Two British Columbians have filed B.C. Supreme Court lawsuits against one of the world’s largest ocean cruise companies alleging food poisoning while on a 2024 Alaskan cruise.
In a March 27 notice of civil claim, Tierny Patterson said she and her spouse took the Royal Caribbean Group cruise ship “Radiance of the Seas” on a round-trip voyage between Vancouver and Alaska Sept. 20-27, 2024.
The claim said she ate several meals in the dining hall.
She asserted she became ill with diarrhea and also suffered from stomach cramps, dehydration, fever and rectal bleeding for the remainder of the cruise.
She said in the claim she saw a doctor on Oct. 2 after disembarking in Vancouver. She was sent for tests, which revealed she had contracted salmonella, a form of food poisoning.
Also on Oct. 2, 2024, the claim said, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an outbreak of salmonella on the cruise affecting 8.29 per cent of the passengers.
Nicole Singh filed a notice of civil claim the same day as Patterson. She alleges similar experiences. Singh’s claim said ship medical staff ordered her “isolated to her room as she was viewed to be a biohazard.”
Both claims said at no time did onboard staff suggest Singh or Patterson be removed from the ship for immediate medical attention.
Singh’s claim asserts the company did not equip onboard medical staff to provide appropriate care.
The cases allege negligence and breach of duties owed to passengers on the cruise.
They both seek pecuniary and non-pecuniary damages.
Glacier Media sent both notices of civil claim to Royal Caribbean. The company has not responded to a request for comment.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
