New case of sickness bug on ship hit by outbreak

Published on Tuesday 11 August 2009 22:40

ANOTHER passenger has been struck down by illness on a cruise liner which was at the centre of a vomiting bug outbreak while docked in Invergordon.

Hilary Brown became ill on a trip on board the Marco Polo, which last month had to cut short a round-Britain voyage when holidaymakers and crew were hit by the norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug.

Mrs Brown, from Winsford in Cheshire, boarded the Marco Polo less than a week after the vessel's visit to Invergordon.

She said she and her husband were assured that the vessel, operated by Transocean Tours, was safe to travel on for a 12-day trip around the British Isles.

However she suffered a severe stomach bug and needed injections and was on an intravenous drip as part of her treatment.

She said: "I was worried about the reports of illness I had seen on the news so I took the precaution of calling the people I had booked with. I was told that everything was fine and that the Marco Polo would be the 'cleanest ship around'. I also checked with one of the members of crew as I boarded the vessel and was again told that everything was fine.

"But then I began to suffer from symptoms of diarrhoea, stomach pain and vomiting and was given tablets to treat the diarrhoea. I also had to have injections and was placed on a drip. I had no energy and this really spoilt the holiday."

Mrs Brown is now one of 50 passengers being represented by travel law firm Irwin Mitchell, which is taking legal action against the operators relating to four Marco Polo cruises.

Transocean Tours declined to comment yesterday.