http://www.cbsnews.com/news/cdc-royal-caribbean-cruise-has-more-than-600-sick-passengers-crew/
There are many articles out there about the cruise ship likely infected with norovirus that has over 600 ill. While looking into it, I found this too; CDC roundup of all past cruise ship illness outbreaks:
http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/surv/gilist.htm
DH wanted to go on a cruise for his 30th birthday next year, but I'm not so sure 
wonderful pear / 26210 posts
I will not cruise ever again. Between the virus and ships running aground/out of electricity, it's just not a vacation in my mind.
It's sad for the folks that don't like to fly, but could get to a port by car.
GOLD / watermelon / 14076 posts
I want to take LO on a cruise but DH says no way! This is not going to help my case...
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22646 posts
I love cruising. 
We've been on several. DH did get sick on one, but it was a viral infection that he had caught pre-trip that showed up the last couple days of our trip.
With that said, the last time we cruised was in 2011, before all of the freak stories that have been everywhere recently.
We will likely cruise again.
pomegranate / 3244 posts
Cruises have never appealed to me as an interesting or relaxing vacation, and stories like this only further confirm that cruises aren't for me
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
Cruising isn't really my style (though I've never been on one, actually) but think about how many cruises go off without a hitch and we don't hear about. These ones in the news running out of power, or with everyone getting sick, are the ones that we hear about because they are freak occurrences.
Of course I would still be nervous to plan one with this in the news, but it's probably the best time to go since all the cruise lines will be SO careful with cleaning and disinfecting!
papaya / 10343 posts
I will never go on a cruise. To be fair, they never sounded appealing to me to start. Small rooms, crowded ships, and you only get 8 hrs in each location? Plus I get sea sick. But with all the recent stories I've firmed up my position that I will never go for any reason. I've had a little anxiety re: travel since the tsunami hit Hawaii on our honeymoon (which turned out fine, no one was injured, but it was scary before it came and we didn't know what would happen) and the idea of being stranded on a ship at sea if something went wrong just gives me hives.
pomelo / 5789 posts
It doesn't worry me. We've been on a ship with an outbreak and sanitized our hands like crazy and were fine.
We booked our honeymoon cruise last night. So excited!
nectarine / 2878 posts
Cruising is not my cup of tea and I knew that before going on one. DH won a cruise at work, so we couldn't turn it down but it just isn't our style of vacationing. I don't know what I would do if LO was to get sick or if we got stranded...terrifying.
clementine / 818 posts
@MediaNaranja: Yup this.
Also my aunt and uncle were on a ship that lost power this past summer, and hearing about it just confirmed my decision to NEVER cruise. That said they had a miserable trip but would be willing to cruise again.
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
I love cruising! It's an inexpensive way to see some interesting places, and the food is ON POINT. I can't wait to take Sadie on a Disney Cruise!
You only hear about the bad experiences in the media. There are thousands of cruises around the world every year that have no problems.
blogger / pomegranate / 3201 posts
I've never been on a cruise and all these stories make me never want to!!!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@photojane: the only reason I looked this up is because we had a patient at our clinic who just got back from a cruise and was sick with norovirus! It wasn't just media. I hadn't heard anything about this until this patient.
bananas / 9628 posts
@wheres_c: exciting! where to??
mr. bird & i both got it on a cruise. there were people sick everywhere. they started having staff handle tongs at the buffets and were pretty strictly enforcing rules about people using sanitizer upon entering dining areas. disney cruise line has the best sanitizing practices from what i've heard. being sick on the ship was awful. we were in our cabin for 5 days (cruise was 8 days), luckily we had a balcony so i could go sit out there and get some air. room service was priceless.
ETA: i should add that yeah, it sucked, but people get sick everywhere & touristy places are packed with people and germs. we'll go on another cruise someday. it's not action packed adventure 24/7 and you don't get a real authentic local experience when you visit ports, but it's cheap, it's relaxing, the food is great & we've gone places we wouldn't have otherwise visited
coconut / 8483 posts
blah! that sounds horrible.
i have no desire to go on a cruise! and DH gets horrible motion sickness, so I don't think we'd ever do it!
wonderful olive / 19353 posts
We've been on a cruise, and it was okay. I plan on going on a DIsney cruise when DS is old enough.
cantaloupe / 6059 posts
I didn't think a cruise would ever appeal to me but I went on one in 2012 with Royal Caribbean and absolutely loved it! Granted, we were on the biggest (and arguably the nicest) cruise ship on the water (the Oasis of the Seas) which was phenomenal but I really enjoyed it. There was never a dull moment and it was as relaxing or as adventurous as you wanted and as @photojane: said, the food was phenomenal. I highly recommend cruising.
I feel like an outbreak like this could easily happen at an all inclusive resort, too. Stuff like this is disappointing because it ruins vacations for those affected but at the end of the day I think that the benefits of cruising outweigh the low potential for an outbreak or ship failure and I'd still go on another one.
pomelo / 5628 posts
I would maybe go on a cruise again, but absolutely not during flu season.
cantaloupe / 6206 posts
As a former infectious disease epi AND a mom who is a travel agent specializing in only cruises, I consider myself somewhat of an expert on this topic 
YES it's more likely you'll get norovirus on a cruise vs. somewhere else because of the 'captive population' - ie close quarters, people can't get off the ship/go out to dinner etc. If someone vomits on the carpet in the hallway, everyone who walks past it will likely get sick (yes even if they vacuum - norovirus is a strong, resistant little bugger).
However, anytime you travel, you take risks. Maybe there will be bedbugs at your hotel in NYC. Maybe you'll get traveler's diarrhea in Mexico.
I've been on probably 20 cruises in my life (see above about the mom). Have I gotten noro on one of them? Yes! Does it make me want to stop going on cruises? Nope! It was only once and I'll take that into account when planning my vacation... to me the (small) risk is worth it.
nectarine / 2504 posts
I went on a 7 day cruise and I was not impressed. Not my preferred choice of vacationing.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
I enjoyed my last cruise and can't wait to go again.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I would cruise, but absolutely not in the Caribbeans. I can see a cruise working for the Mediterranean or eastern Europe, just so I don't have to run around scheduling our own transfers, etc.
blogger / watermelon / 14218 posts
I have been on one cruise and loved it. We are not big travellers so cruising is perfect for us. I would probably cruise again. Every vacation has its risks and I consider norovirus one of them for cruises. My friend honeymooned in a luxury resort in Bali and came home with Dengue fever. You never know!
cantaloupe / 6164 posts
@Mrs. Pen: my point, though, is that many more people enjoy relaxing cruises than get sick/stranded. Hundreds of thousands of people cruise every year for a reason... it's safe and fun!
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@photojane: oh right, and I agree. I'm positive if we DID go on a cruise, we'd be fine. But it is still pretty disconcerting to me. I'm not so worried about myself as I would be worried about J getting sick.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21628 posts
I'm going on two cruises this year, one big family trip to Alaska that has been planned for years and a quick trip to Mexico next week. I've been a couple in the past and always have a great time. I'm kind of nervous now though! I hope I don't get sick.
blogger / wonderful cherry / 21616 posts
@Leialou: Just be intentional about hand washing - I really doubt that most people are!
GOLD / papaya / 10206 posts
LOVE to cruise! Never been sick on a cruise, though I'm sure it could happen, just like you can get crazy bugs in Mexico etc. I can't wait to bring our kiddos on a cruise!
papaya / 10473 posts
Blargh! This just reaffirms that I never want to go on a cruise. The idea just stresses me out.
@JoJoGirl: OT - I didn't know you used to work in ID! High five I do too.
blogger / pomelo / 5361 posts
DH reeeeaaally wants to go on a cruise this summer. I'm just "meh" about it, but I'm totally hoping this incident will bring the prices down! 
@Mrs Green Grass: I was thinking the same thing about the flu season. Pretty much all of the outbreaks in the CDC site that was given happened during winter with May having the last few outbreaks. I think summer cruising would be much less risky on that front.
Considering how many cruises are going on at any given moment, I think it's really safe. I mean, I still fly even though there are plane crashes occasionally with much more devastating results than most cruise incidents.
papaya / 10473 posts
@JoJoGirl: I'm an ID social worker - I specialize in maternal and perinatal HIV infection
grapefruit / 4703 posts
I'd rather go to the dentist than go on a cruise. Haha ok maybe that's dramatic, but I get seasick, and claustrophobic, and for some reason cruises to me seem like the Walmart of vacations.
I know there are risks of getting sick wherever you go. Heck, I've been to Mexico 4 times - not all inclusive, so I'm eating at the local restaurants. It's not just about that for me... more about the inability to actually experience the places you're visiting I guess.
cherry / 196 posts
We went on a cruise in October and it was the best experience. Loved it all!
pomelo / 5220 posts
I have been on 3 and enjoyed all of them. Norovirus is always a big concern on the ships. I prefer the smaller cruises - Celebrity/Princess versus the huge ones because I think they control the germs a bit better...
That being said, I've totally gotten wayyy more sick at all inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic and Mexico then I ever did on a cruise. Strange food, strange people and strange germs can lead to vacation sickness, it is a risk you take!
pomegranate / 3393 posts
I don't know what's more terrifying-these outbreaks or the stories of people disappearing/falling overboard? I'm a pretty adventurous traveler, but for some reason cruises freak me out!
pomegranate / 3759 posts
I think this is inevitable when you cram that many people in one secluded place. I wouldn't let this stop me from taking a cruise although it's never been high on my priority list!
grapefruit / 4770 posts
Our anniversary cruise is in 41 days, and I can't wait! Funny thing is We almost booked thirds boat but went with a different line instead! There are risks in a any vacation, so we new that going in. I could slip on some snow and die while visiting Alaska or even walking to the train
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