A Third Norovirus Outbreak Has Hit This Popular Cruise Line

Disney4me · February 27

Another norovirus outbreak has hit Holland America Line for the third time this year.

©Holland America

According to USA Today, it was reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that nearly 90 people got sick, including 79 passengers and nine crew members.

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Holland America’s Eurodam ship departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on February 19th for a 10-day Caribbean cruise with scheduled stops in Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic, Aruba, and more — but almost 90 people didn’t have the trip they had planned.

©Holland America

A Holland America spokesperson said that 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,” they said in a statement. They also isolated sick passengers and employees, among other measures, according to the CDC.

©Holland America

This most recent case marks the eighth gastrointestinal illness outbreak on cruises to meet the CDC’s threshold for public notification so far this year — with three of them being on Holland America ships.

©Holland America

Back in December, more than 300 people contracted the virus on three different vessels. Those who got sick back then were on Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess on a trip around Hawaii, as well as Holland America’s Rotterdam and Zuiderdam cruises.

In 2025, seven cruise ships sailing out of the U.S. have reported outbreaks of illness to the CDC so far. Royal Caribbean reported the spread of a “gastrointestinal illness” onboard the Radiance of the Seas, which sailed out of Tampa.

©Holland America

“Norovirus can be especially challenging to control on cruise ships because of the close living quarters, shared dining areas and rapid turnover of passengers,” the CDC website states. “When the ship docks, norovirus can be brought on board in contaminated food or water; or by passengers who were infected while ashore.”

With norovirus being so contagious, you might want to know what to do to protect yourself on a cruise. One easy preventative measure is to wash your hands often, including after using the toilet and changing diapers, before eating or handling food, and before giving yourself or someone else any medication. One thing you’ll need to note is that hand sanitizer does not do a great job of preventing norovirus, so you’ll want to use soap and water when you can.

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Cruise port

We’ll continue to keep an eye on these norovirus outbreaks and let you know of any other potential cases that could impact your next vacation. In the meantime, stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest travel news and more!