Carnival's Holland America Line has reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on its current sailing with over 100 ill passengers onboard.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Holland America Line's Rotterdam has 152 sick guests onboard its current voyage which departed on February 2, 2025. 17 crew members are also reportedly ill.
The outbreak was reported to the CDC on February 7, 2025. 5.8% of passengers and 1.8% of crew members reported gastrointestinal symptoms. There are 2,614 guests and 969 crew onboard.
The predominant symptoms reported are diarrhea and vomiting. The CDC listed norovirus as the causative agent, a highly contagious virus that spreads easily through contaminated food, water, or surfaces.
Holland America Line has implemented enhanced cleaning protocols in response to the outbreak on Rotterdam. They also collected stool specimens for testing and isolated ill passengers and crew.
Rotterdam is sailing on a 12-night Panama Canal Sunfarer cruise which departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Sunday, February 2. The round-trip itinerary includes stops in Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Cartagena, Colombia; Colón, Panama; Limón, Costa Rica; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Holland America Line's Rotterdam is slated to return to Fort Lauderdale on Friday, February 14.
7th gastrointestinal cruise ship outbreak in 2025
Before Rotterdam, the most recent gastrointestinal outbreak on a cruise ship was on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas.
Norovirus is also on the rise in the U.S. For example, the CDC published data that said that between August 1, 2024, and January 15, 2025, there were 1,078 norovirus outbreaks reported by NoroSTAT-participating states.
During the same period last seasonal year, just 557 norovirus outbreaks were reported by the same states.
According to CDC data, Rotterdam is the seventh vessel to report a gastrointestinal illness outbreak in 2025. The first case came from Sea Cloud Cruises' Sea Cloud Spirit, where the suspected cause was Ciguatera, rather than norovirus.
Holland America Line's Volendam was the first cruise ship in 2025 to report a norovirus outbreak. The illness was present during the ship's January 4 sailing.
The CDC shares outbreaks when they meet the following criteria:
- The ship is under VSP (Vessel Sanitation Program) jurisdiction on cruises including both U.S. and foreign ports
- Specific voyage has 3% or more of passengers or crew reporting gastrointestinal symptoms to the ship's medical staff
In the case of Volendam, 6.8% (or 93 out of 1,369) of passengers reported being ill during the 21-night cruise. 1.93% (or 11 out of 569) of the crew were also sick.
How to stay healthy on a cruise ship
Did you know that annual data released by the CDC revealed that 2024 was the worst year for cruise ship gastrointestinal outbreaks in over a decade? There were 16 reported outbreaks on ships last year, up from 14 in 2023!
While you shouldn't cancel your upcoming cruise, you should take certain precuations to stay healthy. For example, consider taking the stairs more frequently than the elevators.
With thousands of passengers on a ship, elevators usually are crammed with people filling up all available space. Stairwells, on the other hand, are quieter than elevator banks with better air circulation.
You should also wash your hands more often. It's not enough to scrub with soap and hot water before entering the ship's buffet or using the restroom.
From door handles to elevator buttons, handrails, and other commonly touched surfaces, there are plenty of opportunities for germs to spread.
As such, you should wash (or at least sanitize) your hands whenever possible. Lots of ships have sanitizing stations available throughout public areas!
And if you do start to feel unwell, stay in your cabin. Though it's disappointing to spend your vacation in your stateroom, it's important to do your part in keeping everyone else onboard healthy and safe.
By resting in your cabin, you are helping your body recover quickly and prevent spreading illnesses to other passengers.
Read more: 10 tips to make your next cruise healthier
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on nearly 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
