More than 100 people on board a cruise ship operated by a unit of Carnival Corp have fallen ill with a stomach virus, the latest setback facing the world's biggest cruise company, which came under scrutiny last month for the
Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster in Italy.
Ninety passengers and 13 crew members on the
Ruby Princess cruise ship contracted the Norovirus, a contagious gastrointestinal illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea for one to three days, Julie Benson, a spokeswoman for Princess Cruises, a unit of Carnival, said in a statement.The
Ruby Princess set sail from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Jan. 29 to the Caribbean and returned to Florida on Sunday, as scheduled. Another Carnival ship, the Crown Princess, was affected by the same virus last week, but it has been sanitized and has already embarked on its next cruise, Benson said.
Carnival is dealing with the financial impact of the Costa Concordia shipwreck, which tarnished its image and raised questions about the safety of the entire luxury cruise ship industry. The Costa Concordia capsized off the coast of Italy, killing 17 people. Fifteen people are still missing.
