Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of these outbreaks were a result of the highly contagious norovirus, the data said, which is spread through direct contact with an infected person,

This year marked the worst in over a decade for stomach bug outbreaks on cruise ships docking in the US, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With one day left,

The cruise industry continues to balloon — with ever bigger, ever wilder boats and some 37.1 million cruise passengers set to take to the waters in 2025, according to industry body Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

The CDC randomly inspects cruise ships to prevent the spread of stomach viruses. Of the 128 it's reviewed this year, 27 have received a perfect score.

There have been at least 16 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships this year, the CDC says, the most in over a decade.

Last year, there were 16 outbreaks on cruise ships, from norovirus, salmonella, E. coli or other unidentified pathogens that cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea or vomiting. That's the largest number of cruise ship outbreaks in 12 years.

According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), last year, cruise ships experienced the highest amount of “gastrointestinal outbreaks” in over a decade. According to The Hill,