For the second time in as many weeks, Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas pulled into the Port of Miami on Sunday bearing sick passengers, prompting the Centers for Disease Control to issue a no-sail recommendation for the world's largest cruise ship, an issuance deemed "fairly rare" by the CDC. Over 100 passengers and crew came down with the norovirus, or stomach flu, the same malady that struck nearly 400 people aboard the Freedom of the Seas during a seven-day cruise that returned to the Port of Miami on Dec. 3. Likewise, Princess Cruises' Sun Princess pulled into Port Everglades on Sunday with more than 100 passengers displaying norovirus symptoms, after a 10-day Caribbean cruise. The outbreak touched about five percent of the ship's roster, "not a serious one," a Princess spokeswoman said. Both ships underwent extensive cleaning prior to scheduled disembarkations. The Freedom of the Seas is scheduled to set out again for the Caribbean on Tuesday, but will bring aboard two additional doctors and 45 additional cleaning staff. Sun Princess departed for the Caribbean Sunday evening.
