Viruses put cruise travellers out to sea
Recent outbreaks of sickness on cruise ships have left tourists suffering with illness, and having expensive holidays cut short; with tour operators forced to offer compensation and to reassure future customers about their service.
There have been two high profile viral outbreaks in the last six weeks where passengers have been badly affected and cruises curtailed. At the end of May, 500 holiday makers had a cruise to the Norwegian fjords cancelled because of an outbreak of winter vomiting disease on board the ship they were due to sail on. Travellers, who expected to leave for a seven day trip to the Scandinavian country, were turned away at the dock after an outbreak of the novovirus had caused projectile vomiting and diarrhoea.
The highly contagious novovirus was again thought to have been responsible for a larger incident, in June, where 1,770 Britons were forced to disembark from a cruise ship holiday on a European tour. 200 passengers were directly affected by a debilitating stomach bug. As a result of illness to crew as well as passengers, the vessel became understaffed and passengers endured a miserable time before getting home.
In cases where the cruise holiday is cancelled before people even embark; it's the responsibility of the tour operators to offer compensation or refunds. However, medical treatment would be down to the individuals making their own arrangements for cover. Graham Linney, Insurance Manager at Travel Insurance Web:
"With cruises being one of the most expensive holidays people can choose, it's important to makes sure that if you are taken ill on a ship, and have to curtail your holiday, that you have sufficient cancellation and curtailment cover from your travel insurance. Also bear in mind if you were seriously ill, you would normally have to be transported by air to the mainland - without sufficient medical cover you would personally have to pick up the bill!"