Norovirus Lockdown Lifted: Passengers Finally Allowed Off Cruise Ship in Bordeaux

The quarantine is over. Sort of. More than 1,000 passengers on the Ambition cruise ship, which had been held in Bordeaux after a gastrointestinal outbreak, are now allowed to leave – provided they are not showing symptoms. French authorities confirmed on Wednesday evening that samples taken from the ship tested positive for norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that causes vomiting and diarrhoea. No serious cases have been reported.

The Essex-based Ambassador Cruise Line, which operates the Ambition, said the ship had been released by French health authorities to continue normal operations. That means shore excursions are back on, and passengers without symptoms can come and go. Those who fell ill – 49 people in total – will remain under isolation guidelines, with reinforced preventative measures and hygiene protocols remaining in place across the ship. Enhanced sanitation, medical monitoring, and isolation procedures are still active.

The ship currently has 1,187 guests and 514 crew members on board, according to the operator. It set sail from Belfast on 8 May, headed to Liverpool the next day, and then continued to Bordeaux. Ambassador said there was a reported increase in cases after guests boarded in Liverpool.

One passenger, Carol Landa-Vance from County Antrim, told the BBC that she had noticed something was off on Sunday. "We were not allowed to help ourselves at the self-service buffet," she said. "Condiments were removed and knives and forks were wrapped up and handed to us. The pools were closed and the jacuzzi was also closed." She also witnessed someone being sick on the bus in front of her, and another person being sick on the deck. Another passenger, David Munster from Dundonald in County Down, said that after departing Liverpool, they were informed that a number of passengers had "become ill." He had not seen anyone being sick but had seen the "clean-up of people being sick" and praised the hardworking staff.

The cruise line also confirmed that a 92-year-old man died on board on Sunday. However, he did not report any symptoms related to the outbreak, and his cause of death remains unknown. In a separate incident, French authorities said a person was admitted to Bordeaux University Hospital for unrelated symptoms after a fall. That person's condition is stable.

Earlier, French authorities had stressed that there was "no reason" to link this outbreak to the hantavirus cases on a different cruise ship. Norovirus, also known as viral gastroenteritis, typically resolves on its own within about two days, according to the UK's National Health Service.

As part of the scheduled stop in Bordeaux, the operator had notified French health authorities. The regional health agency for Nouvelle-Aquitaine dispatched a medical team on board to assess the situation and take samples. Disembarkations had been suspended as a precaution while tests were processed. Now the tests are back, the results are clear, and most passengers are free to go. Just avoid the buffet. And maybe the bus.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer