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Storms Cancel Festival Visit, Illness Hits Cruise Ship
2 Feb
Summary
- Gastroenteritis symptoms reported by around 200 passengers on Balmoral.
- Cruise ship visit to Shetland's Up-Helly-Aa festival cancelled due to storms.
- Ship underwent a deep clean after returning to Southampton.
The Balmoral cruise ship, with a capacity for over 1,200 passengers, had its scheduled call at Lerwick in the Shetland Islands cancelled on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. This cancellation was due to forecasts of stormy weather, which made docking unsafe, preventing passengers from attending the traditional Up-Helly-A festival. Concurrently, approximately 200 passengers began reporting symptoms of gastroenteritis, a common illness causing vomiting and fever.
Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines confirmed that a number of guests experienced gastrointestinal illness and stated that measures were immediately implemented to reduce transmission, with their medical team providing support. The Balmoral returned to Southampton, its departure point, where it underwent a deep clean. This cleaning process allowed the ship to prepare for its subsequent departure on a 15-day Norwegian cruise.
This event occurred shortly after a separate incident in late December 2025, where nearly 100 people fell ill with norovirus on the Rotterdam cruise ship during a voyage in the southern Caribbean. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 94 individuals out of 3,600 passengers and crew experienced gastrointestinal symptoms on that voyage.
