A Royal Caribbean cruise turned into a health crisis for over 140 people aboard the luxury cruise line after a mysterious gastrointestinal illness struck during a voyage.
Seven crew members and 134 passengers aboard the Navigator of the Seas reported symptoms like vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea during the week-long cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The exact cause of the outbreak remains undetermined, leaving health officials to investigate.
In response, the popular cruise company implemented enhanced cleaning measures, including isolating those affected and increasing onboard sanitation protocols, the CDC confirmed.
‘The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our top priority,’ a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group, the line’s parent company, told USA TODAY.
‘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,’ the statement continued.
A Royal Caribbean cruise turned into a health crisis for over 140 people aboard the luxury cruise line after a mysterious gastrointestinal illness struck during a voyage. Pictured: An aerial view from a drone shows Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Sea cruise ship docked
Seven crew members and 134 passengers aboard the Navigator of the Seas reported symptoms like vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea during the week-long cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico. Pictured: Navigator of The Seas at Royal Caribbean
This incident is part of a broader trend, with 18 gastrointestinal outbreaks reported on cruise ships in 2025 that met the CDC’s threshold for public notification – when at least 3 percent of the crew or guests have any highly contagious symptoms.
However, most of these outbreaks have been linked to norovirus – a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea.
‘Norovirus is often a cause of gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships, but we don’t always know the cause of the outbreak when we begin an investigation. Finding the agent that caused an outbreak (causative agent) can take time,’ the CDC said in a statement.
Royal Caribbean is no stranger to such outbreaks.
In February 2025, over 90 passengers on a different Royal Caribbean cruise – Radiance of the Seas – also experienced symptoms of gastrointestinal illness.
Despite the prevalence of such incidents on cruise ships, the CDC maintains that these outbreaks represent only 1 percent of all reported gastrointestinal illnesses.
However, with a newly dominant strain of norovirus circulating both on land and at sea, health officials are closely monitoring the situation.
‘CDC data show a newly dominant strain is currently associated with reported norovirus outbreaks on land,’ the agency said in an emailed statement. ‘Ships typically follow the pattern of land-based outbreaks, which are higher this norovirus season.’
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