We now have confirmation that the illness that affected passengers and crew aboard Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas during its final Alaska sailing was caused by salmonella.
Earlier this week, we reported a gastrointestinal outbreak that impacted over 8% of those onboard.
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the outbreak occurred on Radiance’s September 20-27 Alaska cruise, which was the company’s last Alaska cruise for the season.
Of the 2,172 guests, 180 reported feeling ill, and 3 of the 894 crew members experienced symptoms. With 8.29% of passengers and 0.34% of crew affected, 8.63% of the ship’s passengers fell ill, exceeding the CDC’s 3% threshold for filing an official report.
Containment Measures and Symptoms
Royal Caribbean took immediate action to contain the outbreak, implementing shipwide announcements, collecting stool samples, and ramping up cleaning and disinfection protocols throughout Radiance of the Seas.
Initially, it was unclear whether the illness was caused by norovirus, a common cause of gastrointestinal symptoms.
However, the CDC has now confirmed that salmonella, a bacterial infection that primarily affects the intestines, was the culprit.
| Salmonella is typically contracted through contaminated food or surfaces, with raw and undercooked eggs being a common source. Symptoms included diarrhea, stomach cramps, headaches, and muscle pains. |
Salmonella outbreaks on cruise ships are rare. Between 2019 and 2023, only one such outbreak was reported to the CDC, making this incident the first of 2024.
Concerns Over Onboard Medical Costs
Reports from passengers suggest that many avoided seeking medical care onboard due to the high cost of healthcare on cruise ships.
One passenger told our tip line, “Many people did not go to the medical center onboard because they were afraid of the cost.”
Those who avoided receiving medical care onboard also found it difficult to claim the future cruise credits awarded to passengers who were kept in isolation or confirmed as seriously ill by the ship’s medical team.
High medical costs at sea have long been a concern for cruise passengers. In December 2023, a passenger from Michigan faced a medical bill totaling thousands of dollars before being evacuated from another Royal Caribbean vessel.
This is another incident that shows the importance of having travel insurance to cover unexpected medical expenses.
