Cruise Ship with Sick Passengers Sails Into San Diego Bay

Earlier this week, the cruise line reported 37 ill passengers, which has now more than tripled

A cruise ship carrying dozens of sick passengers sailed into San Diego Bay Thursday morning.

The Crown Princess reported Monday that 37 people were showing symptoms of a gastrointestinal illness. That number more than tripled to 117 in four days.

Those sick include 94 passengers and 23 crew members out of more than 3,000 people onboard.

Princess Cruises confirmed Thursday the 117 patients have contracted the extremely contagious stomach ailment called the Norovirus.

“I think it’s being blown out of proportion a little bit because we are hearing all these reports, but I haven’t actually seen or met anyone who is sick,” passenger Brandon Marcia said. “They are doing a good job of keeping everything clean.”

Princess Cruises says they now have a sanitation plan in place following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CCDC) standards.

Crew members are disinfecting the ship’s high-touch surfaces, including elevator buttons and door handles. They are also encouraging passengers to wash their hands often and confining patients to their rooms.

Passengers say crew members are now serving guests at the buffet instead of letting people serve themselves.

The ship will dock along the Embarcadero for most of the day before the group heads south to Ensenada.

On Wednesday, the ship docked in Santa Barbara. Passengers told NBC 7 that some restaurants in Santa Barbara had signs saying they wouldn’t serve Crown Princess passengers.

The ship will be back in Los Angeles Saturday.

The cruise line said it will not issue any refunds.

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