Norwegian Cruise Line Issues Health Warning to Passengers Over Bacterial Disease

A spokesperson confirmed to The Epoch Times that two of its Epic passengers were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease.

A Norwegian Cruise Line ship in a file photo. Alexandre Meneghini/Reuters

Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed on Friday that it sent out an alert to passengers on one of its cruise ships that two recent passengers were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, a rare bacterial infection that could be deadly if left untreated.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed to The Epoch Times that a notice was sent to passengers on the Norwegian Epic on the fourth day of their 12-night Mediterranean cruise traveling from Rome, Italy, to Lisbon, Portugal. The cruise liner has up to 4,100 passengers on board.

“The health and safety of our guests and crew is our top priority. As such, we operate at the very highest public health and sanitation standards. We can confirm that two guests who sailed aboard one of our ships recently were diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease following their travels,” a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line told The Epoch Times, confirming reports that the cruise operator sent out notices to passengers.

The company stated that it is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the cases of Legionnaires’ disease, which can cause a severe type of pneumonia caused by the Legionella bacteria.

The cruise operator also did not say whether the two individuals who developed Legionnaires’ disease suffered from any symptoms or whether their cases developed to the pneumonia phase.

The Norwegian spokesperson said that the company sent notifications to “appropriate guests and crew directly per the CDC’s guidance” after the two cases were reported.

“We have elevated our sanitation procedures as part of our routine measures to ensure a safe environment on board and will continue to take any necessary measures to protect our guests and crew,” the spokesperson said.

According to the CruiseMapper website, the Norwegian Epic departed Rome on Nov. 1 and is scheduled to arrive in Lisbon on Nov. 13. The ship has or had stops in several Italian, Spanish, or Moroccan cities before its final stop.

The cruise company did not say whether it has determined the cause of the two bacterial cases. Previously, the CDC has linked outbreaks or cases of Legionnaires’ disease to cruise ship balcony hot tubs.

“Hot tubs offer favorable conditions for Legionella growth and transmission when maintained and operated inadequately, regardless of location,” the CDC said in a report in 2024. “Private hot tubs on cruise ships are not subject to the same maintenance requirements as are public hot tubs in common areas.”

Aside from hot tubs, the bacteria can spread and multiply through other human-made water systems such as cooling towers, hot water tanks, fountains, and air conditioners.

Symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease typically appear two to 10 days after exposure to the bacteria, and may include fever, cough, muscle aches, nausea, diarrhea, and shortness of breath, according to health officials. The infection, which is not contagious, is usually treated with antibiotics.

Legionnaires’ disease was first identified in 1976 during a convention of the American Legion in Philadelphia, which is how the disease obtained its name.

Notably, seven people died and 114 were sickened in a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak in New York City between July and August 2025, officials said as they declared the outbreak over on Aug. 30. Most of the cases involved individuals who had risk factors, including being over the age of 50, smoking, or having a chronic disease. The outbreak was associated with two cooling towers.