Key Aspects:
- 18 outbreaks of illness on cruise ships have been reported to the CDC in 2025, which means this year is on track for more outbreaks than 2024.
- Despite layoffs, the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation program continues to monitor cruise ships to ensure health and safety standards are being met and to track outbreaks.
- The likelihood of becoming ill on a cruise is not necessarily any higher than it is for other types of vacations, so cruise guests shouldn’t be too worried.
We are just over halfway through 2025, with the 18th outbreak of the year recently reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in July.
This is leading some cruisers to wonder how much they should worry about getting sick on their next sailing.
The most recent outbreak was onboard Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas during a 7-night voyage to Mexico that embarked from Los Angeles on July 4, 2025.
140 of the guests and crew members onboard became ill with an unidentified gastrointestinal illness during the sailing, and the 3,990-guest ship has since been thoroughly disinfected.
Outbreaks in 2025:
| Cruise Line | Ship Name | Sailing Dates | Cause |
| Royal Caribbean | Navigator of the Seas | 7/4/25 – 7/11/25 | Unknown |
| Regent Seven Seas | Seven Seas Explorer | 4/26/25 – 5/14/25 | Unknown |
| Holland America Line | Eurodam | 4/12/25 – 5/3/25 | Norovirus |
| Holland America Line | Zuiderdam | 1/4/25 – 5/9/25 | Unknown |
| Lindblad Expeditions | National Geographic Sea Lion | 4/15/25 – 4/29/25 | Unknown |
| Viking Expedition Operations | Viking Polaris | 4/11/25 – 4/23/25 | Norovirus |
| Seabourn Cruise Line | Seabourn Encore | 3/16/25 – 4/9/25 | Norovirus |
| Cunard Line | Queen Mary 2 | 3/8/25 – 4/6/25 | Norovirus |
| Holland America Line | Rotterdam | 3/7/25 – 3/16/25 | Norovirus |
| Princess Cruises | Coral Princess | 2/21/25 – 3/9/25 | Norovirus |
| Holland America Line | Eurodam | 2/19/25 – 3/1/25 | Norovirus |
| Holland America Line | Rotterdam | 2/2/25 – 2/14/25 | Norovirus |
| Royal Caribbean | Radiance of the Seas | 2/1/25 – 2/8/25 | Norovirus |
| Princess Cruises | Coral Princess | 1/20/25 – 2/5/25 | Norovirus |
| Viking Ocean Cruises II Ltd. | Viking Mars | 1/10/25 -1/24/25 | Norovirus |
| Holland America Line | Volendam | 1/4/25 -1/25/25 | Norovirus |
| Silversea Cruises | Silver Ray | 1/4/25 -1/20/25 | E. coli |
| Sea Cloud Cruises | Sea Cloud Spirit | 1/4/25 -1/10/25 | Ciguatera (presumed) |
For context, there were a total of 18 outbreaks reported to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) in 2024, and 14 outbreaks reported in 2023.
As we are only halfway through the year, there will likely be more outbreaks in 2025 than in 2024. It’s more of a question of “how many” than “if.”
But while this number may seem like a lot, countless more sailings are conducted without any issue.
Are CDC Layoffs Leading to More Outbreaks?
On April 1, 2025, widespread federal layoffs caused thousands to lose their jobs. At the same time, the VSP was effectively defunded.
The layoffs included VSP employees responsible for conducting cruise ship inspections, ensuring cruise ships are meeting public health standards, and tracking and investigating outbreaks of disease.
However, the rising number of outbreaks is more likely to be related to a growing interest in cruising, with a record 37.7 million expected to embark on a cruise in 2025.
With more people onboard from all over the world, there are more chances for illness to spread, although measures are taken to prevent this.
Additionally, VSP has continued conducting ship inspections and monitoring outbreaks despite losing much of its staff.
How Worried Should Cruise Guests Be?
I won’t sugar coat that there is always a risk of getting sick when taking a cruise, but this is true of any type of travel or vacation.
The likelihood of becoming ill is not necessarily higher on a ship than it would be on a land vacation. I’ve personally been on more than a dozen cruises, and I’ve only gotten sick twice.
Cruise ships are held to strict health and safety standards, and the crew members are almost constantly cleaning and sanitizing public spaces, high contact touch points, and dining areas.
Passengers can also take measures to protect themselves, such as frequent handwashing and avoiding crowds when possible.
There Have Been 18 Outbreaks in 2025: Should Cruisers Worry?
