Luxury cruise turns nasty for Hove Edge couple who got food poisoning

Nov 5 2009 by Joanne Douglas, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

But it was two days before the end of their two-week holiday when they were hit by severe diarrhoea, fever and headaches.

Mr Wormald became so ill he lost 10.5lbs in weight. He added: “The food wasn’t up to the standard we were expecting and it was such a disappointment because it spoiled what we hoped would be the perfect birthday celebration for Anita. On the last night we couldn’t say any final farewells because we were so unwell we couldn’t even leave our cabin.

“And it would appear we weren’t the only ones – a number of people we met also suffered from a similar illness.

“When we got home we went to our doctor and I had to spend a week off work as it still wasn’t clearing up.

“We had to cancel a birthday party we were organising for Anita with 40 friends because we were still feeling so bad.”

Tests showed the couple had both contracted campylobacter – a common form of food poisoning which was treated with antibiotics.

Mrs Wormald, added: “Peter has now recovered but it had a dreadful impact.

“I still have not recovered.”

The couple have enjoyed several cruises before but are wary now about booking another.

Rajbir Somel, the family solicitor from Irwin Mitchell, said: “Ideal Cruising have a duty to ensure they are sending customers on holidays where the highest hygiene and food safety standards are being maintained.

“We hope Ideal Cruising will now work with us to provide swift and fair compensation for our clients.”

A spokeswoman for Ideal Cruising said they were a travel agent for the ship, but would not comment while the legal action was ongoing.