SINGAPORE: On March 10 this year, the much-awaited Disney Cruise Adventure finally set sail from Marina Bay Cruise Centre in Singapore after a three-month delay due to shipbuilding issues. However, less than a week after its main voyage, the luxury cruise drew attention because of health and safety concerns on board.
As reported by Yan.sg, several passengers and crew members on the Disney Cruise Adventure developed symptoms of gastroenteritis during a four-day, three-night cruise from March 16 to 19. Gastroenteritis usually spreads in closed, crowded places like cruise ships, and even though the outbreak did not turn into a large-scale infection, the fact that it happened during the ship’s maiden voyage caught the public’s concern.
According to the Food and Drug Administration, by March 27, eight passengers and one crew member had sought medical care between March 19 and 20 due to these symptoms. All were treated without hospitalisation and have since fully recovered.
Further observations noted that these people did not fall ill all at once, but they started seeking help by the end of the voyage or after disembarking the ship. With this concern, the Food Bureau is now checking the ship’s food safety, water supply, and environmental hygiene to determine the exact cause of the outbreak.
Moreover, industry insiders stated that cruise companies usually work with food authorities during investigations and improve their cleaning and hygiene protocols on board to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Disney Adventure is the largest and newest flagship vessel of the Disney Cruise Line, and its first operation is in Asia.
Disney plans to have Singapore as its home port for at least the next five years, giving more opportunities to Asian tourists to experience the unique and unforgettable Disney fantasy at sea.
Read more about Disney Adventure here.
