More than 400 people fall ill on two Royal Caribbean cruises

Around 200 people became sick and five were hospitalised in Australia after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship earlier this month.

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Royal Caribbean International spokeswoman Cynthia Martinez said symptoms were reported by 209 guests among the 5,796 people aboard.

Martinez told the Associated Press: "Those affected by the short-lived illness were treated by our ship's doctors with over-the-counter medication."

The statement comes after 220 people fell ill on a five-night cruise in the Caribbean.

According to ABC News, passenger on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas came down with a gastrointestinal illness during the cruise which left Fort Lauderdale on Monday.

Passenger Tracy Flores said: "It was just terrifying - just the amount of people that were coming in at the same time with vomiting and diarrhoea and just looked ghastly."