New Jersey woman a passenger on ill-fated cruise ships 2 years in a row as norovirus strikes

A New Jersey woman doesn't seem to have much luck when it comes to cruise ships and norovirus.

WCAU-TV in Philadelphia (http://bit.ly/1z8zXV6) reports Sea Isle City resident Barbara Ferguson was among 630 passengers aboard the Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas who contracted a strain of norovirus in February 2014. The illness causes vomiting and diarrhea.

The cruise line offered her a discounted trip as compensation, and she set sail on its Grandeur of the Seas vessel last month. The ship had been scheduled to return to Baltimore on Tuesday but returned a day early because some passengers came down with norovirus.

Ferguson's daughter tells the TV station her mother booked the second trip because she thought "lightning couldn't strike twice."

Royal Caribbean says "those affected by the short-lived illness are responding well to over-the-counter medication."