The Truth About Illness Outbreaks on Cruise Ships

Two recent illness outbreaks on cruise ships made headlines around the world. But do these events mean cruising is actually dangerous? Experts say the answer is more complicated than you might think.

Two Outbreaks, Two Very Different Illnesses

In May 2026, two separate cruise ships dealt with illness outbreaks at nearly the same time. The MV Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, faced a hantavirus outbreak that tragically claimed three lives. Meanwhile, Princess Cruises’ Caribbean Princess reported over 110 sick guests and crew members due to norovirus.

The Caribbean Princess outbreak was the fourth norovirus-related event on a cruise ship in 2026 to reach the CDC’s threshold for public notification. That back-to-back timing understandably raised eyebrows. But health experts want cruisers to understand the full picture before drawing conclusions.

Why Do Cruise Ships Seem to Have So Many Outbreaks?

Cruise ships get a lot of attention when illness spreads onboard. Part of that comes down to how ships work as environments. Dr. Ian Lipkin, a professor of epidemiology at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, described ships as a “closed environment.”

“If somebody is ill, whether that be somebody who’s a member of a crew or staff or somebody who’s a passenger, the probability that they’re going to run into somebody else and communicate that is much higher than if it’s only a sporadic intersection of these individuals,” he told USA TODAY.

Unlike a hotel, where guests come and go freely, everyone on a cruise ship stays together for days at a time. Dr. Emily Abdoler, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Michigan Medical School, pointed out that passengers also come from many different places, bringing different illness exposures with them.

“If people took week-long airplane rides, I imagine we’d be talking about the same thing,” she said.

Cruise Ship Outbreaks Are Actually Rare

Here’s a fact that often gets lost in the headlines. Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships make up just 1% of all reported norovirus cases, according to the CDC. The vast majority of norovirus cases happen on land, in restaurants, schools, and other public places.

Abdoler explained why cruises get outsized attention. “Part of it is, like, ‘Oh, you’re in the middle of the ocean, and this percentage of the passengers are having explosive diarrhea,’ and it’s easy to say what the problem is, whereas, if it is something that’s from a public pool or a restaurant, it’s just going to be harder to trace,” she said.

In other words, cruise ship outbreaks are easier to track and report. That makes them more visible, even if they aren’t more common.

What Cruise Lines Are Required to Do

Major cruise lines operate under strict health and safety rules. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the industry’s top trade group, told USA TODAY that its member lines “operate under strict requirements that include advanced cleaning and disinfection procedures, continuous monitoring for illness, and rapid response measures when health concerns arise.”

“These protocols are informed by international public health guidance and are regularly reviewed and updated,” the organization added. CLIA member lines are also required to have onboard medical facilities and trained staff ready to handle a wide range of health issues.

It’s worth noting that Oceanwide Expeditions, the operator of the MV Hondius, is not a CLIA member.

How Is the Hantavirus Outbreak Different?

The MV Hondius situation stands apart from a typical cruise ship illness outbreak. There were 23 gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025, but this appears to be the first documented hantavirus outbreak ever linked to a cruise ship.

Hantavirus spreads mainly through contact with infected rodents — their urine, droppings, or saliva. The specific strain found on the MV Hondius was the Andes virus, which can spread between people in very close contact. Officials are still working to pinpoint exactly how the outbreak started.

WHO official Maria Van Kerkhove previously said health authorities believe the first passenger to show symptoms — and his wife, both of whom died — were likely infected before boarding the ship. There may have been some person-to-person spread among very close contacts on board. Officials have been clear that the risk to the general public remains low.

Hantavirus vs. Norovirus: A Key Difference

Dr. Lipkin explained an important distinction between hantavirus and norovirus. Norovirus is highly contagious and takes very little exposure to make someone sick. Hantavirus is different.

“That’s not the case with hantaviruses,” he said. “People probably get a large dose that they’ve inhaled that’s responsible for triggering this disease. Noroviruses, you know, a little dab will do you.”

This makes hantavirus far less likely to spread quickly through a cruise ship population the way norovirus can.

Expedition Cruises Carry Unique Risks

The MV Hondius was an expedition cruise ship. These voyages focus on nature and wildlife, which can bring passengers into closer contact with animals. Dr. Abdoler noted that some illnesses are classified as zoonoses, meaning they spread from animals to humans.

“The closer contact we have with animals, the greater the potential for that spread, although what kind of contact you need varies greatly across a whole spectrum of illnesses,” she said.

If you’re planning an expedition cruise, or any cruise that takes you to remote natural areas, Abdoler recommends visiting a travel medicine clinic at least several weeks before you sail. They can give you destination-specific advice and any needed vaccines. Keep in mind there is currently no vaccine for hantavirus.

Should You Worry About Getting Sick on a Cruise?

Both experts were clear on this point. The hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius is a rare exception, not a sign of things to come. Dr. Lipkin called it “really an outlier.”

“This is not something that I would be concerned about, you know, sui generis, in thinking about taking a cruise,” he said.

Dr. Abdoler agreed. She noted that you’re far more likely to catch the flu on a cruise ship than hantavirus. “I don’t think this particular situation should change anyone’s calculation than what they’ve had before,” she said.

Can the Cruise Industry Rebuild Its Image?

Health scares have followed the cruise industry since the early days of COVID-19. Melissa Eaton, a customer experience expert and co-host of the podcast “We Fixed It, You’re Welcome,” thinks the industry’s image problem goes back further than that.

“COVID didn’t create the cruise industry’s reputation problem,” she said. “It just exposed it because that pandemic made every outbreak look like some sort of test, and cruise incidents have become highly visible in the media, politicized, and public perception is amplified.”

Eaton said the key to recovering from a health crisis is how a cruise line responds. She actually praised Oceanwide Expeditions for keeping the public informed throughout the MV Hondius situation.

“They’re trying to control it by providing the safety net of how they’re addressing it,” she said. “They’re taking accountability for it.”

According to Eaton, the playbook for handling a health crisis includes protecting passengers and crew, speaking in plain language, and confirming facts quickly. “One of the things about surviving a health crisis is moving quickly, so cruise lines should learn from this that clarity, sympathy and corrective action are central to building that trust,” she said. “Brands that overexplain, delay, lawyer up, tend to lose that chance.”

What This Means for Your Next Cruise

It’s natural to feel uneasy when you see back-to-back cruise ship illness stories in the news. But the experts are largely in agreement. Cruise ships are closed environments that can make illness spread more easily, but that doesn’t mean they’re uniquely dangerous places.

Here are a few simple steps you can take to protect yourself before and during a cruise:

• Visit a travel medicine clinic several weeks before you sail, especially for international or expedition cruises.
• Wash your hands frequently and use hand sanitizer, especially before meals.
• Stay up to date on routine vaccines, including the flu shot.
• If you feel sick before your trip, contact your cruise line about their policies.
• For expedition or wildlife-focused cruises, ask your travel medicine provider about any destination-specific risks.

The bottom line is that millions of Americans cruise every year without incident. The recent headlines are worth understanding, but they shouldn’t keep you from enjoying your next voyage.