Ships hit by stomach bug are cleaned again

Two cruise ships plagued by outbreaks of a gastrointestinal illness have been scrubbed down in an effort to stop the bug that has affected more than 650 passengers.

“We’re cleaning everything from Bibles to Scrabble tiles,” said Erik Elvejord, a spokesman for Holland American, whose Amsterdam reported more than 450 cases of Norwalk virus on its last four voyages. Norwalk lasts a day or two, causing vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

One Amsterdam sailing was canceled. Since Nov. 21, the 1,380-passenger ship has been cleaned three times. At the Travel section’s press time, it was scheduled to sail to the Caribbean today.

The virus is usually transmitted by contaminated food and water but increasingly is being spread by person-to-person contact, said Dave Forney, chief of the Vessel Sanitation Program at the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Forney said the CDC had not been able to identify “any single source of food or water” responsible for the outbreak on the Amsterdam. Holland America’s Elvejord thinks the virus came on board with the passengers in October.

Disney Cruise Line’s Magic, on which more than 200 passengers complained of a similar virus on a November sailing, also has been thoroughly scrubbed, said Angela Bliss, a spokeswoman.

-- Kathleen Doheny

A petal-pushing farm tour south of Santa Barbara

FLOWER fanciers can get behind-the-scenes glimpses of some of America’s biggest nurseries on a new tour package that focuses on the Carpinteria Valley, just south of Santa Barbara. There are opportunities for bird-watching too.

The package is offered the first weekend of each month through May. The first one is this Friday through Sunday.

Among stops on the all-day Carpinteria Naturally tour are the 48-acre Gallup & Stribling Orchids; Hollandia Produce, which uses hydroponic (soilless) growing methods; and Island View Nursery, featuring exotic ferns and palms, where guests stop for a picnic lunch. Also on the route are Carpinteria’s 230-acre salt marsh, where herons and other birds can be seen, and a local historical museum.

Participants stay at the Comfort Suites Carpinteria or the Best Western Carpinteria Inn. They arrive Friday and tour from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, a spokeswoman said. Sunday is free.

The package, including two nights’ hotel and taxes, is $349 per couple, and $50 per child (12 and older) in the same room as parents. Reservations are required. Contact Carpinteria Valley Chamber of Commerce, (800) 563-6900, Ext. 12, www.carpchamber.org/naturally.

Northwest sets new rules for overweight bags

Plan on traveling lighter on Northwest Airlines starting Dec. 15. That’s when the airline will lower the weight limit for free checked bags. At the same time, it will reduce the penalty for severely overweight bags.

Passengers in all classes on North American, Mexico and Caribbean flights will be charged $25 for each checked bag between 50 and 70 pounds. Bags of 70 to 100 pounds will be assessed $50 each. (The current penalty is $80 for bags over 70 pounds.) Bags weighing more than 100 pounds are not accepted.

In another change, Northwest has expanded self-service check-in, on the Internet and at airport kiosks, to e-ticket customers traveling from the U.S. and Canada to Europe and Asia. It said it is the first airline to do so.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

Discounts glitter in Emerald City

Seattle hotels go on sale in winter under the Seattle Super Saver Package, coordinated by the city’s convention and visitors bureau. More than 40 hotels participate, offering discounts, some of them 50% or more, off regular published rates for stays through March 31. The rates are subject to availability. For a list, visit www.seattlesupersaver.com. You can reserve at that site or by calling (800) 535-7071 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to

2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

FREE FOR THE ASKING

Philadelphia story in a guide

A compact guide to Philadelphia has information on getting there, in-city transit, historic attractions, tour companies, the arts and shopping, plus maps and more. To order the trip planner, titled “Philly’s More Fun When You Sleep Over,” call (888) 467-4452. Similar facts are at www.gophila.com, which also has information on hotel discounts and packages through March 30.