Investigation Launched Into Illness suffered On Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas

A woman who is continuing to suffer after developing serious gastric illness during a Mediterranean cruise with her husband on board Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas ship in May this year has instructed specialist travel lawyers to investigate the cause of her illness.

Barbara Sabin, from Rotherham, in South Yorkshire, continues to suffer from symptoms including diarrhoea and stomach cramps and is also unable to eat certain dairy products almost six months on from when she fell ill on just the second day on board the vessel.

The illness that ruined the 75-year-old’s stay on the ship was so severe that she had to be put on a drip and also needed regular check-ups from staff at the medical centre.

Along with her husband Peter, 79, she has now instructed specialist International Personal Injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the illness she continues to face and help her gain answers as to how the illness developed.

The expert lawyers have vast experience in such illness cases, representing hundreds of people every year who suffer similar problems on cruise ships and in hotels and holiday resorts across the world.

Expert Opinion

“Barbara and Peter’s experience on this holiday is a terrible reminder of the serious consequences that such illness problems can have, particularly on older generations.

“We have now begun our investigations as we seek to gain a full understanding of the illness Barbara faced and to get answers regarding what caused the illness..
“We would now like to speak to anyone else who suffered similar issues onboard the Anthem of the Seas ship as they may be able to help with our investigation.”
Nichola Blackburn - Paralegal

Barbara developed serious gastric illness symptoms on the second day of the fortnight-long cruise in May 2015 and self-prescribed Imodium. However, as the illness worsened she then visited the ship’s medical centre.

She recalls: “I was initially told to continue with the Imodium but then another nurse undertook some tests and discovered my blood pressure was really low. They decided I was dehydrated so I was put on a drip and given dioralyte.

“We’ve been on several cruises in the past but I have never suffered anything like this. I was in such a bad state. While I had regular checks by the medical centre staff, my condition didn’t get better so I was then put on antibiotics. Our holiday was completely ruined and turned into a nightmare.”

Barbara needed a wheelchair to disembark from the ship and on her return home to Rotherham, she was seen by her GP who advised she finish the antibiotics. Since she has been home she has had to avoid eating dairy products, particularly milk and yoghurts because they make her ongoing stomach cramps and diarrhoea worse.

“I can’t believe I’m still suffering all of these months on from the holiday. The past five months has been a nightmare and both Peter and I just wanted to know how this happened.”