Dozens of cruise guests have joined a lawsuit seeking damages from UK-based P&O Cruises over several ‘nightmare’ sailings that left many cruisers sick.
At least 60 guests are suing the cruise line, and some of these claimed they suffered health issues for many weeks afterwards.
Multiple Outbreaks on The Same Ship Over the Past Year
It relates to multiple lawsuits for sailings aboard the P&O ship Ventura since 2024. Additional plaintiffs were added after they became ill on the ship in May and June 2024.
UK law firm Irwin Mitchell represents dozens of passengers who suffered gastroenteritis during their cruise. Now the firm is trying to uncover whether any long-term fundamental sanitation issues are fueling the outbreaks.
“The latest news of illness onboard the Ventura and the symptoms our clients are reporting is a concern,” Jatinder Paul of Irwin Mitchell said. “The effects of gastric illness should never be downplayed, as, in some cases, it can lead to serious long-term and permanent health complications.”
It is suing the parent company Carnival UK. The cruise line says it is “investigating the allegations made.”
New plaintiffs include Jason Howard and sons Lewis and Jacob, who celebrated a birthday on a Spain and France cruise in May. They were all isolated in their staterooms after falling ill, but Jason claimed he is still battling health issues caused by the outbreak.
“Prior to getting on the ship, we were told that boarding was pushed back two hours for enhanced cleaning, but when we got on, our cabin was filthy,” he said. “The whole ordeal was awful and I’m still not right to this day. All I want now are some answers.”
The first lawsuit was filed in November 2024 for more than 100 cruise passengers who sailed on the ship between April and June 2024. The suit alleges repeated norovirus outbreaks including one sailing which affected more than 500 people.
In this case, the cruise line was accused of misleading the media about the true number of sick passengers and crew. P&O Cruises said at the time that less than 1% were taken ill, but a subsequent freedom of information request found that it was 12% of passengers and crew.
