CDC tracks another norovirus outbreak on Florida-based cruise ship

Nearly 120 people on board a cruise ship that departed from Florida this month have become ill with norovirus, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC’s Vehicle Sanitation Program outbreaks page lists Holland America’s ms Rotterdam on a 12-night Panama Canal voyage that departed Port Everglades as the latest vessel to fall victim to an outbreak this year.

The report states 107 of 2,614 passengers, or 4.1%, and 12 of 969 crew, or 1.2%, have reported being ill during the voyage that departed Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 2 and is expected to arrive back on Feb. 14. The first case was reported Feb. 7. These totals are cumulative so far during the cruise, and do not mean everyone has been sick at the same time.

Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting.

The CDC stated the ship’s crew have increased cleaning and disinfection procedures as part of the cruise line’s normal outbreak and response plan. Specimens have been collected from both ill crew and passengers for testing and the ship crew and cruise line continue to consult with the CDC, which is remotely monitoring the situation.

The ship is scheduled to sail a nine-night southern Caribbean itinerary on Feb. 14 from Port Everglades.

This is the seventh outbreak tracked by the CDC so far in 2025, and fourth determined to be from norovirus. It follows a recent unknown outbreak with similar symptoms that afflicted the Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas sailing out of Tampa.

The final sickness counts from that sailing that returned on Feb. 8 included 160 of 2,164 passengers, or 7.4%, and eight of 910 crew, or 0.9%. The CDC has yet to determine what caused the outbreak.

Other ships with norovirus outbreaks tracked so far this year have included Princess Cruises’ Coral Princess, Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Mars and Holland America’s ms Volendam.

The CDC tracked 18 outbreaks on U.S.-based cruise ships in 2024 with 15 of the outbreaks blamed on norovirus.

Cruise lines are required to report any suspected outbreak to the CDC, although norovirus can be prevalent on land as well. The hotel industry, for instance, is not required to report similar outbreaks.