Nearly 2,000 people quarantined on cruise ship as mystery outbreak strikes after stop in Liverpool

Nearly 2,000 people have been quarantined on a British cruise ship as an unidentified outbreak struck passengers after it made a stop in Liverpool.

Ambition, an Ambassador Cruise Line vessel, carrying 1,187 passengers and 514 crew, is now stranded in Bordeaux on the west coast of France.

The cruise line said at least 48 passengers had symptoms consistent with gastrointestinal illness - which causes intense vomiting and diarrhoea - but tests have not identified the cause.

The Ambition left the Shetland Islands on May 6, then stopped in Belfast on Friday and Liverpool on Saturday.

The cruise line noted there was an increase in cases after the cruise stopped in Liverpool.

Ambassador has stressed there is no connection with the hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch MV Hondius, whose passengers have now evacuated, with many now self-isolating at the Arrowe Park hospital on Merseyside.

A 92-year-old British man has died on the Ambition, but health authorities said there was not an established connection with the outbreak.

They said: "At this stage, no link has been established with the gastroenteritis episode."

French health authorities "requested they conduct a routine review of the ship’s health status and records" as the Ambition arrived in Bordeaux.

Samples were sent to Bordeaux University Hospital for testing, which requires a minimum of six hours to be processed.

Etienne Guyot, the state prefect, said he had decided "to suspend the disembarkation of passengers and crew" and "to limit contact with the port" as a precautionary measure.

Initial tests ruled out norovirus, a highly contagious form of gastroenteritis, but secondary tests were still being carried out, and food poisoning had not been excluded.

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All guests and crew were instructed to remain onboard the ship under direction of the local shore authorities, Ambassador cruise line said.

It said: "As a result of these developments, all shore excursions scheduled for today have been cancelled and guests due to travel on excursions will receive a full refund."

Seos Guilidhe, 52, who is from Belfast, said he was "playing bingo" onboard the ship.

He told AFP: "We are on board with extra sanitation guidelines in place. It is not as bad as it was during Covid."

People onboard were "just going as normal", he added.

Officials said symptoms were at their worst as the cruise was docked in Brest on Monday, adding the 92-year-old man died before they arrived at the port.

The cruise operator said it took the outbreak "extremely seriously" and "enhanced sanitation and prevention protocols" had been put in place.

It added: "We are providing every support to the deceased’s friends and family and extend our most sincere condolences to them at this difficult time."