Facts About Noroviruses on Cruise Ships

Noroviruses

People often associate cruise ships with acute gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus, but acute gastrointestinal illness is relatively infrequent on cruise ships.

From 2006 through 2019, approximately 127 million passengers sailed on 252 cruise ships in the Vessel Sanitation Program’s (VSP) jurisdiction. The rate of AGE illness on cruise ships decreased during 2006-2019 for passengers and crew.

Norovirus is a very contagious virus. You can get norovirus from an infected person, from contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces. The virus causes your stomach or intestines or both to get inflamed (acute gastroenteritis). This leads you to have stomach pain, nausea, and diarrhea and to throw up.

Learn more about norovirus

Why are acute gastrointestinal illnesses including noroviruses associated with cruise ships?

  • Health officials track illness on cruise ships. So outbreaks are found and reported more quickly on a cruise ship than on land.
  • Close living quarters may increase the amount of group contact.
  • People joining the ship may bring the virus to other passengers and crew.

For more information about noroviruses on cruise ships, visit our homepage or contact CDC-INFO.

Page last reviewed: May 4, 2022