17 Dec 2012
A second P&O cruise liner has arrived back in the UK after passengers on board fell ill with the norovirus vomiting illness.
The Azura docked in Southampton, with 10 travellers out of 3,059 on board suffering with active symptoms.
P&O Cruises reported an incidence of “mild gastrointestinal illness” among passengers during the 11-night Iberia cruise.
The cruise line added that it suspected the illness to be norovirus – a highly contagious condition that is typically transmitted from person to person.
It follows a similar occurrence on another P&O liner, the Oriana, which was dubbed “a plague ship” after it was hit by the virus.
Scores of the 1,843 passengers on the ship, which returned from a 10-day Baltic cruise, were laid low with the condition.
The Oriana has recently left for a 23-night cruise in the eastern Mediterranean, while the Azura is set to soon leave for a 12-night Christmas cruise to the Canaries.
Copyright Press Association 2012