More than 100 passengers and crew members aboard the Caribbean Princess fell ill with norovirus during a two‑week Caribbean sailing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program confirmed 102 of the ship’s 3,116 passengers — about 3.3% — and 13 of its 1,131 crew members reported symptoms consistent with norovirus, including vomiting and diarrhea. The outbreak was logged May 7 during the ship’s April 28–May 11 voyage.
The Caribbean Princess departed Fort Lauderdale and was scheduled to end its trip in Port Canaveral, Fla. Cruise lines are required to notify the CDC when at least 3% of passengers report gastrointestinal illness. This outbreak crossed that threshold.
Princess Cruises implemented enhanced cleaning protocols, isolated sick passengers and crew, suspended self‑service at buffets and collected stool samples for testing, the CDC said. A full deep‑cleaning was planned when the ship arrived in Port Canaveral on May 11.
Norovirus is highly contagious and spreads easily in close‑quarter environments such as cruise ships. Symptoms typically last one to three days, though dehydration can pose risks for older adults and young children.
The incident marks the fourth gastrointestinal outbreak reported on U.S. cruise ships this year and the second involving Princess Cruises.