Fourth Holland America cruise norovirus outbreak since early December sickens 60
A norovirus outbreak on a Holland America Line ship sickened 60 people.
Among 1,369 guests on its Volendam ship, 53 reported being ill during its current voyage along with seven crew members, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Their main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.
The ship departed on a cruise from Miami on Jan. 4 with scheduled stops in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Barbados and more, according to CruiseMapper.
A spokesperson for the cruise line said the cases "were mostly mild and quickly resolved."
"We initiated enhanced sanitation protocols in conjunction with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to minimize further transmission, including continuous disinfection of the ship," the spokesperson told Paste BN in an emailed statement. The cruise line also isolated sick passengers and crew, among other steps, the CDC said.
The cases mark the fourth norovirus outbreak on Holland America ships since early December, following others on its Eurodam, Rotterdam and Zuiderdam vessels. Other companies, including Cunard Line and Princess Cruises also saw outbreaks in recent weeks.
The CDC has logged three outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruises that met its threshold for public notification so far this year. Those follow a total of 18 in 2024, most of which were caused by norovirus. Outbreaks tend to be more common in winter months when the weather is cooler, the health agency said.
Dr. Dean Winslow, a professor of medicine and pediatrics at Stanford Medicine, told Paste BN earlier this month that outbreaks tend to take place in congregate settings, particularly where people are eating and drinking. Those include cruise ships, along with universities, nursing homes and “even hospitals,” he said.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for Paste BN based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.