NEWS: Princess Cruises Ship Sees Second Norovirus Outbreak This Year

Passengers aboard the Coral Princess cruise ship experienced another norovirus outbreak during a 16-night voyage from Los Angeles through the Panama Canal in February.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 69 passengers and 16 crew members fell ill during the trip.

This marks the second outbreak on the Coral Princess, a part of the Princess Cruises fleet, since the start of 2025. In January, another voyage on the same ship saw 128 passengers and 20 crew members develop the virus, according to the CDC.

The Coral Princess left Los Angeles on February 21st and returned to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on March 9th. After the outbreak, the ship underwent thorough disinfection before setting off on its next voyage.

©Princess

Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes symptoms similar to a stomach bug. It usually lasts a few days, but you can still spread it for up to two weeks or longer after feeling better.

Cruise ships are more likely to have norovirus outbreaks because so many people are close together. The CDC tracks these outbreaks and reported hundreds of cruise passengers caught the virus on three different ships in just in December. They also reported 14 of them on cruise ships in 2024, with several happening on Princess Cruises ships.

©Princess

In December, around 100 passengers and 12 crew members got sick during the Ruby Princess outbreak, following a similar incident on the Coral Princess in November where 55 passengers and 15 crew members were infected with the virus.