Last year, there were 16 outbreaks on cruise ships, from norovirus, salmonella, E. coli or other unidentified pathogens that cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting. That's the largest number of cruise ship outbreaks in 12 years.

What's sneaky, super contagious and bound to cause diarrhea and vomiting? If you answered "norovirus," you'd be correct. But what is it, and why is it so often associated with cruises?

A cruise passenger died following a norovirus outbreak on a US -bound ship that confined dozens of travellers to their cabins. Alan Forster, 77, from Paignton, died from suspected kidney failure last October after falling ill with norovirus during a cruise with his wife.

A norovirus outbreak aboard the P&O Cruises' Arcadia ship last fall left dozens of passengers confined to their cabins and is now linked to the death of a 77-year-old British passenger.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says reported illnesses on cruise ships have hit a 12-year high.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified 2024 as the worst year for stomach illness outbreaks on cruise ships in over a decade as norovirus cases surged in the US. In just the past month,

Illnesses on cruise ships have hit a 12-year high. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were outbreaks on 16 different cruise ships in 2024. The majority of the illnesses were norovirus cases.