Third gastrointestinal outbreak for Princess Cruises in 2026
More than 100 passengers and about 23 crew members aboard the Princess Cruises vessel Ruby Princess fell sick from suspected norovirus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported, marking the third gastrointestinal outbreak to hit one of the company’s ships this year and the seventh across all cruise lines in 2026.
The Ruby Princess departed San Francisco on June 12 for a voyage to Alaska and Canada, carrying 3,032 passengers and 1,144 crew members, according to the CDC. More than two weeks into the journey, CDC officials received a report of an outbreak, which the agency defines as affecting 3% or more of passengers. The specific number of sick passengers reported was over 100, plus the 23 crew members.
The vessel docked in San Francisco on Thursday for disinfection. Ill passengers and crew were isolated aboard the ship. A spokesperson for Princess Cruises did not immediately respond to a request for comment on what may have led to the outbreak.
Norovirus is highly contagious and can induce diarrhea and vomiting. The illness spreads when tiny particles of fecal matter or vomit enter the mouth; hand-to-mouth contact with contaminated objects can also transmit it. Health officials recommend regular handwashing with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet or before eating, to curb germ spread.
Cruise ships, where hundreds or thousands of guests reside in close proximity, are environments where illnesses can spread rapidly. MSI previously reported that a British cruise ship confined in Bordeaux in May sickened 50 passengers from a gastrointestinal illness, and another vessel was held in Bordeaux later that month after a norovirus outbreak sickened 64 people.