A norovirus outbreak has swept through the Caribbean Princess, a Princess Cruises vessel currently sailing a 13-night Southern Caribbean voyage, leaving more than 115 people ill, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed.
The outbreak was officially reported to the CDC on May 7, 2026. Gastrointestinal illness symptoms were recorded in 102 of the ship’s 3,116 passengers and 13 of its 1,131 crew members. That figure represents 3.3% of the passenger population — a threshold that triggers mandatory public reporting under CDC guidelines.
What Are the Symptoms?
The main symptoms reported were vomiting and diarrhea. Most people recover from norovirus within one to three days without medical treatment, though the illness can pose greater risks to elderly passengers and those with underlying health conditions.
How Is the Ship Responding?
Princess Cruises said it increased cleaning measures, collected stool samples for testing, and isolated sick passengers and crew members. The cruise line stated it “quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitizing throughout the voyage,” and confirmed the Caribbean Princess will undergo comprehensive cleaning and disinfection upon arrival at Port Canaveral on May 11 before departing on its next voyage.
The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program is also conducting a field response, carrying out an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation to help control the spread.
The Voyage
The ship departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on April 28, with scheduled stops including Aruba, the Bahamas, Bonaire, Curaçao, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico. No itinerary changes have been reported as a result of the outbreak, and the ship is proceeding with its planned calls to Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic and Nassau in the Bahamas before the sailing concludes.
This marks the fourth gastrointestinal illness outbreak reported on a cruise ship so far this year, according to the CDC. It is also the second outbreak for a Princess Cruises ship in 2026, following a norovirus incident aboard the Star Princess in March that sickened over 150 people. However, the number of outbreaks is actually trending down compared to the same period last year — only four have been reported in 2026, compared to 17 by mid-May of 2025
Norovirus is quite common, especially on ships, and is not related in any way to the separate hantavirus outbreak currently aboard the MV Hondius in the Atlantic Ocean. Experts note that cruise ships are simply more likely to have outbreaks diagnosed and reported due to their close-contact environment, similar to daycare facilities and nursing homes.
Passengers who develop symptoms are encouraged to report to the ship’s medical center immediately, as early reporting helps limit the spread of illness.
