Princess Cruises Hit With Second Norovirus Outbreak — What You Need to Know
A Princess Cruises voyage has experienced its second outbreak of norovirus, raising new concerns about cruise ship safety and public health. The most recent outbreak, reported on the Coral Princess, left 69 people—including 13 crew members—sick just days before the ship’s arrival in Florida.
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The incident occurred on Friday, March 7, during a 16-day journey that departed Los Angeles on February 21. The itinerary included stops in Mexico, Aruba, Costa Rica, and Panama, before concluding in Fort Lauderdale on March 9. Out of the 1,906 passengers onboard, 69 were affected—prompting the cruise liner to swiftly implement quarantine protocols and sanitation measures.
Norovirus Strikes Again: Inside the Coral Princess Outbreak
Sanitization Efforts and Quarantine Measures Activated
Princess Cruises wasted no time in responding. “At the earliest signs of illness, we promptly enacted enhanced sanitization protocols,” the company told PEOPLE. Passengers exhibiting symptoms were isolated in their cabins, while high-touch surfaces throughout the ship were sanitized continuously to prevent further spread.
Norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, is one of the leading causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Onboard cruise ships, where thousands of people share confined spaces, it can spread rapidly.
Cruise operators are required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to report all gastrointestinal outbreaks affecting more than 3% of passengers.
Timeline of the Outbreak and Cruise Route Details
The Coral Princess set sail on February 21, starting a luxurious 16-day voyage with exotic stops in tropical destinations. However, by March 7, just two days before docking in Fort Lauderdale, the cruise turned into a nightmare for dozens of travelers.
This is not the first time Coral Princess has dealt with norovirus this year. In January 2025, a previous outbreak on the same ship sickened 128 passengers and 20 crew members, prompting similar emergency protocols and CDC attention.
