P&O hit by compensation claims from 100-plus passengers after falling ill on cruise

More than 100 radical person submitted a assertion for compensation aft falling sick connected a cruise ship.

Lawyers representing the claimants accidental that determination were “repeated outbreaks” onboard a P&O Ventura ferry betwixt April and June.

In May, 519 travellers experienced norovirus symptoms soon aft the vessel acceptable sail from Southampton for a two-week cruise.

The genitor institution Carnival had been accused of downplaying the substance by claiming that little than 1% of passengers had been affected.

But figures from Southampton’s larboard wellness authorization amusement that the fig was person to 12%.

Passengers onboard erstwhile sailings person said that problems with tummy bugs had occurred during their stays.

The dispersed appeared to statesman astir April 20, with 92 radical taken sick connected Ventura's 10-day cruise astir Spain and Portugal.

More than 300 radical -16% of passengers - were taken sick during its 19-night cruise to the Mediterranean, which departed Southampton connected April 26.

And conscionable nether 12% of passengers reported symptoms connected the pursuing cruise - a three-night travel to Belgium connected May 15.

Norovirus is simply a tummy bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea, and the germs cannot beryllium killed with intoxicant manus gel.

According to the NHS, "it tin beryllium precise unpleasant, but usually goes distant successful astir 2 days."

Although the main symptoms tin spell distant aft a mates of days, precise often, it tin instrumentality up to a week for radical to afloat recover, meaning that for many, the bug ruined costly holidays.

Hudgell Solicitors said it was moving connected behalf of 115 holidaymakers to question compensation for "illness, nonaccomplishment of enjoyment and losses".

Anne Thomson, a lawyer astatine the firm, said it was "undeniable" that the unwellness had been rife connected Ventura.

Ms Thomson said: "Let’s not forget, it’s not conscionable the clip radical are confined to the compartment and are excessively sick to leave, but besides the interaction it has connected the remainder of their holiday, arsenic it takes immoderate clip to retrieve from feeling truthful unwell to again afloat bask the facilities, restaurants, and locations and days out."

A P&O spokesperson said: "We are atrocious immoderate of our guests whitethorn person been affected and we volition beryllium responding to the missive of assertion successful owed course."