TheBuzz
TheBuzz
Cruise blues and news
A flurry of news stories the past several days have detailed gastrointestinal illness amongst hundreds of cruise line passengers in Florida since mid- to late-November. The cases primarily involved Disney Cruise Line and Holland America and Carnival Cruises, which are owned by the same company.
All the fuss was over Norwalk-like virus which causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, possible headache and low-grade fever, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The virus is transmitted person-to-person or through contaminated food or water and usually requires a 2-to-3-day recovery period.
In Hawaii, Steve Hirano, consultant to Miami-based Norwegian Cruise Lines, touted the 100 percent rating the Norwegian Star received from the U.S. Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control on Oct. 20. As it happens Disney's Magic cruise ship received a 99 percent rating in June.
On a more pleasant topic, all nine of Norwegian's vessels were inducted into the Confrerie de la Chaine des Rotisseurs in May. "The society's members promote fine dining and the camaraderie and pleasures of the table," according to a statement.
Meanwhile, overboard ...
It is not on-board contamination, but overboard pollution that has the Earthjustice Legal Defense Fund mustering its resources for the upcoming legislative session. It has filed a lawsuit to protest Holland America's planned Molokai cruises.On a larger scale the organization is working with others to extend enforcement of the federal Clean Water Act to the cruise industry.
The Star-Bulletin editorial board met yesterday with Jeff Mikulina, Sierra Club Hawaii Chapter executive director, and Gershon Cohen, director of the Campaign to Safeguard America's Water.
Cohen accused the industry of dumping wastewater, toxic waste and 11.5 tons of daily trash into the oceans.
Mikulina said, "We don't want to shut down the industry. We want to see minimal protection for Hawaii's waters."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com