ms Koningsdam accidents and incidents

March 2024Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In March 2024, the CDC reported that on voyage HAL286 (from February 17 to March 24), a Norovirus outbreak affected a total of 98 passengers (out of 2522, or 3,89%) and 12 crew (out of 961, or 1,25%).

The reported illness cases were totals for the entire voyage.

The predominant symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

The ship was on a 35-day "Hawaii, Tahiti and Marquesas Cruise" (roundtrip from San Diego, California USA) visiting destinations in Hawaii USA (Hilo, Kahului, Nawiliwili, Honolulu), Kiribati (Fanning Island) and French Polynesia (Uturoa/Raiatea Island, Papeete/Tahiti Island, Moorea Island, Fakarava Atoll, Taiohae/Nuku Hiva Island).

08 August 2022Crew / Passenger Deaths

(overboard) On August 8, 2022, a 31-year-old male crew was reported missing and presumed overboard while the ship was navigating the Gastineau Channel (between mainland Alaska and Douglas Island/Alexander Archipelago), en route from Juneau towards Skagway.

The USCG Sector Juneau was contacted at 22:45 local time (6:45 UTC). For the search and rescue operation, at 23:05 (7:05 UTC) was dispatched a 45-ft RB-M (Response Boat-Medium) which arrived on the scene at ~23:15. Approx 1 hour later, from CG Air Station Sitka was launched a Sikorsky MH-60 Seahawk (rescue helicopter) which arrived on the scene at ~0:40 (8:40 UTC).

The search was also assisted by the fleetmate MS Eurodam. Both cruise ships remained for several hours in the area before being released by the USCG. Juneau police teams searched the coastlines. The operation was suspended in the afternoon on Aug 9th. The body was not found.

According to Holland America Line's statement on Aug 9th, the review of CCTV footage indicated that the man (Lorenzo Anthony Holmes Jr) went overboard intentionally - climbing over a railing and jumping overboard. He was a Tennessee resident and was employed as an entertainer (keyboard player) since May 2022.

The incident occurred during the 7-day "Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise" (itinerary Aug 6-13, roundtrip from Vancouver, BC Canada) with call ports Tracy Arm Fjord (scenic cruising), Juneau (Aug 8/port stay 1-10 pm), Skagway, Glacier Bay NP (scenic cruising), and Ketchikan.

09 April 2022Other Incidents

On April 9, 2022, MS Koningsdam became the first large cruise liner to visit a Canadian port following the 2-year cruise shipping pause due to the COVID crisis.

The 7-day voyage (April 3-10) was a relocation itinerary (RepositionCruises.com) from San Diego (CA USA) to Vancouver (BC Canada), with call ports in California (Santa Catalina Island, Santa Barbara, San Francisco), Victoria BC (Apr 9/port stay 2-10 pm) and ending in Vancouver - the ship's homeport for the Alaskan season 2022.

Koningsdam's visit to Victoria Harbour BC was a maiden call and also marked the 905 days since a cruise vessel last visited the Canadian seaport. The event was celebrated by Gus Antorcha (Holland America Line's President) and British Columbia government officials.

December 2021Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

(Coronavirus) On December 23, 2021, the ship was allowed entry bud it was denied disembarkation in Puerto Vallarta (Mexico) due to a COVID outbreak onboard. There were a total of 1137 passengers plus 873 crew.

On Dec 23rd, Mexican media reported that 19 crew tested COVID-positive (allegedly with the Omicron variant) during routine testing. The ship arrived at the port as scheduled but left ~2 hours after debarkation was forbidden. On Dec 24th was announced that 21 crew were COVID-positive.

The incident occurred at the end of the 7-day "Mexican Riviera Holiday Cruise" (Dec 19-26, roundtrip from homeport San Diego, California USA) with itinerary ports Cabo San Lucas (Dec 21), Mazatlan (Dec 22), and Puerto Vallarta (Dec 23, scheduled port stay 8 am - 9 pm).

May 2020Other Incidents

(crew repatriation) For three consecutive days (May 20-23), a total of 674 crew were repatriated from the cruise ship docked at Puerto Vallarta (Mexico). The vessel berthed on May 20 (at 1 PM) requesting permission to disembark its non-essential crew and return them home via charter flights.

On May 21, 73 crew were repatriated to Mexico City, from where flown to Amsterdam Holland. On May 22, a total of 187 crew (divided into 2 groups) were repatriated/flown to Barbados (171) and Mexico City (16). On May 22 (at 7:25 PM) were disembarked the remaining 414 crew. All were bused to Puerto Vallarta's Licenciado Gustavo Díaz Ordaz Airport for the organized by Holland America Line charter flights. The first group (88 crew) departed on May 22 (at 10:35 PM), the second (281 crew) on May 23 (at 2:33 PM, for Belgrade Serbia), the third (45 crew) departed for Mexico City.

Note: The cruise liner was without passengers since mid-March when Carnival Corporation (shipowner) suspended fleetwide (all brands) and globally voyages due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

13 January 2020Crew / Passenger Deaths

(drowning ashore) On January 13, 2020, while the ship was anchored at Half Moon Cay (Carnival Corporation-owned private island in The Bahamas), a male passenger drowned ashore. The adult man was discovered unresponsive and floating in the sea at ~1 pm. CPR was immediately rendered after he was retrieved from the water. The body was ambulanced to Rock Sound (Eleuthera) where at the Community Clinic he was pronounced dead.

The incident occurred at the beginning of 10-days Southern Caribbean Seafarer cruise (itinerary Jan 12-22)roundtrip from homeport Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida) visiting Half Moon Cay (island stay 8 am - 3 pm), (Grand Turk Island (Cockburn Town), Dominican Republic (Amber Cove), Bonaire Island (Kralendijk), Curacao Island (Willemstad) and Aruba Island (Oranjestad).

(CruiseMapper email by Donna L) Holland America Koningsdam drowning - I was on this sailing and was witness to the incident.

04 October 2019Propulsion / Power Loss

On October 4, 2019, while en-route from Malta to Italy and navigating in the Messina Strait, the cruise liner lost electrical power (and its azipod / thruster propulsion) during the Messina Strait passage. Via the PA system, the Captain announced that the issue was computer-related. The ship continued the passage with only one of its all 4 MAK diesel engines working. At ~1 pm was announced that two of the engines were operational and the onboard electricity was restored.

The accident occurred at the end of 12-day "Mediterranean Legends Cruise" (itinerary September 24 - October 6) roundtrip from homeport Civitavecchia-Rome to Dubrovnik (Croatia), Kotor (Montenegro), Split (Croatia), Koper (Slovenia), Korcula (Croatia), Kerkyra (Corfu Island, Greece), Catania (Sicily), Valletta (Malta) and Naples.