Norovirus Outbreaks Hit Three Cruise Ships, Sickening Over 300 in December

The CDC confirms three separate outbreaks of the highly contagious virus on Princess Cruises and Holland America Line ships this month.

More than 300 passengers and crew members fell ill during three confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships in December, according to the CDC.
The outbreaks occurred on Princess Cruises' Ruby Princess and Holland America Line's Rotterdam and Zuiderdam ships, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea.
The Ruby Princess recorded 103 sick passengers and 12 crew members during a Hawaii and Mexico voyage, while the Rotterdam reported 83 passengers and 12 crew members ill on a Caribbean trip.
Norovirus, often associated with cruise ships due to close quarters and shared spaces, accounts for over 90% of diarrheal disease outbreaks on such vessels, though these represent a small fraction of total U.S. cases annually.
Enhanced cleaning, disinfection, and isolation measures were implemented on the affected ships, and the Rotterdam is set to undergo comprehensive sanitization before its next voyage.