P&O Cruises Ventura passengers demand refunds over norovirus outbreak

P&O Cruises' ship Ventura was hit by repeated bouts of the sickness and vomiting bug in May this year - with one set of holidaymakers telling the Echo: "It was like The Exorcist."

Passengers now want "damages for the illness, pain and suffering they experienced," solicitors have said.

It comes as an FOI found that at the peak of the outbreak some 519 passengers and crew - around 12 per cent of those on the voyage - were affected onboard when the ship left Southampton on May 11 for a two-week Canary Islands cruise.

A spokesperson for P&O Cruises previously said 0.64 per cent of passengers had symptoms. The company later said this was reflective of those symptomatic at the time.

Ventura (Image: Debs Baker)

Hudgell Solicitors has been instructed by holidaymakers who travelled on the Ventura cruise ship on five different cruise holidays between April and June this year.

This includes Howard and Hazel Lunn, of Devon, who were told of the outbreak the night before their departure.

They both became unwell - first Mr Lunn, 77, just five days into the holiday, with his wife becoming unwell days later.

"Our holiday was completely ruined, as I am sure it was for hundreds of others,” he said.

Mr Lunn said: "I asked for our deposit back but received a mandate which stated it would only be paid if I agreed not to pursue any further action relating to the holiday on the Ventura. I’ve never signed it."

Anne Thomson from the firm said they will be seeking “full transparency” from P&O Cruises.

READ MORE: New no-fly luxury cruises to set sail from Southampton

Solicitors want to know what was in place to tackle the outbreak.

Ms Thomson said: “People pay significant amounts of money for cruise holidays and the crew; cruise carrier and tour operator have a duty of care to passengers to protect them from the risk of illnesses such as viral and bacterial infections.

“We will be asking that passengers are fully refunded the cost of their holiday and awarded additional damages for the illness, pain and suffering they experienced."

She added: "We’d very much expect P&O Cruises to settle these claims appropriately.”

The Echo previously reported on the number of passengers taken ill on Ventura.

Holidaymaker Krystal Beale from the New Forest described the violent bouts of sickness she and her friends endured.

Krystal Beale (in the middle with a black top) with her friends onboard Ventura (Image: Krystal Beale)

The 46-year-old said: "I think P&O got bombarded and couldn’t cope. The amount of people being that became unwell was too much.”

A spokesperson from P&O said: “We are aware that some guests unfortunately reported gastrointestinal symptoms, reflecting higher rates seen in England this summer."

They added: “We work with global, national and regional public health authorities on proven protocols across our ships in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all onboard.”