A luxury cruise liner which has been plagued by outbreaks of norovirus has been forced to cut short its latest voyage after hundreds of passengers were struck down by the bug.

Fred Olsen Cruise Lines admitted three passengers were currently in isolation on the Boudicca, but those travelling on the vessel claim as many as 650 of the 900 people onboard have been affected by the norovirus.

It is the sixth time in just sixth months that the ship has suffered problems with the bug, which causes sickness and diarrhea.

Boudicca was on the final leg of a 23-night cruise to the eastern Mediterranean, but has cancelled stops in Malta and Lisbon to dock two days early in Liverpool next week.