Two consecutive outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness aboard a Cunard Line cruise ship have left hundreds of passengers and crew members sick. The outbreaks occurred on two separate voyages within the span of two weeks,

A virus known as the stomach bug that has surged across parts of the country is the cause of nearly all diarrhea outbreaks reported on cruise ships that docked at U.S. ports in 2024, federal data shows.

But another statistic in the world of cruising is on the up, and it’s not a good one: the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests 2024 was the worst year for cruise ship-based gastrointestinal outbreaks in over a decade.

In December alone, the CDC reported five separate outbreaks on four different ships -- sickening more than 800 people. All of the outbreaks were caused by the highly contagious norovirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says reported illnesses on cruise ships have hit a 12-year high.

Illnesses on cruise ships have hit a 12-year high. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were outbreaks on 16 different cruise ships in 2024. The majority of the illnesses were norovirus cases.