Another outbreak of gastroenteritis due to norovirus was recently recorded on the Phoenix Reisen cruise ship Artania, with several passengers falling ill during a trip to Norway. According to the company, 20 passengers remained in isolation as of Monday, while the number of cases appears to be gradually decreasing. Bonn reports that there are no serious cases.
However, the phenomenon is not an exception for this year. Data from the Vessel Sanitation Program of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that by May 5, 2025, 16 outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections had been recorded on cruise ships, of which 14 were due to noroviruses.
The comparison with 2024 is indicative of the increasing trend: a total of 18 similar cases were recorded throughout last year.
Large outbreak on Queen Mary 2 and repeated cases on Eurodam
The largest outbreak so far for 2025 was identified on Cunard Line’s Queen Mary 2, with 266 passengers showing symptoms during a Caribbean cruise. Correspondingly, on Holland America Line’s Eurodam, there were two cases of norovirus, with approximately 150 patients each time.
These data confirm that conditions at sea, especially on ships with thousands of passengers, are conducive to the rapid spread of the virus.
Scientific warnings and lack of a vaccine
The Centrum f?r Reisemedizin (CRM) in Germany, a specialist centre for travel medicine, points out the need for increased preventive measures, given that there is currently no approved vaccine for norovirus.
The virus is highly contagious, with a very low infectious dose and a global spread. Transmission occurs mainly through the mouth and feces, but can also be caused by airborne droplets, say the centre’s experts.
“Anyone choosing a cruise should be aware that noroviruses find ideal conditions for spreading on ships, as in any environment where many people gather in a confined space,” says CRM’s scientific director, Professor Tomas Jelinek.
