Passengers reported suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms during and after their sailings onboard the 3,078-passenger ship in May.
In an effort to bring down "elevated" levels of acute gastroenteritis, the line introduced additional protocols, including delaying embarkation by up to seven hours ahead of Ventura’s 25 May departure.
However, affected passengers have since instructed law firms Hudgells, Irwin Mitchell and JPS Walker Solicitors to seek compensation from P&O Cruises.
TTG understands more than 50 passengers are being represented by Hudgells, 27 by Irwin Mitchell and a further 10 by Holiday Claims Bureau, a division of JPS Walker Solicitors.
Anne Thomson, senior litigation executive at Hudgells, said: “Many trips this year onboard Ventura have been ruined. I am now asking for an investigation into how they came to be ill. I will also be asking that they are fully refunded the cost of their holiday and additional damages for the illness, pain and suffering they experienced.”
Jatinder Paul, a partner at Irwin Mitchell, said some of the passengers onboard affected sailings were taken to hospital in Spain. "We’re now investigating further to secure our clients the answers they deserve on how they came to fall so ill,” Paul added.
Michael Walker, partner of Holiday Claims Bureau, said: “Most of the claimants we’re representing were vomiting, had diarrhoea and a cough. This needs investigating so we can find out what should have been done to reduce the risk of passengers suffering illness and having their holidays ruined.”
A P&O Cruises spokesperson stressed that while the line would not comment on ongoing cases, it works closely with global and regional authorities.
“We have approved, recognised and proven protocols that are in place throughout every cruise to uphold the health and wellbeing of all guests and crew onboard,” the spokesperson added.
