BAYONNE, N.J. — Passengers aboard a cruise ship on which hundreds fell ill recalled days of misery holed up in their rooms or the infirmary as the Explorer of the Seas returned to its home port Wednesday after a Caribbean trip cut short by a suspected outbreak of norovirus.

Retiree Bill Rakowicz, 61, from the city of St. Thomas in Ontario, Canada, said he thought he was just seasick when he began suffering from vomiting, pain and diarrhea caused by the outbreak that sickened nearly 700 passengers and crew.

“Then I went out of my room and saw people with gloves and people sick everywhere,” he said.

He said he had the symptoms for five days starting Jan. 22, the day after the ship operated by Royal Caribbean cruise line departed Bayonne. “It was awful. You feel like you want to give in,” he said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said its latest count puts the number of those sickened at 630 passengers and 54 crew members. The ship, on a 10-day cruise that had to be cut short, was carrying 3,050 passengers.

Health investigators suspect norovirus, but lab results are not expected until later this week.

Norovirus – once known as Norwalk virus – is highly contagious. It can be picked up from an infected person, contaminated food or water or by touching contaminated surfaces.

Royal Caribbean is providing all guests a 50 percent refund of their cruise fares and a 50 percent future cruise credit.


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