'Mutiny' on pleasure cruise as seasick passengers spend six hours vomiting

MV Balmoral: Seasick passengers spent six hours trying not to throw up as the ship battled 'horrendous' weather
Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Sean Morrison @seanmorrison_11 September 2017

Passengers were left suffering seasickness for six hours as a pleasure cruise ship battled "horrendous" conditions.

Travellers told of the near “mutiny” on board the MV Balmoral, which set sail for North Wales from Liverpool on Saturday morning.

About 400 people were forced to endure the ship violently “tilting and tipping” in choppy waters, according to the Liverpool Echo.

Passengers were left lying on the floor and vomiting as the cruise turned back to the city three hours in to the trip due to poor weather conditions.

Footage shows customers lying with their heads down on tables as the cruise ship battled the choppy sea.

Passengers were reportedly throwing up throughout the trip
Shutterstock

Erica Thompson, 45, told the newspaper how the ship’s crew were collecting sick bags from customers, while others described the “disgusting” smell of vomit.

She said: “We shouldn’t have set off at all. It was supposed to be a scenic cruise along the coast and all we got was sea, sky, sea, sky, as we bounced furiously up and down.”

And another passenger added: “Kids and adults were lying on the floor of the bar area to try to stop feeling sick, the smell of sick was disgusting and crew were collecting the numerous sick bags in black bin bags.”

Paramedics were reportedly waiting for the ship to return to Liverpool to tend to a woman who had collapsed on board.

And when those on board were told the ship could not immediately dock upon arrive due to the weather, one passenger said: “announcement caused a mutiny”.

A spokesman for White Funnel Ltd, owners of MV Balmoral, told the Liverpool Echo: “We realise that passengers suffered some discomfort during Saturday’s sailing which we very much regret.”

They said that “conditions proved to be significantly worse than expected” but added the ship was not “in danger at any time”.

The company confirmed one lady received medical attention on board and said they would be contacting passengers “to express our regret over their spoiled day”

The Standard has approached White Funnel Ltd for comment.

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