Your Holiday Claims has helped 26 British holidaymakers recover a combined payout of £42,500 after outbreaks of gastric illness on board a cruise ship. Cruise Operator Fred Olsen agreed to the settlement which was shared between the 26 clients.
Outbreaks of illness occurred between November 2009 and April 2010, leaving many holidaymakers suffering from severe gastric symptoms. The outbreaks of illness affected more than six separate cruises on board the Boudicca cruise ship.
Many passengers have questioned the sanitation processes put into practise by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines. In some instances the ship sailed without any delay, even after the most severe outbreaks resulted in the ship returning early to dock.
Severe Norovirus suffered by guests aboard Boudicca ship
On Christmas Day of 2009, many were confined to their cabins, unable to leave due to the illness they had suffered. We have represented clients who had planned their cruise to allow them to celebrate Christmas with their family on board a luxury cruise ship, however their holidays were ruined when they were struck down with severe gastric illness due to the norovirus outbreak on holiday.
Despite the claims that the cruise ship would undergo a deep clean before the next cruise commenced, many have reported finding the facilities unclean on their arrival. Our clients Gerald and Rosslyn Rager reported that despite their departure being delayed by 24 hours, the cleanliness on board was still questionable.
Mr Rager said: âWe received a letter advising us that the sailing had been put back by 24 hours. When we boarded the standard of cleanliness was really disappointing.
âI became ill on the 9th January with severe vomiting and diarrhoea. I was confined to my cabin but surprisingly my wife was not confined. Eventually our cabin was fumigated but my wife had to insist on clean pillows and covers, I was appalled by the hygiene practices of the crew.
âThe whole holiday was ruined by the illness and I couldnt wait to go home. If I had been made aware of the other outbreaks then I would not have boarded and exposed myself and my wife to the illness.â
Many of our clients have indicated that they would not have travelled on board the Boudicca cruise ship had they been aware of the extent of the previous outbreaks.
The settlement for the 26 holidaymakers has now finally been reached without Fred Olsen accepting responsibility for the outbreaks.
Tracy Stansfield, a highly qualified solicitor at Your Holiday Claims, handled the case on behalf of our clients. She commented: âThe illness suffered on board the Boudicca cruise ship was a very a serious and sustained outbreak which spread from cruise to cruise.
âAlthough the claims have been successfully settled, Fred Olsen have not accepted responsibility for the outbreaks. We have now been fighting for our clients for four years and everybody here at Your Holiday Claims is delighted that our clients have finally received compensation for the very nasty illness that they contracted.”
Boudicca cruise ship compensation in the press
- Nelson law firm helps passengers get pay outs – Lancashire Telegraph
- YourHolidayClaims client receives compensation after norovirus – Kent Online
