Topic: Fred Olsen promise to clean up & compensate...

More information was released today regarding the cruise cut short aboard Fred. Olsen's Boudicca.

A total of 220 passengers were ill during the Norovirus outbreak. The ship is due to return next tuesday, 2 days earlier than scheduled, in order to be deep cleaned.

A spokeswoman from Fred.Olsen released the following statement: "As a gesture of good will, Fred Olsen has given all passengers a £100 credit to their cabin accounts owing to the situation's impact on the cruise as a whole.

"On their return home, passengers will also receive a cheque in refund of two days' loss of cruising."

"Fred Olsen takes the welfare of all its passengers and crew very seriously and any illness on board is of great concern to us.

"Every reasonable precaution is taken to prevent any gastro-type virus from coming on board.

"Passengers are asked to complete a medical questionnaire before embarkation, and are also asked to use the sanitising gel that is readily available all around the ship before entering eating areas and on leaving public toilets.

"There are constant reminders to everyone on board to pay particular attention to personal hygiene - but the effectiveness of all these messages is only as good as the co-operation of the people concerned."

I really feel sorry for the people at FO who are doing their best to control this 'bug'. It has been endemic on cruise ships for years and will continue to be so. I don't wish to be ageist, I'm not young myself, but it seems to affect ships with older passengers more often. I'm not saying old people have poor hygiene, but they appear to be more susceptable to this type of illness.
If we are all vigilant regarding washing of hands (at every opportunity!) we have a chance of remaining well.

Judith

QUOTE:

I really feel sorry for the people at FO who are doing their best to control this 'bug'. It has been endemic on cruise ships for years and will continue to be so. I don't wish to be ageist, I'm not young myself, but it seems to affect ships with older passengers more often. I'm not saying old people have poor hygiene, but they appear to be more susceptable to this type of illness.
If we are all vigilant regarding washing of hands (at every opportunity!) we have a chance of remaining well.

Judith

I don't think you can only blame the older passengers here. I have seen examples of children and teenagers who are also less than circumspect in hygiene related matters on various ships. Also if you travel around the UK like I do, you see many who use the toilet and dash out without visiting the washbasins, and sometimes back into the restaurant. But you don't hear much about Novovirus from this source do you?
I have often thought that the virus can lay dormant in a person and be kicked off by the close contact you get on ships with the grubby ones.