Gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruises in 2025 have surpassed the total for 2024.
Experts recommend frequent hand washing with soap and water to prevent the spread of norovirus.
More than 70 people got sick in a norovirus outbreak on a Royal Caribbean International ship this month. The cases mark the 19th outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on cruises that met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s threshold for public notification in 2025, surpassing 2024’s total.
Among the 1,874 passengers aboard the line’s Serenade of the Seas ship, 71 reported being ill during a voyage that began on Sept. 19, along with one crew member, the CDC said. Their main symptoms were vomiting and diarrhea.
The ship left from San Diego for a cruise to Mexico, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal and Colombia, according to CruiseMapper. The cruise line increased cleaning and sanitation measures onboard and isolated sick guests and employees, among other steps, according to the CDC.
Cruise ships have already had more GI outbreaks this year than 2024
