Cruise Demand Holds Steady Despite Recent Hantavirus and Norovirus Outbreaks

Recent outbreaks of hantavirus and norovirus aboard cruise ships have drawn attention, but many travelers are not changing their vacation plans.

Cruise industry experts say demand remains strong heading into the busy summer travel season, despite recent illness cases reported on several ships.

The Cruise Lines International Association recently projected that more than 38 million people worldwide will take ocean cruises this year, up from a record 37.2 million passengers last year.

Some travelers say the health concerns are not enough to deter them from booking future trips.

"I have eight cruises booked, and I’ll absolutely be booking another," cruise blogger Jenni Fielding told the AP.

Fielding said cruise vacations remain as safe as other types of travel when passengers follow health guidance and stay aware of official updates.

The continued demand comes even after three passengers aboard the MV Hondius died following a hantavirus outbreak connected to a stop in Argentina.

Fox News Digital also recently reported on a norovirus outbreak aboard the Caribbean Princess that sickened more than 100 passengers and crew members.

"We have not seen any drop in demand," CruiseCompete CEO Bob Levinstein told the AP.

Levinstein said bookings through the company increased by more than 30% during the first half of May, compared to the same period last year.

Experts say norovirus cases often receive heightened attention because cruise ships are required to publicly report illnesses affecting a certain percentage of passengers.

Many cruises are also booked months in advance, making recent health concerns less likely to immediately affect travel plans.

On Reddit, many cruise passengers said they were not changing their plans because of the recent outbreaks.

"I’m leaving … next week. It hasn’t even occurred to me to be worried about the hantavirus," one user wrote.

"Going to Alaska next month, not the least bit concerned," another commenter added. "Norovirus is more likely, and that risk is understood."

"Never crosses my mind at all. Cruise on!" one person wrote.

Industry experts said that while cruise lines have voluntary passenger protections in place, policies can vary depending on the situation and the cruise operator involved.