Shetland tours cancelled over cruise ship illness outbreak
Shore excursions in Lerwick, Shetland were abruptly cancelled recently after tour operators refused to carry guests from a cruise ship suffering an illness outbreak.
It was revealed several guests on Costa Favolosa will ill and isolated but tour businesses were not informed in advance.
Tour operator MD Sonia Robertson said one guest had to get off a tour bus to be ‘violently sick three times.’
Her firm R. Robertson and Son then decided to cancel all island tours and other tour companies also halted excursions.
Robertson said she was only told about the ship outbreak by ‘word of mouth’ by local tour guides.
Business owner Celia Smith said there had been a ‘complete disregard for the local community’s safety. Almost 3,000 passengers were allowed to roam free.’
With no tours, it left Lerwick’s town centre crowded with cruise ship guests.
“They were just left to do their own thing, and more and more people kept coming ashore. The street was heaving.”
Cruise line Costa Cruises later clarified to Shetland News that it received approval to dock and let passengers off the ship by ‘local health authorities.’
“Some passengers had mild gastrointestinal illness,” the cruise line said.
Robertson added that information ‘wasn’t brought to the attention of operators soon enough. It’s a little bit of a worry how late on we actually got any information.’
Director of public health Susan Laidlaw said local health officials ‘had not been advised of any public health issues prior to the ship’s arrival’.
“However, we now understand that a small number of passengers with symptoms of gastroenteritis were being appropriately managed by the medical team on-board”.
It may have just been a miscommunication.
Shetland News reports the cruise line may have contacted a NHS health team in a different area seeking clearance prior to its arrival in Lerwick.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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