Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
29 January 2014 08:49
Passengers on board the Royal Caribbean cruise ship, Explorer of the Seas, became violently ill (AP Photo/Thomas Layer)
More than 300 people on board a cruise ship in the Caribbean have become violently ill.
A total of 281 passengers and 22 crew members on the Royal Caribbean cruise ship Explorer of the Seas displayed symptoms of norovirus.
The sickness bug on board the ship, which has been forced to miss a scheduled visit to Haiti and dock in Puerto Rico, is a warning that illness can strike any time and a gentle reminder of the importance of medical travel insurance. If something goes wrong on such a trip cruise travel insurance policies will make it all plain sailing.
The ship, which set off from Cape Liberty, New Jersey, on January 21, is now undergoing an extensive sanitising process.
Royal Caribbean spokeswoman, Janet Diaz, said cleaning products designed to kill norovirus are being employed in the sanitisation of the ship.
Norovirus is extremely contagious and, in some extreme cases, can even be fatal. The stomach virus causes violent vomiting and diarrhoea.
Speaking to US news channel CNN, one of the cruise's passengers said: "I'll never come back again. Not on this cruise line. It's the most disorganised trip I've ever been on in my life and I'm also 80 years old. It's sad."
It is not the first time norovirus has struck on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Earlier this month, the Majesty of the Sea ended its four-day voyage early following an outbreak of the virus which caused 66 passengers to fall ill.
Sometimes known as the winter vomiting bug, norovirus can affect people of all ages. There is no specific cure for norovirus, which simply has to run its course.
There are at least 25 different strains of norovirus known to affect humans. They're the most common cause of stomach bugs (gastroenteritis) in the UK.
23 September 2016
Theresa May is being urged to give the go-ahead for flights to resume between the UK and Sharm el-Sheikh by the head of the cross-party parliamentary group on Egypt.
[more...]
22 September 2016
Budget airline Jet2.com is to open its first base in the south of England at Stansted.
21 September 2016
Smoking rates have dropped to the lowest level on record in England, new figures show, suggesting messages about the health effects of cigarettes are hitting home.
20 September 2016
Concerns have been raised over flight disruptions caused by heavy drinking among passengers.
17 September 2016
British Airways' decision to launch direct flights from London to Tehran earlier this month positions Iran as one of the hottest destinations to visit in 2017, according to experts.
16 September 2016
More than 100 flights have been cancelled as French air traffic controllers go on strike again.
15 September 2016
Two thirds of MPs would support an expansion at Heathrow.
14 September 2016
TripAdvisor is launching a new homepage, making the booking of holiday activities and tours even easier.
13 September 2016
Travellers are to be charged to use fast lanes to get through passport checks in an attempt to cut queues.
09 September 2016
People travelling to regions affected by the Zika virus outbreak should practise safe sex for at least half a year upon their return, health leaders say.
08 September 2016
British Airways is apologising to passengers for delays after an IT glitch hit check-in systems.
07 September 2016
Tiny particles that are breathed in and taken into the brain through air pollution could trigger Alzheimer's disease, research finds.