The CDC disclosed on Wednesday that 120 passengers and 15 crew members suffered from symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting during a voyage that commenced on January 22 and is scheduled to conclude on February 12. The ship, as per CruiseMapper data, made stops in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Aruba, the Panama Canal, and was in Guatemala as of Tuesday, with its final destination set for Honolulu by February 12.
While the CDC stated that the cause of the gastrointestinal illness remains unknown, Cunard Cruise Line has implemented additional health and safety measures, including heightened disinfection procedures and the isolation of individuals displaying symptoms.
It is important to note that the reported count by the CDC represents the total number of cases throughout the duration of the voyage and does not necessarily reflect the number of actively ill individuals at any given time. Cunard Cruise Line has yet to respond to inquiries from Business Insider.
A spokesperson for the cruise line informed Fox Business that they promptly activated enhanced health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of all passengers and crew on board. The Queen Victoria, with a capacity for 2,061 guests, had 1,824 passengers on this particular voyage.
In a related context, the CDC offers safety tips for travelers to safeguard their well-being during cruise trips, considering the heightened exposure to other individuals and the potential for illnesses. This incident follows a recent norovirus outbreak on a Celebrity Cruises ship, where 100 people, including passengers and crew, fell ill with symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
As part of ongoing efforts to mitigate the spread of stomach viruses at sea, the CDC conducts random inspections of cruise ships. Notably, in January 2023, Cunard's Queen Victoria received a commendable sanitation score of 95 out of 100 from the CDC.
