More Than 150 Sick on Princess Cruises’ Newest Ship as Norovirus Outbreak Confirmed
Princess Cruises’ newest ship is dealing with its first major health challenge after a gastrointestinal illness outbreak affected more than 150 people onboard during a Caribbean sailing.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak occurred aboard Star Princess, the cruise line’s newest Sphere-class ship, which entered service in late 2025. The ship departed Fort Lauderdale on March 7, 2026, and is currently sailing a Caribbean itinerary scheduled to return to Port Everglades on March 14.
More Than 150 People Report Illness
The CDC confirmed that 104 of the ship’s 4,307 passengers reported gastrointestinal symptoms during the voyage. Additionally, 49 of the 1,561 crew members became ill.
The main symptoms reported were vomiting and diarrhea, which are commonly associated with norovirus, a highly contagious stomach virus.
The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) began monitoring the situation after the number of cases crossed its reporting threshold. Cruise ships must report outbreaks when more than 2% of passengers or crew experience gastrointestinal illness, with outbreaks publicly declared once levels reach about 3%.
This marks the first outbreak reported on Star Princess since its debut.
Enhanced Cleaning Measures Implemented
Princess Cruises said it quickly implemented additional sanitation procedures once the illnesses were reported.
According to the cruise line, crew members disinfected public areas throughout the ship and increased sanitation efforts across dining venues, elevators, railings, and other high-touch surfaces. Passengers experiencing symptoms were also temporarily isolated in their cabins as a precaution.
The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program is also conducting a field investigation and environmental assessment to help the ship control the outbreak and prevent further spread.
Guests onboard have reported noticing the intensified cleaning efforts throughout the ship.
Some passengers said crew members have been frequently sanitizing stair rails and public areas, while restaurant entrances now have staff encouraging guests to wash their hands before entering. Additional hand-sanitizer stations have also been placed around the vessel.
Extra Cabin Cleaning and Guest Updates
Passengers also noted that cabin stewards have increased their cleaning routines.
Several guests reported that bed linens were changed across the ship during the voyage, and staterooms were being cleaned more frequently than usual.
Ship-wide announcements have also kept passengers informed about the situation and reminded guests to report symptoms to the medical team.
Boarding Delay Planned for Next Sailing
When Star Princess returns to Fort Lauderdale on March 14, Princess Cruises plans to delay boarding for the next voyage to allow the ship to undergo a deep cleaning before new passengers arrive.
While delays like this can disrupt embarkation schedules slightly, the extra cleaning helps ensure the illness does not carry over to the next cruise.
Similar deep-cleaning procedures have been used on other ships following gastrointestinal outbreaks in recent years.
Norovirus and Cruise Ships
Norovirus is often associated with cruise ships, but public health experts say the virus is far more common on land than at sea.
According to CDC data, cruise ships accounted for just about 1% of all reported norovirus outbreaks, even though they tend to receive more attention because illnesses onboard are closely monitored and publicly reported.
Situations where people are in close contact—such as cruise ships, nursing homes, and daycare centers—simply make outbreaks easier to detect and track.
Second Reported Cruise Outbreak of 2026
The CDC has recorded two cruise ship gastrointestinal outbreaks so far in 2026 that met its reporting threshold.
The first occurred in January aboard Seven Seas Mariner and was linked to E. coli, making the Star Princess situation the first norovirus outbreak publicly reported this year.
Despite the outbreak, cruise lines emphasize that sanitation protocols and health monitoring procedures are designed to respond quickly to situations like this—helping limit the spread and protect guests and crew.
