A Caribbean vacation on Princess Cruises' Star Princess ended with a rough homecoming in South Florida, as 153 people on board fell ill with gastrointestinal symptoms during the ship's March 7-14 sailing.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that 104 passengers and 49 crew members reported symptoms consistent with acute gastroenteritis on the voyage, and testing identified norovirus as the culprit. While the ship headed back to Fort Lauderdale, crew moved into outbreak-response mode, isolating sick travelers and ramping up cleaning and disinfection across the vessel.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, the illnesses affected 2.4% of the 4,307 passengers and 3.1% of the 1,561 crew on board. Princess Cruises and the ship's medical team reported increased sanitizing protocols, collection of stool samples, and isolation for sick passengers and crew. The CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program is carrying out a field environmental assessment and outbreak investigation, and the incident is logged as voyage number 4611, reported to the program on March 11.
Reporting and timeline
The scale of the outbreak and the Star Princess itinerary first surfaced in coverage by Cruise Law News, which noted that the final illness count could climb as passengers disembarked in Fort Lauderdale. That outlet also reported that Princess Cruises and the CDC had not immediately responded to its requests for comment.
How norovirus spreads and what to do
Norovirus is notorious for tearing through cruise ships, schools, and nursing homes, spreading easily via contaminated food, water, and surfaces. It typically triggers sudden vomiting and diarrhea that usually last a few days but can hit hard, especially for young children, older adults, and people with underlying health conditions.
According to the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, frequent handwashing with soap and water, alerting ship medical staff if you start to feel sick, and following crew instructions, including isolation when directed, are key to slowing an outbreak. Anyone who becomes severely dehydrated or notices symptoms getting worse should seek medical care.
What passengers should watch for
Travelers booked on upcoming Star Princess sailings are being urged to keep an eye on emails and app notifications from Princess Cruises and their travel agents in case of schedule changes or health advisories tied to the recent outbreak.
Anyone who sailed March 7-14 and later comes down with vomiting, diarrhea, or other stomach-related symptoms should let their doctor know about their recent cruise travel. In and around Port Everglades, local travelers and port workers should be aware that outbreaks like this can sometimes affect disembarkation timing and demand on medical services at the port, as sick passengers are evaluated and assisted before they head home.
