France Bars 1,700 Cruise Ship Passengers from Disembarking After 50 Fall Ill with Gastrointestinal Disease

French authorities have ordered approximately 1,700 passengers and crew aboard the British cruise ship MS Ambition to remain on board following an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, according to an AP report from May 14. The ship, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, was on a 14-night voyage from Belfast, Northern Ireland to Liverpool in northwest England when it arrived in Bordeaux on the evening of May 13. Etienne Guyot, prefect of Gironde, ordered all passengers to stay aboard and restricted vessel contact with the port, following recommendations from regional health authorities. Up to 50 passengers have exhibited symptoms consistent with acute gastrointestinal infection after the captain notified French authorities. Those showing symptoms are being treated by the ship's doctor and isolated in their cabins. A French maritime medical coordination team has been dispatched to the MS Ambition, and the infectious diseases department of Bordeaux University Hospital is analyzing samples from patients to identify the pathogen, assess transmission risk, and determine additional measures. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 16 gastrointestinal disease outbreaks on cruise ships in 2024, the highest in over a decade, most caused by norovirus, with the latest outbreak linked to a new, highly contagious strain of the virus.