The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that a Princess cruise ship was hit with a norovirus outbreak while on its current sailing.
The CDC is reporting that the norovirus outbreak took place on this week’s sailing on Star Princess. The ship is currently on a seven-night cruise to the Caribbean that left from Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on March 7, 2026.
So far, 104 passengers and 49 crew members have reported being ill during the current cruise. They are 4,307 passengers and 1,561 crew members on the ship. This is the first norovirus outbreak on a cruise ship this year and Princess Cruises reported it to the CDC on March 11, 2026.
The causative agent of the illness is norovirus with the predominant symptoms being diarrhea and vomiting.
In response to the outbreak, Princess Cruises took several actions that included increased cleaning and disinfection procedures.
The cruise line also collected stool specimens from the gastrointestinal illness cases for testing. They also consulted with the VSP regarding cleaning procedures and reporting ill cases.
Guests and crew members who reported ill were isolated to help prevent the spread on board the ship.
VSP is doing a field response to conduct an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation to assist the ship in controlling the outbreak.
This is just the second illness outbreak on a cruise ship this year. The other was an E. coli outbreak Seven Seas Mariner in January. You can see a complete list of outbreaks on cruise ships throughout the past 30 years on the CDC’s website.
Cruise lines are required to report to the CDC anytime 2% of passengers or crew members report ill. If the number cross 3%, it officially is considered an outbreak.
Star Princess is scheduled to arrive back in Port Everglades on Saturday, March 14 after visiting Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel this past week.
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