The ship Caribbean Princess arrived at Port Canaveral on Monday morning after completing its 13-day Caribbean itinerary. The voyage was marked by a norovirus outbreak that affected 145 passengers and 15 crew members, prompting a federal health investigation coordinated by the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
The vessel, which departed Fort Lauderdale on April 28th, initially reported 102 passengers and 13 crew members as having fallen ill during the sailing. The predominant symptoms were consistent with norovirus, including vomiting and diarrhoea.
The CDC recorded the outbreak on May 7th, shortly before the ship’s return to Florida.
In response, Princess Cruises implemented enhanced sanitation protocols, including intensified cleaning cycles, quarantine of affected individuals, and collection of samples for testing, while coordinating with federal health authorities on outbreak management procedures.
The ship is scheduled to undergo a full deep-cleaning before its next departure.
Passenger accounts indicated that additional sanitation measures were introduced during the voyage, with frequent public announcements from the Navigation Bridge advising on hygiene precautions and visible cleaning activity across common spaces.
One disembarking passenger described the emphasis on hand hygiene and precautionary behaviour as standard practice under the circumstances, while noting that the situation would not deter future cruising.
The CDC officially identified the causative agent as norovirus, which is known for rapid transmission in enclosed environments.
For more Caribbean Princess incidents and accidents, see the ship's CruiseMinus page