Guests onboard Fred Olsen’s The Balmoral reported the outbreak
Passengers on a cruise ship have fallen ill as ‘hundreds’ are hit by a serious stomach bug. The Scottish cruise ship was due to dock in Lerwick, Shetland, on Tuesday (January 7), but stormy weather meant the visit was cancelled.
However, guests onboard Fred Olsen’s The Balmoral reported an outbreak of gastroenteritis, commonly known as the ‘stomach flu’. The highly contagious infection causes diarrhoea, vomiting, cramps, and fever.
Some passengers were forced into isolation as a result of the outbreak, the Daily Record reports. The ship can carry more than 1,200 passengers, with one passenger reporting that around 200 people had fallen ill.
Daily announcements reportedly warned that the ship was ‘experiencing increasing cases of people presenting with symptoms of gastroenteritis’. However, some passengers said the reports had been exaggerated, claiming that most cases were simply seasickness caused by the rough crossing from Norway.
The company’s director of health services, Kate Bunyan, confirmed that several guests had reported gastrointestinal symptoms. She said: “We have immediately implemented measures to help reduce transmission, and our medical team is on hand to provide support to anyone who should feel unwell during the cruise.
“Balmoral will be returning to Southampton tomorrow, where she will set sail a little later than planned to allow for a deep clean of the ship and cruise terminal. The safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew is our highest priority, and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has robust health, hygiene, and safety protocols in place at all times.”
Passengers booked on the cruise liner departing from Southampton on Thursday (January 29) reported delays. Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has reportedly contacted guests due to board Balmoral in Southampton on Friday (January 30) to explain that an enhanced deep clean of the ship is needed when it arrives in port.
The company said the change is a precautionary measure aimed at protecting the health and wellbeing of passengers and crew. In a message sent to customers, the cruise operator said there was “no cause for concern” and stressed that the adjustment was part of its robust health protocols.
The cancelled stop in Lerwick also meant some passengers missed the world-famous Up-Helly-Aa fire festival, Shetland’s annual celebration of its Norse heritage, held every year on the last Tuesday of January.
Fred Olsen Cruises said the forecast made docking unsafe. A spokesperson told The Shetland Times: “While we understand the disappointment of missing the much-anticipated Up-Helly-Aa festival, the safety of our guests and crew must always remain our highest priority.”