Holland America Line has reported six separate gastrointestinal illness outbreaks across its fleet so far in 2025, impacting more than 600 guests and crew members – and raising concerns among cruise enthusiasts and health authorities alike.
The two most recent outbreaks have been confirmed aboard Zuiderdam and Eurodam, with both vessels currently operating high-profile itineraries that include calls to or from the United States – bringing them under the jurisdiction of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC reports that Zuiderdam has experienced its first outbreak of the year, with 55 of 1,149 passengers (4.8%) and 14 of 751 crew (1.9%) reporting symptoms such as diarrhoea and vomiting.
The 61,396-gross-ton ship is currently sailing a 125-night Grand World Voyage, which began from Fort Lauderdale on 4th January 2025.
Despite the lengthy sailing – which has taken passengers across the Panama Canal, through the South Pacific, Asia, and now to the Mediterranean – the total number of cases remains relatively low when considered over such a long duration. No specific cause has yet been identified, but testing is underway.
By contrast, Eurodam is experiencing its second outbreak of the year, with norovirus confirmed as the causative agent.
On its current 20-night repositioning voyage from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver, 64 of 2,038 passengers (3.1%) and 12 of 830 crew (1.5%) have reported symptoms.
Not a One-Off Issue
In total, the following Holland America Line ships have reported outbreaks in 2025:
- Zuiderdam – April
- Eurodam – February and April
- Rotterdam – February and March
- Volendam – January
Of the six outbreaks, five have been confirmed as norovirus-related – a highly contagious gastrointestinal virus that spreads rapidly in close-contact environments such as cruise ships.
Although these figures might appear worrying, they still represent a minority.
Across all impacted vessels, only 5.2% of guests and 1.6% of crew members have reported symptoms. That means nearly 95% of guests have enjoyed their cruises without incident.
Holland America Line has followed CDC protocols in every instance, including:
- Isolating affected guests and crew
- Conducting enhanced cleaning and disinfection
- Advising all passengers to practise strict hand hygiene
- Working closely with the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program
It’s important to note that norovirus is not exclusive to cruise ships. According to the CDC, the virus causes over 2,500 outbreaks each year in the United States alone, with peak season falling between November and April.
Given that Zuiderdam, Rotterdam, and Eurodam also reported norovirus outbreaks during late 2024, the pattern appears to align with wider seasonal trends rather than an isolated cruise line issue.
For most healthy travellers, norovirus causes an unpleasant but temporary illness. Still, passengers who are elderly, immunocompromised, or have underlying health issues should remain cautious.
Cruise passengers are advised to:
- Wash hands frequently, especially after using the toilet and before meals
- Use hand sanitiser, although this is less effective against norovirus than soap and water
- Report any symptoms promptly to onboard medical staff
- Follow isolation instructions if requested
While it’s never ideal to fall ill on holiday, the risks remain relatively low – and the cruise line’s transparency and adherence to health protocols should provide reassurance to concerned guests.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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I have always found that cleanliness has been top notch when I have sailed with Holland America, as has all other cruise companies I have cruised with, ships do not spread “Gastro illness” like “Norovirus”, but passengers do!! Gastrio illness was never a factor 30 years ago when cruising had a traditional custom and ships were much smaller, now ships are getting gigantically large and more people are cruising with possibly a larger percentage of new to cruising passengers with a lack of personal hygiene who must be taught that hands must be washed after using the toilet specially on a ship and always before going to eat, and to never handle food in the buffet, to keep yourself safe always- but – always wash your hands and face with hot water before going to bed because you have touched surfaces like elevator buttons and hand rails