When the Ship Sails In
The Balmoral took to the sea from Southampton, England with the “Old England to New England” cruise scheduled to last 34 days. In early May she docked in Portland, Maine with 252 of 919 passengers suffering from the Norovirus, mostly UK citizens. Usually found on cruise ships, this gastrointestinal virus is a foodborne illness transmitted by person to person contact and contaminated surfaces, characterized by vomiting and diarrhea. The Norovirus affects over 300 million globally per year and is second only to the common cold.
Running a Tight Ship
While in port in Maine, some passengers were quarantined to minimize the risk of onshore spreading. A full inspection was conducted by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) on April 30, 2016 – May 1, 2016. The specimens collected were sent to CDC labs for further inspection. The CDC officials noted that the crew of the Balmoral, a Fred Olsen Cruises’ ship, seemed to respond accordingly to the malady. A maritime lawyer or cruise ship attorney could make the argument that the ship is fully responsible if it is discovered that food poisoning is at the root of the outbreak.
Passing the Buck
The cruise line denies responsibility for the outbreak, claiming that the illness must have been brought onboard by one of the passengers. Some of the passengers disagree and said that it was something they had eaten onboard. Following protocol, officials of the Balmoral and Fred Olsen Cruises have facilitated the investigation that will continue in the labs of the CDC and work to find any evidence of the Norovirus outbreak being caused by the cruise line cuisine.
Other Cases
In other cases where a mass gastrointestinal outbreak has occurred during a cruise, the cruise lines have reimbursed passengers. For instance, in January 2014 on a Royal Caribbean cruise, 630 out of 3,050 passengers and 54 crew members fell ill. Passengers were issued a 50% refund on their cruise fares. It is to be determined as to if or how the passengers of the Old England to New England cruise will be accommodated for their inconvenience.
Good Reaction to a Bad One
It is important to stifle the spreading of the sickness because cruise lines are a perfect environment for illnesses such as the Norovirus to thrive. According to the CDC, it seems that the Balmoral had followed the proper steps to prevent further spreading and keep it under control. Now the passengers of the Balmoral will wait and see how Fred Olsen Cruises will atone for the unfortunate circumstances onboard. The cruise continued on to New Brunswick as scheduled.
