YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS. The Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is cancelling its journey midway after nearly 300 passengers and crew have been infected with a norovirus, Royal Caribbean Cruises said in a statement on Thursday.

The cruise line said that returning early is better than “have guests worry about their health”.

277 passengers and crew began feeling sick after the ship departed Port Canaveral in Florida, USA on January 6. The ship was scheduled for a 7-night cruise.

A passenger told ABC News that the ship made its first stop in Haiti a few days ago where it hosted a lunch buffet on land. The passenger said they begane experiencing symptoms associated with food poisoning, like vomiting, that night.

Now the ship is on its way back to Florida.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan