46 fall sick on Royal Caribbean cruise ship that departed from Baltimore

A Royal Caribbean Cruises ship that departed from Baltimore on a nine-night trip earlier this year has had 46 reported cases of gastrointestinal illness on board, according to company spokesman Owen Torres.

The Grandeur of the Seas cruise ship, which has nearly 2,900 guests and crew onboard, set sail on Jan. 2, with stops in Charleston, S.C., Orlando, Fla., and the Bahamas. The ship was originally scheduled to set sail back to Baltimore Thursday, but its return has been delayed until Saturday, wrote Torres in an email to The Baltimore Sun.

“Those affected by the short-lived illness have been treated by our ship’s doctors with over-the-counter medication, and we hope all our guests feel better quickly,” Torres wrote, adding that no new cases had been reported as of Thursday morning. The cause of the illness, however, is unknown. Torres said lab tests need to be conducted to determine the exact cause, and that all guests and crew members have been encouraged to wash their hands often.

“We’re taking steps like intensive sanitary procedures to minimize the risk of any further issues. The ship will undergo special cleaning procedures before it departs Saturday for her next cruise,” he wrote.