Over 100 Sickened by Norovirus on Caribbean Princess Ahead of Port Canaveral Arrival

More than 100 passengers and crew members aboard a cruise ship bound for Port Canaveral have fallen ill in a norovirus outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Caribbean Princess, which has been at sea since April 28 after departing from Port Everglades, is scheduled to dock at Port Canaveral on Monday. The CDC confirmed that 102 of the ship’s more than 3,000 passengers, along with 13 crew members, are currently sick with the virus.

Health officials were careful to distinguish this outbreak from a separate hantavirus outbreak recently reported on a different cruise ship bound for Spain. Norovirus, sometimes referred to as a stomach bug, is described by the CDC as extremely contagious. Most people who contract it begin to feel better within one to three days.

A cruiser from Marion County said that despite the illnesses, the voyage has continued as normal. “It is a common thing. I mean, I’ve heard about it before and you get nervous about it, but you just have to be mindful that you’re on the ship with a whole bunch of other people that you don’t know,” they said. “And if they don’t take care of themselves, then you just have to be careful.”

Princess Cruises stated that upon discovering the sickness, the company quickly disinfected every area of the ship and added extra sanitizing measures. Once the ship returns to Port Canaveral, it will undergo a comprehensive cleaning before departing again.

Health officials note that the best way to prevent norovirus is simple: washing your hands.