The Galveston admiralty law attorneys at Denena & Points note that 2012 is proving a banner year for the Norovirus aboard cruise ships departing from U.S. ports. So far, 2012 has yielded at least five major Norovirus outbreaks aboard large cruise ships departing the U.S. One ship, the Crown Princess, has already experienced outbreaks of the unpleasant virus on two consecutive voyages. Other cruise ships affected by the Norovirus outbreaks this year include: the Silhouette, the Ruby Princess, the Aurora, the Constellation, and The Voyager of the Seas.

You might have suffered from the Norovirus yourself at some time in the past. Generally it’s not a deadly disease; it only feels that it might be while you’re suffering the throes of the vomiting and diarrhea the virus brings. The Norovirus tends to affect people from 1 to 3 days, and usually clears up without treatment. Our Galveston admiralty law attorneys caution that if you’ve been looking forward to your special time away from it all on a luxury cruise, the Norovirus could bring your pleasure to an abrupt halt.

Although these Norovirus outbreaks aboard cruise ships frequently make the news; it’s likely that they’re actually underreported. Here’s why:

• Only cruise ships sailing from U.S. ports have to report such outbreaks to U.S.  CDC (Centers for Disease Control).
• Cruise lines need only report the outbreaks if more than 3% of passengers or crew report the illness to the ship’s medical center.
• Many people never “report” their illness to any shipboard medical authority; they just wait it out within a short distance of their stateroom’s toilet.

The Norovirus actually remains the second most commonly reported illness after the common cold. It’s highly contagious, passing from person to person through contaminated food or water, contaminated surfaces, or contact. In an enclosed environment like a cruise ship, there’s almost no way to avoid exposure once a large outbreak begins.

Our Galveston admiralty law attorneys point out that fortunately not everyone will actually contract the illness even if they’re exposed. But the spread of the virus makes it difficult to eradicate in the closed shipboard environment. Even rigorous efforts to disinfect a ship after an outbreak do not guarantee that the next voyage won’t experience the same illness. As an article on msnbc.com’s “Overhead Bin” page pointed out, Celebrity Cruise Lines found this out to their dismay when the passengers and crew on the Crown Princess became ill after a previous voyage had exhibited the illness.

The Crown Princess had been disinfected between cruises, but the ship was barely out of port when travelers began coming down with the virus once again. The cruise line brought the ship back to port early and set it up for a thorough two-day scrubbing and disinfecting effort. There’s not much more the cruise line could do. But even the multi-day disinfecting campaign doesn’t guarantee a subsequent voyage free of Norovirus.

If you’re injured aboard a ship at sea and the ship validly sails under the U.S. flag, your injury and recovery will be subject to U.S. admiralty law. If you have questions about how to obtain fair compensation after suffering a shipboard injury, contact our Galveston admiralty law attorneys toll free at 877-307-9500 or via our convenient online contact feature. If you have questions, we have answers.

Read More About 2012 sees multiple Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships departing U.S….