Gastrointestinal Illness Outbreak On UK Cruise Strands Over 1,000 Passengers

3 min readMay 13, 2026 10:30 PM IST

A UK operated cruise ship in France, with more than 1,000 passengers, reported 49 people ill from gastrointestinal sickness on Wednesday.

Local health authorities in Bordeaux said three passengers have been isolated in their cabins on the ship, named Ambition while the remaining passengers have been prohibited from disembarking at the port, BBC reported.

The report further added that the local health authorities from Bordeaux mentioned not to relate the outbreak as hantavirus. They added there was “no reason” for linking both the outbreaks and should be treated separately.

According to BBC, the Essex-based cruise operator Ambassador Cruise Line said on Sunday that a 92-year-old man passed away onboard, but he did not show any relevancy with the current symptoms and the cause of his death is yet to be confirmed.

A view of an empty deck of the British cruise ship the Ambition after 1,000 passengers and crew were ordered to remain on board after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, in the port of Bordeaux, France. (AP Photo)

The cruise operator, in a statement, further said they are providing every support to the friends and family of the deceased and extended their deepest condolences to those affected during this difficult time.

According to the cruise operator, currently there are 1,187 passengers and 514 crew members onboard the ship.

The cruise initiated its journey from Belfast on May 8 and headed toward Liverpool the following day.

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In its statement, the Ambassador Cruise Line said there was a reported rise in cases after guests boarded the ship in Liverpool. The operator confirmed that a number of guests and crew members on board the Ambition had either already displayed or were currently showing symptoms consistent with gastrointestinal illness.

Later, a passenger from the cruise stated that they were free to use the facilities that were open, although noting that the ill people were being isolated in their cabin.

Earlier Hantavirus, now Gastrointestinal illness

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to prepare for more hantavirus cases, as authorities in Paris confirmed that a French woman who contracted the virus on board the MV Hondius was suffering from the most severe form of the disease and had been placed on a ventilator, stated The Guardian.

(The author Paramita Datta is in intern with The Indian Express)

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Earlier Hantavirus, now Gastrointestinal illness

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