#cruise-ships

#cruise-ships

The basic structure of cruise travel still creates the same challenge: many people sharing the same meals, the same air, the same water systems and the same common spaces. That is why outbreaks keep returning, and why cruise ships remain a useful reminder that public health is shaped as much by design as by germs.

This year's cruise list covers the latest and greatest, including the ships reacquainting us with beloved Caribbean islands, small vessels meandering the Amazon, and expeditions to Antarctica.

Cruise ships are seeing a record year for outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses. So far, there have been 20 outbreaks on the vessels, mostly of norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, which was also a record year for outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness, there were 18. The latest outbreak involved the Oceania Insignia of Oceania Cruises on an 11-day (October 16-27) Montreal to Boston cruise, the CDC reported.

"HDOT's Energy Security Plan is a call to action. Together, we can create a transportation system that is cleaner and safer while fulfilling its purpose to connect our communities. The strategies outlined in this plan will help us build out the system for our future generations."

Epidemiologic, environmental, and laboratory evidence suggests that private balcony hot tubs were the likely source of exposure in two outbreaks of Legionnaires disease among cruise ship passengers.

Recent government cuts have impacted the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, reducing staffing and increasing risks for cruise ship passengers amid a surge in norovirus outbreaks.

In the 2024-2025 season, a new strain of norovirus (GII.17) became predominant, leading to increased reports of illness as seen in the cruise industry.