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Cruise ship docks for virus cleanup
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (CNN) -- An ill-fated cruise ship docked Thursday morning, ending a 10-day voyage marred by a contagious stomach virus. According to Holland America Cruise Line, 76 crew members and passengers fell ill on the Amsterdam, the fourth consecutive voyage of the ship where people aboard caught the virus. A team from the Centers for Disease Control is overseeing the 10-day sanitation process of the ship, which had 1,305 passengers aboard. Holland America cancelled a cruise scheduled to depart Thursday because of the viral outbreak. Most of those stricken with the virus disembarked at various ports of call before Thursday's docking. The others asked to stay in their cabins throughout the duration of the cruise, but left the ship when it reached port Thursday. On the ship's current Caribbean voyage, 58 passengers and 19 crew members came down with the Norwalk-like virus, a gastrointestinal ailment with symptoms similar to the stomach flu. The CDC's investigation determined that the virus was being spread from person to person and there was no contamination of the food or water supply aboard the ship, according to CDC spokeswoman Susan McClure. She said the 10-day interruption in service should be enough to break the virus cycle. "Passengers scheduled to sail on the November 21 sailing are being notified in advance of travel and are being offered a number of attractive cruise alternatives, or a full cash refund and a future cruise savings credit," a statement from Holland America said. Holland America said it is taking a "proactive approach" to ridding the ship of the virus, which has afflicted seven oceanliners, in addition to the Amsterdam, from several cruise companies since May of this year. "We have disinfected down to the poker chips," said Eric Elvejord, a spokesman for the ship. The CDC believes the virus is the result of an outbreak somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. The CDC has monitored the situation aboard the ship and did not force the company to cancel the cruise, a CDC spokeswoman said -- CNN Correspondent Susan Candiotti and Assignment Editor Patrick Oppmann contributed to this report
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