Recent Complaints Follow Several Previous Outbreaks

A growing group of passengers struck down with illness following voyages aboard the Ventura cruise ship last month are taking legal action after instructing specialist international serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell.

A retired Southport couple and a family from Worthing are among a number of people who have reported falling ill with severe gastric symptoms while holidaying on P&O’s Ventura, run by Carnival Plc.

It follows several reported illness outbreaks onboard the cruise liner in the last two years, with Irwin Mitchell representing more than 60 passengers impacted in 2024 alone.

Jatinder Paul is the specialist international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell representing those affected.

Expert Opinion

“The latest news of illness onboard the Ventura and the symptoms our clients are reporting is a concern. The effects of gastric illness should never be downplayed as, in some cases, it can lead to serious long term and permanent health complications.

“While nothing can change what our clients have been through, we’re determined to provide them with the answers they deserve. It’s also vital that if any issues are found in relation to the Ventura, these are resolved immediately to prevent others from suffering similar illness.” Jatinder Paul

Worthing personal trainer and sons fall ill during birthday cruise

Jason Howard, 53, and his sons Lewis, 14, and Jacob, 12, boarded the Ventura in Southampton on 24 May, this year, for a one-week cruise around Spain and France.  It was booked to celebrate Lewis’ birthday and cost the family almost £3,000.

Two days into the holiday, Lewis was struck down with diarrhoea and vomiting, Jacob suffered with the same symptoms two days later. The family, from Worthing, West Sussex, were advised to isolate in their room.

It wasn’t long before Jason, a personal trainer, also fell ill with similar symptoms.

Lewis and Jacob recovered after a few days.  However, Jason continued to suffer from bloating, headaches and dizziness.  He also has ongoing bowel complications.

Jason said: “We were all really looking forward to our holiday and couldn’t wait to start sampling the different foods and activities on board.  But what was meant to be a memorable birthday for Lewis became memorable for all the wrong reasons.

“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.  There was rubbish and used contact lenses on the floor, the skirting boards were dirty and it was clear the room hadn’t been hoovered.  I had to complain three times before it was cleaned properly.

“The public toilets on the 15^th deck by the main pool were also filthy and we avoided using them altogether.

“When it came to the buffet, the food on offer appeared to be very repetitive.  We had hoped to eat at some of the other restaurants but then we became ill and had to stay in our rooms.  There were only a couple of days that we managed to spend properly as a family throughout the entire holiday.

“The whole ordeal was awful and I’m still not right to this day.  All I want now are some answers; it’s the least we deserve.”

Retired couple from Southport also struck down during belated birthday celebrations

Steve and Lynn Smith boarded the Ventura in Southampton on 10 May for a two-week break around the Canary Islands and Maderia. It was booked for their respective belated 65^th and 60^th birthdays, costing over £2500.

Lynn began to feel unwell after around two days with chest infection-type symptoms which developed into vomiting and diarrhoea the following day.  She reported that she was vomiting every 10 minutes for around two hours.  She also suffered from aches, pains and fatigue.

She contacted the medical centre and was advised to stay in her room.

Steve fell ill a few hours later with vomiting and a high temperature.  A doctor onboard came to his cabin to check on him.

Following their return home, the retired couple contacted their GPs.  One month on, they still feel run down and tired, and their appetites are still not back to normal.

Steve said: “We were looking forward to our holiday to celebrate our belated birthdays but it was a nightmare from start to finish.  We didn’t even get to leave the ship to go on any excursions as we fell ill pretty early into the holiday.

“We weren’t the only ones either, and we even saw someone being sick in the restaurant.  When I think back, it’s no wonder really as the food was served uncovered and seemed to be repeated during different mealtimes.  There were also flies on the food, which is really not something I’d expect on a cruise.

“Even the ship itself looked run down, and theatre entertainment was cancelled due to staff illness so it was clear to us that something wasn’t right.

“Neither of us feel 100% since coming home and we know there’s nothing that can change what happened, but we need to know why.”

Support available

Find out more about our expertise in supporting people affected by serious illness on holiday at our dedicated illness abroad section. Alternatively, to speak to an expert contact us or call 0370 1500 100.