Sponsored by
Cruise liner hit by norovirus - again
A cruise ship has been hit by a vomiting bug for the fourth trip in a row.
Passengers onboard the Fred Olsen liner Boudicca have again been struck down with norovirus - which causes sickness and diarrhoea - despite the ship being deep cleaned several times now.
Charlie and Sheila Fitzgerald paid 1,888 to go on the latest cruise to the Canary Islands to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary but said the holiday was spoilt when Mrs Fitzgerald became ill.
'I started getting ill half way through the trip and then had to stay in the cabin for three days,' said Mrs Fitzgerald, 72, of Tern Walk, Gosport. 'I didn't get to see Tenerife at all.
'I don't think they should have gone out again after all the trouble they'd have before.'
Mr Fitzgerald, 71, added: 'It did spoil the trip. It was very disappointing.'
A total of 150 people fell ill with suspected norovirus during the cruise, which returned on Monday.
It comes after hundreds of passengers on the previous three voyages were also struck down by the bug.
On a cruise to the Canary Islands between December 6 and 18 there were 180 cases.
A mini-cruise between December 18 and 22 saw a further 50 cases.
On a Canary Islands cruise between December 22 and January 4 a total of 289 passengers fell ill.
Fred Olsen said the ship underwent a further deep clean following the latest outbreak.
Matt Grimes, director of operations for the company, said: 'We're very aware of the effect that the spread of this type of infection can have, not only on the individuals concerned, but also on those fellow passengers around them.
'Our staff work tirelessly to maintain the highest standards of hygiene and cleanliness on board all our shops, but we are still reliant on the co-operation of everyone to report to the medical centre as soon as they feel the onset of symptoms, and then remain in their cabins for 48 hours to help prevent further spread of the virus.'
Passengers who fell ill during the latest cruise were offered credit towards a future cruise.
They were also refunded a day of their trip and given 50 to spend on board after their cruise was delayed because the ship needed a deep clean.
The ship departed again on Monday evening for a 28-night Caribbean cruise.
>> Vote in our latest web poll.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 11 February 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: -5 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
