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.

There have been at least 16 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships this year, the CDC says, the most in over a decade.

In December alone, the CDC reported five separate outbreaks on four different ships -- sickening more than 800 people. All of the outbreaks were caused by the highly contagious norovirus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says reported illnesses on cruise ships have hit a 12-year high.

Illnesses on cruise ships have hit a 12-year high. New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show there were outbreaks on 16 different cruise ships in 2024. The majority of the illnesses were norovirus cases.

Around 900 passengers aboard cruise ships were reportedly sickened from gastrointestinal disease in December as virus outbreaks occur globally. The shocking data has been revealed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.