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A cruise ship has been barred from docking in Mauritius after a possible cholera outbreak on board, with passengers fearing they could face days of quarantine.
British holidaymakers are among 2,200 passengers on board the Norwegian Dawn, which guests said has been 'aimlessly floating' since it was blocked by Mauritian authorities 'to avoid any health risks'.
Around the same number of tourists have been unable to board the vessel, and were forced to queue at the port before being put up in hotels when it became clear the ship could not dock.
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 a stop at Reunion Island.
The ship has a crew of around 1,000, and of the more than 3,000 on board at least 15 people - 14 passengers and one crew member - are said to be in isolation with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.
A tanker vessel has been pictured near the ship by a passenger on board as it remains off the Mauritian coastline.
A group of journalists had been due to embark on a press trip on the vessel on Sunday before they heard that there was suspected cholera on board, USA Today reports.
A mother-of-two on the ship told Dutch newspaper BN DeStem that passengers had been told that there could be cholera on board, and that they could face up to ten days in quarantine if it is confirmed.
'You can imagine that the atmosphere among the passengers is not pleasant,' Dutch holidaymaker Esther Verdaas said.
'Flights are being missed, people have lost money on hotels booked in Mauritius. Guests are angry, rebellious, sad. These are luxury problems, of course. But what I find difficult is that so much is unclear. Can we go home? When? How? Where do we get tickets?'
British holidaymakers are among 2,200 passengers on board the Norwegian Dawn, which guests said has been 'aimlessly floating' since it was blocked by Mauritian authorities 'to avoid any health risks'.
Around the same number of tourists have been unable to board the vessel, and were forced to queue at the port before being put up in hotels when it became clear the ship could not dock.
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 a stop at Reunion Island.
The ship has a crew of around 1,000, and of the more than 3,000 on board at least 15 people - 14 passengers and one crew member - are said to be in isolation with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea.
A tanker vessel has been pictured near the ship by a passenger on board as it remains off the Mauritian coastline.
A group of journalists had been due to embark on a press trip on the vessel on Sunday before they heard that there was suspected cholera on board, USA Today reports.
A mother-of-two on the ship told Dutch newspaper BN DeStem that passengers had been told that there could be cholera on board, and that they could face up to ten days in quarantine if it is confirmed.
'You can imagine that the atmosphere among the passengers is not pleasant,' Dutch holidaymaker Esther Verdaas said.
'Flights are being missed, people have lost money on hotels booked in Mauritius. Guests are angry, rebellious, sad. These are luxury problems, of course. But what I find difficult is that so much is unclear. Can we go home? When? How? Where do we get tickets?'
