AIDAdiva cruise ship arriving to port.
Credit: Valdemar F. Heredia – FB
A norovirus outbreak has affected the German cruise ship AIDAdiva, with 95 passengers and 6 crew members reporting symptoms of the highly contagious gastrointestinal illness. The cases were first reported to health authorities on November 30, making this the eighth day of active infection on board as of December 7, and ruining a holiday of a lifetime for many.
The ship, operated by AIDA Cruises (a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation), is carrying 2,007 passengers and approximately 640 crew members. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the infected individuals represent fewer than 6 per cent of those on board so far.
Symptoms and immediate response – It’s not pleasant
Affected passengers and crew are experiencing classic norovirus (known in the UK as the “vomiting bug“) symptoms, including vomiting, diarrhoea, and muscle weakness. All confirmed and suspected cases have been isolated in their cabins under CDC protocols. Intensified cleaning and disinfection procedures have been implemented throughout the ship, with particular attention to high-touch surfaces such as railings, door handles, and shared facilities.
The CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is actively monitoring the situation and has confirmed that the ship is following required outbreak management procedures.
Where did it come from? Cruise itinerary and timing of outbreak
The AIDAdiva, famed for its smiley face paint job, departed Hamburg, Germany, on November 10, for a 133-day round-the-world voyage scheduled to conclude on March 23. The extensive itinerary includes stops across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and back to Europe.
The outbreak emerged after the ship had visited several US ports, including Boston, New York, Miami, and Charleston, and around the time it docked in Cozumel, Mexico, the vessel’s first major Caribbean stop. Upcoming ports include destinations in Guatemala, Costa Rica, and later transits across the Pacific to Japan and South Korea, followed by Thailand, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Portugal. Check where the ship is now through vesselfinder.com.
Expert context on cruise ship outbreaks
Health experts say that norovirus spreads easily in confined, high-density environments like cruise ships. “In close quarters it doesn’t get away; everything’s concentrated,” said Michael Zimring, director of the Center for Wilderness and Travel Medicine at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
The CDC has recorded 21 gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships in 2025, the majority caused by norovirus, continuing a pattern seen in recent years. Authorities have noted a newly dominant norovirus strain circulating on land this season, which cruise ships typically mirror.
Current status and what’s left to look forward to
Despite the outbreak, the AIDAdiva is continuing its scheduled itinerary with heightened health protocols in place. The first leg of the voyage is set to conclude on December 16, with the full world cruise ending back in Hamburg in late March.
Health officials and the cruise line stress that while unpleasant, norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships are relatively common and usually self-limiting, with most people recovering within 1 to 3 days. The situation remains under close monitoring by both ship operators and international health authorities, as well as authorities at upcoming ports on the route.
