July 18, 2025: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed a gastrointestinal illness outbreak aboard the Navigator of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, during its voyage earlier this month.
According to the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program, the outbreak occurred on a round-trip cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico between July 4 and July 11. A total of 134 out of 3,914 passengers and seven crew members reported symptoms including abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Cause Still Unknown
The CDC noted that the exact cause of the illness remains unidentified, and investigations are ongoing. Stool samples were collected for laboratory testing, but no specific pathogen has been confirmed.
Cruise Line Response
Royal Caribbean’s crew responded by:
- Isolating symptomatic individuals
- Enhancing cleaning and disinfection procedures
- Reporting the outbreak to the CDC
The CDC says it is continuing to monitor the situation and work with the cruise line to prevent further spread.
Spike in Cruise Ship Illnesses in 2024
This incident marks the 18th outbreak of gastrointestinal illness reported on cruise ships under the CDC’s monitoring in 2024—matching the total number for all of 2024 to date and surpassing the 14 outbreaks recorded in all of 2023.
While the CDC hasn’t confirmed a long-term trend, a spokesperson previously stated, “Although the number of recent cruise ship outbreaks has been higher than in years prior to the pandemic, we do not yet know if this represents a new trend.”