Gorgeous Cruise Turns Sour as Over 140 Passengers Fall Ill
A lavish cruise experience turned into a nightmare when over 140 passengers fell sick during a royal voyage. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 134 passengers and seven crew members from a total of 3,914 on board reported symptoms such as vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea, with the incident concluding on July 11th.
The exact cause of these illnesses is still unclear. The cruise, which set off from Los Angeles and made its way to Mexico, lasted just over a week, as reported by Cruisemapper.
In response to the outbreak, Royal Caribbean has stepped up its cleaning and hygiene measures, including isolating those who fell sick. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean Group emphasized that the safety of both guests and crew remains a top priority.
They stated that their ships adhere to stringent sanitation procedures, often exceeding public health standards. “The health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit are our number one priority,” the spokesperson mentioned. “We implement strict cleaning procedures to ensure an environment that supports the highest level of health and safety on our ship, many of which are well above public health guidelines.”
This incident is among 18 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses recorded on cruise ships in 2025, most of which were related to norovirus, prompting public notice from the CDC. Interestingly, 2024 saw the same number of outbreaks, whereas 14 were documented in 2023.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time there’s been an illness outbreak on a Royal Caribbean cruise. Back in February, over 90 individuals experienced gastrointestinal illness on a ship that was returning to Tampa, Florida.
The CDC noted that while norovirus is a common culprit behind these outbreaks, it doesn’t always reveal the specific cause when they begin their investigations. Cruise ships do often get linked to such cases, but the CDC clarifies that they only account for about 1% of all reported illnesses.
