Princess Cruise Ship Hit by Outbreak as 125 Fall I...

A confirmed norovirus outbreak is at the moment taking place aboard Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess, with 102 visitors and 23 crew members onboard reporting gastrointestinal signs together with vomiting and diarrhea.

As a result of this variety of sickness reviews exceeds the three% threshold of visitors onboard, the outbreak has been reported to the US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Vessel Sanitation Program, which displays all such outbreaks on cruise ships that go to US ports.

On her present crusing, which departed San Francisco on Friday, June 12, 2026, there are 3,032 visitors aboard the 113,561-gross-ton Ruby Princess. With 102 visitor reviews, 3.4% of vacationers have contracted the sickness.

Moreover, 23 crew members of the 1,144 onboard have additionally reported as a part of the outbreak, equaling 2% of crew members.

The full 125 instances haven’t essentially been simultaneous. As a result of the 20-night cruise is an extended voyage, it’s fully seemingly that some visitors or crew members have been unwell early on within the crusing whereas others didn’t develop signs till later. In making reviews to the CDC, it’s the cumulative complete of reviews that’s counted.

Ruby Princess has visited a variety of Alaska ports on this longer summer season solstice crusing, together with Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, Valdez, and extra. The ship has additionally loved scenic glacier cruising, which is at all times a spotlight of Alaskan itineraries.

The ship is now returning to San Francisco for a July 2 debarkation. At the moment, there isn’t any delay to the top of the cruise.

Onboard Precautions Taken

As soon as instances have been reported, crew members onboard Ruby Princess took fast motion to attenuate any contamination and unfold of norovirus.

Sanitation protocols have included elevated cleansing particularly of public areas and high-touch surfaces. Samples have been collected for testing which has confirmed norovirus because the causative agent for the outbreak.

Friends and crew members reporting signs have been remoted as acceptable, and the Vessel Sanitation Program has continued monitoring the ship and its protocols.

Onboard the ship, visitors seen the elevated precautions early within the journey.

Cruise Hive beforehand reported a scheduled deep cleaning and extra sanitizing for all staterooms onboard Ruby Princess on June 16-17. At the moment, the complete variety of reported instances was not but recognized as a result of the three% threshold had not but been reached.

Buffet service was modified to crew members serving visitors as an alternative of self-serve meals stations and extra crew members have been assigned to remind visitors to clean their fingers earlier than coming into the buffet.

Friends have strongly counseled the crew on how they’ve dealt with the scenario.

“The Ruby’s crew has been unimaginable at preserving the ship clear and having an uplifting environment!” one visitor famous in a Facebook group for the sailing.

“Princess dealt with this 100% excellent,” one other visitor who reported being unwell mentioned. “They deep cleaned my cabin at the very least 3 times [while I was quarantined]. Kudos to Princess.”

Friends on the following crusing, a 10-night Alaska cruise, have talked about receiving notices that their embarkation on July 2 will probably be barely delayed to accommodate extra cleansing and sanitation, however Cruise Hive has not confirmed this as of publication.

Such delays aren’t unusual when a cruise line chooses an entire deep sanitizing after an outbreak.

Third Outbreak on a Princess Cruises Ship in 2026

This newest outbreak aboard Ruby Princess is the third confirmed norovirus outbreak onboard a Princess Cruises ship thus far in 2026.

In March, Star Princess suffered an outbreak with 193 reported cases, whereas in early Might, 160 instances have been reported aboard Caribbean Princess.

The outbreaks on completely different ships aren’t associated. It is very important observe that norovirus may be widespread wherever there are massive gatherings of individuals, together with at eating places, faculties, and sporting occasions.

The CDC can also be investigating two consecutive norovirus outbreaks aboard Lindblad Expeditions’ Nationwide Geographic Sea Hen, a a lot smaller expedition ship. Such outbreaks aren’t confined to a single cruise line or any specific ship dimension, however each is taken severely and correct precautions are carried out as quickly as doable.