P&O Cruises has reached out to friends who shall be boarding Ventura in Southampton, UK on Saturday, Might 25, 2024 to alert them to a delay in embarkation. This alteration has been made to be able to totally deep clear and sanitize the ship following an outbreak of gastrointestinal sickness onboard.
The outbreak consists of 0.64% of these onboard reporting as symptomatic, based on numbers launched by the cruise line on Wednesday, Might 22. Frequent signs embrace vomiting and diarrhea, however can also embrace abdomen cramps, aches, and fever.
This doesn’t embrace anybody who might have recovered already, nonetheless. Norovirus, for instance, typically presents signs for simply 1-3 days, although contaminated people can proceed to unfold the virus for a number of days after they really feel recovered.
“We wished to advise you that over the past cruise we noticed signs of gastrointestinal sickness,” the e-mail notified friends.
Enhanced cleansing and different proactive measures have been in place onboard by means of the present 14-night crusing. Now, embarking friends are requested to delay the start of their cruise to make sure ample time for cleansing and sanitizing.
“Embarkation will start later within the afternoon, and we ask that you just arrive 4 hours later than the arrival time revealed in your boarding cross,” the e-mail defined.
A delayed embarkation will allow even additional deep cleansing and fogging of the ship in addition to stop extra crowding within the cruise terminal earlier than the following cruise, a 7-night France and Spain itinerary, departs. Along with the crew members who shall be cleansing the ship, extra skilled cleaners shall be introduced onboard in Southampton to facilitate the method.
P&O Cruises is offering a complimentary shuttle bus from the cruise terminal to Southampton Metropolis Centre so friends can take pleasure in native websites and points of interest throughout their further time within the metropolis. Visitors may simply go to a number of retailers and eating venues, discover native parks, go to Bargate, and rather more.
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The cruise line can also be offering all passengers with a £30 (roughly $38 USD) onboard credit score for the delay and lack of the embarkation lunch choices.
“We do hope that it is possible for you to to take pleasure in lunch in Southampton on us,” the e-mail explains. “We apologise for the late change and sit up for welcoming you on board Ventura.”
It needs to be famous that cruise strains are usually not obligated to supply compensation for this sort of delay, however many cruise strains do supply some minimal credit score when a delay extends a number of hours.
The ship’s departure from Southampton shall be subsequently delayed, however there isn’t a phrase on whether or not or not the general itinerary will want adjustment to compensate for the later departure. The ship is scheduled to go to La Coruna, Gijon, Santander, and La Rochelle.
Sanitation Measures Onboard
For the reason that outbreak started on the 116,017-gross-ton, Grand-class cruise ship, varied precautionary measures have been in place. This consists of higher cleansing frequency, altering to served eating as a substitute of self service, closing onboard launderettes, isolating friends reporting signs, and different steps.
“These protocols had been developed at the side of main world well being authorities and are designed to adapt to altering well being conditions,” the cruise line confirmed.
P&O Cruises can also be urging all embarking passengers to observe extra stringent well being and cleanliness protocols, together with washing fingers with cleaning soap and water earlier than consuming and after utilizing the toilet and utilizing hand sanitizer as nicely.
Moreover, friends are requested to not journey if they’ve skilled gastrointestinal signs inside the final 24-48 hours. These kinds of well being concerns are frequent with all cruise strains previous to embarkation, no matter whether or not an outbreak has been documented or not.
