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May 2008 |
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Passengers struck down on luxury liner
Grey nomads slam cruise line over illness 'secrecy' Story and Photos by DENNIS AMOR GREY nomads have blasted a major cruise company which, they claim, left them in the dark after an outbreak of Hepatitis E on their luxury liner.
The aged pensioners from Brisbane, who wished to remain anonymous, were among about 500 Australians on board P&O's 77,000-tonne Aurora during its recent world cruise. They say they arrived home from Southampton last month to be greeted by a "shock" letter from the American-owned company revealing that a "small number" of passengers had been diagnosed with the liver disease. It read: "We are of the opinion that the illness was most likely contracted by eating or drinking contaminated food or water while ashore in one of several ports," adding that the ship had been given a clean bill of health during a spot check by American health officials in Honolulu. The letter, signed by the company's chief medical officer Dr Grant Tarling, assured the couple that the risk of contracting the illness was "very low". But the Brisbane cruisers were unimpressed. "We were on that ship for six weeks and were shocked to discover we had been exposed to Hepatitis E," they told Caravanning News. "Why on earth couldn't they have warned us as we boarded the ship in Australia instead of keeping it secret until we got home. "It is disgusting. What worries us is that we could have unknowingly put our elderly relatives and young grandchildren in the UK in danger when we hugged and kissed them. We understand the disease can be passed on orally. We would never have taken the chance had we known we had been exposed ourselves during the voyage." Hepatitis E's incubation period varies from 15 to 64 days but there are no tests available to check whether a person has been in contact with the disease. "We certainly caught nasty bugs during the cruise which put us in bed for days ... but we never for one minute thought it might be serious," the couple said. "Had we known other passengers had been suffering from Hepatitis E we would have made a mad dash to the medical centre," the couple said, adding they now planned to write to P&O to complain. P&O, which is now owned by the giant American-based Carnival Corporation, said it had issued the letter because it took the health, safety and long-term welfare of passengers and crew extremely seriously. BACK TO CARAVANNING NEWS MAIN PAGE
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Dennis Amor |
ELDERLY caravanners are taking to the high seas in ever increasing numbers, according to a major cruise company. Princess Cruises reports a surge in bookings by the over-55s seeking new adventures. Many have reserved cabins on the cruise line's 28-night Round Australia voyage which leaves Sydney on October 26. Passengers will visit Brisbane, the Whitsundays, Cairns, Darwin, The Kimberley, Broome, Exmouth, Fremantle, Bunbury, Albany, Adelaide, Melbourne, Burnie, Hobart before returning to Sydney.
The news comes from
"Instead of hooking up the caravan and taking months to
drive around the country, these circumnavigation voyages will take them to
some great coastal cities and some even greater natural wonders in just a
month," she said. |
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