Over 180 individuals fell ill due to a gastrointestinal outbreak on a Royal Caribbean International cruise that concluded last Friday.

Out of 2,172 passengers aboard the Radiance of the Seas, 180 reported illness, along with three crew members, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Common symptoms included abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headaches, and muscle aches.

The specific virus or bacteria responsible for the outbreak remains unidentified.

At the time, the ship was sailing through Alaska. It departed from Vancouver, Canada, on September 20, as indicated by CruiseMapper.

“Ensuring the health and safety of our guests, crew, and the communities we visit is our utmost priority,” a representative from Royal Caribbean shared with YSL News via email. “We maintain a set of strict cleaning protocols on our ships, many of which exceed standard public health recommendations.”

The cruise line also informed passengers about the outbreak and advocated for “good hand hygiene” and reporting of any cases, according to the CDC. This incident is the second gastrointestinal outbreak on the Radiance of the Seas in 2024, following an outbreak that sickened nearly 70 people with norovirus in April.

The CDC has recorded 10 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruises that qualified for public notification in 2024, with norovirus being the cause in all but three cases.

While gastrointestinal illness is often linked to cruise ships, they account for only 1% of all reported outbreaks.

“Cruise ships are not uniquely prone to such issues,” stated Dr. Sarah E. Hochman, a hospital epidemiologist and the section chief of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital, in an earlier interview with YSL News. “Such illnesses can occur in any crowded situation, but they also arise in smaller community settings, often unnoticed by public health agencies.”