Cruise ship full of sick passengers docks in Galveston

  GALVESTON, TX -- A Crown Princess cruise ship on which about 100 passengers came down with a stomach virus during a 20-day trip to Italy has docked in Galveston.

Officials said about 96 passengers and six crew members contracted norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness that includes vomiting, diarrhea and fever.

Sick passengers were quarantined for three days. They received medical care in their rooms, which were also sanitized three times a day.

"I thought I was gonna die," said 63-year-old Gail Olezene of San Antonio. Olezene said she got sick three days after the Crown Princess left for Italy.

She was upset the company charged her for the medical care she received.

"We got sick on their ship, and they charged us to make us better," Olezene told the Houston Chronicle. "The fact that they charged us anything was outrageous."

The ship left Venice on Dec. 2 and arrived in Galveston early Saturday. On Thursday, officials with Princess Cruises released a statement saying the number of sick passengers aboard the ship had returned to normal levels.

Spokeswoman Karen Candy said the ship would be disinfected in Galveston.

Passenger Cathy Michaud, 65, said the ship was sanitized when the virus spread, and extra precautions were taken.

"We couldn't even touch the salt shakers," she said.

Rosemary Nonhof, a 67-year-old from Spring, Texas, said she enjoyed the trip -- even though she caught the virus.

"I'd rather be sick on a cruise than sick at home," Nonhof said.

(Copyright ©2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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Storms in N. Texas strand passengers at IAH

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Travelers in Houston are feeling the effect of the storms that hit north Texas and the Midwest.

According to an airport spokesperson, about 100 travelers spent the night at Bush Intercontinental Airport after nine flights were diverted to Houston because of the violent weather in Dallas. Those passengers were given temporary beds to sleep on. Dozens of them lined the hallways in the baggage claim area.

While some planes already on their way to Dallas were diverted to Houston, others were canceled for the night altogether. This, after scattered tornadoes, hail and severe thunderstorms swept throught the Dallas area.

Travelers inside Dallas airports were moved to basements, interior stairwells and restrooms. In Dallas, dozens of flights were canceled and dozens of others were divereted and some of those passengers landed in Houston.

"We were shocked," said stranded passenger Joann Cisneros. "We actually came down thinking we would have to sleep in shifts and sleep on the linoleum so this is great. And they brought us wet ones and they brought us little care packages."

"It's hard to complain about weather where we're at given all the things that have taken place in Missouri and places like that," said Jeff Fox.

"Whenever there's an act of God like that, you just hope that you're not going to be victimized by that. So of course we all felt a sense of relief, but at the same time there is a great inconvenience," said Adam Payne. Many of those passengers tell Eyewitness News they have already been rebooked and hope to fly out before more expected bad weather. (Copyright ©2011 KTRK-TV/DT. All Rights Reserved.) Get more Local »

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