NEARLY 100 cruise passengers and crew have been struck down with a contagious vomiting and diarrhea bug in a nightmare voyage.

With norovirus rampaging through Royal Caribbean International ship Serenade of the Seas, people warned such cruises were "floating petri dishes."

Sufferers were struck down while enjoying a 13-night cruise.

The ship - which has 12 guest decks and was built in Germany - left San Diego on September 19, and was scheduled to arrive in Miami on Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it had received initial notification of "the outbreak on September 28.

"Predominant symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting... (caused by) norovirus."

Its breakdown of patient numbers said that 94 out of a total 1,874 passengers had so far reported fall

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