Passengers confined to their cabins as sickness bug strikes Mediterranean cruise ship

By Mail on Sunday Reporter
Updated: 19:21 EST, 17 October 2009

Sixteen passengers on a Mediterranean cruise have been confined to their cabins after their ship was hit by the norovirus sickness bug.

The men and women were isolated after the Boudicca, of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, left Venice yesterday with 850 passengers on board.

The outbreak appeared to start last week when the ship’s doctor confined himself to his own quarters, suspecting he had the highly contagious bug which causes sickness and diarrhoea.

Boudicca

Virus: Sixteen passengers on Boudicca were confined to their cabins

The 28,000-ton Boudicca last night radioed Dubrovnik, its next port of call, seeking permission to dock there today.

Passengers paid between £1,500 and £6,000 for the 21-day cruise, which left Portsmouth on October 5 to visit Malaga, Sardinia, Tunisia and Lisbon.

In February, an outbreak of norovirus on the Boudicca’s sister ship the Balmoral left more than 200 people ill.

A Fred Olsen Cruise Lines spokeswoman said last night: ‘We can confirm that 16 passengers are thought to have the norovirus. The swimming pool and food buffet have been closed down.’

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