Poor standards or poor hygiene from passengers ?

It has been reported that the Fred Olsen ship Black Watch has been struck by a case of gastroenteritis.

According to reports approximately 130 passengers have been taken ill and have been confined to their cabins.

No doubt Fred Olsen will suffer from negative press about this as the blame is always put on the cruise line when there is any spread of illness on a cruise ship.

In fact the cruise lines do everything they can to enforce strict hygiene standards on board.

I recently came back from a cruise with Fred Olsen on the Balmoral.

At check-in I had to complete and sign a waiver to say I had not been suffering from any flu type symptoms or suffered from sickness or diarrhoea before joining the cruise.

Before boarding the ship everyone was asked to use the hand sanitizers which were also present before entering all restaurants and buffet areas.

So why do we hear so many examples of illness spread on cruise ships ?

I think the honest answer is that whilst most passengers adhere to the hygiene policy unfortunately there are a minority who don’t. They are probably not the ones who are taken ill and lose a few days from their holiday being confined to their cabin.

It is also inevitable that once there is a problem it will spread quickly so I think the cruise lines deal with this as best they can by asking passengers to remain in their cabins until their symptoms have passed and by arranging for specialist cleaners to come on board and clean and fumigate the ship.