'Anthem Of The Seas' Cuts Latest Trip Short Due To Severe Weather, Norovirus

BAYONNE, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Royal Caribbean cruise ship battered by a major Atlantic storm earlier this month was headed back to its home port in Bayonne, New Jersey on Sunday as another squall and a norovirus outbreak threatened its current voyage.

The company said on Twitter that the "Anthem of the Seas" is headed back to Cape Liberty in order to "avoid a severe storm and provide guests with a comfortable journey back home.''

John Turell, an executive with The Associated Press who is aboard the ship with his wife, said in an email that the ship's captain and its cruise director have made announcements about the norovirus. However, it's not clear how many people have been affected by the illness.

"Sanitation levels on the ship have been boosted,'' said Turell. "(Ship) workers are scurrying around like ants, scrubbing down handrails, tables and any other surfaces that can be washed.''

He noted that life aboard the ship "appears quite normal'' other than the very visible increased sanitation efforts.

Turell said passengers were told Saturday night that the cruise was being cut two days short because of a storm developing off Cape Hatteras. As a result, planned stops in Barbados and St. Kitts were being skipped and the ship was expected to arrive at its home port on Wednesday morning.

"Anthem of the Seas" told CBS2 in a statement that "the safety and comfort of our guests and crew is always our first priority."

"On a recent sailing, Anthem of the Seas experienced bad weather that was much worse than forecast; therefore, we want to be extra cautious about our guest's safety and comfort when it comes to weather in the area. That is why we have decided to head back to Cape Liberty immediately so that we can stay a safe distance from the storm," the cruise ship said in a statement.

They also said that only "a very small percentage of our guests" have experienced what is believed to be the norovirus.

"Over the past eight days we have averaged fewer than 10 cases per day from a population of 6,000 people. Those guests have responded very well to over-the-counter medication. These cases did not affect our decision to return," the ship said.

The Anthem of the Seas gained infamy earlier this month after it was caught in a major storm that damaged the vessel and made for scary conditions for thousands of passengers on board, with waves surging over 30 feet and winds over 75 mph.

Earlier this week, passengers who were aboard the ship during the storm filed a class-action lawsuit against the cruise line.

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