CDC Monitoring Norovirus Outbreak on Florida Cruise Ship

Health officials are currently tracking a norovirus outbreak aboard a cruise ship that recently departed from Florida. Reports indicate that nearly 120 individuals on the ship have reported illness due to the virus, as confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Holland America Line's ms Rotterdam is on a 12-night voyage through the Panama Canal and left Port Everglades on February 2, with an anticipated return on February 14. According to the CDC's Vehicle Sanitation Program, as of now, 107 out of 2,614 passengers, which equates to approximately 4.1%, and 12 of the 969 crew members, or about 1.2%, have experienced symptoms of norovirus during the cruise. The first illness was reported on February 7. It is important to note that these figures represent cumulative cases over the cruise duration and do not imply that all affected individuals were ill simultaneously.

Common symptoms associated with norovirus include severe gastrointestinal distress, such as diarrhea and vomiting. In response to the outbreak, the ship's crew has heightened cleaning and disinfection protocols as part of their established outbreak response plan. The crew has also collected specimens from both ill passengers and crew members for further testing. The cruise line remains in consultation with the CDC, which is actively monitoring the situation remotely.

Despite the current outbreak, the ms Rotterdam is scheduled to embark on another nine-night southern Caribbean itinerary starting February 14 from Port Everglades. This outbreak marks the seventh such event the CDC has documented so far in 2025, with four of these cases linked specifically to norovirus. This follows a recent outbreak aboard the Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas, which departed from Tampa and reported 160 sick passengers, or 7.4%, and eight crew members, or 0.9%, upon its return on February 8. The cause of that outbreak remains under investigation by the CDC.

Other vessels that have reported norovirus outbreaks this year include the Coral Princess from Princess Cruises, Viking Mars from Viking Ocean Cruises, and Holland America's ms Volendam. In the previous year, the CDC tracked a total of 18 outbreaks on U.S.-based cruise ships, with 15 attributed to norovirus.

It is crucial to note that cruise lines are mandated to report any suspected outbreaks of illness to the CDC, a requirement not extended to the hotel industry, where similar outbreaks may occur but often go unreported. Given the prevalence of norovirus both at sea and on land, public health officials continue to monitor and address these outbreaks to ensure passenger safety.