CDC Data Shows Cruise Ship Illnesses Highest in 12 Years

Image: The cruise industry is growing—and travel advisors will be critical to success (Photo Credit: Adobe)

by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 2:15 PM ET, Fri January 3, 2025

The popularity of the cruise industry continues to grow and multiply and along with that development, there’s some less than ideal news emerging.

It seems illnesses on cruise ships hit a 12-year high in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The recently released CDC data reveals that most of the illnesses this year were due to norovirus. In just one month, December, five cruise ships reported a norovirus outbreak, according to the CDC website. That includes two separate outbreaks on Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2, as well as reports of norovirus on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam; Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess, and Holland America’s Zuiderdam.

Per the CDC, emergence of the norovirus on a ship is considered an outbreak when three percent or more of the ships’ passengers and crew report gastrointestinal symptoms to medical staff. Norovirus is one of the most common causes of GI outbreaks on cruise ships, says the CDC.

To help prevent contracting norovirus, the CDC recommends:

Washing your hands with soap and water before eating and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or touching things that others have touched, such as stair railings
Avoid touching your face

Norovirus however, wasn’t the only onboard illness recorded in 2024. In September, Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas experienced a salmonella outbreak onboard and in March, Silversea Cruise’s Silver Nova had an e.coli outbreak.