87-year-old Royal Caribbean passenger Bob Pettit planning 26th cruise even after falling ‘violently’ ill with nasty norovirus outbreak

A Royal Caribbean cruise vacationer who has championed the sea for most of his retirement isn’t letting his current journey, spoiled by a nasty bout of norovirus running rampant on the ship, deter him from planning a 26th trip.

Bob Pettit, 87, is one of nearly 100 passengers aboard the Royal Caribbean International ship Serenade of the Seas who fell ill with the norovirus shortly after disembarking from San Diego.

The 13-day cruise leaves little room to breathe with stops in Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia – none of which Pettit and his son Josh have been able to fully enjoy. 

“I’m 87 years old, I’ve never been this sick in my life,” Pettit lamented to NBC 6.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that the bout is a certified outbreak, one of many observed aboard cruise ships this year.

As of Wednesday, 94 passengers and four crew members reported being ill, according to the CDC.

“It really hits you hard. Violently,” Pettit told the outlet.

“It starts with an upset stomach,” he explained, noting that it only truly got to him a few days into the cruise.

Other common norovirus symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, muscle aches and a fever, according to the CDC.

Norovirus outbreaks are common on cruise ships and other large gatherings in contained spaces.

The best way to prevent the spread in such close quarters is to quarantine, which Pettit did, but even then it wasn’t enough to plug the outbreak. 

His son Josh said they’ll consider taking extra precautions to avoid catching the virus in the future.

“You’re touching chairs, salt and pepper shakers, and we’re definitely thinking more about that and trying to keep your hands clean before you touch your food,” Josh told the outlet.

Royal Caribbean assured that its crew is doing everything they can to prevent further spread and ease passengers through the last leg of the trip. 

“The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority. To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement.

The father-son duo remained in high spirits and refused to let the illness put a damper on their trip – or future plans for a staggering 26th cruise vacation. 

“Hopefully, things have turned the corner here and things are getting better,” Josh told the outlet.

Their current cruise is scheduled to return Miami on Thursday.

So far, a whopping 19 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruises were reported to the CDC this year, including 14 caused by norovirus.

Three of the norovirus outbreaks occured on Royal Caribbean ships.