PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. — Guests aboard an ill-fated cruise that saw nearly 500 guests suffer gastrointestinal illness are talking about their experiences.
The cruise included one prominent member of the East Tennessee community -- Alison Mencer, a former radio host from WIVK's 'Andy & Alison' morning radio show.
Mencer said she, her family and friends were aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise when it returned to Port Canaveral a day early after nearly 500 guests and crew members were hit with an outbreak of Norovirus.
Mencer said she did not get sick, but her family and friends did.
They said Royal Caribbean worked quickly to sanitize while quarantining the sick.
"You see these staff members with HAZMAT outfits on with the mask and everything, and you'd walk closer, and they'd say, 'No, no, no, no! Don't come any closer! Go around," Mencer said.
Martha Riordan got sick on the crew and remembered having to order room service when she wanted to eat.
"We had to call room service if we wanted anything to eat, and when they brought it, they brought a red bag and said 'When you're done, put it in this hazardous waste bag," she said.
Royal Caribbean refunded all passengers on the cruise and issued a statement apologizing, saying, "We hoped to give you an amazing vacation and we are sorry we fell short."