Royal Caribbean cruise ship with dozens of sick people heading to Miami port
A Royal Caribbean cruise ship has been hit with a norovirus outbreak at sea, according to the CDC, and is heading to PortMiami.
The carrier reported the health concern to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program on Sept. 28.
The federal health agency said 71 passengers onboard Serenade of the Seas reported falling ill while on a 13-night trip. That’s about 3.8% of the 1,874 total passengers onboard. One crew member out of 883 became sick.
They mainly experienced diarrhea and vomiting, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The cause was classified as norovirus, a contagious virus that causes nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, and is commonly known as the “stomach flu.”
Serenade of the Seas left San Diego on Sept. 19 and is scheduled to arrive at PortMiami on Oct. 2. From Oct. 11 to the end of the winter season, the vessel is scheduled to home port from Cartagena, Colombia or Colon, Panama, according to CruiseMapper.
The CDC said in a Sept. 29 report that its Vessel Sanitation Program “is remotely monitoring the situation, including review of the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures.”
The agency noted that in response to the outbreak, Royal Caribbean reported that it increased cleaning and disinfection procedures according to the company’s outbreak prevention and response plan, collected stool specimens from gastrointestinal illness cases for testing, and isolated ill passengers and crew. It also consulted with the CDC.
The 72 cases reported are for the entire voyage, and doesn’t necessarily mean everyone was sick at the same time.
An outbreak is when 3% or more of a cruise ship’s passengers or crew have specific gastrointestinal symptoms. Cruise lines are required to report that.
“The health and safety of our guests, crew and the communities we visit are our top priority,” Royal Caribbean said in a statement. The cruise line declined to comment specifically about the outbreak.
How does norovirus spread?
Norovirus spreads easily and can make anyone ill, with symptoms usually lasting one to three days. The virus most often spreads in closed and crowded environments, such as cruise ships, hospitals, nursing homes, child care centers and schools, according to the Mayo Clinic. While it’s sometimes known as the “stomach flu,” the virus is not related to the flu, which is caused by influenza.
You can get norovirus in a variety of ways, such as by eating or drinking contaminated food and drinks, touching an infected surface and then touching your mouth or having direct contact with someone ill from the virus, according to the CDC.
How common is norovirus?
Norovirus is the “leading cause of vomiting and diarrhea and food-borne illness in the United States,” with more than 2,500 norovirus outbreaks reported every year, according to the CDC.
People can get sick with norovirus year round, though outbreaks are most common from November to April, according to the CDC. Peak norovirus season usually runs from December to March.
The federal health agency says that the virus, on average, causes 19 to 21 million illnesses in the U.S. each year. While most people recover, the virus does cause about 900 deaths a year, mostly in adults 65 and older.
While the virus has garnered the nickname “cruise ship virus,” norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships account for only 1% of all reported norovirus outbreaks, the CDC says. In fact, acute gastrointestinal illness is fairly uncommon on cruise ships, the agency says.
How to treat norovirus
While there is no specific treatment to treat the illness, the CDC recommends drinking lots of water or other drinks, like sports drinks, that don’t have caffeine or alcohol, which dehydrate you.
The best way to reduce your risk of falling ill? Wash your hands often with soap and water. And while you might still have a closet full of hand sanitizer from the COVID days, keep in mind that hand sanitizer doesn’t work well against norovirus.
This story was originally published September 30, 2025 at 9:37 AM.