Eighteen guests reported gastrointestinal illness during the National Geographic sea bird GI outbreak on National Geographic Sea Bird's July 10 voyage, making it the vessel's third outbreak in less than two months. The ship was still operating in Alaska as the cruise company isolated sick passengers and stepped up cleaning and disinfection.
National Geographic Sea Bird's July 10 voyage
The outbreak affected 18 of the 62 guests onboard, with abdominal cramps and vomiting listed as the main symptoms. That puts the illness at nearly 30% of the guest count on that voyage, a large share for a single sailing and enough to make the repeat pattern hard to miss.
Lindblad Expeditions response
National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions had already isolated sick passengers and increased cleaning and disinfection measures, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The report did not identify a cause, leaving the illness class broad enough to include several possibilities, but without a named source there is no way to separate one from another yet.
Alaska sailing continues
The ship kept operating in Alaska even after the third outbreak in less than two months, which leaves future guests and crew relying on onboard controls rather than a fixed answer about what is spreading. Until the cause is identified, the practical step for anyone on the vessel is to follow the isolation and sanitation measures already in place.
