More than 100 people have fallen ill during a norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over 100 Passengers and Crew Reported Sick
The CDC said 102 passengers and 13 crew members experienced symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea during the ship’s April 28 to May 11 voyage.
The outbreak was officially reported Thursday while the vessel traveled through the northwest Atlantic Ocean on its way to Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. The ship is expected to arrive at Port Canaveral in Florida on May 11.
There are currently 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members aboard the ship.
Cruise Line Increases Sanitization Efforts
In response to the outbreak, crew members increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, isolated sick passengers, and collected testing samples, the CDC said.
Princess Cruises confirmed that a “limited number” of guests reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the voyage departing from Port Everglades.
The company said the ship underwent enhanced sanitization measures and will receive a full deep cleaning once it returns to Port Canaveral before its next scheduled trip.
Norovirus Common on Cruise Ships
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that commonly spreads in crowded environments like cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes. Symptoms typically include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea.
Health officials also clarified the outbreak is unrelated to the recent suspected hantavirus cluster reported aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship.
According to the CDC, this marks the fourth gastrointestinal illness outbreak reported on a cruise ship in 2026.
For more on the norovirus outbreak, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.