A gastrointestinal illness has left nearly 100 passengers and crew members sick aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship traveling through the Gulf of Mexico. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 89 passengers—approximately 4% of the ship’s 2,164 guests—and two members of the 910-person crew have reported symptoms including diarrhea and vomiting.
The affected ship, Radiance of the Seas, set sail from Tampa, Florida, on Saturday for a seven-day voyage through the western Caribbean, with stops planned in Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. The outbreak was first reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program on Tuesday, prompting an immediate response from both the cruise line and health authorities.
Royal Caribbean has taken several steps to contain the outbreak, including enhancing cleaning procedures across the ship, isolating sick passengers, and collecting stool samples for testing to identify the source of the illness. While the exact cause of the gastrointestinal symptoms remains unknown, the CDC has indicated that norovirus, a highly contagious virus that causes stomach issues like vomiting and diarrhea, is often the culprit in similar cruise ship outbreaks.
As of now, Radiance of the Seas is scheduled to return to Tampa on Saturday, February 8, where further health and safety measures are expected to be in place. The CDC will continue to monitor the situation to determine whether additional steps are necessary.
This outbreak follows a similar incident on the same ship in October 2024, when over 180 people fell ill with gastrointestinal symptoms while on a cruise through Canada. In that case, passengers and crew members reported symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and muscle aches.
