Cruise ships

Ocean vacations remain the safest and most fun family adventures, says a hospitality expert. But with outbreaks of the disease showing yearly increases, precautions are necessary.

The Holland America Line cruise ship left Port Everglades on Feb. 2 and traveled through the Caribbean, Colombia, Panama and Costa Rica over 12 days.

Outbreaks are often seen on cruise ships, in living situations like nursing homes and jails, along with other places where people are close together.

The CDC is investigating after more than 150 people on the luxury liner reported gastrointestinal illness, including diarrhea and vomiting. The ship passed through Port Canaveral and Port Everglades in January.

According to the CDC, its the most outbreaks over the first six months of a year since 2012. The reports come from ships under Carnival and Royal Caribbean brands.

The cruise company would not confirm how many people tested positive for COVID but said there were a number of positive cases on the Carnival Spirit.

While the agency has lifted its travel health notice two years after putting it in place, officials say it's up to travelers to determine their own health risks before going aboard a ship.

A study says declining COVID rates and increased eagerness about traveling have contributed to these statistics.

A motion for dismissal filed at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals did not explain the decision, but the CDC let expire what is known as a “conditional sailing order” that placed COVID restrictions.

The cancellations involve nearly half of the cruise line's fleet after one ship returned early to Miami this week due to a COVID-19 outbreak among crew members.