More than 1,700 passengers and crew aboard a British cruise ship were ordered to remain on board after an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness, French authorities said on Wednesday. Officials, however, ruled out any connection to the deadly hantavirus outbreak linked to another vessel that recently raised alarms across Europe.The ship, Ambition, was on a 14-night cruise departing from Belfast and Liverpool, with scheduled stops in northern Spain and along France’s Atlantic coast. It arrived in Bordeaux on Tuesday evening, according to operator Ambassador Cruise Line.French authorities suspend disembarkationThe prefect of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region and Gironde department, Étienne Guyot, suspended passenger disembarkation and restricted the vessel’s interaction with the Port of Bordeaux following recommendations from the regional health agency.Authorities said nearly 50 passengers developed symptoms consistent with acute digestive infection after the ship’s captain alerted officials on Tuesday evening. Those affected were treated by the onboard doctor and isolated in their cabins.A medical team was sent to the vessel, while samples from affected passengers were dispatched to a Bordeaux hospital for analysis. Officials said further updates would be issued once test results became available.No link to hantavirus outbreak: OfficialsFrench authorities stressed that there was “no reason” to connect the outbreak aboard Ambition with the recent hantavirus cases detected on the vessel MV Hondius.The hantavirus outbreak last month triggered a multinational health response after passengers in Britain, France, Spain and the United States were hospitalised. Three passengers died in that outbreak, while nine confirmed and two suspected cases were reported.Cruise line confirms passenger deathEarlier on Wednesday, Ambassador Cruise Line confirmed that a 92-year-old male passenger had died on Sunday. The company stated that the passenger had not shown symptoms related to the gastrointestinal illness and that the exact cause of death would be determined by a coroner.By late Wednesday morning, the company reported that 48 passengers and one crew member were displaying gastrointestinal symptoms.According to the cruise operator, onboard data indicated that the number of illness cases increased after passengers boarded the ship in Liverpool on May 9.All shore excursions planned in Bordeaux were cancelled, and affected passengers were offered full refunds.Norovirus outbreaks continue to impact cruise industryThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 23 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships last year, with most linked to norovirus infections.Last week, the cruise ship Caribbean Princess also reported a norovirus outbreak during a voyage carrying more than 3,100 passengers. According to the CDC, over 140 passengers and 15 crew members fell ill before the trip ended on Monday.Founded in 2021, Ambassador Cruise Line mainly caters to passengers aged over 50.