travelling-blogger

comments

Nearly 200 passengers have been awarded hundreds of thousands of pounds in compensation after being struck down by a vomiting bug on board 'atrocious' cruises.

Holidaymakers had to endure overflowing toilets, urine-covered floors and lukewarm food on the Island Escape, on which they suffered diarrhoea, stomach cramps and severe sickness.

TUI, the cruise operator, has now agreed to pay a substantial six-figure settlement to the passengers, who travelled on board the ship to destinations including Morocco, Gibraltar, Madeira and Las Palmas between December 2009 and June 2010.

'Disaster' cruise: Nearly 200 passengers have won a six-figure compensation package after falling sick on board the Island Escape ship

Some passengers had booked their holidays for Christmas, wedding anniversary and birthday celebrations.

Colette Ellis, 59, from Fareham, Hampshire, travelled on the luxury ship for a two-week cruise to mark her mother's 75th birthday.

Within days the entire family were struck with stomach cramps and sickness which left them confined to their cabin for the majority of their holiday. 

Payout: Passengers are to receive compensation after falling ill on a Tui cruise, which they said was 'atrocious' on board, with a leaking roof on one ship

Both Ms Ellis and her mother still experience gastric symptoms.

Ms Ellis said: 'Our holiday was totally ruined, the conditions aboard the vessel were atrocious.

'On occasions toilets were blocked and overflowing, cabins were grubby and on occasions food was not served at the correct temperature.

'This was supposed to be a dream cruise but it quickly turned into an absolute nightmare, certainly a Christmas time we wanted to forget.

'On our return home both myself and my mum, who was celebrating her 75th birthday continued to suffer illness.

'We hope no one else has to go through such an experience like we did.'

'Atrocious': Passenger photos taken with a mobile phone reveal the dirty conditions on board the Island Escape

Ruined holiday: An mobile phone photo on board shows the 'atrocious' conditions of the ship

Collette was one of more than 100 passengers who were struck down by illness on the Island Escape between December 2009 and June 2010.

They were not warned of the risk of illness prior to boarding.

Sunshine Cruises Limited, Thomson and First Choice Holidays & Flights Limited have denied liability.

But travel lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have now secured a settlement of 'several hundred thousand pounds' from TUI in compensation.

This was for more than 100 passengers who have been ill and dozen whose holiday was ruined as a result.

Passengers affected are expected to receive up to £10,000 each.

Irwin Mitchell is also representing a 117 further passengers who have made similar claims following trips on the same cruise ship in 2012 and 2013.

Elizabeth Tetzner, a travel law expert at the firm, said: 'We are pleased for this group of passengers that travelled on board the cruise ship in 2009 and 2010 that their legal battle is over and they will now receive settlements after their trips were ruined aboard the Island Escape cruise.

'A number of the passengers that suffered illness suffered from symptoms such as stomach cramps, diarrhoea, vomiting and lethargy.

'Aside from making the cruise extremely unpleasant, these types of illness can have a debilitating long term impact on their health.

'Some passengers had to seek medical assistance on board the cruise ship, whilst others had to seek medical assistance upon return home.

'Passengers have described to us how these special occasions were ruined by the illness suffered or by the experiences they suffered on board the cruise ship.

'We hope that now a settlement has been reached they will be able to get on with their lives and put the experience behind them.'

A spokesman for TUI said they did not comment on settlements.