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- Vessel Sanitation Program
- Stay Healthy on Your Cruise
- Meetings & Announcements
- Vessel Sanitation Training
- Data Summary
- Public Health Resources
- Addressing AGE on Cruise Ships
- VSP Mission
Outbreaks on Cruise Ships in VSP's Jurisdiction
At a glance.
Learn more about outbreaks of gastrointestinal (GI) illness on cruise ships in the Vessel Sanitation Program's (VSP) jurisdiction, including outbreak details and actions taken in response.
2024 outbreaks
About outbreak reporting.
We post outbreaks when they meet all the following criteria:
- Ship is under VSP jurisdiction (on voyages including both U.S. and foreign ports)
- Ship carries 100 or more passengers
- Voyage is 3-21 days long
- Voyage has 3% or more of passengers or crew reporting symptoms of GI illness to the ship's medical staff
We may also post information on outbreaks of public health significance that do not necessarily meet the above criteria.
Notes about the data
GI illness is a commonly used term for acute gastroenteritis (AGE).
Cruise ships report cases that meet our case definition for AGE. We define a reportable case of AGE as
- three or more loose stools within a 24-hour period or what is more than normal for that person OR
- vomiting along with one of the following symptoms: diarrhea, muscle ache, headache, abdominal cramp, or fever.
What case totals mean
Learn how passengers can protect themselves with these tips for healthy cruising .
Find more information on
- VSP outbreak response
- Earlier outbreaks (2019-2023)
- Archived outbreaks (1993–2018)
Read our publication on cruise ship GI outbreaks during 2006-2019.
The Vessel Sanitation Program helps the cruise ship industry prevent and control the introduction and spread of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships.
For Everyone
Public health.
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COMMENTS
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Four norovirus outbreaks, involving a total of 449 passengers and crew members, have happened aboard Royal Caribbean ships this year, the most of any individual cruise …
Learn more about outbreaks of gastrointestinal (GI) illness on cruise ships in the Vessel Sanitation Program's (VSP) jurisdiction, including outbreak details and actions taken in response.
Which cruise ships have norovirus outbreaks? There are currently no ships listed as having norovirus outbreaks, but at least seven ships have had norovirus outbreaks this year …
Almost 2,000 people have been infected with norovirus on cruise ships this year, meaning there are more norovirus cases at sea halfway through 2023 than there were in 2022.
There have been 13 outbreaks of norovirus on cruise ships this year, the highest number since 2012. Here’s what to know about symptoms, transmission and prevention.
Thirteen norovirus outbreaks have been reported on cruises so far in 2023, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which keeps a record of …