2,200 passengers were stuck on board the Norwegian Dawn cruise liner after Mauritian authorities barred it from docking following reports of a possible cholera outbreak.
The 12-day cruise had sailed from South Africa via Mozambique, and had been scheduled to dock in Port Louis on Sunday, but arrived a day earlier after missing out on a stop at Reunion Island.
A spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line said: “During Norwegian Dawn’s Feb. 13, 2024, South Africa voyage, a small number of guests experienced mild symptoms of a stomach-related illness. Upon the ship’s return to Port Louis, Mauritius, the vessel’s management team met with local authorities to confirm precautions and actions were being taken to ensure the well-being of all onboard.
“Due to additional testing being required by local authorities before being allowed entry, the government of Mauritius has delayed disembarkation for the current cruise and embarkation for the next cruise by two days to Feb. 27, 2024.”
Until test results are known, passengers who were due to board the Norwegian Dawn and begin their cruise from Mauritius have been relocated to available hotel establishments, the authority explained.
While Cholera is uncommon in countries such as the UK and the US, there have been significant cholera outbreaks in southern Africa over the last few months, with at least 188,000 cases recorded across seven countries since January 2023 and more than 3,000 deaths.
