Multiple Passengers Fall Ill on Two Cruise Ships in Separate Outbreaks
Key Aspects:
Costa Toscana reported an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness (GI) on April 15, 2026.
Oceania Insignia reported its own outbreak to the CDC on April 13, 2026.
Both ships have enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures.
Two recent voyages, one in the Mediterranean and the other in the Caribbean, have ended with gastrointestinal illness (GI) affecting passengers.
GI typically refers to infections that affect the stomach and intestines, with the most common cause of outbreaks on cruise ships being norovirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Passengers sailing aboard Costa Cruises’ Costa Toscana were alerted on April 15, 2026, that a GI outbreak had been identified during their cruise via a letter from Captain Giulio Mistrangelo during the ship’s 7-night Western Mediterranean voyage, which departed Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, on April 9.
After sailing to Genoa, Italy; Marseille, France; Barcelona; and Cagliari, Sardinia; passengers were informed of the outbreak while the ship was in Naples, the vessel’s final port before returning to Civitavecchia on April 16.
In the letter, the captain confirmed that the cruise line had begun implementing additional sanitation procedures and asked passengers to follow stricter hygiene practices.
“It is critical that excellent standards of personal hygiene are maintained by all onboard, as onward transmission may be easily spread by touching surfaces such as handrails, door handles and elevator buttons,” the captain wrote in his letter.
His request included specific measures, including washing hands with soap and water frequently for at least 20 seconds, using hand sanitizer after washing, minimizing direct contact with others, using toilets in private cabins when possible, and remaining in cabins if experiencing any symptoms of GI.
Symptoms of GI usually appear quickly, with people infected often feeling sick within 12 to 48 hours after exposure, according to the CDC. The illness commonly causes vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps.
The letter also warned of drinking water from “open and uncontrolled sources” while on shore, as the captain said it could also cause GI.
“Costa applies sophisticated measures to ensure the highest levels of hygiene and safety for all passengers and a complex and detailed set of procedures to ensure the quality and safety of food and drinks served on all its ships,” Captain Mistrangelo said.
Oceania Insignia Reports Similar Outbreak
A separate outbreak has also been reported aboard Oceania Cruises’ Oceania Insignia, according to the CDC. The illness occurred during a 10-day voyage that sailed from Panama City, Panama, on March 4 and ended in Miami on March 14.
Once 3 percent of passengers or crew report symptoms, cruise ships must notify the CDC. In this case, the ship reported the outbreak on April 13 during the voyage’s final sea day before arriving in Miami.
At the time of the report, 19 of 633 passengers and three of 394 crew members fell ill during the voyage, but additional cases may have occurred after passengers disembarked.
It is the second time in six months that the vessel reported an outbreak to the CDC.
Under CDC protocols, Oceania Insignia implemented enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures before beginning its next cruise, which departed Miami on April 14 for a 10-day sailing to Panama City.
Costa Toscana has multiple embarkation and disembarkation ports during its Mediterranean season, transferring passengers in Civitavecchia, Genoa, Marseille, and Barcelona, which means new passengers boarding on April 16, April 17, April 18, and April 19 may also need to be notified of the illness cases.
Multiple Passengers Fall Ill on Two Cruise Ships in Separate Outbreaks