Royal Caribbean International is grappling with a norovirus outbreak that has sickened nearly 100 people aboard one of its ships so far.
More than 90 passengers and four crew members aboard Royal Caribbean International’s Serenade of the Seas have reported being ill during the voyage, according to the CDC. This does not mean that they were all ill at the same time, rather it is the total number reported during the ship’s journey. The CDC noted that the predominant symptoms have been diarrhea and vomiting.
The cruise reportedly alerted the CDC about the outbreak on Sept. 8, according to Fox 8.
A view of Royal Caribbean's cruise ship 'Serenade of the Seas' docking in north China's Tianjin Municipality, during her 275-day global trip. (Feature China/Future Publishing via Getty Images / Getty Images)
"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," a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told Fox Business.
In response to the outbreak, Royal Caribbean International and its crew have increased cleaning and disinfection procedures, collected samples from GI illness cases for testing, isolated ill passengers and crew and consulted with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, the agency said on its website.
Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas docks at Port Everglades on Friday, Dec. 22, 2017. (Amy Beth Bennett/Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The Serenade of the Seas left San Diego on Sept. 19 and is expected to arrive in Miami on Oct. 2.
The CDC recommends that healthy passengers keep themselves safe by washing their hands frequently, getting plenty of rest and staying hydrated. Those who feel sick are instructed to tell the ship’s medical center and follow their instructions.
This picture taken on May 8, 2019, shows Royal Caribbean Cruises liner Serenade of the Sea leaving the harbor entrance channel of Le Havre in northern France. (JEAN-FRANCOIS MONIER/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The norovirus cases on the Serenade of the Seas are the 19th cruise ship outbreak that the CDC has tracked this year. According to the CDC website, the causative agent listed for 14 of the 19 outbreaks was norovirus, three were listed as "unknown," one was E. coli and another was "presumed" ciguatera, a kind of food poisoning related to fish.
The number of cruise ship gastrointestinal illness outbreaks has already surpassed 2024, when the CDC tracked 18 incidents, 15 of which were said to be norovirus.