Mysterious Illness Disrupts Luxury Cruise from Los Angeles to Mexico

A luxurious cruise from Los Angeles to mexico aboard Royal Caribbean‘s “Navigator of the Seas” was disrupted by a mysterious illness that affected over 140 passengers and crew members. The outbreak, which occurred during a journey that departed on July 11th, prompted an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to Fox News, the CDC reported that 134 of the 3,914 passengers and seven crew members experienced symptoms such as vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea. the ship, which was en route to Mexico, followed its planned itinerary despite the health concerns.

in response to the incident, Royal Caribbean stated that customer and crew well-being is their highest priority. The company emphasized that stringent hygiene protocols are consistently followed on their ships,frequently enough exceeding public health requirements. The CDC confirmed that the company is cooperating with their investigation and has implemented measures including isolating sick individuals and enhancing cleaning protocols.

This event marks one of 18 reported gastrointestinal outbreaks on cruises in 2025, with Norovirus being a frequent culprit. Similar numbers of outbreaks were recorded in 2024,and 14 in 2023. This is not the first time a Royal Caribbean vessel has experienced such an issue; in February, a cruise returning to Tampa, Florida, reported over 90 individuals showing symptoms of gastrointestinal illness.

While Norovirus is frequently enough the cause of these outbreaks, the CDC noted that investigations are ongoing, and the specific pathogen responsible for this latest incident is not yet definitively identified.