A P&O cruise passenger has described a nightmare holiday after a suspected norovirus outbreak reportedly left guests vomiting in restaurants, on decks, and outside cabins.

The P&O Iona, which departed Southampton on February 15 for a seven-day cruise across Northern Europe, was hit by a wave of illness, with passengers and staff reportedly falling sick. 

The ship, which can carry over 5,000 passengers and 1,800 crew members, was sailing off the coast of Belgium, stopping in Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Zeebrugge.

P&O Cruises confirmed that some guests reported gastrointestinal symptoms but insisted that fewer than 1% of passengers were affected.

On Thursday (February 20), the ship’s captain made an announcement, warning passengers that some guests had fallen ill and urging anyone with symptoms to return to their cabins and call the medical centre.

Matt Bowater, a 45-year-old from Birmingham, told the Express that his first-ever cruise quickly turned into a nightmare.

“This was my first cruise. I did not know what to expect,” he said.

He claimed that hygiene standards appeared to be lacking even before the outbreak.

“I filled out a feedback form on the second day. I explained the buffet food was lukewarm. The ship had hand sanitisers everywhere, yet the staff were happy to serve food that could harm the public. They even ran out of cutlery,” he said.

Matt also claimed that bins were left packed to the brim, adding: “The place where you wash your hands – the bins were normally overflowing.”

He said passengers were also concerned about staffing levels, with many feeling that there weren’t enough crew members to manage the number of guests.

He said: “Talking to other passengers, it seemed like there wasn’t enough staff to match the number of guests. Some staff seemed to be just there to get a pay cheque. They weren’t clearing away food quickly before the outbreak started.”

Once the illness began to spread, Matt said he noticed concerning signs. 

“Now that we know what’s gone on, I realised when walking around that some areas had been sectioned off. Most likely, someone had been sick, and there were sick bags on the staircases,” he said.

He added that as the situation escalated, P&O increased cleaning measures.

He added: “Staff started cleaning all the handrails, and they were stationed at every food location entrance making sure people sanitised their hands. They also began handing out cutlery.”

Despite this, Matt’s said his own room was not cleaned on one occasion, and the outbreak even affected onboard entertainment.

“The last two nights, some shows had to be cancelled because of the illness,” he said. “I met a family with a sick child – they looked drained.”

Guests were also reminded to wash their hands and report any symptoms, with messages displayed on in-room TVs.

P&O Cruises has insisted that it follows strict health protocols and has taken measures to tackle the outbreak.

In a statement to the Express, a spokesperson said: “P&O Cruises works with global, national, and regional public health authorities on approved, stringent, and proven protocols across our ships in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all on board.

“As we navigate through the winter season in the UK with an abundance of caution, we have proactively stepped up these already very robust health protection measures.”

P&O also defended the quality of its service and staff, adding: “We are proud to have the highest standards of housekeeping, dining, entertainment, and overall experience for our guests. 

“We are also immensely proud of our fantastic crew members, the majority of whom have worked with us for many years.”

The cruise operator also reassured guests that they would receive a full refund if they were unable to participate in shore excursions due to illness.

However, some passengers complained about difficulties obtaining medication and delays in receiving food and clean linens while isolating.

However, P&O Cruises has maintained that medication is available onboard through its medical centre, and emergency support is on call 24/7.

Despite his experience, Matt remains open to cruising again, but he said he would avoid the Iona in the future.

He said: “It hasn’t put me off cruising. I definitely want to do it again, just not on Iona or during a school holiday.

“I hadn’t been on a cruise before, so I have nothing to compare it to, but everyone I spoke with said it was the worst one they’d been on. 

“Some said they’ll never go again with P&O. But I also came across three people who are pro-P&O.”