Cruise ship Boudicca hit by virus
Cruise ship Boudicca has been hit by another sickness outbreak affecting 170 of the passengers on board.
The highly contagious virus, which causes vomiting and diarrhoea, led to passengers being quarantined during the 13-night trip to the Canary Islands.
On Sunday the Fred Olsen-owned ship, carrying around 828 passengers and 348 crew, was greeted by NHS staff and ambulance crews when it docked in Greenock, Scotland.
It underwent an intensive fumigation before leaving for a 21-night cruise to the Adriatic with Croatia 90 minutes later than scheduled.
One passenger told the Daily Mirror: "We started calling the ship HMS Holby City.
"Half the facilities were shut down and we were even told not to swap quiz sheets to stop the bug spreading."
The Boudicca has been hit by viruses before with sickness outbreaks in 2010.
A spokeswoman for Fred Olsen said the latest bug was a viral infection which caused mild gastroenteritis symptoms.
The spokeswoman said: "During this cruise, the highest number of guests needing to be kept in isolation at any one time was 35, out of a total number of people on board of 1,176.
"The total number of cases reported during the 13-night cruise was 170.
"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 that our systems for preventing the spread of illness on board our ships are amongst the best within the industry.
"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."
By Diane Evans
Diane
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps