A vomiting bug has brought an early end to a Caribbean cruise after more than 170 passengers were found to be suffering from the illness.
The Caribbean Princess was forced to dock in Houston one day before the cruise was due to end after the norovirus, a gastrointestinal illness, spread throughout the cruise ship.
Princess Cruises, which owns the Caribbean Princess has confirmed that the ship has been through a thorough sanitation process, which was carried out by the Centre of Disease Control in order to avoid a repeat illness during the Caribbean Princess next voyage.
The norovirus is a highly contagious disease which can often cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Close contact with infected people or surfaces and objects touched by an infected person often allow the virus to be transmitted.
There is also a much higher risk of a person passing on the disease if they are involved in the preparation of food or if water is contaminated by the virus.
When any form of virus begins to spread on a cruise ship there is always a higher likelihood that many holidaymakers will fall ill due to the confined nature of a cruise ship. Passengers often find themselves reliant on the ships air conditioning units and a large amount of people are often required to eat in one place.
Tracy Stansfield, an experienced holiday claims solicitor, with an in depth knowledge of handling claims for compensation as a result of illness and accidents aboard cruise ships stated, âDue to the nature of holidaying aboard a cruise ship it is especially crucial that hygiene standards are of highest quality.
âAny outbreak of illness, such as the norovirus, can often spread rapidly, so it is important that care is taken to ensure each individuals health.
âIf you do suffer from the norovirus during a cruise it is important to drink as much water as possible in order to stay hydrated, as dehydration is a common side effect. Contagion will last much longer than the symptoms suffered as a result of the norovirus, so it is crucial to maintain good hygiene if you or somebody else has recovered from symptoms in order to help preventing the virus spreadingâ.
Contact Your Holiday Claims Today if you have fallen ill aboard a Cruise Ship
If you have suffered from an illness whilst holidaying aboard a cruise ship, our holiday claims experts can advise you on whether you can make a claim for compensation. At Your Holiday Claims we hold a combined experience of over 50 years in helping those who have suffered from an illness or accident whilst holidaying abroad.
For a free initial consultation, you can call Your Holiday Claims free on 0330 100 2851.
Or, you can read more about how our experts can help you make a claim for norovirus on holiday here.
