ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Unhappy passengers who sailed on a cruise ship are taking legal action against the cruise line because of unpleasant smells and poor hygiene.

The claims are being made by 205 holidaymakers who sailed on Thomson Cruises' Thomson Dream between May and October 2010, immediately following its acquisition from Costa Cruises. They relate to to issues with the plumbing and the resulting smells, as well as the air conditioning and, separately, standards of food hygiene.

Passengers have been advised they may be able to claim back up to 70 per cent of the cost of their holidays.

Although Thomson admitted at the time that the ship had problems, and set about fixing them, it is disputing the claim, or at least the hygiene element of it. A statement provided by the line to Cruise Critic said: "Thomson Cruises refutes any claims of sickness on board Thomson Dream during May to December 2010, caused by a lack of consideration to hygiene practices on the ship.

"In line with Health Protection Agency Guidelines, we continuously monitor all the ships in our fleet to ensure that the strictest health, safety, hygiene and comfort levels our customers expect are maintained."

Thomson Dream, according to the company, scored customer satisfaction ratings of 90 percent or more for service, entertainment and food during 2011.