P&O Cruise passengers 'dropping like flies' after norovirus outbreak

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Cruise ship passengers have reported a suspected norovirus outbreak off the coast of Belgium in the latest in a string of similar incidents on cruises over the past year.

One passenger aboard the P&O Iona travelling around the North Sea told Sky News that “people have been dropping like flies” as a “large number” of guests and staff were experiencing symptoms.

"People [were] throwing up in restaurants, on decks, outside cabins," the passenger said.

Iona, which can carry up to 5,200 guests and 1,800 crew members, left Southampton on 15 February for a sailing stopping at Rotterdam, Netherlands, Hamburg, Germany and Bruges, Belgium, before returning to Southampton on 22 February.

It is unclear how many passengers were onboard the seven-day cruise, but P&O said the illness affected fewer than one per cent of the passengers on board.

The cruise line confirmed to the outlet that some of its guests had “unfortunately reported gastrointestinal symptoms”.

The captain of the ship was understood to have made a public announcement on Thursday informing passengers of the outbreak, saying that the staff were doing their best to stop the spread of the infection, Sky News reported.

Amid the outbreak, the passenger claimed that the entertainment had been “adversely affected” with many scheduled acts unable to perform.

Being able to get hold of medicine to help with the illness reportedly proved to be an issue, too.

"What was also incredulous was the inability to buy or get hold of any medication onboard to help with the symptoms,” the passenger said.

“Not one shop or medical centre onboard could supply guests with gastrointestinal suspension medication or replacement salts/fluid sachets."

P&O Cruises said that medication is "readily available through our onboard medical centre" and an emergency support number is “available 24 hours a day”.

"Gastrointestinal-related illnesses are very common in the UK and are predominantly spread by person-to-person transmission in environments such as hotels, schools and restaurants,” the cruise line said in its statement.

"P&O Cruises works with global, national and regional public health authorities on approved and proven protocols across our ships to protect the health and wellbeing of all on board."

The cruise line further added to The Independent: “As we navigate through the winter season in the UK with an abundance of caution, we have proactively stepped up these already very robust health protection measures.

“All guests travelling or embarking are provided with communications to ensure their wellbeing which is always our priority.”

There have been previous gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on P&O Cruises. Last year, over 100 holidaymakers sought compensation from the company over outbreaks between April and June 2024.

In January this year, it was announced that a P&O cruise passenger died from a suspected kidney failure in October after falling ill with norovirus during a cruise.

The cruise company said it was “saddened” by the news and would be investigating matters.

More recently, over 100 passengers on a Holland America Line cruise fell ill following a norovirus outbreak whilst sailing around the Caribbean and the Americas.

The outbreak was reported to the CDC on 7 February, with more than five per cent of passengers and crew suffering gastrointestinal symptoms.

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