Tourists seek solicitors after cruise virus outbreak

Posted 08/03/2010

As many as 70 holidaymakers are looking to make compensation claims against tour operator Thomson after contracting stomach bugs onboard one of its cruise ships.

The travellers were all passengers on the Island Escape over Christmas, but saw their dream holiday turn into a nightmare after an outbreak of norovirus caused vomiting, diarrhoea and fever among the holidaymakers.

It is claimed that Thomson did not keep the ship clean after passengers began to fall ill, resulting in dirty toilets and sickening smells on the ship.

The passengers and staff also became stuck onboard after various ports refused entry to the cruise ship because of the contagious virus.

Thomson now faces personal injurycompensation claims from the travellers, who maintain that the ship was not cleaned to a satisfactory standard, leading to the outbreak.

However, the tour operator insists that previous customers have been happy with the ship and said norovirus can spread in any confined space.

Thomson already faces legal action from 30 customers who fell ill at the Los Gigantes Hotel in Tenerife recently and claim that its poor hygiene standards were to blame.