Cruise lines face new plague: media hype of 'sick ships'. (In the News).

Travel Agent, December, 2002 by Young, Susan J.

ORLANDO -- The gastrointestinal virus that has affected some 1,400 cruise passengers in the last month generally runs its course in two days, but cruise lines are battling a more insidious foe: media hype about "sick ships." Their antidote is to get the message out that cruises are safe.

Describing television coverage of the outbreaks as a feeding frenzy, John Blood worth, president and CEO of My Travel USA, says news crews are camped out at south Florida ports in anticipation of more problems. But Blood worth says he has talked to clients coming off some of the ships with virus outbreaks, and "they didn't even know there was a problem."

Few Affected

Passengers on the Carnival Fascination, Disney Magic and Amsterdam of Holland America...

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