Hundreds of passengers on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship aren't having the best time. About 200 people have come down with the norovirus on the ship.
About 2,600 people departed from New York on the Queen Mary 2 for a 13-night cruise around the Caribbean on Saturday, the Daily Mail reports. The trip should have been a festive holiday adventure but roughly 200 of the passengers are now dealing with norovirus, an illness that causes stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.
With the illness being highly contagious, passengers couldn't shake hands with others to wish them a Merry Christmas during church services and they were served Holy Communion by a vicar wearing gloves.
"The mood is very sombre, it's not the Christmas atmosphere we were hoping for," a guest told the Daily Mail. "There is a sense of foreboding, with everyone worried that they will be next to come down with the illness."
"The crew are trying their best, continually washing down handrails and lifts, but more cases are being reported each day, it's not at all enjoyable," she continued.
Passengers believe the ship may not have been cleaned properly as the passengers got sick shortly after the ship left New York and there were some cases passengers with norovirus on the previous sailing.
"Enhanced sanitation protocols have been employed to help minimize transmission to other passengers," Michele Andjel, spokeswoman for Carnvial told the Daily Mail. "The safety and comfort of passengers and crew is always our number one priority."
The passengers who have been diagnosed are under quarantine in their cabins. Other passengers are being advised to eat in the main dining room or to order room service. Salt and pepper shakers have been removed from the restaurants and shops have removed make-up samples and other hands-on products.
Passengers said there are hundreds of people who have the illness, but Carnival, which owns the Queen Mary 2 downplayed the incident. A spokeswoman said only 18 people have "active symptoms" of the norovirus. She later admitted that 130 passengers were affected by the virus but have since recovered.
The ship is currently in the Dominican Republic and is set to make stops in St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Kitts. It will return to New York on January 4.
The Queen Mary 2 is the largest cruise ship ever made. Many on board paid over $8,000 for their trip.
This isn't the only ship to have an outbreak of norovirus lately. Last week, a Princess Cruise ship to Texas also had at least 100 cases.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
