Virus forces liner to dock

2004-05-09 08:55

Sydney - Cruise ship operator P and O blamed poor personal hygiene among some passengers for a virus outbreak that forced one of its ships to return to Sydney from a Pacific cruise at the weekend.

The company's Pacific Sky luxury liner returned to Sydney on Saturday after 140 passengers reported sick, suffering attacks of nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea during the 11-night cruise.

But the ship was given the all-clear and left port the same night carrying a new load of passengers after a team of cleaners scrubbed down the ship, supervised by health officials.

It was the second time the ship had been affected by illness in recent months, with a similar gastro-intestinal virus outbreak attacking 200 passengers last December.

Disgruntled passengers were reported on Sunday to be demanding refunds, but the cruise company denied responsibility, saying a passenger probably brought the virus, called norovirus and spread by personal contact, on board and blamed poor personal hygiene.

"Some passengers when they're on holidays are not as vigilant as we would like in terms of personal hygiene," PO Cruises spokesperson Gavin Smith said.

The company said it would consider refunds or credits for future cruises on a case by case basis.

Passenger Kevin O'Brien told commercial television Network some sick passengers were quarantined to their cabin and complained of not being fed. "A lot of them weren't happy at all with the way in which they were treated," he said.

"They felt isolated, neglected and treated basically like lepers.

"It hasn't really been a holiday, I certainly don't feel relaxed by this."

- AFP