Source:  www.cruisejunkie.com

Illness Outbreaks on Cruise Ships

January 1, 2003 - December 31, 2003



2002 Box Score
2003 Box Score
Illness
# of reports Passengers Sick
Crew Sick
Total Sick
# of reports
Passengers Sick Crew Sick
Total Sick
Norwalk
28
2847
390
3237
36
3022
397
3419
E coli
1
225
15
240




Salmonella
3
35
16
51




Shigella
1
169

169




Unknown
1
134

134
6
130

130
Unreported
9
Details unknown






Other
3



2
7

7
Total
46
3410
421
3831
44
3159
397
3556


 2003
Date
Ship
Cruise Line
Event
Known Compensation 
December 29
Volendam
Holland America Line
53 passengers and 11 crew came down with probable cases of norovirus during the previous week's cruise.

December 28
Pacific Sky
P&O Australia
Up to 200 passengers suffered nausea, vomiting and diarrhea which last up to 3 days -- most likely the result of norwalk-like virus.

November 30
Carnival Legend
Carnival Cruise Line
73 passengers and 4 crew reportedly contracted norwalk-like virus during the previous cruise

November 22
Carnival Legend
Carnival Cruise Line
109 passengers (5.05%) and at least 45 crew (5%) suffered symptoms of Norwalk-like virus aboard the cruise that ended today. 

October 31
Aurora
P&O Cruises
Around 580 passengers and 28 crew infected with Norwalk-like virus on this cruise that begin in Southampton on October 20.  The ship was refused permission to dock in Greece.  It stopped in Gibraltar November 3rd.  Cruise ended in Southampton November 6.

October 21
Holiday
Carnival Cruise Line
It was reported that 12 passengers (0.8%) and 25 crew (3.7%) experienced symptoms consistent with Norwalk-like virus.
October 16

Holiday
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line reported an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness that affected at least 5% of passengers on the 5-day sailing from New Orleans ending October 16.  A total of 97 passengers (5.8%) and 53 crew (7.8) experienced symptoms consistent with Norwalk-like virus.

October 11
Nantucket Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line
A health outbreak was reported -- 6 passengers (6.45%) and 2 crew (5.88%)

September 28
Norwegian Sky
Norwegian Cruise Line
A health outbreak was reported, but specimens were not obtained and no other information is available.
September 25
Oceana
P&O Cruises
95 passengers were struck by a minor gastro-intestinal illness during the voyage.  The source is unknown.

September 2
Zaandam
Holland America Line
According to passengers, there was an outbreak of gastro-intestinal disease on the cruise ending August 30; they were notified the third night of the cruise by a letter delivered to each cabin that Norwalk was on the ship and instructing them to take proper precautions.  40 passengers were off-loaded in Ketchikan and an estimated 60 others at  two other ports.  Among those disembarked at Ketchikan were two octogenarians (because one reported an ongoing health condition that included gastrointestinal sensitivities for which he took medication). Despite promises onboard, the 82 and 95 year olds were not given necessary assistance by HAL once they left the ship (including having to carry their own luggage up stairs). They are awaiting reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses that they were told were arranged to be paid in advance. (50)
Per diem reimbursement plus a certificate, worth 25% of the per diem reimbursement, which could be used toward a future cruise
August 28
Regal Princess
Princess Cruises
There was an outbreak of Norwalk-like virus on the ship on Aug 19th, the day after it left Copenhagen.  A total of 301 passengers and 45 crew were reportedly ill during the planned 16 day cruise.  The cruise ended two days early in NYC (Sept 2) after missing planned stops in Greenland and Newfoundland.  While the cruise line suggests that a passenger brought the virus with them when they boarded in Copenhagen, a passenger on the previous cruise reports that there had been "...several days of overflowing toilets in the public restrooms, as well as in the passengers cabins occurred. Carpets were changed, plastic over carpet in several areas seemed the norm. Several crew members fell ill including our assistant waiter who was quarantined for days."  There were purportedly plumbing problems on several earlier cruises as well.
$300 US shipboard credit, plus refund of 1/16 of the cruise price, plus a refund of a portion of the government taxes and port fees as shipboard credit.
August 26
Ocean Monarch
Majestic International Cruises

A German passenger died, and four others are infected with Legionnaires' disease following return to Germany from a cruise to Greenland.  The cause of the infection is not known, a spokesperson for the cruise operator said.

August 26 Clipper Odyssey
Clipper Cruise Line
A health outbreak was reported, but specimens were not obtained and no other information is available.
August 18 - 25
Volendam
Holland America Line
According to a physician (passenger) onboard, there was an outbreak of norwalk-like virus that affected at least 50 (and as many as 75 or 100).  There was no public acknowledgement by the cruise line during the cruise, but on the 3rd day all self-serve options were discontinued and the chips witched to its "infectious disease" protocol.
Passengers were quarantined to cabins.
(50)

August 16
Amsterdam
Holland America Line
According to Alaska state's epidemiology lab, about 25 passengers have been afflicted with a gastrointestinal virus. Cruise line officials wouldn't say how many passengers were ill.  They did say that an undisclosed number of passengers were removed from the ship in Sitka and Juneau and flown home at the cruise line's expense.

August 9
Star Princess
Princess Cruises
107 passengers (3.75%) and 14 crew members were afflicted by Norwalk-like virus on cruise between Seattle and Alaska.

August 2
Star Princess
Princess Cruises
A health outbreak was reported, Norovirus was confirmed, but no other information is available.
July 26
Rhapsody of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International
First reported that 63 passengers became ill with what appears to be Norwalk-like virus.  The number was revised to 72 by RCI, but passengers claim the numbers are much higher because people didn't report being ill given the quarantine policy.  CDC: 72 passengers (3.13%) and 9 crew (1.18%).
Sick guests were asked to stay in their cabins for 72 hours, and their cabin mates 24 hours. Those passengers will have the costs of future voyages prorated for time spent quarantined.
May 27
Norwegian Sky
Norwegian Cruise Line
About 90 passengers (4.44%) and 20 crew members (2.18%) returning on a cruise on Saturday (May 24) reportedly contracted Norwalk-like virus.


May 19
Norwegian Sky
Norwegian Cruise Line
About 55 passengers and 5 crew members returning on a cruise on Saturday (May 17) reportedly contracted Norwalk-like virus.

April 22
Royal Princess
Princess Cruises
A health outbreak reported -- 63 passengers (5.56%) and 8 crew members (1.46%) reported ill.

April 12  - 17
Holiday
Carnival Cruise Line
A health outbreak reported -- 4 passengers (.24%) and 23 crew members (3.35%) reported ill.
March 29 - April 5
Viking Burgundy
Viking River Cruises

Reported by a passenger that approximately 90 of the 150 passengers (and a number of crew)  became ill during the cruise, with gastro-intestinal symptoms like Norwalk-like virus.  There was no confirmation of the cause.
March 29 - April 5
Nantucket Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line
Reported 3 (8.11%) crew had reported gastrointestinal illness.

March 31
Norwegian
Dream
Norwegian Cruise Line
A health outbreak was reported, Norovirus was confirmed -- 98 passengers (6.08%) and 5 crew (.68%) reported ill.

March 20
Melody
Med. Shipping
A health outbreak was reported, Norovirus was confirmed, but no other information is available.
March 15 -  22
Nantucket Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line
Reported 3 (8.82%) crew had reported gastrointestinal illness.

March 9
Costa Tropicale
Costa Cruises

Claimed by passengers (but disputed by company) that 30 people had suffered symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea caused by food poisoning while off the coast of Brazil

March 6
Nantucket Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line
A health outbreak was reported, but specimens were not obtained and no other information is available.
February 7 - 21
Oceana
P&O Cruises
Reported that 122 passengers (6.10%) and 2 crew (.23%) had reported gastrointestinal illness.

February 10 - 17
Sundream
Sun Cruises

Reported by a passenger that a significant number of passengers became ill with gastrointestinal disease during this cruise.  There is no report from UK authorities about the number affected, although there had been a Norwalk-like virus outbreak a couple of weeks earlier.

February 2
Sun Princess
Princess Cruises

267 passengers and 29 crew came down with a gastrointestinal illness during the ship's voyage from Los Angeles to Hawaii (Jan. 25 - Feb. 1).  It is suspected to be Norwalk-like virus.  After new cases continued to appear, Princess decided to cut the cruise short (ending it on February 4th in Honolulu) and to fly passengers back to the mainland from Hawaii.  The ship will be sanitized on its five day voyage back to Los Angeles, arriving February 9th.

January 14  - February 1
Seabourn Legend
Seabourn Cruise Line
1 passenger (.52%) and 5 crew (.5.56%) reported gastrointestinal illness.
January 28
Pacific Venus
Japan Cruise Line

It was announced that two passengers contracted Legionnaire's disease while on board the Pacific Venus.  The passengers were on a cruise to Taiwan from December 27 to January 6.  A cruise schedule for February 1-28 has been cancelled.

January 27 to February 4
Carnival Spirit
Carnival Cruise Line

102 passengers and 10 were ill with a gastrointestinal illness.  Clinical presentation of the illness is consistent with a norovirus outbreak. 

January 20 to February 3
Sundream
Sun Cruises

Vessel reported 95 passengers and 12 crew with gastrointestinal illness.  The vessel made one U.S. port of call in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on January 31, and then proceeded onto Venezuela.  A U.K. public health laboratory confirmed gastrointestinal illness from the ill passengers and crews’ stool samples.

January 15 to February 3
Olympia Voyager
Royal Olympia Cruises

Vessel reported 35 passengers and 5 crew reported ill with gastrointestinal illness.  The cruise began in Port Everglades Florida and concluded in Houston Texas.  Extensive cleaning and disinfection was initiated during the first week of the cruise as the initial cases were identified. No new cases were identified the second week.

January 18 - 25
Yorktown Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line
Outbreak investigation by CDC for gastrointestinal disease  -- 4 passengers (5.55%)

January ?
Regal Empress
Regal Cruises

Outbreak investigation by CDC -- source not identified nor are numbers of passengers affected publicly acknowledged

January 18
QE II
Cunard Line

Outbreak investigation by CDC for gastrointestinal disease caused by Norwalk-like virus -- 75 passengers (4.52%) and 19 crew (1.96%)

January 5

Norway
Norwegian Cruise Line

Reported that 105 passengers and 11 crew contracted Norwalk-like virus. Passengers onboard suggested that the number afflicted was much higher than 100.

January 1

Nantucket Clipper
Clipper Cruise Line

The ship left Charleston, SC on December 28, 2002.  It reported to the CDC on January 1 a report indicating 5 (5.2%) passengers and 5 (14.7%) crew had reported gastrointestinal illness.  The vessel is not scheduled to return to the US until March 2003.

January 18

Arabella
Cruise Arabella

Outbreak investigation by CDC -- 2 passengers (6.89%).

 
Go to:

   Return to CruiseJunkie dot Com