A gastrointestinal illness affected passengers aboard a Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines sailing at the same time adverse weather conditions required a change to the ship’s planned itinerary.
The incidents occurred during a 10-night Norwegian Fjords cruise operated by MS Balmoral. The 1,200-passenger ship had departed Southampton on January 20th.
The voyage had been scheduled to include a call at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands on Tuesday, January 27th, allowing guests to attend the annual Up-Helly-Aa fire festival marking the close of the Yule season. That call was cancelled in advance after weather forecasts indicated storm conditions that made berthing unsafe, prompting the ship to alter course in the interests of navigation and safety.
Around the same period, reports emerged of passengers experiencing symptoms consistent with gastroenteritis, including vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal discomfort and fever. Accounts later cited by local media suggested that the number of affected individuals had grown significantly, with onboard communications indicating a rising incidence of gastrointestinal illness during the voyage.
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines subsequently confirmed that some guests on Balmoral had reported gastrointestinal-related/Norovirus symptoms during the cruise. The company stated that containment procedures were implemented promptly to limit transmission and that the ship’s medical team remained available throughout the voyage to assist those who were unwell.
On completion of the cruise, Balmoral returned to Southampton and delayed departure on its next itinerary to allow time for enhanced cleaning of both the vessel and the cruise terminal.
Fred Olsen reiterated that passenger and crew welfare remains central to its operations and that established health and hygiene protocols are maintained across its fleet.
Following the sanitation measures, Balmoral resumed service, sailing from Southampton on a 15-day itinerary around Norway scheduled to conclude on February 14th..
For more Balmoral incidents and accidents, see the ship's CruiseMinus page.