Table of Contents
240 people on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship are sick. They have a stomach bug called norovirus.
The ship went from England to the Caribbean. The ship left England on March 8. It arrives back on April 6.
224 passengers are sick and 17 crew members are sick.
Norovirus is easy to catch. It moves to new people fast. It is common on ships and in hotels.
The virus can stay on things for many days. If you touch something dirty and then touch your mouth, you can get sick.
The people on the ship have bad stomachs. They throw up and have diarrhea.
The ship company is cleaning a lot. They also put sick people in rooms alone.
In 2024, many people got sick 16 times on cruise ships. In 2023, there were 14 times.
In 2025, it was 11 times already. Nine times, it was norovirus.
The CDC says to wash your hands a lot. Wash them after the toilet and before you eat.
Vocabulary
- Cruise ship – a large boat that takes people on trips for fun; 🚢
- Sick – ill; not feeling well;
- Stomach bug – a sickness that makes your stomach hurt; people call viruses and bacteria “bugs”
- The Caribbean – a group of island countries near the US, Mexico and South America
- Leave – to go away; to depart; to stop being part of something;
- Arrive – to reach or get to a destination; when the journey ends
- Passenger – a person who is traveling in a vehicle, or on a train or plane, but is not driving it or working on it
- Crew – a group of people who work together; a group or team of people who work together on a vehicle like an airplane or a ship
- Crew member – a person whose job is on an airplane or ship, for example, a pilot, flight attendant, cleaner, chef, etc.
- Catch – e.g., catch a cold, catch influenza; To get a sickness 🤧
- Common – Happens a lot; normal; usual
- Touch – to put your hand or finger on something
- Dirty – Not clean
- Get sick – To become ill; to not feel well
- Stomach – belly; where food in your body goes; 🫄
- Vomit – To throw up; when food from your stomach comes out of your mouth; 🤮
- Diarrhea – when you have to go to the bathroom a lot with loose poop.
Discussion Questions
- Why do you think so many people get sick on cruise ships?
- Do you think cruise ships should stop trips when many people get sick?
- Is it scary to go on a cruise ship now? Why or why not?
- If you got sick on a trip, what would you want the ship to do for you?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
Original Story
Fill-in-the-Blank Listening Practice
240 _____ on the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship are sick. _____ have a stomach bug called norovirus.
The _____ went from England to the Caribbean. The ship _____ England on March 8. It arrives back on April _____ .
224 passengers are sick and _____ crew members are sick.
Norovirus _____ easy to catch. It moves to new people fast. It is common _____ ships and in hotels.
The virus can stay on _____ for many days. If you touch something dirty and then _____ your mouth, you can get sick.
The people on the ship _____ bad stomachs. They throw up and have diarrhea.
_____ ship company is cleaning a lot. They also put sick _____ in rooms alone.
In 2024, many people _____ sick 16 times on cruise ships. In 2023, there were _____ times.
In 2025, it was 11 times _____ . Nine times, it was norovirus.
The CDC says to _____ your hands a lot. Wash them after the toilet and _____ you eat.
