Key Aspects:
- Guests sailing on Norwegian Epic, as well as those who recently sailed, are being warned that a former passenger has contracted Legionnaires’ disease.
- As a safety precaution, current and former guests are advised to promptly notify medical professionals if any symptoms of the disease emerge.
- The cruise line is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is investigating the case.
In a November 4, 2025 alert to guests, Norwegian Cruise Line disclosed a warning that no cruiser wants to hear: You might be at risk for Legionnaires’ disease.
The notice was sent to passengers aboard the 4,100-guest Norwegian Epic on the fourth day of their 12-night Mediterranean voyage from Rome to Lisbon. The alert was also dispatched to guests who recently sailed on the ship.
The cruise line informed guests it had learned that two people who recently sailed on the ship were found to have contracted Legionnaires’ disease. It is unknown, the notice states, whether the travelers became infected through Norwegian Epic’s water sources or some other source.
The cruise line is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which is investigating the case.
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The bacteria that causes the disease is Legionella, a type of pneumonia that is spread through water droplets that form on the fixtures of hot tubs, showers, misters, and fountains, among other items.
The CDC’s Legionnaires guidelines indicate that symptoms usually emerge from two to 14 days following exposure to the bacteria.
“On the rare occasion that any past guests receive such a diagnosis, we work with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to support their investigation efforts as part of their standard operating procedures,” states Norwegian Cruise Line’s notice to guests.
Like other forms of pneumonia, Legionnaires’ disease can cause fever, headache, coughing, muscle aches, and shortness of breath, according to the CDC.
The notice to Norwegian Epic passengers advises them to notify the ship’s medical staff if any symptoms appear. The alert was apparently also sent to guests who have recently sailed on the ship.
“If you have already disembarked and develop symptoms within 14 days of your cruise, seek medical attention right away, and share this letter with your doctor, so that they know to test you for Legionnaires’ disease and prescribe appropriate antibiotics, if needed,” the Norwegian Cruise Line warning states.
Legionnaires’ disease was initially identified nearly 50 years ago at an American Legion convention in Pennsylvania. That outbreak, in 1976, was found to have emerged from the air conditioning system in the hotel that hosted the convention.
Disease Warnings Impact Multiple Cruise Lines
Legionnaires’ disease has previously caused concern to cruise ship guests. In February 2023, passengers booked to sail on Norwegian Prima received a warning letter similar to the one Norwegian Epic guests received.
It stated that two guests who had sailed on the ship in late 2022 had been diagnosed with the disease after their arrival home. It was not determined that the ill travelers had been exposed to the bacteria on the cruise ship.
Similar situations have been reported on other cruise lines, too, including Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.
In May 2025, Royal Caribbean issued an alert to guests sailing aboard Symphony of the Seas and those who had recently sailed on the ship, after it was learned that a former passenger had come down with Legionella. Again, the source of the illness was not determined.
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Norwegian Epic’s next voyage is a 10-night transatlantic crossing from Lisbon to San Juan, Puerto Rico, departing on November 13, 2025. The ship will be based in San Juan through mid-April 2026, operating a series of 7-night Caribbean cruises.
In April 2026, she will return to the Western Mediterranean for the spring and summer seasons, sailing voyages between Rome and Barcelona.
