Norovirus Outbreak on Caribbean Princess Affects Over 100 Passengers and Crew
Despite the recent norovirus outbreak affecting more than 100 passengers and crew members aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship, passenger Jan van Milijen described life on board as surprisingly normal. Van Milijen, who has spent 21 days on the ship alongside family and friends from South Africa, reported that they attended shows and enjoyed meals as usual.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the illness impacted 102 of the ship’s 3,116 passengers along with 13 crew members. The symptoms primarily consisted of vomiting and diarrhea, attributed to the highly contagious norovirus.
The outbreak was officially reported on Thursday while the ship was navigating through the Caribbean from April 28 to May 11, as noted by the CDC. On Saturday afternoon, the vessel was situated north of the Dominican Republic, making its way to Nassau in the Bahamas, according to Cruise Mapper’s tracking data.
Princess Cruises confirmed that a limited number of passengers reported experiencing mild gastrointestinal illness during the trip from Port Everglades, Florida. The cruise line assured that they acted swiftly to disinfect all areas on board and enhanced cleaning efforts throughout the voyage. The Caribbean Princess is scheduled for thorough cleaning before its next departure from Port Canaveral on May 11.
In response to the outbreak, enhanced hygiene procedures have been instituted on board. The CDC mentioned that affected passengers and crew were isolated and stool samples collected for testing. Van Milijen remarked on the increased sanitary measures, highlighting that the cruise line took significant precautions to mitigate the spread of infection. He praised the professionalism of the staff, who kept passengers informed promptly.
Passengers have become more vigilant about hygiene, with many increasing their handwashing frequency. Additionally, the ship has modified buffet service protocols, restricting self-service to minimize risk. Fellow passenger Donna Leonte, who celebrated her 21st wedding anniversary aboard the ship, expressed satisfaction with the safety measures implemented. She emphasized, “There are safety measures in place, but nothing fatal,” acknowledging that hygiene practices have been bolstered throughout the ship.
Despite concerns, passengers continued to engage in onboard activities during the outbreak. Leonte noted the full staffing of the buffet, stating, “They’re doing a great job.” Similar prevention measures were previously adopted in March after over 150 individuals fell ill with norovirus on another Princess Cruises ship in the Caribbean.
The CDC has classified norovirus as highly contagious, capable of causing rapid outbreaks in confined spaces such as cruise ships. Under maritime regulations, cruise companies must report gastrointestinal illness outbreaks if they affect at least 3% of passengers or crew members.
