RE: Island Princess
January 26 - February 10, 2007

My wife and I just disembarked yesterday. The reported incident is seriously understated. There were many more norovirus afflicted crew and passengers than reported. There were repeated messages and announcements starting around January 29 or 30 of continuing new cases even to the second last day.

Dining room crew were pressed into service at the buffet due to the majority of buffet staff sick in bed, entertainment was changed due to singers and dancers sick in bed and due to musicians sick in bed. There was a marked reduction in the number of staff in nearly all departments accessible to passengers, as well as a marked reduction in passengers on deck and in the dining rooms..

Various staff indicated that nearly half the crew with passenger contact was ill. We noticed a large contingent of new staff coming aboard in Los Angeles, as well as significant quantities of boxes marked Medical Supplies.

There were reports of a passenger who had purchased antacids being confined to their cabin, even though the antacid was for a hangover, as well as reports of passengers being confined to their cabins upon cancelling dinner reservations, even though it was cancelled for other reasons. In each case management would have known the related cabin numbers.

There were reports of passengers being forced to have an injection, of an unknown substance, upon it being thought they might be sick.

We estimate between 300 and 500 sick passengers and crew.

The ship did not make the ports of Nawiliwili and Lahaina due to weather conditions; rough seas.

The ship was diverted to Honolulu on February 1, 2007 for an emergency medical evacuation. Rumor had it the first officer's wife had fallen in the shower during the very rough seas and had rendered herself unconscious. An officer and a person in a stretcher were off loaded in Honolulu. It was later rumored that she had died.

We are aware that these things happen but we feel that they should be reported accurately.