Sickener for cruise passengers banned from entering Stornoway
A cruise ship hit by an outbreak of gastroenteritis was refused entry to Stornoway this week, after sick passengers were previously allowed ashore in Lerwick and were physically ill in public, writes Katie Laing.
The “Costa Favolosa”, one of the biggest cruise ships due into Stornoway Port this season – and due to make its maiden call – was advised not to come in on Tuesday.
Asked by the Stornoway Gazette to explain the situation, Alex Macleod, chief executive of Stornoway Port, would only say: “The Costa Favolosa didn’t come in for operational reasons.”
However, the Gazette understands that the Port advised the vessel not to come in because of sickness issues the previous week and also because of the well-publicised problems experienced in Lerwick in late May.
Costa Cruises, the Italian cruise line, came under heavy fire for allowing around 3000 passengers to disembark in Shetland without notifying either NHS Shetland or the Lerwick Port Authority of any public health issues. Vessels calling at the harbour are required to declare any concerns relating to passenger health.
Local operators quickly called a halt to the shore excursions, however, when guests showed visible symptoms of a stomach bug.
The manager of one local bus company confirmed all island tours were stopped after one passenger left a coach to be “violently sick three times”.
The situation sparked outrage among local businesses, with one saying that warning would have allowed them to be better prepared with face masks and sanitiser.
Reports of local fury over the undeclared vomiting bug made the national media, with stories even appearing in The Times and The Independent.
The Costa Favolosa has a capacity of 3,617 passengers and would have been able to come alongside in Stornoway Port thanks to the new deep water terminal.
Cruise ships are big business to the port, with the 2025 season expected to inject around £7.5million into the local economy.
The Costa Favolosa can carry up to 3,800 passengers in 1,506 cabins and cost cost €510 million to build. It entered service in 2009 and is now a regular visitor to the west of Scotland and the islands.