Around 300 passengers became suddenly ill during a voyage on a Princess Cruises ship last week.
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On the Ruby Princess’s trip from Texas to Mexico, 284 of the 2,881 passengers and 34 of the 1,159 crew members became ill. According to the CDC, the main symptoms of the illness were vomiting and diarrhea, but the cause is unknown. The ship’s medical staff increased cleaning and disinfecting procedures and sent stool samples from infected passengers.
A Princess Cruises spokesperson said in a statement that the illness could’ve possibly been norovirus. Norovirus is very contagious, nicknamed the “cruise ship virus” since it is easy for passengers to contract it. Infected passengers were told to isolate themselves in their rooms, and officials issued notifications to inform other guests about the illness.
“Norovirus can be especially challenging to control on cruise ships because of the close living quarters, shared dining areas, and rapid turnover of passengers. When the ship docks, norovirus can be brought on board in contaminated food or water or by passengers who were infected while ashore,” the CDC explained on their website.
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After learning about the case, some people said they would never ride on a cruise ship because the vessels are more susceptible to illnesses and other issues. “Well, ya, floating Petri dishes. I’ll never take a cruise unless my family are the only passengers, other than crew and staff obviously!,” one Twitter user wrote.
People just don’t understand being in a boat is highly contagious and poorly hygienic https://t.co/ixpY3zuvnc
— Orlando Moreno (@OrlandoMoreno) March 8, 2023
Reason 127 I still have no interest in going on a cruise. Even before 2020 https://t.co/1MPe3y6ugQ
— H🍺ppy Dave (@hoppydavew) March 9, 2023
In a report by the Washington Post, this is the fourth gastrointestinal outbreak on a cruise ship this year. Two Royal Caribbean cruises had similar outbreaks earlier this year, but due to increased cleaning protocols, there have been fewer outbreaks of illnesses. Princess Cruises made headlines in 2020 when one of its ships from Sydney, Australia, had the deadliest outbreak on a cruise ship, with 28 deaths and 700 infections.
#Norovirus is on the rise. In 60 seconds, Anne Schultz, MD, will tell you what you need to know about this highly contagious illness commonly called “#StomachFlu.” pic.twitter.com/BwnNJ8kgRW
— Northwestern Medicine (@NorthwesternMed) February 22, 2023
The CDC also advised how to stay healthy while traveling on cruise ships. They said to wash your hands, get plenty of rest and drink water. It was also advised to leave the area if you see someone vomiting or experiencing diarrhea to avoid any infections.
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“Each year millions of U.S. citizens enjoy cruise vacations. In 2016, approximately 11.5 million passengers embarked from North American ports for their cruise vacation (from Cruise Lines International Association). Traveling on cruise ships exposes people to new environments and high volumes of people, including other travelers. This exposure can create the risk for illness from contaminated food, or water or, more commonly, through person-to-person contact.”