Mauritius denies Norwegian cruise ship entry due to mystery illness

Mauritius denied entry to a Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings vessel at its ports, citing health concerns, and conducted tests on roughly 15 isolated passengers, according to the island’s port authority on Sunday. The Norwegian Dawn was due to arrive at Port Louis on Sunday. However, due to a change in its itinerary, which skipped a stop at Reunion Island, it reached a day earlier, as per the Mauritius Ports Authority’s announcement.

The port authority emphasized that the refusal to dock was a precautionary measure to mitigate any potential health threats. “Ensuring the health and safety of all passengers and the national population remains a top priority,” the statement read, though it did not elaborate on the specific health risks involved.

A representative for Norwegian Cruise Line, based in the US, mentioned that a few passengers exhibited mild stomach-related symptoms during the voyage to South Africa on February 13. Upon arrival in Port Louis, the ship’s crew cooperated with local health officials to implement necessary safety measures and ensure the wellbeing of everyone on board.

Results from the conducted tests are expected within 48 hours. Attempts to contact the Mauritian health ministry for further comments were unsuccessful.

The ship carries 2,184 passengers and 1,026 crew members. Approximately 2,000 passengers were set to leave the ship in Port Louis at the end of their journey, with another 2,279 passengers anticipated to embark for the next cruise segment, according to the port authority.