Cruise Ship Faces Third Norovirus Outbreak in Just Two Months

WHO:

NY Post - The National Geographic Sea Bird cruise ship is operated by Lindblad Expeditions.

Fox News - Health officials reported the outbreak; the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) is involved in monitoring the situation.

WHAT:

NY Post - The cruise ship has experienced its third gastrointestinal illness outbreak since late May.

Fox News - The latest outbreak was reported on July 12, with 18 of the ship's 62 passengers (nearly a third) reporting illness.

Fox News - Symptoms reported included "vomiting [and] abdominal cramps."

Fox News - The CDC stated that the cause of the outbreak remains unknown, although norovirus is a common cause of such outbreaks on cruise ships.

WHERE:

Fox News - The cruise took place from Sitka to Juneau, Alaska.

WHEN:

Fox News - The outbreak was reported during the cruise from July 10 to July 15.

WHY:

Fox News - The CDC noted that finding the causative agent of an outbreak can take time.

HOW:

Fox News - The ship's crew isolated the ill passengers and crew and increased cleaning and disinfection procedures according to their outbreak prevention and response plan.

Fox News - The VSP is remotely monitoring the situation, including a review of the ship's outbreak response and sanitation procedures.

(UPDATED July 21, 2026 06:50 UTC)

The National Geographic Sea Bird cruise ship, operated by Lindblad Expeditions, has reported its third gastrointestinal illness outbreak since late May, with the latest incident occurring during a cruise from Sitka to Juneau, Alaska, from July 10 to July 15. Health officials noted that 18 of the ship's 62 passengers experienced symptoms such as vomiting and abdominal cramps, and while the CDC is involved in monitoring the situation, the cause of the outbreak remains unknown, although norovirus is often implicated in similar cases. In response, the ship's crew has isolated the affected individuals and enhanced cleaning and disinfection protocols, while the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program is remotely overseeing the outbreak response and sanitation measures.