For the second time in February – and third time in 2025 – Holland American Line reports an outbreak to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Required by law when 2 percent or more of a vessel’s passengers or crew exhibit symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, the cruise line’s 86,273-gross-ton Eurodam reported a norovirus outbreak on February 23, 2025.
Of Eurodam’s 2,057 passengers – a nearly sold-out journey – 79 guests, along with nine of its 834 crew members, began experiencing symptoms of diarrhea and vomiting just days into a 10-night roundtrip Southern Caribbean voyage.
Having departed from Fort Lauderdale, Florida’s Port Everglades on February 19, and visiting the private island Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos, and Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, passengers enjoying a sea day got more than they bargained for when the announcement of an outbreak was made.
In addition to diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC says symptoms of gastrointestinal illnesses like norovirus can also include muscle ache, headache, abdominal cramp, or fever.
While the cruise line told media the cases are “mostly mild and quickly resolved,” Eurodam has initiated the CDC’s sanitation protocols and are isolating sick passengers and crew and have increased cleaning and disinfection procedures.
While recovery, according to the CDC, can take place between one and three days, the virus can still be spread to others up to two weeks after feeling better, meaning those healthy are still at risk as the ship sails to calls in the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.
To stay safe, guests are encouraged to wash their hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, particularly before eating and after touching frequently used surfaces such as handrails and elevator buttons.
While cruise ships offer hand sanitizer near high traffic areas and its dining venues, the CDC says it does not work well against norovirus and should be a substitute for handwashing, “which is best.”
Says a former passenger on social media, “We were on Eurodam in December when there were cases. “We washed our hands often – especially before eating or after touching bannisters or elevator buttons. We tend to avoid buffets anyway but made sure to only get served food in the Lido.
“And our record remained intact: No gastro on 49 cruises.”
Repeat Offender
Eurodam is now the eighth cruise ship to have an outbreak after sailing in 2025, and was one of three vessels that welcomed in the New Year with norovirus onboard a late December 2024 voyage.
During that 9-night Caribbean journey, 109 of 2,139 passengers and 13 of 832 crew members fell ill to norovirus in the last of 18 outbreaks reported to the CDC in 2024.
The ship’s sister ship, the 99,935-gross-ton Rotterdam, reported its own ill-fated voyage earlier in February when 166 of 2,614 passengers and 19 of 969 crew members experienced similar norovirus symptoms.
The February 7, 2025, outbreak took place on a 13-night sailing in the Caribbean, which also included a call in Half Moon Cay, which is owned by Holland America Line’s parent company, Carnival Corporation.
Royal Caribbean’s 90,090-gross-ton Radiance of the Seas also experienced an unidentified cause of gastrointestinal illness this month. During its February 1 through 8, 2025, adventure to the Caribbean, 160 passengers and eight crew members reported ill.
Like a common cold or the flu, norovirus is more common in winter months.
