A norovirus outbreak on HAL-Holland America Line's vessel ms Volendam resulted in 60 reported cases of illness among passengers and crew.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC USA), 53 of the 1,369 guests, along with 7 crew members, experienced symptoms primarily consisting of diarrhea and vomiting during the current voyage.
MS Volendam departed from PortMiami (Florida USA) on January 4th, with scheduled stops in destinations including the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Barbados. Holland America Line described the cases as "mostly mild and quickly resolved." The cruise line stated it implemented enhanced sanitation measures in coordination with the CDC to mitigate further spread of the virus. These included continuous ship disinfection, isolating affected individuals, and other preventive actions.
This incident marks the 4th norovirus outbreak on HAL ships since early December, following similar incidents on the Eurodam, Rotterdam, and Zuiderdam. Other major cruise lines, such as Cunard Line and Princess Cruises, have also reported outbreaks in recent weeks.
The CDC has recorded 3 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness on cruise ships that met its threshold for public notification so far in 2025. This follows 18 such outbreaks in 2024, the majority of which were attributed to norovirus. The CDC noted that these outbreaks are more frequent during cooler winter months.
For more Volendam incidents and accidents see the ship's CruiseMinus page.