruise has been cut short after more than 300 people on board the ship began vomiting and suffering from diarrhea.
The Caribbean Princess was carrying more than 3,000 passengers and more than 1,100 crew members on a two-week trip that began on February 2.
But it has had to turn back to its home port in Florida after at least 299 passengers and 22 crew members became sick, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta.
The ship’s operator, California-based Princess Cruise Lines Ltd, said the voyage had been cut short “out of an abundance of caution due to guests reporting symptoms consistent with a mild case of gastrointestinal illness”.
It said those affected were being treated by medics on the ship.
The company said: “This is a highly unusual development and we share the disappointment of our guests.
“However, the health and safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and in working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it was decided out of an abundance of caution, in this specific instance, to discontinue the cruise.”