NCL Closes Norwegian Prima Hot Tubs After Legionnaires’ Cases
All results from showers, faucets and hot tubs have been negative so far, while Norwegian Prima continues seven-night Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.
Norwegian Cruise Line has closed all public hot tubs and private balcony heated whirlpools aboard Norwegian Prima while it investigates three Legionnaires’ disease diagnoses involving passengers who sailed in May and July 2026. The source of the infections has not been determined, and onboard testing for Legionella bacteria has produced negative results so far.
The 143,535-gross-ton ship remains in service without itinerary changes. NCL is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has notified affected guests and crew under CDC guidance.
“It has not been confirmed if the exposure occurred on the ship or elsewhere,” an NCL spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that the line had increased its routine sanitation procedures and would take additional measures as needed.
Testing continues as the ship stays in service
NCL has tested water-using fixtures and equipment aboard Norwegian Prima, including showers, faucets and hot tubs. All results have been negative, although sampling remains underway and the exact dates of the affected passengers’ sailings have not been disclosed.
Built by Fincantieri in Marghera, Italy, Norwegian Prima entered service in 2022 and carries 3,195 guests at double occupancy. The ship is operating seven-night eastern and western Caribbean cruises from Port Canaveral.
How Legionnaires’ disease spreads and who is most at risk
Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia caused by inhaling mist or small water droplets containing Legionella bacteria. It is not generally transmitted through direct person-to-person contact. Shipboard plumbing, hot tubs, showers and other systems that produce water mist can present exposure risks if the bacteria are present.
Symptoms generally develop within two to 14 days of exposure and can include coughing, fever, shortness of breath, headaches and muscle aches. People aged 50 and older, current or former smokers, and those with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems face higher risks. NCL advised guests experiencing possible symptoms to seek medical attention.
CDC guidance centers on shipboard water systems
CDC guidance calls for cruise operators to maintain water-management programs designed to limit Legionella growth in potable-water networks and other onboard systems. Whirlpool spas and other aerosol-generating water features receive particular attention because contaminated hot tubs are a common source in shipboard Legionella investigations.
The Norwegian Prima cases follow other precautionary passenger notices involving cruise ships. In February 2026, Norwegian Encore guests were advised of two cases involving passengers from December 2025 sailings, while Norwegian Epic passengers received a similar warning in November 2025. Royal Caribbean issued notices involving Symphony of the Seas in January 2025, and Celebrity Cruises notified guests of two cases involving Celebrity Ascent in January 2024.
The ship is scheduled to call at Great Stirrup Cay on September 12 before returning to Port Canaveral on September 13. NCL told guests that the closed facilities will reopen only after sampling is completed and any required remediation has been carried out under CDC guidelines.
