Norovirus challenges aboard cruise ships.

Being in a ship is like being in jail, with the chance of being drowned (Dr. Samuel Johnson) Gastroenteritis is a major health concern aboard cruise ships [1]. Poor sanitation systems and contaminated water and food used to get the blame. As the North American market covers 2/3 of the global cruise volume [2], the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were particularly interested in this subject and established already in the 1970’s the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) in cooperation with the cruise industry [3]. The comprehensive program helped the ships to minimize the risk of