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  1. VSP Home > Disease Surveillance and Investigation > Updates of GI Illness > Investigation Update on the Freedom of the Seas

Investigation Update on the Freedom of the Seas

  • Cruise Line: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
  • Cruise Ship: Freedom of the Seas
  • Voyage Dates: 11/26-12/3/06
  • Number of ill passengers out of total number of passengers: 338 of 3823 (8.84%)
  • Number of ill crew out of total number of crew: 46 of 1402 (3.28%)
  • Predominant symptoms: diarrhea and vomiting
  • Actions: Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) and the crew aboard the ship took the following actions to respond to the outbreak:
    • increased cleaning and disinfection procedures,
    • collected stools specimens for analysis,
    • informed incoming passengers of the elevated number of ill people,
    • provided daily updates about the illness to VSP,
    • sent senior RCCL environmental health specialists to sail on the December 3-10th voyage to assist the ship with cleaning and disinfection planning and operational procedures.
  • VSP staff boarded the ship on December 3 to conduct a targeted environmental health investigation and an epidiomlogical review.
  • During the December 3-10th voyage, the number of ill passengers and crew were still higher than expected. On December 10th, CDC staff boarded the ship in Miami to conduct a targeted environmental health assessment, monitor cleaning and disinfection procedures, and discuss operation procedures with staff ship.
  • On December 10th, VSP staff recommended that the ship not sail for 48 hours due to three consecutive voyages with a higher than expected number of ill people and the time needed to properly clean and disinfect the ship.
  • Actions as of December 10th: RCCL took the following actions:
    • staffed the ship with 45 additional staff to assist during the non-voyage period, in addition to the 1,399 crew already performing cleaning and disinfection procedures,
    • collected stool specimens for analysis,
    • informed oncoming passengers of the elevated number of ill people,
    • developed a CDC approved disembarkation plan that included:
      • cleaning of terminals and buses,
      • separation plan for ill people,
    • developed a CDC approved cleaning and disinfection plan for the 48 hours between voyages.
  • While the ship was not sailing, VSP staff monitored the ships cleaning and disinfection procedures.