Cruise passengers stuck on sickness-hit Norwegian Dawn ship say staff are ‘exhausted’

Tourists have been left disappointed after their trips to Madagascar were cancelled

Stock image of the Norwegian Dawn off the coast of Mauritius (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

British holidaymakers are among 3,200 passengers and crew on the cruise liner barred from docking in Mauritius amid a cholera scare.

Mauritian authorities had initially blocked the ship from boarding “to avoid any health risks” after 15 people became unwell at sea.

The passengers developed mild symptoms of a stomach illness during a trip to South Africa, a representative of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings said, but it has since been confirmed they had gastroenteritis and there was no cholera present.

Rita Hanneman, stuck on board, told The Independent: “Most are coping well but the crew is exhausted and trying their best. We are still docked and going through immigration.

“We should be disembarking tomorrow. We are cholera-free but there is still some testing underway.”

Passengers reported symptoms of a stomach illness after visiting South Africa (Getty Images)

Natalie Kate, 53, a florist from Manchester, said she was disappointed to miss out on the lemurs after the captain announced the cruise would be skipping over Madagascar.

She said: “Passengers are already planning to contest the compensation - lots of very sad and disappointed people from all over the world.

“For many Madagascar was the highlight - many are asking why not miss Reunion Island and go to Madagascar?

“We now have four days at sea overall. That was not on the holiday itinerary. Initially, lots wanted to go home but they would lose all their money.”

The ship is cholera-free although health testing remains underway (Getty Images)

The port authority said around 2,000 people had been due to disembark at Port Louis after completing their cruise while another 2,279 new passengers had been expected to board the ship.

A spokesperson for the Norweigan Cruise Line said those who were disembarking or joining the ship would now do so on Tuesday, 27 February.

Passenger June Hoggart-Macdonald added: “Lots of unhappy passengers disembarked that ship in Cape Town.

“The best thing about it was getting off. It put me off ever doing another cruise.”

According to the UN, at least 188,000 people have been infected with cholera across seven countries in southern Africa since January 2023.