2024 was the worst year for gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on cruise ships in over a decade, according to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But another statistic in the world of cruising is on the up, and it’s not a good one: the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests 2024 was the worst year for cruise ship-based gastrointestinal outbreaks in over a decade.

Norovirus, often coined the “cruise ship virus,” causes more than 90% of diarrheal disease outbreaks on cruise ships, according to the CDC. Still, norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships account for only a small percentage of all reported norovirus outbreaks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has classified 2024 as the worst year for stomach illness outbreaks on cruise ships in over a decade as norovirus cases surged in the US. In just the past month,