Ruby Princess Battles New Illness Cases on Sailing Right After Outbreak
If you're sailing on Ruby Princess's July 2\u2013July 12 voyage from San Francisco, note that seven new gastrointestinal cases were reported as of July 5, alongside the earlier 125-case outbreak. The itinerary hasn't changed \u2014 Sitka, Haines, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert, and glacier cruising remain on schedule through the July 12 return. Expect continued sanitation measures and follow any isolation protocols if you experience symptoms.
The numbers here tell the real story: 125 cases crossed the 3% CDC reporting threshold, but these seven new cases sit at just 0.17% of the 4,180 people aboard \u2014 nowhere close. That's a big gap, and it's why Princess isn't required to file again yet. My read is this is a case of lingering contagion rather than a fresh outbreak; the CDC itself notes norovirus can spread for days after symptoms fade, and Cruise Hive's own examples \u2014 Enchantment of the Seas, Rotterdam, National Geographic Sea Bird \u2014 show consecutive-sailing outbreaks aren't rare. Princess already ate a delayed San Francisco departure for deep cleaning, so the cost of caution is already sunk. If I were booked on this July 2\u2013July 12 sailing, I'd wash my hands obsessively and not read too much into the itinerary staying intact through Ketchikan and Prince Rupert.