Is Norovirus Deadly? Cruise Ship Caribbean Princess Outbreak Sickens Over 100 People Days After Deadly Hantavirus Scare

A major Norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess has left more than 100 passengers and crew members sick during a 13-night Southern Caribbean voyage, according to a report citing the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak comes just days after another cruise ship was hit by a deadly hantavirus outbreak that reportedly infected nearly 150 people and killed three passengers, raising fresh concerns over illnesses spreading rapidly on ships. The Caribbean Princess had departed from Fort Lauderdale on April 28 with thousands of people onboard when the Norovirus cases began to emerge. Officials said the outbreak crossed the CDC’s reporting threshold by May 7, triggering public notification and intensified sanitisation efforts across the vessel.

Cruise carrying more than 4,000 people reports gastrointestinal illness during Caribbean voyage

According to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, the ship was carrying 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members during the voyage. Health officials confirmed that 102 passengers and 13 crew members reported symptoms linked to Norovirus, taking the total number of reported cases to 115.

The symptoms included vomiting and diarrhoea, which are commonly associated with the virus. The cruise itinerary included stops at Princess Cays in the Bahamas, Aruba, Curacao, Bonaire, St. Maarten, San Juan in Puerto Rico, Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Nassau before the ship was scheduled to arrive at Port Canaveral on May 11.

Cruise company says illnesses were mild and happened gradually during the trip

Princess Cruises described the outbreak as a “mild gastrointestinal illness” and clarified that the cases appeared gradually during the voyage rather than all at once. “We quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitising throughout the voyage,” the company said in a statement.

“Upon arrival at Port Canaveral on May 11, Caribbean Princess will undergo comprehensive cleaning and disinfection before departing for her next voyage,” the statement added. The CDC also stressed that not all 115 infected individuals were ill at the same time. Officials noted that several passengers and crew members had already recovered from the Norovirus infection.

Passenger says atmosphere onboard remained normal despite the outbreak

The incident marks the second major gastrointestinal outbreak on the Caribbean Princess in the last six years. In 2020, more than 300 passengers reportedly fell sick during another outbreak that forced the ship to shorten its voyage. Passenger Jan van Milligen spoke about conditions onboard and said normal activities continued despite the health scare.

“The normal atmosphere is still here,” he told NBC News. “We went to a show last night, had dinner and breakfast this morning,” he added. He also praised the cruise line’s response, saying the “cruise line made all precautions to stop the spread” and that “they were very professional.” He further noted that passengers were informed about the situation in a timely manner.

Health experts explain how the virus spreads quickly in crowded environments like ships

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis. Common symptoms include sudden vomiting, watery diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea, headaches, body aches and low-grade fever. In most cases, the illness lasts between one and three days and people recover without special treatment.

Health experts say the virus spreads easily in crowded places such as cruise ships through contaminated food, water, surfaces or direct contact with infected individuals. The virus can survive for long periods on railings, elevator buttons, buffet utensils and other frequently touched surfaces. Tiny droplets released during vomiting can also spread the infection to nearby people.

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