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Guests sailing aboard AIDAdiva‘s New Year’s World Cruise that departed Hamburg, Germany on Monday, November 10, 2025 have an unwelcome stowaway: norovirus.
The outbreak has been reported to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as is required for any ship sailing to US ports regardless of where the cruise originated.
The current illness update from the ship indicates 95 of the 2,007 passengers onboard (4.8%) as well as 6 of the 640 crew members (.9%) have reported diarrhea and vomiting, the most common symptoms of norovirus.
Onboard testing has confirmed the causative agent as norovirus, one of the most common sources of gastrointestinal distress worldwide.
To date, there have been 16 confirmed norovirus outbreaks onboard cruise ships in 2025 that have been reported to the CDC. The most recent was aboard Oceania Insignia in late October.
In addition to testing to confirm norovirus, the diligent crew members onboard AIDAdiva have implemented enhanced cleaning and sanitation procedures to help minimize the spread of the illness.
Guests and crew members reporting symptoms are also being confined to their staterooms as part of the health and safety protocols.
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It is important to note that despite the 101 cases so far reported onboard, there is no indication that all of those cases have been ongoing simultaneously. The CDC requires that outbreaks be reported only when total numbers of cases pass a threshold of 3% of either guests or crew members.
Because the percentages are cumulative, it isn’t unusual for longer sailings such as AIDAdiva‘s 133-night world itinerary to eventually see enough cases to warrant such a report.
Furthermore, these may not be the final totals that will be reported from the 69,200-gross-ton, Sphinx-class vessel. As the cruise continues, it wouldn’t be unheard of for more guests to contract the very contagious illness.
Don’t Cruise With Norovirus!
While it will be frustrating for travelers who are afflicted with the illness, norovirus generally resolves within a few days without extensive treatment.
Guests can protect themselves from the illness by washing their hands thoroughly in warm, soapy water after using the restroom and before meals. Avoiding common utensils and high-contact surfaces can also minimize the risk of exposure.
AIDAdiva is the first ship from the Carnival-owned AIDA Cruises to report an outbreak to the CDC this year. Other norovirus outbreaks have been noted from Oceania Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America Line, Viking Cruises, Seabourn, Cunard Line, and Princess Cruises.
Clearly, the illness is widespread and can be very common, no matter what the size of the ship or type of cruise line.
What’s Next for AIDAdiva
AIDAdiva has already completed the transatlantic portion of her world cruise and visited the top US ports of Boston, New York, Charleston, and Miami. The ship has also made her way through the Caribbean, and will transit through the Panama Canal.
The cruise will continue with more US calls in California and Hawaii before completing the transpacific route to visit South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Sri Lanka and more phenomenal ports.
The last leg of the global circumnavigation is moving up the west coast of Africa with visits to South Africa and Namibia en route to the Canary Islands and Portugal. AIDAdiva will return to Hamburg, Germany on March 23, 2026.
Following the world cruise, the ship will offer Scandinavian and Baltic Sea itineraries through the end of August.
