Norovirus Sickens Nearly 90 on Holland America’s Rotterdam; Ship Undergoes Full Sanitization
Norovirus aboard Holland America’s Rotterdam sickened 81 passengers and eight crew during a Fort Lauderdale Caribbean voyage, prompting CDC notification and immediate full ship sanitization.
Overview
Eighty-one passengers and eight crew aboard Rotterdam reported gastrointestinal symptoms, primarily vomiting and diarrhea, during the ship’s Caribbean voyage that departed Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 28.
Holland America and the CDC’s Vessel Sanitation Program documented the outbreak; the cruise line said most cases were mild and quickly resolved while ill passengers were isolated.
The ship returned to Fort Lauderdale and underwent a comprehensive sanitization after the voyage; crew collected stool specimens for testing and increased cleaning protocols on board.
This incident follows previous gastrointestinal outbreaks aboard Rotterdam within the past year, including larger incidents earlier in 2025, raising concerns about repeated shipboard norovirus occurrences.
Norovirus spreads easily in close quarters like cruise ships; public health experts note detection bias because such settings, day cares and nursing homes report and diagnose outbreaks more frequently.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the story neutrally, reporting facts and official statements without loaded language. They cite CDC findings and the cruise line’s sanitization statement, provide illness counts and symptoms, and note the prior outbreak—emphasizing documented actions and outcomes rather than editorializing or selective omission.
Sources (3)
FAQ
85 passengers out of 2,593 (3.3%) and 9 crew out of 1,005 (0.9%) reported being ill with norovirus.
Predominant symptoms were vomiting and diarrhea, with norovirus confirmed as the causative agent.
Holland America increased cleaning and disinfection, collected stool specimens for testing, isolated ill passengers and crew, and consulted with the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program; the ship underwent full sanitization upon return to Fort Lauderdale.
The voyage was from December 28, 2025, to January 9, 2026, departing from Fort Lauderdale with stops in Curaçao, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and other destinations.
Norovirus spreads easily in close quarters like cruise ships, and these settings have detection bias as they report and diagnose outbreaks more frequently compared to general community settings.
History
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