A norovirus outbreak sickened 125 people aboard the Ruby Princess cruise ship during its Alaska voyage. The vessel concluded its trip in San Francisco on July 2, 2026.
The affected individuals included 102 passengers and 23 crew members. The ship carried 3,032 guests and 1,144 crew members.
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Symptoms were primarily diarrhea and vomiting. The number of cases exceeded the 3% reporting threshold, triggering notification to the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program.
Princess Cruises responded by implementing heightened sanitation measures. Sick individuals were isolated, and deep cleaning protocols were conducted.
The ship completed its 20-night itinerary with calls to Ketchikan, Wrangell, Juneau, Skagway, and Valdez.
Princess Cruises stated that a limited number of guests reported mild gastrointestinal illness during the June 12 voyage.
The crew promptly enhanced sanitation protocols, and cases have since decreased.
The ship arrived in San Francisco as scheduled and underwent comprehensive cleaning before departing for its next voyage.
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This is the third gastrointestinal illness outbreak reported by Princess Cruises this year.
CDC data shows seven gastrointestinal outbreaks meeting the public notification threshold on cruise ships in 2026, with five attributed to norovirus and two to E.
coli. Last year, 23 outbreaks were recorded, 18 caused by norovirus.
Sarah R. Michaels, an assistant professor at Tulane University, noted that outbreaks often occur in communities and go unnoticed.
However, in close-contact settings like cruise ships, they are more likely to be diagnosed and reported.
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The Ruby Princess was scheduled to depart San Francisco on Thursday afternoon for its next 10-night Alaska Inside Passage voyage after disinfection.
