The P&O Iona – which has capacity for 5,000 passengers – recently returned to the UK after making its way around Northern Europe on a week-long cruise after setting sail from Southampton on February 15
Passengers on board a P&O cruise have described their horror holiday after a norovirus outbreak saw guests vomiting all over the ship.
Guests were being sick in restaurants, on deck and outside their cabins on the P&O Iona after it departed Southampton on February 15 for a seven-day cruise across Northern Europe.
The ship, which has capacity fo 5,000 passengers and 1,800 crew, was sailing off the coast of Belgium when the bug hit. Stops on the journey included Hamburg, Rotterdam and Zeebrugge.
Matt Bowater, a 45-year-old from Birmingham who was on his first-ever cruise, said the experience quickly turned into a nightmare. He also claimed that the hygiene standards were not up to par even before people started falling ill.
He told the Express: “This was my first cruise. I did not know what to expect. I filled out a feedback form on the second day. I explained the buffet food was lukewarm. The ship had hand sanitisers everywhere, yet the staff were happy to serve food that could harm the public. They even ran out of cutlery.”
He also said that bins were left overflowing in an area where people were meant to wash their hands. Passengers were also concerned about staffing levels, with many feeling that there weren’t enough crew members to manage the number of guests, Matt added.
He said: “Talking to other passengers, it seemed like there wasn’t enough staff to match the number of guests. Some staff seemed to be just there to get a pay cheque. They weren’t clearing away food quickly before the outbreak started.”
Once the illness began to spread, Matt said he noticed concerning signs.
“Now that we know what’s gone on, I realised when walking around that some areas had been sectioned off. Most likely, someone had been sick, and there were sick bags on the staircases,” he said.
He added that as the situation escalated, P&O increased cleaning measures. He added: “Staff started cleaning all the handrails, and they were stationed at every food location entrance making sure people sanitised their hands. They also began handing out cutlery.”
Despite this, Matt’s said his own room was not cleaned on one occasion, and the outbreak even affected onboard entertainment.
“The last two nights, some shows had to be cancelled because of the illness,” he said. “I met a family with a sick child – they looked drained.”
Guests were also reminded to wash their hands and report any symptoms, with messages displayed on in-room TVs.
P&O Cruises has insisted that it follows strict health protocols and has taken measures to tackle the outbreak. The company confirmed that some guests reported gastrointestinal symptoms but insisted that fewer than 1% of passengers were affected.
In a statement to the Express, a spokesperson said: “P&O Cruises works with global, national, and regional public health authorities on approved, stringent, and proven protocols across our ships in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all on board.
“As we navigate through the winter season in the UK with an abundance of caution, we have proactively stepped up these already very robust health protection measures.”
P&O also defended the quality of its service and staff, adding: “We are proud to have the highest standards of housekeeping, dining, entertainment, and overall experience for our guests.
“We are also immensely proud of our fantastic crew members, the majority of whom have worked with us for many years.”
The cruise operator also reassured guests that they would receive a full refund if they were unable to participate in shore excursions due to illness.