Littlehampton cruise passengers seek compensation

In a joint writ issued at London’s High Court and just made publicly available, the claimants alleged they picked up the deadly sickness bug, norovirus.

The test case, for which no date has been fixed, is potentially worth easily in excess of £1m.

John and Sylvia Wort, of Norfolk Gardens, boarded the Fred Olsen liner Boudica for a 10-day Mediterranean cruise in early January, 2009, for a cruise intended to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary and Sylvia’s 67th birthday.

However, they were taken ill on the cruise and were able to leave the ship only once.

Other claimants allege they were victims during nine outbreaks of norovirus on Boudicca between October 2009 and April 2010.

They claim to have suffered a variety of symptoms which include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, wind, lethargy, fever, faecal incontinence, weight loss, and bloating, and some passengers still suffer from post-infective irritable bowel syndrome.

The writ accuses the cruise line of putting profits before the health and safety of its passengers and failing to warn passengers before or during their stay of a norovirus outbreak, allowing them to stay on board knowing they were at risk of contracting the virus.

In addition to the physical symptoms suffered by passengers, the writ says they also suffered distress and anxiety for themselves, and from watching each other fall ill, and lost the enjoyment of their holidays, which were of little or no benefit to them.

Fred Olsen said in a statement: “Fred Olsen Cruise Lines rejects utterly any allegations made in the claim by Irwin Mitchell solicitors – as it has all along – regarding the standards of cleanliness and hygiene aboard its ships, which are of the highest quality across its fleet.

“These very serious allegations are baseless, and are entirely refuted by Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

“At Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, the health, safety and well-being of our guests and crew on board remains our priority at all times, and we believe our systems for preventing the spread of illness on board our ships are among the best within the industry.

“Irwin Mitchell and their clients may rest assured that all Fred Olsen Cruise Lines’ ships meet, at all times, the highest safety, hygiene and health standards, and comply fully with the strict requirements and inspections of their Flag State and relevant authorities.”