300 sickened royal caribbean cruise ship

Nearly 200 people sick in norovirus outbreaks on Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises ships

Nearly 200 people got sick in norovirus outbreaks on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International ships.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 94 of the 2,532 guests on Sapphire Princess reported being ill during its April 5 cruise, along with 20 crew members. The round-trip cruise, which left from Los Angeles with stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific, will end on May 7, according to CruiseMapper .

On Royal Caribbean’s Radiance of the Seas, 67 of its 1,993 guests reported being ill in addition to two crew members during a cruise that ended April 22, according to the CDC . The two-week voyage sailed from Tampa, Florida to Los Angeles with stops in countries like Colombia and Panama, according to CruiseMapper .

In both outbreaks, the guests and crew members’ main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

Princess, Royal Caribbean and the ships’ crews implemented heightened cleaning and disinfection measures and isolated those who were sick, among other steps, the health agency said.

"Onboard the most current sailing of Sapphire Princess, there have been a small number of cases of mild gastrointestinal illness among passengers, the cause likely is the common but contagious virus called Norovirus," a Princess spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "At the first sign of an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitization procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus. Our sanitization program, developed in coordination with the CDC, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard."

Royal Caribbean did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The CDC has logged six outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met its threshold for public notification since the beginning of the year. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in five, while one was unknown.

The illness is often associated with cruise ships but outbreaks occur in communities on land as well, according to Dr. Sarah E. Hochman, a hospital epidemiologist and the section chief of infectious diseases at NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital.

“There's not something special or unique about cruise ships,” she said. “It's really any type of congregate setting, but it's also happening out in the community on a much smaller scale among households and household contacts. It just doesn't come to the attention of public health as much as it does for larger congregate settings.”

Hochman said the virus is “incredibly infectious” and congregate settings tend to have many shared surfaces, such as handrails in cruise ship stairwells or elevators. “And so, if you just have one person who's shedding the virus and touches the surface and then someone else touches it and then touches their mouth, that's how it can spread in those types of settings.”

Cruise ship medical facilities: What happens if you get sick or injured (or bitten by a monkey)

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer isn't as effective against norovirus, and Hochman emphasized that washing hands with soap and water “will do a lot to prevent the spread.”

The news comes after more than two dozen Silversea Cruises guests got sick in a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on the luxury line’s Silver Nova ship during a sailing that began in late March.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

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More than 300 fall ill on Royal Caribbean ship; cruise cut short

(Reuters) - More than 300 passengers and crew members fell ill aboard a Royal Caribbean cruise ship, many with vomiting and diarrhea, the Centers for Disease Control said on Sunday. Royal Caribbean confirmed the outbreak of a gastrointestinal illness, saying that the 10-day cruise would end two days early, with the ship returning to its home port in New Jersey. "New reports of illness have decreased day-over-day, and many guests are again up and about," Royal Caribbean said in a written statement. "Nevertheless, the disruptions caused by the early wave of illness means that we were unable to deliver the vacation our guests were expecting." The CDC said in a statement that 281 passengers and 22 crew members aboard the Explorer of the Seas reported becoming sick during the voyage. The ship was carrying 3,050 passengers and a crew of 1,165. The ship was on a Caribbean cruise after departing Cape Liberty, New Jersey on January 21. The CDC said the cause of the sickness was unknown but that an environmental safety officer and an epidemiologist would board the ship in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands to determine the cause of the outbreak and the proper response. The ship's crew increased cleaning and disinfection procedures and had collected specimens from those who reported being ill following the outbreak, the CDC said. "After consultation between our medical team and representatives of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we think the right thing to do is to bring our guests home early, and use the extra time to sanitize the ship even more thoroughly," Royal Caribbean said. The cruise line said it believes the illnesses are consistent with norovirus, a highly contagious virus spread from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces, according to the CDC. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Edith Honan and Eric Walsh)

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Nearly 300 people sickened on board Royal Caribbean cruise ship

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — U.S. health officials will board a cruise ship docked in the U.S. Virgin Islands to investigate an illness outbreak that has sickened at least 300 people.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 281 out of 3,050 passengers aboard Royal Caribbean's   Explorer of the Seas have reported symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea. A total of 22 crew members have also gotten sick.

In a Sunday statement, Royal Caribbean International spokeswoman Janet Diaz said the 15-deck cruise ship has undergone extensive cleaning. CDC officials are expected to soon board the vessel.

She says the people who got sick have "responded well to over-the-counter medication."

Norovirus symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, which is what the cruise ship passengers have reported. The virus is known for afflicting schools and cruise ships.

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CDC investigating after more than 300 sickened aboard Princess Cruises ship

Princess cruises says 'likely' cause was common norovirus.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating an outbreak aboard a Princess Cruises ship that sickened more than 300 passengers and crew.

The Ruby Princess returned to Galveston, Texas , on Monday after 284 passengers and 34 crew members reported gastrointestinal illness, with symptoms including vomiting and diarrhea, the CDC said. It is unclear what caused the symptoms, according to the agency.

The sickened passengers made up 9.9% of the total 2,881 passengers aboard the ship, while the crew members who fell ill made up 2.9% of the total 1,1259 crew. 

The cruise ship had departed Galveston on Feb. 26 for a cruise in the Caribbean and returned to Galveston on Monday.

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The Ruby Princess cruise ship returned to Galveston, Texas, on Monday after 284 passengers and 34 crew members reported gastrointestinal illness during the trip. ( James D. Morgan/Getty Images, File / Getty Images)

The CDC said the total number of cases represent the illnesses reported throughout the entire trip and were not active all at one time while at any port or disembarkation in Galveston.

Princess Cruises told FOX News Digital that the cause of the illness was likely "the common but contagious virus called Norovirus."

The CDC is investigating what caused the passengers and crew members to experience vomiting and diarrhea. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

CARNIVAL SENDS MESSAGE TO SPRING BREAKERS AHEAD OF BUSY SEASON

The crew immediately acted to stop the spread of the illness between passengers, initiating sanitation procedures which included disinfecting high-touch surfaces and isolating ill passengers in their cabins, a company spokesperson said in a statement.

The Ruby Princess was disinfected ahead of its next voyage to the Caribbean, a spokesperson said. (James D. Morgan/Getty Images / Getty Images)

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The ship also underwent an additional disinfection on March 5 in Galveston ahead of its next departure as an added precaution, Princess Cruises said. 

The Ruby Princess is now on a seven-day western Caribbean cruise, and will return to Galveston on March 12.

Norovirus outbreak on Royal Caribbean cruise ship sickens 475 passengers

The ship will be cutting its journey short.

The Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas cruise ship is cutting its journey short after 475 passengers and crew members have been infected with a norovirus, Royal Caribbean Cruises announced Thursday.

The cruise line initially reported on Thursday that more than 250 passengers had fallen ill.

“We think the right thing to do is to get everyone home early rather than have guests worry about their health ” the cruise line said in a statement, adding that returning early “also gives us more time to completely clean and sanitize the ship before her next sailing.”

Guest and crew members began getting sick when the ship departed the Port Canaveral in Florida on Jan. 6. The ship, originally scheduled for a seven night cruise, made its first stop in Haiti Tuesday where the ship hosted a lunch buffet on land, said Abby Perrin, a passenger on the ship told ABC News. That night, Perrin said she and her mother began experiencing symptoms associated with food poisoning, like vomiting.

The next day, the ship arrived to Jamaica, but passengers said they weren’t allowed to leave the vessel.

Thursday morning, the ship headed for its next scheduled destination in Cozumel, Mexico , but officials canceled the cruise while it was still en route. Now it is on its way back to Florida.

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“It was pretty upsetting that we weren’t able to get into Jamaica at all,” Perrin said. “Then we were supposed to be in Mexico tomorrow, which we were really excited about, and it turns out we’re going back to Florida instead.”

About three percent of people aboard the ship are affected by the norovirus, according to the cruise company.

Alan Thomas is currently aboard the ship with his spouse and two friends.

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“People are still getting sick,” he told ABC News. “At a cafe next to Guest Services last night, there was a kid vomiting in the trash can.”

Thomas shared a video on Twitter of crew members cleaning the ship. He told ABC News that crew members are not allowing guests to serve themselves food or drinks.

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Norovirus is a contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea. A person can become infected through having direct contact with another infected person, consuming contaminated food or water, or touching their nose and mouth after touching contaminated surfaces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illness in the U.S., according to CDC.

It is not yet known what caused the outbreak, but most instances of norovirus occur in food service settings like restaurants, according to the CDC.

The Royal Caribbean advertises the Oasis of the Seas as one of the world’s largest ships.

In 2017, about 220 passengers aboard a five-night Royal Caribbean cruise suffered from a gastro-intestinal illness .

All of the current Oasis of the Seas passengers will receive a full refund, Royal Caribbean Cruises said in the statement.

“Our guests sail with us to have great vacations, and we are sorry this cruise fell short,” the statement reads.

The cruise company said the ship is scheduled to return to Florida on Saturday.

ABC News' Julia Jacobo, Rachel Katz and Brendan Rand contributed to this report.

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300 sickened on Royal Caribbean cruise ship that left Jan. 21 from Bayonne

• Updated: Jan. 26, 2014, 8:35 p.m. |
• Published: Jan. 26, 2014, 7:35 p.m.
• Jack Durschlag/The Jersey Journal

cruise ship at port liberty in Bayonne

Cruise ship arrives at Cape Liberty Cruise Port despite heavy snowfall on Jan. 22, 2014

(Felix Alarcon)

More than 300 people - expecting to escape the cold weather in the Northeast on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that left from Cape Liberty in Bayonne on Jan. 21 – have become ill on their trip , according to a CNN report.

The all-news network, citing a Centers for Disease Control posting on it's website concerning the Explorer of the Seas, says 281 of the 3,050 passengers – as well as 22 crew members – have reported vomiting and diarrhea symptoms.

Janet Diaz, a spokesperson for Royal Caribbean International, told CNN the ship underwent an extensive sanitation process after the ship skipped a stop in Haiti Saturday and sailed directly to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Officials with the cruise line said passengers who were suffering from the symptoms were responding well to over-the-counter medication administered on board the ship.

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Sickened Royal Caribbean passenger: "dream vacation and it turned into a hell cruise"

January 28, 2014 / 8:51 AM EST / CBS News

Sickened passengers and crew aboard a Royal Caribbean ship face one more day at sea, before returning to New Jersey. The getaway cruise is being cut short after more than 600 people became violently ill.

The Explorer of the Sea was three days into its 10-day voyage when hundreds of passengers started experiencing symptoms of a nasty stomach bug. The illness began spreading so quickly and aggressively that members of the Centers for Disease Control were dispatched to the ship.

Instead of swimsuits, Hazmat suits filled the ship's pool decks, hallways, shops and restaurants. Over the weekend, members of the CDC boarded the cruise, and have been working to disinfect it ever since.

Chris Roman and Brittney Schnieder have remained healthy so far. At first, they thought fellow passengers were simply sea sick.

"I think they're taking the cleaning seriously, but I think it's for the benefit of the next cruise," Roman said. "It's not for us. ... You hear about people just spending all day lying on the floor in the bathroom. It hasn't been pleasant for a lot of people."

Health officials believe the illness may be the norovirus -- a fast-spreading stomach bug that thrives in close quarters. 

Lisa Conway did fall ill. She said, "This was supposed to be a dream vacation, and it turned into a hell cruise. … The sick were in the hot tubs and the pools so people were getting sick that way by being near other people. They were throwing up in the hallways, the pool deck, everyone is trying to jump over it, walk through it."

The Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas carries more than 3,000 passengers and more than 1,000 crew members -- roughly 20 percent of those on-board are sick. 

Richard Fain, chairman and chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean, said, "Our people responded very quickly very aggressively."

On Monday -- the same day that Royal Caribbean announced its fourth-quarter earnings -- Fain insisted that outbreaks like this are rare, and that the company will be taking appropriate action. 

"We will be compensating the passengers," Fain said. "Our people really do feel very badly that something like this happens, but unfortunately this is a bad time of year."

Still, many passengers believe Royal Caribbean waited too long to end the cruise after the first passengers became ill last week. Roman said, "They should have canceled the trip day three when this outbreak -- that they've never had happen before at this magnitude -- happened."

The ship is expected to dock on Wednesday afternoon in Bayonne, N.J., CBS News' Vinita Nair reported on "CBS This Morning." After it docks, the ship will undergo a thorough sanitation program.  Passengers on this cruise are said to be receiving a 50 percent off voucher for a future trip, and a $400 refund.

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I went on 2 of Royal Caribbean's largest and newest cruise ships. I enjoyed them, but they're not for everyone.

• I've sailed on Royal Caribbean's largest cruise ships , Wonder of the Seas and Icon of the Seas.
• Both megaships are jam-packed with people, amenities, and dining options.
• But if you want a quiet cruise to unique destinations, they might not be for you.

Before booking a vacation at sea, travelers should always research the best cruise line and ship for their needs.

If you're looking for a cheap and fast trip, try Margaritaville at Sea . Craving something more upscale? Consider Oceania Cruises.

But if you're looking for high-end sailing to unique destinations, I'd suggest avoiding Royal Caribbean's megaships .

Royal Caribbean has become synonymous with giant, family-friendly cruise ships

By 2028, Royal Caribbean wants one-third of its fleet to be megaships.

The latest addition, the 1,196-foot-long and 248,663-gross-ton Icon of the Seas, entered service in January, unseating Wonder of the Seas as the world's largest cruise liner.

Together, the two vessels can fit over 19,000 people — about 4,500 crew and 14,500 guests. Each ship has eight neighborhoods and there are 29 bars and 48 eateries between them.

I've attended complimentary sailings on both Wonder and Icon, the longest of which was three nights on the latter. From their colorful pool decks to the inescapable crowds, as a solo-adult traveler, I was equal parts entertained, overwhelmed, and overstimulated.

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But admittedly, I had fun. I do love a good waterslide; Wonder has three of them and Icon has six.

If you want to go on a cruise with your children — and if they, like me, love activities like rock climbing and mini golf — Royal Caribbean's megaships could be your best option.

Wonder and Icon are jam-packed with activity spaces like ice-skating rinks and ziplines.

But don't expect a peaceful retreat. The rowdy, bar-hopping adults and screaming children at the water playground aren't conducive to a relaxing vacation.

Megavessels might not be for you if you want a quiet cruise

If you want a relaxing vacation — maybe one that doesn't involve crowds of children — you shouldn't stay on either Royal Caribbean yacht.

There are many ways to have a luxury vacation on Icon of the Seas . But unless you want to pay for upcharged amenities at every turn, you'd be better off spending more upfront to reserve a premium cruise line — especially if you're interested in cruising for the destinations, not the ships.

After all, like most of Royal Caribbean's largest vessels, Icon and Wonder exclusively sail in the Caribbean.

Some destinations, such as French Polynesia, have set restrictions on which cruises can travel there amid concerns about pollution and overcrowding.

If stopping at these ports — or, really, anywhere outside the Caribbean — is at the top of your vacation wish list, you'll have to travel on a smaller Royal Caribbean ship or go with a different cruise line like Oceania , Silversea, and Regent Seven Seas.

You might not get a waterpark, but you'll get a quieter vacation to locations no megaship will likely be allowed to visit.

Watch: Inside the world's biggest cruise ship that just set sail

• Main content

Royal Caribbean cruise to end early; more than 600 sick

The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Explorer of the Seas will return to New Jersey two days early after more than 600 people were sickened by a fast-moving gut bug that spiked over the weekend.

At least 564 passengers and 47 crew members have reported symptoms of a possible norovirus outbreak since the 10-day cruise to the U.S. Virgin Islands launched on Tuesday, an official with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.

The Explorer of the Seas is carrying 3,050 passengers and 1,165 crew members. The cruise departed Tuesday from Cape Liberty, N.J., with plans for stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St. Maarten.

Some people on the ship have recovered after illnesses in the first days of the cruise, but Royal Caribbean Cruise Line officials said Sunday that the disruptions caused by the wave of sickness meant they were “unable to deliver the vacation our guests were expecting,” and consultation with medical experts prompted an early return.

“We think the right thing to do is to bring our guests home early and use the extra time to sanitize the ship even more thoroughly,” firm officials said in a statement.

CDC and cruise officials have not confirmed that the outbreak characterized by vomiting and diarrhea is norovirus; test results are expected mid-week. But the symptoms are consistent with the highly contagious bug spread by touch, by infected people or contaminated food or water. 

Cruise officials said they will sanitize the ship again and that guests scheduled for the next trip on Explorer of the Seas could be confident that all measures had been taken to prevent future illness. 

Still, the outbreak concerns people like Deborah Galcik Taylor, 47, of South Glens Falls, N.Y. Her parents, Paul Galcik, 70, and Joyce Galcik, 67, of Schuylerville, N.Y., are "avid cruisers" who took the trip to get away from this year's bitter winter. They haven't gotten sick, but they've seen others fall ill, including some who were hospitalized, she said. Taylor said she is set to board the Explorer of the Seas for a cruise in six weeks. 

"We're a little tentative," she said. "I'm sure my parents will be glad to see us on Wednesday." Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the U.S., resulting in about 21 million illnesses, between 56,000 and 71,000 hospitalizations and as many as 800 deaths, the CDC says.

The virus lingers on surfaces and spreads very easily. Thorough handwashing with hot water and soap and meticulous environmental cleaning can help stop the spread.

It’s not yet clear whether the outbreak on Explorer of the Seas has been linked to a nasty new type of norovirus known as the GII 4 Sydney strain. That was the bug blamed for an outbreak last year on the Queen Mary 2. During a voyage from Dec. 22, 2012 to Jan. 3, 2013, 204 passengers and 16 crew members developed norovirus, the CDC reported. 

JoNel Aleccia is a senior health reporter with NBC News. Reach her on Twitter at @JoNel_Aleccia or send her an email. 

I stayed in a balcony cabin on Royal Caribbean's 2 newest and largest cruise ships. One was clearly better — and $900 cheaper.

Posted: April 27, 2024 | Last updated: April 27, 2024

• Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas are Royal Caribbean's newest and largest cruise ships.
• I stayed in both of their balcony staterooms — a $130-per-person-per-day difference.
• Icon's pricier cabin looked more modern but lacked the functionality and comfort of Wonder's.

Do you know what $900 could buy you? More than three years of Netflix's premium plan, a new Gucci purse, or 2,059 spicy chicken McNuggets.

Or, in the case of Royal Caribbean's two largest and newest cruise ships , the cash could mean the difference between a cheap but functional balcony cabin and, ironically, a more expensive but less comfortable one.

Staterooms with balconies are the most popular cruise cabin category. After all, if you're going on a vacation at sea, wouldn't you want to be able to feel its breeze from your room?

But not all cabins with private outdoor spaces are created equal, even on two new mega-ships owned by the same cruise line.

I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Wonder of the Seas in 2022 and its larger successor, Icon of the Seas, in January.

Royal Caribbean assigned me an ocean-view balcony cabin for both complimentary sailings, the longest of which was three nights on Icon.

Both ships are operating seven-night cruises around the Caribbean in 2024.

About 66% of Wonder's cabins fall under the 'balcony' category. On Icon, they make up half of the staterooms.

Wonder of the Seas' balcony cabins start shy of $1,110 per person in 2024.

Even with nearly identical itineraries, the ones on Icon are, at their cheapest, a little more than $2,000 per person this year — or double that for the a New Year's cruise.

Wonder and Icon are the most boisterous, flamboyant, and overwhelming vessels I've ever boarded.

The pool decks were intensely colorful, the crowds were inescapable, and the long lists of activities and dining options were paralyzing.

So imagine my surprise when I unlocked my doors to find surprisingly bland rooms.

The neutral tans, blues, and whites did not scream "we belong on the world's biggest and most colorful cruise ships."

The vessels have an almost two-year age difference, as evidenced by some of their decor (mainly Icon's recessed mood lights and the more chic, darker wood tones).

But besides the light fixtures, rugs, and — frankly negligible — wall art and pillows, both cabins were fairly underwhelming compared to everything outside their front doors .

Aesthetics aside, let’s talk functionality.

Both had furnished 50-square-foot balconies.

Regarding the interior space, my 204-square-foot cabin on Icon of the Seas was 22 square feet larger than mine on Wonder.

In retrospect, I would've thought Icon's was smaller. More on that in a bit.

Both king-sized beds faced a television and some wall storage.

And both were flanked by light fixtures with built-in USB outlets, as is expected on most modern cruise ships.

The cruise line says the ships' balcony cabins use two twin mattresses that have been "converted" to make a king bed. It's a common practice I've never had an issue with — until Icon.

On Wonder, the plush pillows enveloped me the moment I laid down. I slept great. No complaints.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the new ship.

I (my back pain) could feel the hard ridge where the two mattresses met, making for a pretty miserable and uncomfortable sleep.

So much for starfishing — I kept to one side of the bed to avoid rolling over the bony bump.

For the most part, the living “rooms” were the same.

Both had the same furniture I see on almost every mass-market ship: a couch that could convert into a bed and a desk that extended into a dresser.

But storage, a high priority for cruisers, was organized differently.

Two thin wardrobes with drawers, hangars, and shelves surrounded either side of my bed on Wonder .

Icon, on the other hand, had one large wardrobe next to the living room.

Unfortunately, it had noticeably less shelving. And the metal bins let out ear-piercing screeches at every move — a lazy and annoying detail that the designers could've easily fixed with cheap felt pads.

So far, the differences have been small. But not for long.

I had two gripes with my Wonder bathroom: the lack of hair conditioner and the ill-positioned faucet that flooded the counter whenever I washed my hands.

I had the same issues on Icon. But that was the least of my concerns.

My bathroom on the older ship was well-sized for 1 person, but maybe too small for 2.

On Icon — the world's largest cruise ship — my bathroom was too compact for even one body.

Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, told reporters in January that 80% of Icon's 2,805 cabins were designed for families, a sharp increase from previous vessels like Wonder.

I'm not sure a family of four could coexist in Icon's balcony cabin — solely because of the bathroom size. There's no way two people could fit in there simultaneously. A fight over who gets priority access to the toilet could ruin a peaceful family vacation! (Which is to say, I'm glad I was traveling alone.)

With the bathroom door closed, I accidentally elbowed the walls more times than I could count.

The spare towels had to be stored on a shelf inside the shower. Because the counter was so small, I had to keep most of my toiletries and products on the shelves or in the drawer.

Surprisingly, that's where Icon excelled. Its bathroom had more storage options than its older counterpart, which didn't even have a drawer.

However, the older ship's shower had a clothesline perfect for drying swimwear. It's a small but crucial amenity, especially on a vessel with so many pools and waterslides.

Unfortunately, both were stocked with two-in-one body wash and shampoo — and no hair conditioner

Let’s go through our checklist.

My balcony cabin on Wonder looked less modern than its successor (the TV on Icon had Chromecast, after all).

But it was significantly more functional and comfortable. The bed was incomparably more pleasant, the closets had more defined storage components, and the bathroom was considerably larger, even if it lacked additional shelving and drawers.

The question is: Which one is more worth its price?

Icon's cheapest balcony cabins are currently $900 more than the most affordable ones on Wonder — an almost $130 per person and day difference.

Based on the quality of the staterooms alone, if you prioritize functionality, comfort, and affordability over modern decor, consider saving money and going with the two-year-old ship .

But let’s not forget that cruise fares include unlimited food, on board activities, and nighttime entertainment.

Both ships have a fairly similar list of amenities. But only the newer one has a waterpark , an adult-only infinity pool club, and a swim-up bar, to name a few unique amenities.

So yes, Icon's balcony cabins are more costly. But the staggering price difference — and tiny bathroom — could be worth it if you think the its surplus of additional amenities is worth paying for.

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Norovirus on Princess, Royal Caribbean cruises sickens nearly 200 people

Norovirus breakout sickens nearly 200 FILE PHOTO: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA: The Sapphire Princess docks at Circular Quay December 23, 2004 in Sydney, Australia. The Sapphire Princess is one of the ships where a norovirus outbreak was reported. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images/Getty Images)

Outbreaks of norovirus have sickened nearly 200 people on Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International ships in the past few weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

>> Read more trending news

Ninety-four guests and 20 crew members on the Sapphire Princess reported being ill during a round-trip cruise that left Los Angeles and had stops in Hawaii and the South Pacific. The cruise began April 5 and will end on May 7, according to CruiseMapper .

According to the CDC , 67 guests and two crew members reported being sick during a Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas cruise from Tampa to Los Angeles that ended April 22.

“At the first sign of an increase in the numbers of passengers reporting to the medical center with gastrointestinal illness, we immediately initiated additional enhanced sanitation procedures to interrupt the person-to-person spread of this virus,” a Princess spokesperson told USA Today in an emailed statement.

“Our sanitation program, developed in coordination with the CDC, includes disinfection measures, isolation of ill passengers and communication to passengers about steps they can take to stay well while onboard.”

Since January, there have been three confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction, according to NBC .

Norovirus is circulating at the highest level since April 2023 in various parts of the U.S., CDC records show . The highly contagious virus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis, or an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines. It leads to intense bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps.

Symptoms usually begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure. Most people will recover on their own within three days but can spread the virus for up to a week.

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