French authorities confine 1,700 on cruise ship amid gastroenteritis outbreak
Gironde prefecture implements precautionary disembarkation ban while medical tests are conducted; operator cancels shore excursions and offers refunds.
French authorities have restricted the disembarkation of 1,747 individuals aboard the British cruise ship Ambition, which is currently docked in Bordeaux. The measure, described by officials as a precautionary step, prevents 1,233 passengers and 514 crew members from leaving the vessel while medical tests are conducted following reports of nearly 50 suspected cases of gastroenteritis.
The vessel, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, arrived in the southwestern French city on Tuesday evening after a voyage from Belfast and Liverpool. According to data provided by the operator, the number of cases began to rise after passengers boarded in Liverpool on Saturday. As of Wednesday morning, 48 passengers and one crew member were displaying gastrointestinal symptoms.
The Gironde prefecture confirmed that the outbreak is not linked to a hantavirus cluster previously reported on the luxury ship MV Hondius, which had travelled between Argentina and the Canary Islands. Health officials noted that while hantavirus carries a higher fatality rate, it rarely spreads between people and typically requires close contact for transmission, whereas gastroenteritis is more common in enclosed spaces such as cruise ships.
Ambassador Cruise Line stated that enhanced sanitation and prevention measures had been implemented immediately on board. The operator, which targets passengers above the age of 50 and was founded in 2021 by Christian Verhounig, confirmed that all shore excursions in Bordeaux have been cancelled. Affected passengers have been offered full refunds, with the company stating that guests will be permitted to disembark once clearance is granted.
A separate incident involving the death of a 92-year-old British passenger has been clarified by authorities. The individual died on board on Monday during a stop in Brest, Brittany, due to cardiac arrest. The Gironde prefecture stated that this death is not associated with the current gastrointestinal outbreak. Gastrointestinal illnesses are relatively common on cruise ships due to the rapid spread of viruses in enclosed environments, though they are usually not serious, posing risks primarily through dehydration.
