The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced on Tuesday that nearly 100 people have been reported sick on Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas amid an outbreak of norovirus on the cruise ship.
In a Tuesday press release, the CDC confirmed that 94 of the 1,874 cruise ship passengers and four of the 883 crew members were reported sick on the Serenade of the Seas, which departed from San Diego on September 19 and is scheduled to arrive in Miami on October 2. The CDC noted that the norovirus outbreak was reported to the agency’s Vessel Sanitation Program on Sunday.
The CDC’s press release explained that the predominant symptoms of the individuals who have been reported sick with norovirus have included vomiting and diarrhea.
In a statement obtained by Fox Business, a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said, “The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority. To maintain an environment that supports the highest levels of health and safety onboard our ships, we implement rigorous cleaning procedures, many of which far exceed public health guidelines.”
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The CDC confirmed that Royal Caribbean International and the crew on the Serenade of the Seas isolated sick passengers and crew members, collected stool samples for gastrointestinal illness testing, increased disinfection and cleaning measures, and consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program. The CDC confirmed that the Vessel Sanitation Program is remotely monitoring the situation on the Serenade of the Seas.
According to the CDC’s website, the norovirus outbreak marks the 19th cruise ship illness outbreak that has been tracked by the agency in 2025. Fourteen of the outbreaks have been attributed to norovirus; one was attributed to E. coli; one was “presumed” ciguatera, which is a fish-related food poisoning; and three were listed as “unknown.”
“Gastrointestinal illnesses, like those caused by norovirus, are very contagious,” the CDC said in a statement obtained by NBC News. “They can spread quickly in closed and semienclosed environments, such as cruise ships.”
