Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
04 October 2013 08:45
A cruise ship has returned to Belfast after passengers were affected by a 'gastroenteritis-type illness'
A cruise ship which was hit by an outbreak of a "gastroenteritis-type illness" has returned to Belfast.
A number of passengers on board The Boudicca were taken ill with symptoms including vomiting or diarrhoea, a temperature, headache and stomach cramps.
Cruise operator Fred Olsen said around 72 passengers had been affected by the virus, out of just over 760 on board.
The ship had left Northern Ireland on September 23 for a 10-night Scandinavian cities cruise. Following its return to Belfast, a sanitisation and cleaning programme is now due to be carried out on the ship.
Fred Olsen said it had been in touch with guests who have booked tickets for The Boudicca's next scheduled cruise, a 12-night trip to Madeira and the Canaries, to tell them what happened. The incident also serves as a timely reminder that passengers should always make sure they take out cruise travel insurance to cover unforeseen circumstances.
In a statement, Fred Olsen said "every precaution" had been taken to ensure the swift containment of the virus and confirmed it had closed a number of public areas on the ship, including the public toilets and self-service buffet. The illness included a sudden onset of symptoms and lasted one to two days.
Explaining how such incidents are dealt with on board, the company said frequent cleaning of all areas of the ship is carried out. Any guests showing symptoms of the virus are asked to remain in their cabins, with complimentary room service and in-cabin entertainment, until they are classed as symptom-free by the ship's doctor.
The company added: "At Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, the health, safety and wellbeing of all our guests and crew is paramount, and we believe that our systems for preventing the spread of illness on board our ships are amongst the best within the industry."
19 October 2018
Pregnant women who suffer from pre-eclampsia have a greater risk of developing dementia, new research suggests.
[more...]
18 October 2018
The UK's average life expectancy is predicted to increase from 80.8 years to 83.3 years over the next 20 years, according to new research.
17 October 2018
Family doctors are being urged to prescribe physical activity for patients living with some of the most common medical conditions.
16 October 2018
Patients with brain tumours lose out on almost £15,000 per year, a new report has revealed.
13 October 2018
Chris Grayling has given his "categorial assurance" to Parliament that a no-deal Brexit will not ground flights in and out of the UK, despite recent warnings from experts that this remains a possibility.
12 October 2018
The rising cost of fuel could force more airlines out of business, the boss of easyJet has warned.
11 October 2018
The image of the boozy backpacker might be a thing of the past as a new study suggests more and more youngsters are shunning alcohol completely.
10 October 2018
The NHS says just one in 10 drinks sold in English hospitals will be sugar-sweetened, as part of its bid to curb rising obesity levels.
09 October 2018
More than 260,000 diabetes patients were put at risk of lasting harm or even death during hospital stays last year due to medication errors, a new report has revealed.
06 October 2018
NHS patients with a specific type of lymphoma will soon be able to access a "game-changing" new treatment, health officials have revealed.
05 October 2018
People living with diabetes are being warned they might be "unwittingly" storing their insulin incorrectly.
04 October 2018
The world's first commercial jet part-powered by a new form of biofuel touches down in London on Wednesday (3rd October).