More than 200 sick in Cunard ship outbreak
An illness outbreak aboard Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 has sickened more than 200 passengers and crew, the largest cruise ship outbreak so far in 2025.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed it as a Norovirus outbreak, with diarrhea and vomiting as the main symptoms.
The ship is currently on a month-long sailing which concludes on April 6.
It was first reported to the health agency on March 18.
It recorded 224 passengers and 17 crew members were taken ill.
The cruise line implemented standard outbreak protocol measures including enhanced cleaning and disinfection, and isolated all cases of illness.
“We are continuing to closely monitor the guests and, as a precaution, completed a comprehensive deep clean of the ship and immediately activated our enhanced health and safety protocols,” the cruise line said.
So far in 2025, the CDC has reported 12 illness outbreaks on cruise ships, with most linked to norovirus.
Queen Mary 2 is on a transatlantic voyage to New York and the Caribbean which departed from Southampton on March 8.
Additionally, another current outbreak was reported by the CDC aboard the Seabourn Encore on a sailing which is scheduled to end on April 9.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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