Three passengers died after a hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius connected to a stop in Argentina, and more than 100 passengers and crew members got sick during a norovirus outbreak on the Caribbean Princess. Neither event appears to be discouraging travelers from booking cruises ahead of the summer season.
The Cruise Lines International Association recently projected that more than 38 million people worldwide will take ocean cruises this year, up from a record 37.2 million passengers last year, according to the Associated Press. Demand data from booking platforms supports that projection.
CruiseCompete CEO Bob Levinstein told the AP that bookings through his company increased by more than 30% during the first half of May compared to the same period last year. "I can categorically say that we have not seen any drop in demand," Levinstein said.
Cruise blogger Jenni Fielding, who told the AP she has eight cruises already booked, said she plans to keep booking. "I have eight cruises booked, and I'll absolutely be booking another," she said. Fielding added that cruise vacations remain as safe as other types of travel when passengers follow health guidance and stay aware of official updates.
On Reddit, passengers echoed that view. "I'm leaving … next week. It hasn't even occurred to me to be worried about the hantavirus," one user wrote. "Going to Alaska next month, not the least bit concerned," another commenter added. "[Norovirus] is more likely, and that risk is understood."
Industry experts offered a few reasons why the outbreaks have not translated into booking cancellations. Norovirus cases aboard cruise ships often receive heightened public attention because cruise lines are required to publicly report illnesses that affect a certain percentage of passengers, a reporting requirement that does not apply equally to hotels or resorts. Many cruises are also booked months in advance, which means recent health news is less likely to immediately shift travel plans.
Cruise industry experts have also noted that policies for passengers affected by health emergencies can vary depending on the cruise operator and the specific situation involved, and that while some voluntary passenger protections exist, they are not uniform across the industry.