French authorities on Wednesday confined 1,700 passengers and crew to a cruise ship docked in Bordeaux after a passenger died and about 50 fell ill with suspected gastrointestinal illness (GII), otherwise known as norovirus, the Ambassador Cruise Line confirmed to Global News.
The ship, which has 1,187 guests on board, the majority of whom are British and Irish nationals, and 514 crew, arrived in the French town on Tuesday, where French health officials boarded.
“As of 11:00 a.m. UK time on 13 May 2026, there are forty-eight active guest cases of GII onboard Ambition and one crew case,” the cruise liner told Global News in a statement.
The cause of death for the passenger, who was 90, is pending confirmation from the coroner, according to The Guardian.
The uptick in cases seems to have occurred on May 9, following embarkation in Liverpool on England’s northwest coast, the company said. The ship had departed from Belfast a day prior on a planned 14-day excursion.
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Upon arrival in Bordeaux, French authorities conducted a “routine” review of the ship’s health status and records and collected samples for lab testing at Bordeaux University Hospital.
“While the investigation and testing are ongoing, all guests and crew have been instructed to remain onboard under the direction of the local shore authorities. Once clearance is granted, guests will be permitted to disembark,” the statement said.
“We would like to reassure guests that we take any illnesses aboard our fleet extremely seriously. Enhanced sanitation and prevention protocols were immediately implemented across the ship in line with established public health procedures following the initial reports of illness,” it continued.
All shore excursions were cancelled and refunded, and medical consultations relating to GII are being provided free of charge, the cruise liner said.
The outbreak comes amid an unrelated wave of hantavirus cases believed to have originated on a cruise ship moored in Cape Verde, a small island off the coast of West Africa, and reports of norovirus aboard a Caribbean cruise.
Earlier this week, more than 100 passengers and crew members fell ill during a norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC said that 102 passengers and 13 crew members reported becoming ill during the voyage, which took place from April 28 to May 11.
Norovirus is highly contagious and thrives in places where people gather in close quarters, making cruise ships susceptible to outbreaks, the U.S. health organization says.
According to the CDC, norovirus can be contracted from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines, leading to stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting.
The outbreak on the Caribbean Princess comes more than a month after another norovirus outbreak was reported on the cruise line’s Star Princess ship.
In March, the CDC reported that 141 passengers and 52 crew members became ill with norovirus aboard the Star Princess cruise ship. The ship left Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and made stops in the Caribbean, Honduras, Belize and the Mexican Riviera.
In April 2025, 240 people had fallen sick on the Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2, following a norovirus outbreak.
–– With files from Global News’ Katie Scott
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
