SAN PEDRO : Cruise Ship Plagued by Illness Resumes Operation

The cruise ship Viking Serenade left its berth in San Pedro on Friday for a three-day voyage to Mexico--just about a week after more than 600 people on the vessel became ill during a similar trip.

The ship pulled away from the dock at 6:15 p.m. and a few minutes after federal health inspectors gave the crew authorization to leave.

Since returning last week, the ship has been thoroughly cleaned, all food that was on board was thrown out, and mattresses and linen used during that voyage were burned, Royal Caribbean officials said.

Royal Caribbean, which owns the San Pedro-based ship, has said the kitchen and dining areas have been cleaned, and everything is safe. But there apparently was no word on how the shigellosis virus, which caused the wave of illness, found its way on the ship.

Assurances by the cruise line officials, however, apparently quelled the fear of passengers on the cruise that will taken them to Catalina Island and Ensenada before returning to San Pedro.