Norwegian Cruise Line has closed the hot tubs and heated whirlpools on board its ship Norwegian Prima as a precaution after three former passengers were diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease, a form of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. The cases involved travellers who sailed on the 3,200-passenger vessel in May and July 2026; the source of exposure has not yet been confirmed, and the cruise line says it is working with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate and prevent further cases.

Legionella spreads when people inhale small water droplets containing the bacteria, and poses a greater risk to those over 50, smokers, and people with chronic lung disease or weakened immune systems. Norwegian said all public hot tubs and private balcony whirlpools would stay shut until sampling and any required remediation had been completed in line with CDC guidance, and that it had notified affected guests and crew and stepped up sanitation measures. The news, first reported by the blog Cruise Fever, prompted mixed reactions online, with some commenters saying they avoid ship hot tubs altogether and others, already booked on the vessel, saying they felt uneasy but intended to sail regardless.