Practically 100 Folks Sickened With Norovirus on Royal Caribbean Cruise—What to Know

Practically 100 individuals got here down with norovirus—also called the abdomen bug—throughout a current cruise ship outbreak, the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC) introduced Tuesday.

This is what you’ll want to know.

On a 13-day voyage from San Diego to Miami, 94 passengers and 4 crew members on Serenade of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship, caught norovirus.

The ship set sail on Sept. 19, 2025, and 9 days later, on Sept. 28, individuals began getting sick with diarrhea and vomiting.

By the point the ship docked on Oct. 2, the an infection had unfold to five% of passengers and 0.5% of the crew.

Based on the CDC, Royal Caribbean Worldwide, in addition to the wholesome crew members aboard the ship, responded to the outbreak with:

Elevated cleansing and disinfectingCollecting stool samples for testingIsolating sick passengers and crew membersConsulting with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program about cleansing and reporting procedures

It is price noting that Serenade of the Seas obtained a near-perfect sanitation rating of 96 when the CDC inspected the vessel on June 25, 2025.

Norovirus outbreaks are widespread on cruise ships. Actually, that is the 14th norovirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship in 2025 to this point.

That is as a result of the virus is extremely contagious. It will probably survive on surfaces for weeks, and it is tougher to kill than different pathogens. (Norovirus is a part of the 0.01% of germs that hand sanitizer cannot kill.)

Within the shut quarters of a cruise ship, the virus can unfold shortly. Outbreaks are additionally simpler to report and monitor on boats than on land.

Folks catch norovirus by swallowing the virus, normally from consuming contaminated meals or coming in touch with the pathogen, then touching their mouth.

The CDC has a number of suggestions for stopping norovirus on a cruise:

Wash your fingers typically, and don’t depend on hand sanitizer.Drink numerous water and get loads of sleep.Go away the world in case you see somebody experiencing diarrhea or vomiting.If you happen to’re feeling sick, inform the ship’s medical heart immediately.