Caribbean Princess cruise passengers denied entry in Bahamas after 100+ fall ill with Norovirus

Bahamas: Passengers aboard the Caribbean Princess cruise ship were reportedly denied disembarkation in Nassau, Bahamas on Sunday amid health concerns which were linked to an onboard illness outbreak. The ship is currently completing a 13-day Caribbean voyage that began on April 28 and is scheduled to end on May 11, 2026.

The vessel had initially been scheduled to dock in Nassau before returning to Florida on Monday. However, Bahamian authorities reportedly restricted passengers from coming ashore following reports of a suspected norovirus outbreak onboard.

According to an official statement issued by the Ministry of Health and Wellness of the Bahamas, the decision was made by health officials in order to protect port workers, tourism employees as well as the wider Bahamian locals as transmission of the virus on the ship still continued.

Officials also confirmed that one passenger was eventually allowed to disembark for medical treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) following a reported legal dispute over her right to leave the vessel. The passenger was transported to the hospital for a medical condition unrelated to the outbreak, with strict infection prevention and control measures reportedly implemented.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 100 passengers and crew members experienced symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea which are commonly associated with norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness often referred to as the ‘stomach bug’. The CDC confirmed that a total of 115 people fell ill, specifically 102 passengers (3.3% of those on board) and 13 crew members (1.2%).

The development was also confirmed by a passenger onboard who took to Facebook to share some glimpses of the Bahamas from the cruise. Stephen Palmer who is aboard the cruise with his wife Caroline Palmer noted, “Due to an outbreak of gastrointestinal disease (likely Norovirus) on our ship the Bahamian authorities refused to let us get off in port today. So after arriving at 7am and sitting on the ship for a few hours wondering what was going to happen we set sail again. None of our party have had any symptoms but we are all taking extra precautions with hand washing and hand sanitizer. The crew have been working extra hard with deep sanitizing protocols and we have had only some very minor inconveniences. Had to settle for some pictures taken from the cruise ship while we were docked.”

Norovirus outbreaks are relatively common in enclosed environments such as cruise ships and typically spread through contaminated surfaces, food, water, or close contact. Health experts note that most cases resolve within a few days with hydration, rest and proper sanitation measures.

The incident also comes amid international attention surrounding reports of a hantavirus outbreak aboard another cruise vessel, the MV Hondius. Hantavirus is typically linked to exposure to infected rodent urine or droppings and is not easily spread from person to person. However, officials have not confirmed any connection between the hantavirus reports and the Caribbean Princess incident.