ms Noordam accidents and incidents

27 January 2023Structural and Technical Issues

On January 27, 2023, while docked at Princes Wharf in Port Auckland (New Zealand), the ship experienced a mooring rope failure. The accident occurred at ~11:15 am local time (~22:15 UTC) when the berthed ship had to use its diesel engines to maintain its position at the berth.

Reportedly, due to strong gust winds (up to 25 mph/40 kph) in the harbor's ferry basin, one of the mooring lines snapped and MS Noordam had to start its engines/propulsion. The created wash prevented the passenger ferries from entering/docking or leaving the waterway for nearly one hour, thus impacting the scheduled ferry services.

On Jan 27th, the ship ended a 13-day voyage from Sydney (NSW Australia) and later started a 15-day reverse itinerary from Auckland to Sydney.

November 2019Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

On November 17, 2019, the cruise liner reported to Southern DHB (Dunedin NZ's District Health Board) a total of 20 passengers with Norovirus symptoms (vomiting and diarrhea) after docking in Port Chalmers (Dunedin). The outbreak developed while the ship was at sea, en-route from Sydney NSW to New Zealand. All afected passengers were cared for onboard, and Public Health South (DHB's Health Education Resource Centre) provided advice for containing the outbreak.

The illness incident occurred during the 14-day Australia to New Zealand cruise (itinerary October 9 - November 23) from Sydney to Auckland, visiting Melbourne, Hobart Tasmania, Fiordland NP, Dunedin (port stay 9 am - 6 pm), Akaroa, Picton, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, and Auckland. Note: When the itinerary doesn’t include US cruise ports, the ship is not required to report to CDC, thus no official illness report would be issued.

15 February 2018Crew / Passenger Injuries and Overboards

On February 15, 2018, two elderly passengers were rescued by an NZ police boat after their sea kayaks capsized in Wellington Harbour. Both passengers (male and female, in their 70s) were in the water for ~15 min by the time the NZ maritime police rescued them.

According to the incident report, a group of 8 sea kayakers from the cruise ship got into trouble at ~2:15 pm, while kayaking in windy weather. The maritime police received the call from a Somes Island ranger. A Bluebridge Cook Strait Ferry ship was diverted to avoid the area during the rescue.

The kayaking was in the waters near Miramar Peninsula (Mahanga Bay and Kau Bay). None of the other 6 passengers required medical treatment. The liner was on 17-day Tasmania and New Zealand cruise (itinerary Feb 1-18) from Sydney NSW to Auckland NZ.

11 December 2017Crew / Passenger Crimes

(sexual) On December 12, 2017, a 33-year-old male passenger was arrested in Port Chalmers (Dunedin, New Zealand) and charged with "sexual assault" (rape of) and "unlawful sexual connection" with a female passenger.

Each of the charges carries a max penalty of 20 years in jail. Both acts allegedly occurred onboard (at sea) on Dec 11. According to local police, the man and the woman were known to each other. The ship was on 15-day Auckland to Sydney cruise (itinerary Dec 6-21) visiting ports in NZ, Tasmania and Australia.

August 2017Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

July-August 2017, CDC reported on itinerary July 23-30, a Norovirus outbreak affected 138 passengers (out of 2086, or 6,6%) and 4 crew (out of 803, or 0,5%). The ship was on a 7-day Alaskan cruise from Seward AK to Vancouver BC Canada.

On the next scheduled 7-day Alaskan cruise (itinerary, July 30 – Aug 6, Vancouver to Seward), CDC reported another illness outbreak with infected 82 passengers (out of 2143, or 3,8%) and 5 crew (out of 790, or 0,6%).

15 June 2015Boat Rescue

On June 15, 2015, in Glacier Bay (Alaska), the cruise vessel assisted a damaged tour boat. The 79 ft / 24 m long sightseeing boat (named “Baranof Wind”) suffered an engine room fire in the afternoon hours. Although the fire was quickly extinguished, it partially disabled the boat, so its crew called for assistance.

The emergency call was answered by MS Noordam. When the ship arrived, one of its tender boats was used to offload the boat’s 40 passengers plus 1 park ranger. The disabled boat was then towed to Juneau AK for repairs.

The ship’s tender boat offloaded the tourists at Bartlett Cove (at the Glacier Bay’s entrance) and joined the cruise ship, which continued to the next scheduled call port Ketchikan AK.

November 2014Crew / Passenger Crimes

(law news) On December 16, 2014, Broward County police arrested a 42-year-old male crew. The man (of Indonesian origin) worked on the ship as an auditor. He was charged with grand theft for stealing from the ship USD 10,200 in cash. The embezzlement was reported in November 2014, with a total of 11 separate thefts committed between November 3 and 13.

25 August 2014Fire Accident

On August 25, 2014, at ~3 am, the Captain informed via the PA system that a fire incident occurred in the incinerator room. It was extinguished after ~1 hour.

30 October 2013Fire Accident

On October 30, 2013, passengers reported a small fire broke out in the Lido buffet restaurant (midship-aft on Deck 9). The incident occurred at ~10:30 am, while the ship was docked in port. The Captain announced via the PA system that the fire alarm was not a drill and that all crew should stand by. The Lido restaurant’s entrance was blocked, so passengers had to eat around the swimming pool.

January 2010Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In January 2010, the ship reported on itinerary Jan 4-14, a total of 38 passengers suffered the Norovirus symptoms. Because the required by the CDC threshold of 3% infected was not reached, the incident was not reported as an outbreak.

November 2009Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

October-November 2009, CDC reported on the voyage Oct 16 to Nov 1, a major Norovirus outbreak affected 159 passengers (out of 1826, or 8,7%) and 19 crew (out of 784, or 2,4%). At the onboard infirmary were also reported cases of food poisoning. The ship was on Transatlantic repositioning cruise from Europe to Florida.

January 2008Cruise Illness / Virus Outbreaks

In January 2008, CDC reported on the voyage Jan 5 to 16, a Norovirus outbreak (gastrointestinal illness) infected 103 passengers (out of 1980, or 5,2%) and 12 crew (out of 816, or 1,5%). All sick suffered from Norovirus symptoms (vomiting, diarrhoea) and were quarantined to their cabins.