BoatBanter.com - 400 Get Sick on Cruise Ship from South Carolina

On Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:09:26 -0400, Larry wrote:

Bill McKee wrote:
wrote in message
...

HK wrote:

On 3/17/10 6:37 PM, Larry wrote:

HK wrote:

On 3/16/10 8:36 PM, Larry wrote:

HK wrote:

On 3/16/10 7:01 PM, Larry wrote:

John H wrote:

On Mon, 15 Mar 2010 19:43:55 -0400,
wrote:

HK wrote:

Hundreds end up sick on another cruise from SC

CHARLESTON, S.C. -- (AP) - Hundreds of passengers have again
taken
ill
with an intestinal bug on a Celebrity Cruise ship's third
straight
trip from South Carolina.

Cruise line spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said Monday 350 of the
1,829
passengers on the Celebrity Mercury got ill during the latest
cruise
which left Charleston on March 8.

The line announced it was canceling a Monday port call in the
British
Virgin Islands and returning to Charleston on Thursday, a day
earlier
than scheduled.

The ship has been undergoing cleaning at sea and will be cleaned
again
in Charleston.

Officials say more than 400 passengers and crew got sick during a
cruise that returned to Charleston on Feb. 26. On the next
sailing
from Charleston, 182 people took ill.

My wife has been wanting to take a cruise. I would prefer to fly
to
Cancun, Jamaica, or Costa Rica. There must be some common
denominator
to these cruise ship illnesses. By now you would think they would
have
it figured out. These people will all get some sort of refund and
a
future cruise credit. They can't be too happy handing those out as
often as they do.

I don't believe there's ever been an outbreak on a Disney Cruise.
That
was one
of their 'claims to fame' the last time we went.

http://tinyurl.com/yckd2wr

There are too many kids on conventional cruise lines. Thanks but
I'll
keep pushing the flying itinerary.

There are far fewer kids on the real ocean liner cruises and on the
National Geo cruises. Better destinations, too.

That was my point. Too many on conventional cruises and an abundance
on
Disney Cruises. They have their place, but there not for me.

I don't like the looks or the construction methods used in the wedding
cake cruise barges. They don't even look like ships. They remind me of
Las Vegas hotels.

The interior is what counts and they run the gamut. I've been on two
cruises for business and was bored to death. One had an entire day at
sea - an 8 hour stop in Cozumel - and another day to return. Not my idea
of fun. I would rather fly to Cancun and spend a week there.

Do yourself a favor...land in Cancun, spend a night and day there, and
then move on to somewhere else. Tulum is very nice. Cancun is
overdeveloped, overpopulated, overpriced, et cetera. There are also some
nice "colonial"cities in the Yucatan inland areas.

Sounds like it has changed a lot since I was there 12-15 years ago.
Cozumel was a tourist trap and a crappy one at that.

Cozumel is good for diving. Not for beaches, etc. Cancun may be touristy,
but is was designed for American and Canadian tourists. Most people do not
want to live like the local Mexicans, and can not communicate anyways. They
want at least a 3* hotel and the clean sheets and service you get. Harry
already states he wants to go to a destination and live large. I doubt he
goes to the local food place on the beach where the Mexican fishermen eat.

I did do that while I was there. Great fresh seafood! I arrived by
ship and was there for only 8 hours. 4 hours was spent fishing. We
caught a few nice grouper, but that was it.

We had signed up for a 'Swim with the Porpoises' excursion, but the weather was
too bad. Apparently that excursion needs decent weather, or there is a chance
the porpoises will suffer. Don't ask me how come they worry more about the
porpoises than the humans in the water with them..
--
John H

For a great time, go here first... http://tinyurl.com/ygqxs5v