Princess Cruises says 115 sick in Caribbean Princess norovirus outbreak
Princess cruises said 102 passengers and 13 crew members reported becoming ill during a Caribbean Princess voyage that ran from April 28 to May 11. The ship carried 3,116 passengers and 1,131 crew members on board, and the line said it responded with enhanced sanitation protocols.
Princess Cruises also said cases have since decreased and remain low. The vessel arrived in Port Canaveral on the morning of May 11 and was undergoing comprehensive cleaning and disinfection before its next voyage later that day.
Caribbean Princess voyage
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the illness reports came during the Caribbean Princess trip from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The ship left Port Everglades on April 28 and completed the voyage at Port Canaveral on May 11.
Princess Cruises said: “Princess Cruises can confirm that a limited number of individuals reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the April 28 Caribbean Princess voyage from Port Everglades.” It also said: “Our crew responded promptly by implementing enhanced sanitation protocols across the ship, and cases have since decreased and remain low.”
CDC field response
The Vessel Sanitation Program is conducting a field response that includes an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation. The CDC said 102 passengers and 13 crew members reported becoming ill during the voyage, which is more than 100 people aboard a ship carrying 4,247 passengers and crew.
The outbreak came more than a month after another norovirus outbreak on the Star Princess ship. In March, the CDC said 141 passengers and 52 crew members became ill on that ship, and the agency said there had been two norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships so far this year.
Norovirus on cruise ships
The CDC said norovirus can spread from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or touching contaminated surfaces. That is the same reason cruise ships remain part of its outbreak tracking, and why the Caribbean Princess response includes cleaning, isolation, and a field investigation.
Princess Cruises said the ship arrived in Port Canaveral as scheduled and was prepared for comprehensive cleaning before leaving again that afternoon. For passengers who were on board, the immediate takeaway is that the line has already moved to sanitation measures while federal health staff assess the ship environment.
