Cruise ship reports its fourth outbreak of stomach illness this year after recent docking in Juneau
A small cruise ship traveling through Southeast Alaska has reported outbreaks of a gastrointestinal illness on two back-to-back voyages this month. On one of the sailings, nearly a third of the passengers got sick.
That’s according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which today reported the fourth outbreak aboard the National Geographic Sea Bird since late May. The Sea Bird is a small cruise ship of Lindblad Expeditions.
The ship was last in Juneau on July 15. The CDC reports the most recent outbreaks – the ship’s third and fourth – occurred on voyages that took place July 10 to 15 and July 15 to 20. A total of 32 people – passengers and crew members – were infected.
Of the 88 passengers and crew on board the earlier voyage, 19 people contracted the illness. Eighteen were passengers and one was a crew member. The illness reportedly caused people to experience vomiting and abdominal cramps.
Of the 83 passengers and crew on board the most recent voyage, 13 people contracted the illness – 8 passengers and 5 crew members. Reported symptoms were diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal cramps.
The CDC has not yet determined the cause.
Norovirus caused the Sea Bird’s first and second outbreaks – one in late May and another in late June.
The CDC has reported nine outbreaks in the 2026 cruise season so far – the National Geographic Sea Bird accounts for four of them.
The small cruise ship was scheduled to be in Juneau next on Saturday, July 25. According to Cruise Line Agencies of Alaska, that sailing has been cancelled.