The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that a Princess cruise ship that is currently sailing in the Caribbean has experienced a norovirus outbreak.
Caribbean Princess is currently sailing a 13-night cruise to the Southern Caribbean, departing April 28, 2026 from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
So far, 102 guests and 13 crew members have reported falling ill during this cruise. This represents 3.3% of passengers and 1.2% of crew on board. The reported cases are for the entire voyage and not necessarily at the same time.
The main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting, and the cruise line reported the outbreak to the CDC on May 7, 2026.
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In response to the norovirus outbreak, cleaning and disinfection procedures are being stepped up on cruise ships.
Passengers and guests who reported illness were quarantined and stool samples were collected for testing.
The cruise line is consulting with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding sanitation and cleaning procedures on board the ship.
The Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is conducting on-site response to environmental assessments and outbreak investigations to assist ships in controlling the outbreak.
Cruise lines are required to report to the CDC every time 2% or more of their passengers or crew report illness. If the threshold exceeds 3%, it is officially labeled as an outbreak and reported on the CDC website.
This is the second norovirus outbreak on a cruise ship this year. So is the first one a princess ship in march.
Caribbean Princess is scheduled to arrive at Port Canaveral on Monday, May 11, 2026.
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