Royal Caribbean has reached out to guests booked onboard Symphony of the Seas within the last few months with details about possible exposure to Legionella. Two guests on recent sailings of the ship have been diagnosed with the disease, prompting the notification.
“Your health and safety are always our top priority and in an abundance of caution, we are reaching out for your awareness,” the notification read.
“The CDC [US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] has advised that while they are unsure where exposed, two guests who sailed on Symphony of the Seas (one in October and one in December) were later diagnosed with Legionella.”
The exact sailing dates of the infected passengers were not disclosed, just October 2024 and December 2024. The Oasis-class ship was sailing from Cape Liberty in Bayonne, New Jersey in October, and from PortMiami, Florida in December.
“While this does not imply or confirm that the contracted this onboard our ship, as a precautionary measure, we implemented heightened sanitation protocols and followed all CDC guidance,” the cruise line explained.
Symphony of the Seas is still homeported from Miami offering 7-night Eastern Caribbean and Western Caribbean itineraries, all of which call on Royal Caribbean’s private island destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay. The 228,081-gross-ton ship can welcome up to 6,680 guests onboard, and is also home to 2,200 international crew members.
To put the number of reported cases in perspective, two passengers out of two sailings means just two guests from roughly 12,000 travelers, or roughly two hundredths of one percent (.016%).
According to the CDC, legionella is not spread from person-to-person, but rather through contaminated water, such as in hot tubs or shared water sources. This is the most common way for the infection to spread on a cruise ship, as has happened previously onboard different vessels and different cruise lines.
Celebrity Cruises notified guests of a similar situation aboard Celebrity Ascent in January 2024, while hot tubs were linked to an outbreak onboard two undisclosed cruise ships from late 2022 to early 2024.
In each case, impacted ships increased cleaning and sanitizing of hot tubs, public water fountains, and other potential areas of contagion, as well as inspecting water sources onboard for any contamination.
Passengers on Symphony of the Seas have also reported that the cruise line provided a letter to each cabin regarding the exposure.
Why So Long for the Notification?
It can be disconcerting for travelers to receive this notification months after returning home from their weeklong cruise. This timeline is fairly standard for a Legionella diagnosis, however, as it can take some time for the disease to be identified and properly diagnosed.
Most people exposed to Legionella do not get sick, but the disease can be of concern to those who may have previous breathing difficulties or who may be immunocompromised. Symptoms may be mild or could advance to severe pneumonia.
Royal Caribbean is urging anyone concerned about the illness or possible infection to reach out to their doctor or contact their local or state health department for more information.
Symphony of the Seas (Photo Credit: EWY Media)
To be clear, it is not known where or when the affected individuals who sailed aboard Symphony of the Seas may have contracted the infection. It is possible they were infected prior to sailing or equally likely they did not contract the disease until after their respective cruises.
Furthermore, there has never been an outbreak of any confirmed disease aboard Symphony of the Seas that has been reported to the CDC.
The CDC notes that the incubation period for Legionella is typically 2-14 days, but can be longer. Antibiotics can successfully treat the disease.
Guests can take many precautions to stay healthy while enjoying a cruise vacation. Washing one’s hands frequently as well as using hand sanitizer can help safeguard against more common outbreaks, such as norovirus.
Getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and minimizing overindulgences are other steps that can help all cruisers enjoy their vacation without inadvertently contracting an illness while onboard.
Source: Cruisehive.com
