Riviera Returns to Miami Early Because of Gastro Illness

   February 23, 2016 ,   Accidents

Oceania Cruises ship Riviera returned to Miami on Saturday, two days early from its last cruise, due to a norovirus outbreak, so the vessel could undergo sanitation.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), 119 out of 1,225 passengers (9.72%) reported being ill on the voyage, which left Miami February 12. The number of crew reported being sick is 3 out of 773 (or .39%).

Oceania told the CDC they had taken the following actions in response to the outbreak:

"increased cleaning and disinfection procedures; collected stool specimens from sick passengers and crew; sent a public health and sanitation manager and two physicians from Oceania's corporate office, as well as additional crew and equipment, to oversee the response; staged disembarkation of sick passengers separately from those who were well to limit transmission."

A CDC Vessel Sanitation Program environmental health officer and epidemiologist are on board Riviera to conduct an assessment. Travelers on the next cruise, scheduled to leave February 21 (Monday afternoon), were told the sailing would be delayed.

In a letter sent to travel agents Carlos Ortega, Oceania Vice President, said that passengers on the shortened cruise were given a refund of 25% of their fare and future cruise credit of 25% of their fare, redeemed by December 31 for sailings departing before February 28, 2017.