The worried mum is in contact twice daily with daughters, Laila, 25, and Tian, 22, but said she was getting more information from on land than at sea.

"I spoke to Laila last night - she said that they're getting more information from people outside than the captain's actually relaying to them," Ms Bassett said.

"They haven't been advised if the ship's also going to stop in Brisbane or not, but when you read news reports, they said that they're definitely stopping in Brisbane and will quarantine whoever gets off."

Passengers aboard the ship, which is carrying three crew members quarantined with swine flu, have been promised a 75 per cent reimbursement of their cruise fare and an additional 25 per cent that could be used as credit on a future cruise.

The vessel made an unscheduled stop in Gladstone yesterday to deposit five swabs taken from passengers with flu symptoms.

"It's the holiday from hell," Mrs Bassett said.