Cruise firm sued by 25 passengers who say stomach bug ruined their holiday
PA
A total of 25 passengers who sailed on the Independence of the Seas cruise liner between December 2010 and June 2011 are suing Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises because they say their holidays were ruined when they contracted gastroenteritis.
The Daily Mail reports that the cruise operator is being sued for a total of £500,000 by the holidaymakers, who claim that their illness was caused by poor hygiene standards onboard the luxury liner.
One couple told the Daily Mail that their bathroom cabinet was infested with sewer flies, and that they saw a waiter sneeze into a napkin before placing it on a table and another wiping his nose in his sleeve.
The group claim that the liner was dubbed a "sick ship", because there had been "multiple cases of gastroenteritis on previous cruises".
According to Charles Crow, the barrister representing the group, the problem was so serious that there were often ambulances waiting for holidaymakers at the ports they visited.
A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean told the Daily Mail: "Of the 25 guests, not all experienced illness. Those affected by the short-lived illness responded well to over-the-coutner medication which was administered on-board the ship."
He added: "Our hygiene procedures on-board are comprehensive and always strictly adhered to."
The company told the Daily Echo that they welcome three million passengers on board every year and work hard to maintain "extremely high" health standards for guests and cruises.
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