Ciguatera: Rare illness on board? Nearly 30 crew members sickened on small cruise ship

Rare illness on board? Nearly 30 crew members sickened on small cruise ship
Nathan Diller Jan 10, 2025 https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2025/01/10/outbreak-cruise...

Nearly 30 people got sick with gastrointestinal illness on a small Sea Cloud Cruises ship.

Among 93 crew members, 28 reported being ill during a voyage aboard Sea Cloud Spirit that ended Friday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The health agency listed the presumed cause as ciguatera.

Their main symptoms were abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea and myalgia (muscle aches and pain).

No guests reported illness during the cruise. The ship was in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as of publishing time, according to CruiseMapper.

"Sea Cloud Spirit reported crew members had shown gastrointestinal symptoms during the previous cruise that were non-contagious," a Sea Cloud Cruises spokesperson told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. "No guests were affected, the impacted crew have recovered and are eager to set sail from San Juan as scheduled later today."

What is ciguatera?

Ciguatera poisoning is caused by eating fish that has been “contaminated with toxins produced by tiny algae found around coral reefs,” according to the CDC’s website.

“It can be difficult to tell if fish is contaminated as the toxins that cause ciguatera do not change the appearance, taste, or smell of the fish,” the agency said. “Cooking does not destroy the toxins.” Those fish can include barracuda, moray eel, sea bass and others.

Symptoms typically begin within three to six hours but can take more than a day to present. While less common than gastrointestinal distress, people can also experience blurred vision, a metallic taste in their mouth, itching and more.

If you develop symptoms after eating fish, the CDC recommends seeking medical attention.

There is no cure, but some symptoms can be treated and typically only last several days. However, they can stick around for months. Those who get sick “may want to avoid fish, nuts, alcohol, and caffeine for at least 6 months to prevent symptoms from returning,” the CDC said.

The cases mark the first outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met the health agency’s threshold for public notification so far this year. The CDC logged 18 outbreaks in 2024, most of which were caused by norovirus.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].