How could I resist that headline, as my parents head for Florida for a cruise?

Cruise Law News reports there is an outbreak of gastrointestinal sickness of a large percentage of cruise passengers aboard Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas cruise ship.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that 281 passengers (9.21% of total passengers) are suffering from norovirus type of symptoms. The symptoms include vomiting, nausea, headaches and diarrhea.

The pro-cruise site Cruise Critic calls the problem a “small outbreak” but the truth is that 9% is a high percentage.  It is not unusual for passengers not to report the illness in order to avoid being quarantined in the cabin or for crew members who rely on tips to keep working after they are ill. The total numbers are often under-reported. In addition to sick passengers, 22 crew members are reportedly ill according to the CDC. The CDC website states that an environmental health officer and an epidemiologist will board the ship in St. Thomas, USVI on January 26, 2014 to conduct an epidemiologic investigation.