Almost 100 individuals became ill due to a norovirus outbreak on a Holland America Line cruise, marking the second outbreak on its ships within the same month.

Aboard the Rotterdam ship, which had 2,192 guests, 83 people reported feeling unwell during a trip that concluded last Friday, along with about 12 crew members, as stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The primary symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea.

The cruise departed from Fort Lauderdale on December 8, according to CruiseMapper. A representative from Holland America mentioned that most of the cases were mild and quickly resolved.

“We implemented enhanced sanitation measures in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the risk of further transmission,” the spokesperson informed YSL News via email. “Additionally, upon arriving back in Fort Lauderdale today, the ship will undergo thorough and extensive cleaning before it sets sail again. Passengers have been notified of revised boarding times to accommodate this additional sanitization.”

The cruise line also took measures to isolate the sick passengers and crew, among other actions, according to the CDC.

This information follows other recent norovirus outbreaks on Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess, which concluded its voyage Wednesday, and on Holland America’s Zuiderdam that finished on December 14. Outbreaks tend to be more prevalent during the winter season—as the weather gets colder—though they can also occur year-round in equatorial regions, according to the CDC.

In 2024, the health agency has reported 14 outbreaks of gastrointestinal illnesses on cruises that reached the public notification threshold. Norovirus was identified as the cause in almost all except three instances.

This illness is often linked to cruise ships, but it is important to note that such vessels account for only 1% of all reported outbreaks.

“There’s nothing particularly unique about cruise ships,” Dr. Sarah E. Hochman, an infectious disease specialist at NYU Langone Health’s Tisch Hospital, stated to YSL News in April. “It’s really about any crowded setting, and similar outbreaks are also occurring in communities at a smaller scale among families and close contacts. However, these smaller cases do not gain as much attention from public health agencies.”