New Cruise Ship Outbreak Noted Despite CDC Staff Reductions
Just two weeks after significant layoffs at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reports of illness outbreaks on cruise ships continue to be disclosed.
The most recent outbreak has been aboard Viking Polaris, currently sailing an 11-night spring Canadian itinerary from Toronto to New York. The Easter sailing departed Toronto on Saturday, April 12, 2025 and is scheduled to arrive in the Big Apple on Wednesday, April 23.
According to the CDC, 28 of the 355 guests onboard the expedition ship – nearly 8% of passengers – have reported gastrointestinal upset including vomiting and diarrhea.
Additionally, four of the ship’s 260 crew members (1.5%) have likewise reported similar symptoms.
Cruise ships are required to report any outbreak to the CDC when at least 3% of either guests or crew members (not the two combined) exhibit these types of highly communicable symptoms.
To be clear, the reports of the illness are cumulative throughout the voyage. Of the total 32 individuals seeking medical treatment, they may have been ill at different times during the past nine days, not necessarily all at once.
Meanwhile, crew members aboard Viking Polaris have already taken several mitigation measures to restrict any possible spread of the illness.
This includes increased cleaning and sanitation, isolating both passengers and crew members who report symptoms, and testing to determine the exact cause of the outbreak. The causative agent has not yet been confirmed.
Of the 12 previous outbreaks reported so far in 2025, 10 have already been confirmed as norovirus. One was E. coli, and one was ciguatera, a bacteria found in contaminated tropical reef fish such as grouper and sea bass.
With the CDC being restructured as part of federal government reorganization and waste reduction, staff involved with the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) have been impacted.
This has raised concerns about whether or not cruise ships would continue to be monitored or assistance available if outbreaks occur.
The release of the report from Viking Polaris may help ease fears that outbreaks might be missed, hidden, or downplayed. Instead, they are continuing to be reported, which gives travelers the ability to stay updated about conditions on any ship they may be booked on in the future.
Norovirus on the Rise
Viking Polaris is not the first ship in the Viking fleet to have reported an illness outbreak in 2025. In early January, Viking Mars reported a norovirus outbreak that impacted 62 out of 887 guests (7.2%), as well as nine out of 465 crew members (1.9%).
Additional outbreaks have been reported from all types of cruise lines, including luxury lines like Seabourn and Silversea to mainstream lines like Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and Holland America Line.
Savvy cruise passengers who watch outbreaks carefully have noted that norovirus in particular is on the rise in 2025, with 10 outbreaks in less than four months.
For comparison, 15 norovirus outbreaks were reported for all of 2024 (none aboard Viking ships), while 13 were reported throughout 2023.
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Of course, the outbreak that will be of most concern to any cruise guest is one that occurs onboard their ship during their cruise, no matter what line they enjoy most or when they set sail.
Proper, thorough handwashing with hot water and soap is the most effective defense against contracting – or spreading – norovirus. Cruisers should always wash their hands before enjoying a meal, as well as after using the restroom and otherwise throughout the day.