More than 110 people became ill in a norovirus outbreak on a Princess cruise ship.
Of the 3,116 guests aboard the line’s Caribbean Princess ship, along with 13 crew members, 102 reported becoming ill during their current voyage, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His main symptoms were vomiting and diarrhea.
According to CruiseMapper, the ship departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 28 for a nearly two-week voyage with plans to stop in Aruba, Bonaire, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and other locations. The trip is scheduled to end in Port Canaveral, Florida on May 11.
How is Princess Cruises reacting?
Princess told USA TODAY that “a limited number of individuals reported mild gastrointestinal illness” during the cruise.
“We immediately disinfected every area of the ship and added additional sanitation throughout the voyage,” the cruise line said in an emailed statement. “Upon arriving at Port Canaveral on May 11, Caribbean Princess will undergo extensive cleaning and disinfection before departing for her next voyage.”
The CDC said the cruise line has also isolated sick guests and employees, among other steps.
How common are cruise ship norovirus outbreaks?
The health agency has recorded four outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met its threshold for public notification in 2026. Two were caused by norovirus.
There were 23 in 2025, of which 18 were caused by norovirus, and the disease caused 15 of the total 18 outbreaks in 2024. While norovirus is often associated with cruise ships, these cases account for only 1% of all reported outbreaks.
“[Outbreaks are]often occurring within the community, and many times we don’t know they’re occurring,” Sarah R. Michaels, assistant professor at Tulane University’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, previously told USA TODAY. “Really, when we have areas where people are really in close contact, things like day care facilities, nursing homes and cruise ships, it’s more likely to be diagnosed, reported, and brought to our attention.”
The news comes amid an unrelated hantavirus outbreak linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship operated by Oceanwide Expeditions.