- Over 100 passengers and some crew on Cunard Cruise Line’s Queen Victoria got sick, the CDC said.
- Symptoms included diarrhea and vomiting, but the cause was unknown on Wednesday.
- The cruise was in Florida on January 22 and has recently been in Central America.
More than 100 passengers and some staff members sailing on Cunard Cruise Line’s Queen Victoria ship fell ill from an unknown cause this month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC on Wednesday said 120 passengers and 15 crew members fell ill during a voyage that started on January 22 and goes until February 12. Symptoms included diarrhea and vomiting.
According to data compiled by CruiseMapper, the Queen Victoria was in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 22, and in the week since has been in Aruba and the Panama Canal. The cruise ship was in Guatemala as of Tuesday, according to the itinerary, and is set to arrive in Honolulu around February 12.
The CDC said the cause of the gastrointestinal illness was unknown but that Cunard Cruise Line was taking additional health and safety protocols, including more disinfecting and isolating people who are sick.
The CDC also noted the count of those who got sick was the total for the length of the voyage and did not necessarily reflect the number of people who were actively sick at any one time.
Cunard did not immediately respond to Business a request for comment from Business Insider. A spokesperson for the cruise line told Fox Business: “They immediately activated their enhanced health and safety protocols to ensure the well-being of all guests and crew onboard.”
The Queen Victoria, which can accommodate 2,061 guests, had a total of 1,824 passengers on board, the CDC said.
The CDC, which tracks outbreaks on cruise ships, also has tips for travelers to stay safe on board despite the increased exposure to other people and the potential for illness.
Earlier in January, the CDC reported an outbreak of norovirus on a Celebrity Cruises ship. The agency said 100 people, including passengers and crew, got sick, with the main symptoms being vomiting and diarrhea.
The CDC also randomly inspects cruise ships in an attempt to curb the spread of stomach viruses at sea. In January 2023, Cunard’s Queen Victoria received a high sanitation score, 95 out of 100.
