More than 100 passengers and crew members aboard the Caribbean Princess have reported gastrointestinal illness during a two-week cruise, with federal health officials identifying norovirus as the cause of the outbreak.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the outbreak occurred during the ship’s April 28 to May 11, 2026 voyage. As of the CDC’s latest report, 102 of 3,116 passengers, or 3.3%, and 13 of 1,131 crew members, or 1.2%, had reported being sick. The most common symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.
The illness was reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program on May 7, while the ship was still underway. ABC News reported the vessel was traveling in the northwest Atlantic and heading toward Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, with arrival at Port Canaveral, Florida, scheduled for May 11.
Princess Cruises said in a statement that “a limited number of individuals” reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the voyage and that the company responded by disinfecting areas of the ship and increasing sanitizing efforts throughout the sailing. The company said the ship would undergo a more complete cleaning and disinfection process once it arrived in Port Canaveral.
According to the CDC, the ship’s crew increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, isolated sick passengers and crew, collected stool specimens for testing, and consulted with the Vessel Sanitation Program about sanitation procedures and illness reporting. The CDC said it is conducting a field response, including an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation, to help control the outbreak.
Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that often causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach pain. While it is sometimes called the “cruise ship virus,” the CDC says cruise ships account for only about 1% of reported norovirus outbreaks overall. However, the virus can spread quickly in enclosed settings where many people share dining areas, restrooms, handrails, elevators and other common surfaces.
The Caribbean Princess case is the fourth gastrointestinal illness outbreak reported on a cruise ship under the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program jurisdiction so far in 2026. The CDC’s outbreak list includes two norovirus outbreaks aboard Princess Cruises ships this year, including the Caribbean Princess and the Star Princess, along with two E. coli outbreaks on other cruise ships.
Health officials say reporting symptoms to a ship’s medical center is important because cruise ships are required to report gastrointestinal illness cases to the CDC. The agency defines reportable acute gastroenteritis cases as either three or more loose stools in a 24-hour period, or vomiting along with symptoms such as diarrhea, muscle aches, headache, abdominal cramps or fever.
The CDC advises cruise passengers to wash their hands often with soap and water, especially after using the restroom and before eating. The agency warns that hand sanitizer alone does not work well against norovirus. People who are sick should avoid preparing food or caring for others until they have recovered.
The outbreak remains under investigation, and the CDC notes that reported case totals reflect illnesses over the full voyage, not necessarily the number of people sick at the same time. The final scope of the outbreak could change if additional passengers or crew members report symptoms before the ship completes its voyage.
