NEW JERSEY---As The Explorer of the Seas cruise ship pulled into port in New Jersey, one passenger yelled, "We made it!"
For hundreds of passengers aboard the Royal Caribbean cruise, it was rough seas for the past few days.
Health officials said about 630 passengers and 54 crew members fell ill with a violent stomach bug.
Among those on board was a couple from Bloomsburg.
"We knew getting on that ship that in the United States, H1N1 was at epidemic proportions, and so we knew what the possibilities were," said Sue Rogutski of Bloomsburg.
The 10-day cruise was cut short because of the illness.
Despite the less than relaxing time on the ship, Rogutski said the staff did a great job.
"Though it was a bad situation all around, and it was very bad, Royal
Caribbean bent over backwards to provide everything we needed. The problem as it happened so quickly and there were so many cases, they weren't ready for what happened. "