Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Norovirus,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on January 8, 2026
A suspected norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Eclipse, a ship on the Celebrity Cruises line has sickened nearly a hundred passengers and several crew members.
This gastrointestinal illness is often referred to as the “cruise ship virus,” due to the common spread onboard highly populated vessels like this one. But there is more to the story.
What is norovirus and why is it often associated with cruise ships? How do I know if I am sick, and what should I do if I have symptoms? Follow along for the answers to these questions and more as we dive into the norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Eclipse.
But first, let’s talk about this outbreak.
Some passengers boarding their Caribbean destination cruises from Port Everglades, Florida on December 20, 2025 had no idea what a turn their anticipated vacation would bring.
In addition to docking at Antigua on December 23, 2025, St. Maarten on December 24, 2025, Puerto Rico on December 25, 2025, and Dominicana on December 26, 2025, some passengers would pick up an unwanted souvenir on board.
Of the 3,042 passengers, 95 would come down with a digestive illness. The same fate will be bestowed on nine of the 1,235 crew members before arriving back in Florida on December 28, 2025.
The outbreak was reported to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) on the final day. December 28, 2025. But it is unclear when initial reports of illness were reported to the ship’s medical facility.
Sick passengers reported symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
Officially, the “causative agent” is unknown. However, a norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Eclipse is likely.
So, what happens when people get sick on a cruise? The documented response to norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Eclipse cruise ships is standard across the industry.
According to VSP, the crew took the following actions.
On board any cruise vessel, someone is always cleaning something. Strict sanitation procedures are in place under normal circumstances.
A norovirus outbreak on board is not a normal circumstance.
Fortunately, they have protocols for this.
The cruise ship’s outbreak prevention and response plan calls for increased cleaning and disinfection procedures. According to VSP, staff indicated this took place.
When sick passengers report illness to the medical center on board the ship, especially for gastrointestinal illness, certain patient samples are collected.
When it comes to gastrointestinal illness, the medical facility is equipped to accept and test stool samples. Samples are screened for common gastrointestinal (foodborne) germs. Things like E. coli, Salmonella, Bacillus cereus, and of course, norovirus.
As part of the norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Eclipse outbreak prevention and response plan, sick passengers and crew members are isolated.
This helps reduce the spread of illness. Norovirus is highly contagious and can spread easily from person to person if a sick passenger (or crew member) transfers shed virus on board the ship.
The public report indicates that per the ship’s outbreak prevention and response plan, crew contacted VSP and sought guidance as needed from the agency. Sick patient counts were reported. However, it is possible that additional cases went unreported. Most of the time, with illnesses like norovirus, people experience mild illnesses. When this happens, they are more likely to ride out the symptoms and never report their illness.
According to VSP, the organization is “remotely monitoring the situation, including review of the ship’s outbreak response and sanitation procedures.”
The norovirus outbreak on Celebrity Eclipse is not the first cruise ship to be impacted by this germ. Nor will it be the last.
Norovirus outbreaks on cruises are pretty common. In fact, 16 of the 21 reported outbreaks have involved this germ.
But why?
According to VSP, in 2024, more than 20 million passengers embarked from North American ports on cruise vacations. They are quite popular.
They are known for providing new experiences, environments, and destinations. An all-in-one experience! Not to mention a literal buffet of included food.
Cruises see a high volume of people from different places.
This means more opportunities for person-to-person contact, subsequent contamination of food or water, and confined spaces. All things contributing to spreading contagious illnesses easily.
Especially when you consider how contagious norovirus is, and how it is spread.
Norovirus is a highly contagious germ commonly spread through fecal-oral route. If that phrase doesn’t paint a picture for you, let me put it in simple terms.
It all comes down to poop. Trace amounts of poop in most cases. But poop, nonetheless.
As few as 10 viral particles can make a person sick and continue spreading the illness.
While it is something people don’t want to think about, it can be a serious problem on a cruise ship.
Which is why it is often referred to as a “stomach bug,” “stomach flu,” or “cruise ship virus.”
Despite the illness being an entirely different virus from influenza, it is often associated with that virus. This is mostly due to the fact that it shares quite a few symptoms with the flu virus and many times a source cannot be identified.
Have you become sick while on Celebrity Eclipse cruise?
You may have norovirus!
Common symptoms of norovirus infection include:
There is no medical treatment protocol for norovirus. Antibiotics are not effective against this type of infection, so your best course of action is to hydrate and rest until symptoms subside. Seek medical attention if symptoms become severe or you become dehydrated.
If you have norovirus, you should concentrate on getting better, staying hydrated, and avoid spreading the illness to others.
You are most contagious while you are feeling sick through the first few days of feeling better. So be careful when you are sick to reduce the risk of spreading the illness to others.
Be sure to clean up after yourself in the bathroom. If you vomit or otherwise make a mess, clean the area with disinfectants.
Always wash your hands after using the restroom or helping others in the restroom. Wash your hands before you prepare food or eat. Always wash your hands any time you think that you may have contaminated them or touched something that might be contaminated.
Always report your gastrointestinal illness. Your symptoms may be mild if you have a relatively healthy immune system. Others may not be so lucky. Reporting your illness can help alert health authorities of a potential problem. Which can lead to discovering the source more quickly and preventing others from becoming sick.
If you have been impacted by this outbreak of norovirus on Celebrity Eclipse, or another cruise ship outbreak and want to file a legal claim, The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a norovirus lawyer that can help!
Foodborne illness is inconvenient, disruptive to your personal and professional life, and in some cases serious or life-threatening. Most of the time foodborne illness is completely preventable. Lapses in food safety or sanitation protocols result in consumers becoming sick.
Call (833) 330-3663 or send an email for a free, no obligation consultation to go over the details of your situation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)