Queen Victoria - Major problems noro illness, heart attack, bad plumbing, bad food

**Ally** · 12-30-2007, 06:34 AM

Quote:

A luxury liner launched by the Duchess of Cornwall has been hit by a potentially fatal stomach bug, which has struck down nearly 80 passengers.

When Cunard's £300million MS Queen Victoria was officially launched by Camilla in Southampton three weeks ago, the bottle of champagne failed to smash against the bow, prompting superstitious speculation that the ship was cursed.

Now, 78 passengers have been confined to their cabins after being hit with Norovirus, the "winter sickness bug", which causes severe vomiting and diarrhoea.

Last night, passengers - who include former Formula 1 motor-racing champion Sir Jackie Stewart - dubbed the Canary Islands trip the "cruise from hell" after complaining about poor room service, blocked toilets, a lack of Christmas decorations, cold food and extra charges for tea and coffee.

They described how one woman collapsed after contracting the virus, while in another incident, not thought to be related to the outbreak, a male passenger died of a heart attack.

The highly infectious Norovirus can kill and is frequently spread by food handlers who fail to wash properly.

Pat Horn, 78, from Cheltenham, died last year after catching it on the Van Gogh cruise ship, which was impounded at Harwich after 100 passengers and crew fell ill.

Last night, passengers on Cunard's newest liner, on only its second cruise, said they planned to sue for compensation after up to four days living on sips of water and anti-nausea injections administered by medical staff.

They complained hygiene standards were "appalling" and that the outbreak was connected to poor food handling.

Passengers said it was only after the virus struck that Cunard provided alcohol-based hand gel to combat its spread – by which time it was too late.

Jean Trainor, 49, from Blackburn, Lancashire, said: "I was eating in the Britannia restaurant on Thursday night when a woman at a table beside me collapsed. Paramedics wearing masks rushed to the scene.

"The woman was taken away in a wheelchair, the table was covered up and the area was immediately sealed off. It was like a police crime scene.

"I haven't seen the woman since, but I have heard that she's been struck down by the virus.

"No hygiene rules were implemented until people fell ill. If they had been, maybe this could have been avoided.

"There has also been problems with lavatories not flushing. Everyone I've spoken to is p***** off, including the crew because they're having to put up with all the guests moaning.

"I resent having paid £7,500 to be on this cruise. I'll never sail on the Queen Vic again."

Ron Wade, 71, from South Lanarkshire, said: "I was very surprised that nobody was being told that they must wash their hands in antiseptic lotion as a matter of course. Since people became ill, we have all been advised not to use the public loos to stop the spread of the virus.

"Unfortunately, some of the loos in our cabins have been blocked."

Cunard broke with tradition by getting Camilla, rather than the Queen, to launch the 90,000-ton vessel before its first trip around North Europe.

Last night, the company said the virus was probably brought on board by passengers when they began the 16-night festive cruise at Southampton on December 21.

The five-star liner's 3,000 passengers paid between £1,100 and £24,400 each for the trip.

The worried daughter of one elderly couple from East Anglia hit by the bug said her parents planned to sue Cunard for compensation.

The former NHS nurse, who asked not to be named, said: "My parents spent two years saving £6,000 for this. Now, their trip has been ruined.

"My father was taken to the ship's hospital on Christmas Day. My mother succumbed on Thursday. They and the others suffering vomiting and diarrhoea have been forced to stay in their cabins."

Yesterday, as the liner docked at Lanzarote, many of the afflicted passengers had begun to recover, but 18 were still stuck in their cabins.

Cunard confirmed last night that a total of 78 passengers had been hit.

A spokesman said: "Eighteen passengers currently have the virus but it has not affected the cruise for the rest of our guests. We always stress to our crew the importance of hygiene. Often, these viruses are brought on board by passengers.

"Those who have been infected have been confined to their rooms to prevent a spread of the infection and we have ordered regular cleaning of handrails all over the ship.

"Anti-bacterial liquid is being provided and everybody is being urged to wash their hands regularly. We are very sorry if anybody's cruise has been affected."

The spokesman said it was too early to say whether anyone might receive compensation.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23430045-details/'Curse+of+Camilla'+cruise+ship+struck+by+winter+vo miting+bug/article.do

**Ally** · 12-30-2007, 07:13 AM

Having problems with noro, catering problems and plumbing problems on only her second cruise is not good at all. Made worse by the fatal heart attack.

Wondering if CCL pushed her out into service too quickly.

The lack of decoration for Christmas also occurred aboard P&O Aurora this year, my TA went on the pre-Christmas party cruise and said he was surprised by the complete lack of anything Christmassy aboard ship...a week before Christmas.

Usually the ships go all out on decoration from the end of November. It will be interesting to see if P&O/Cunard do the same next year.

Lioness · 12-30-2007, 07:18 AM

Goodness Ally, that all sounds terrible. Not a good start

**Ally** · 12-30-2007, 07:22 AM

The curse of the unbroken launch bottle strikes again....

The ship definately does not sound ready for service. You expect things to go awry with the ship's systems like plumbing on a 1st voyage...but not on a 2nd, and it sounds like new ship complacency in regards to the noro outbreak too.

Cunard will be inundated with compensation claims on this. Had it been just one problem, then it might have been OK, but the amount of different problems in one cruise on a new ship....that is a whole different matter.

**middy** · 12-30-2007, 12:16 PM

Excuse the pun but I think they have gone overboard with the norovirus bit, I've never had it on a ship but sure I have had it at home. The implication that cause we were ill on our holiday means you can sue the cruise company I find difficult to take, should they not be sueing the person who brought it on board? Would you sue the school if your child picked it up?

NHS wards close as staff hit by winter bugs - Telegraph
Just shows you the prevelance of Norovirus

**Ally** · 12-30-2007, 12:26 PM

It was a case of norovirus that occurred in an elderly lady (who may/may not have had pre-existing conditions) who died a short time after disembarking from Van Gogh last year that was the litigation which has caused the collapse of Travelscope.

As sad and unfortunate as the death of a passenger (or anyone who contracts norovirus) is, it cannot be entirely the fault of the cruise line, school, hospital, hotel etc.

People are their own worst enemy sometimes. This is especially the case on cruise ships as many who do fall ill refuse to stay in their cabins for the 48 hours citing that they paid good money to be on the ship and they are damned if they will stay in a cabin for any amount of time. By the same token, you cannot force people to use the antibacterial washes etc....that being said, on Olsen ships you do get pounced on by staff and they squirt you, rather than leave it to you to do it yourself.

99% of noro is brought onto the ship by passengers. When you board a ship you are usually asked to sign a paper saying that you are well and have not had any gastro problems in the preceding 48 hours. Well that is all well and good, but if faced with being booted off a cruise if you reply 'yes', then unfortunately you will get many who say 'no' knowing full well that they have had the trots for the last couple of days.

The only way to completely stop it happening is by having the cruise line demanding a stool sample before embarkation and that it is checked for all known lurgies before you are allowed to board.

Somehow, I can't see that happening.....can you?

(I can quite understand the desire for compensation though for bad food, bad plumbing etc as that is entirely preventable and on a new ship, you shouldn't have to put up with that....most though will take it in their stride (myself included), but you will always get some who sue at the slightest thing).

diana · 01-03-2008, 05:05 AM

It does seem to be true that ships (like many other things) suffer from teething problems. It would be interesting to know what percentage of new ships complete their maiden voyages without any techinical problems at all - surely someone has done this calculation!!

Norovirus is a different thing, although again, interesting comment from Ally that new ship complacency may have exacerbated matters. It seems quite incredible if the reports are true about alcohol-based hand washes only being available after the outbreak - also the cleaning of handrails - surely that should be normal practice?

Is this CCL's influence, do you think? Certainly a line such as Cunard that charges for a premium cruise experience needs to be very vigilant as negative publicity and moaning passengers will soon tarnish their reputation and they will soon have two new ships to fill!

**middy** · 01-03-2008, 05:13 AM

Forgot to say hubby heard a telephone conversation on our local radio station, with someone onboard. He was happy with his cruise.