CDC Probes Norovirus Outbreak on Star Princess After 153 Fall Ill

More than 150 passengers and crew aboard Princess Cruises’ Star Princess fell ill during a Caribbean sailing in March, prompting a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) response through its Vessel Sanitation Program.

The CDC’s online outbreak report for the March 7 to March 14, 2026 voyage shows 104 passengers reported sick out of 4,307 guests onboard (2.4%) and 49 crew members out of 1,561 (3.1%), for 153 total cases over the full sailing. The predominant symptoms were vomiting and diarrhea, which are commonly associated with norovirus.

What the CDC reported during the March 7–14 sailing

The outbreak was reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) on March 11, several days after the ship departed from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale. The VSP tracks gastrointestinal illness on ships that call at U.S. ports and works with cruise operators when illness levels meet federal reporting thresholds.

CDC health officials note that cruise-ship illness totals are cumulative across the entire sailing, meaning the figure reflects everyone who became sick at any point during the voyage, not necessarily all at the same time. The CDC also states that gastrointestinal illness outbreaks are required to be reported when cases exceed 2% of the onboard population, and this sailing met that threshold.

Itinerary for the affected Caribbean voyage

Cruise tracking information and the itinerary cited in the reports show Star Princess sailed from Fort Lauderdale on March 7 on a Western Caribbean route. Stops during the week included Honduras, Belize City, and Mexico’s Riviera Maya region before the ship was scheduled to return to Port Everglades on March 14.

Steps taken onboard, according to Princess and the CDC

Princess Cruises said the ship saw what it characterized as a limited number of mild gastrointestinal cases during the March 7 sailing. In an emailed statement to USA TODAY, the cruise line said: “We quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitizing throughout the voyage.”

Princess also described separating sick guests as a way to limit person-to-person spread in close quarters, saying, “We also separated anyone feeling unwell so they could rest comfortably in private just an added precaution to help keep the rest of our guests and crew feeling their best.”

In addition to the cruise line’s onboard actions, the CDC said the VSP is conducting a field response that includes an environmental assessment and an outbreak investigation to help the ship control and prevent additional transmission.

• Expanded cleaning and disinfection procedures were implemented as part of the ship’s outbreak response plan, including heightened attention to high-traffic areas and frequently touched surfaces.
• Symptomatic passengers and crew members were isolated to reduce the risk of spread in shared spaces such as dining rooms and restrooms.
• Stool specimens were collected from ill individuals for laboratory testing to help verify the cause of the outbreak.
• Ship personnel consulted with VSP officials on sanitation procedures and illness case reporting as the investigation continued.

Princess Cruises also said the ship received comprehensive cleaning after returning to Fort Lauderdale before beginning its next sailing. Separately, Princess Cruises said there would be a slight delay prior to Star Princess embarking on its next voyage to allow for deep cleaning and terminal disinfection.

Why norovirus can spread quickly at sea

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes acute gastroenteritis, most commonly presenting as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Because it can spread through close contact and contaminated surfaces, it can move quickly in environments where many people share dining venues, restrooms, and other high-touch areas.

Sarah R. Michaels, an assistant professor at Tulane University’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, previously told USA TODAY that outbreaks are often identified in settings where close-contact transmission is more likely to be recognized and reported. “Really, when we have these areas where people are in really close contact, things like day care facilities, nursing homes and cruise ships, it’s more likely (to be) diagnosed, reported and brought to our attention,” Michaels said.

The CDC has also emphasized that, while norovirus is often associated with cruise travel, cruise outbreaks represent a small share of overall reported norovirus activity. One report cited norovirus as the leading cause of diarrhea and vomiting outbreaks in the United States and said it drives roughly 685 million reported cases worldwide each year, while cruise-related incidents account for only about 1% of reported cases nationally.

How this fits into the CDC’s broader cruise outbreak tracking

The CDC publicly posts cruise-ship gastrointestinal outbreaks that meet its notification threshold. The agency has logged two such outbreaks so far this year, according to the CDC’s outbreak listings. Earlier in 2026, another norovirus outbreak was reported on a Holland America ship and caused illness among more than 80 passengers.

For longer-term context, the CDC recorded 23 cruise-ship gastrointestinal outbreaks in 2025, including 17 attributed to norovirus. The year before that, norovirus accounted for 15 of 18 total outbreaks tracked by the agency.

Star Princess entered service in late 2025 and has been operating Caribbean itineraries from Fort Lauderdale during the 2026 season. With the ship back in Fort Lauderdale and the CDC’s field response underway, the investigation is expected to focus on environmental findings and the effectiveness of control measures aimed at limiting additional cases on subsequent sailings.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How many people were sick on Star Princess during the March 2026 outbreak?

The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program reported 104 ill passengers and 49 ill crew members during the March 7–14 sailing, for a total of 153 cases recorded over the full voyage.

What did Princess Cruises say it did during the sailing?

Princess Cruises said it rapidly disinfected the ship and increased sanitizing throughout the voyage, and that it separated people who felt unwell so they could rest privately as a precaution to reduce spread.

What actions did the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program take?

The CDC said the VSP is conducting a field response that includes an environmental assessment and outbreak investigation. The agency also listed steps including expanded cleaning and disinfection, isolation of symptomatic passengers and crew, collection of stool samples for testing, and consultation with VSP officials on sanitation procedures and illness reporting.

Will there be changes before the ship’s next sailing?

Princess Cruises said Star Princess received comprehensive cleaning after returning to Fort Lauderdale, and the cruise line also said there would be a slight delay before the next voyage to allow for deep cleaning and terminal disinfection.