Royal Caribbean cruise docks in Miami after nearly 100 passengers struck by norovirus

The ship docked at PortMiami on Thursday after nearly 100 passengers aboard a 13-day Royal Caribbean cruise fell ill from norovirus, as reported by NBC 6. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreak occurred on the Serenade of the Seas, which set sail on September 19.

Norovirus outbreak sickens passengers on Royal Caribbean cruise, docking at PortMiami.(Representative Image: Unsplash)

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Nearly 100 passengers sick on Royal Caribbean cruise

The CDC reported that as of Wednesday, 94 out of 1,874 passengers and 4 of 883 crew members have “reported being ill during the voyage,” with the predominant symptoms being “diarrhea and vomiting.”

One of the passengers, Bob Pettit, revealed that he was one of the passengers who got sick on the ship. He said, “It really hits you hard, violently,” adding that he had been on twenty-five cruises so far, but this was the first time he experienced this. Pettit added, “I’m 87 years old, I’ve never been this sick in my life,” as reported by NBC 6.

He was aboard with his son Josh on the cruise that took off from San Diego a few weeks ago and made stops in Mexico, Costa Rica, and Colombia before arriving in Miami.

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What is Norovirus?

Norovirus is a highly contagious illness that commonly causes symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain, typically appearing 12 to 48 hours after exposure. The virus spreads easily through contaminated objects, surfaces, food or liquids, and can also be contracted by sharing meals or utensils with an infected individual, according to NBC News.

There have been 19 gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruise ships so far in 2025, of which 14 were caused by norovirus, as recorded by the CDC. “Gastrointestinal illnesses, like those caused by norovirus, are very contagious. They can spread quickly in closed and semienclosed environments, such as cruise ships,” the CDC said.