At a Glance
- 89 passengers and crew on Holland America’s Rotterdam fell ill with norovirus
- Ship returned to Fort Lauderdale on January 5, 2025 after Dec. 28 departure
- CDC reports predominant symptoms: vomiting and diarrhea
- Why it matters: Second outbreak on same vessel within 11 months raises sanitation concerns
A norovirus outbreak aboard the Holland America cruise liner Rotterdam sickened 89 people during a week-long voyage that ended Friday in Fort Lauderdale, according to the cruise line and federal health officials.
The ship carried 2,593 passengers and 1,005 crew members when it departed Fort Lauderdale on December 28, 2024. By the time it returned on January 5, 2025, 81 passengers and eight crew members had reported gastrointestinal symptoms, the company said.
“During its previous voyage, a number of guests onboard Rotterdam reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness. The cases were mostly mild and quickly resolved,” Holland America said in a statement.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the outbreak was caused by norovirus, a highly contagious stomach bug that spreads rapidly in close quarters like cruise ships.
Outbreak Response
Crew members implemented standard containment protocols once passengers began falling ill:
- Collected stool specimens for laboratory testing
- Isolated ill passengers and crew in their cabins
- Conducted comprehensive sanitization of the ship after docking
- Followed CDC protocols for gastrointestinal outbreaks
“The health of our guests and crew is a top priority and consistent with CDC protocols, we conducted a comprehensive sanitization of the ship when the cruise ended Friday in Fort Lauderdale,” the cruise line stated.
The predominant symptoms reported were vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC’s vessel sanitation program.
Repeat Incident
This marks the second norovirus outbreak aboard the Rotterdam within 11 months. A previous voyage departing February 2, 2024 saw 169 people fall ill with similar symptoms.
The back-to-back outbreaks on the same vessel raise questions about the effectiveness of the cruise line’s sanitation protocols between voyages.
Key Takeaways
- 89 total cases: 81 passengers + 8 crew from 3,598 people onboard
- Mild symptoms: Most cases resolved quickly according to Holland America
- Full sanitization: Ship underwent CDC-compliant cleaning before next voyage
- Pattern emerging: Second outbreak since February 2024 on same ship
