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Published On: Tue, Mar 18th, 2014

Norovirus outbreak on Holland America’s MS Maasdam ? At least two passengers post on Facebook

Is there a norovirus outbreak happening as we speak aboard Holland America Line’s MS Maasdam?

Nothing has been confirmed by the cruise line and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Vessel Sanitation Program has not reported an outbreak; however, at least two passengers have posted comments on the Facebook page, Cruise Law News in the past 10 hours.

One passenger posted  near Parintins, Brazil:

“MS Maasdam has been fighting NOROVIRUS pretty much most of the cruise from Rio to Ft Lauderdale. .RED ALERT”

He later wrote, “Capt won’t release numbers but for for past week has said new people keep reporting illness”.

A different passenger, a physician, noted:

I am on the sick Holland America Maasdam which has had Noro virus ever since the departing Rio and won’t be scheduled to be back in Fort Lauderdale until the end of the month. I’m getting tired of hearing the Captain blame the passengers for the spread of the disease. As a physician, I’ve clearly noted that the disease is passed by vectors such as cruise cards, bar staff and wait staff never washing their hands, and the tables and chairs being cleaned with the same rag. Captain it’s not the passengers its your staff.

MS MaasdamImage/Video Screen Shot

 

 

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About the Author

- Writer, Co-Founder and Executive Editor of The Global Dispatch. Robert has been covering news in the areas of health, world news and politics for a variety of online news sources. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the website, Outbreak News Today and hosts the podcast, Outbreak News Interviews on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify Robert is politically Independent and a born again Christian Follow @bactiman63

Displaying 6 Comments
Have Your Say
  1. VICTORIA ASHFORD says:

    I just disembarked from the MS Maasdam on May 23, 2015. Yes, I was tired of all the washy-washy and spritzy-spritzing of Purell, but my aunt and I ARE NOT SICK and greatly enjoyed our cruise from Montreal to Boston.

    I agree with the crew member, sometimes passengers are the problem. However, I did wonder if a virus could also be transmitted through crew’s constant contact with our bed linens, pillow, towels and glasses in our staterooms. I just Kept Calm and Purelled On

  2. Donald Rudesill says:

    Got off the Maasdam in Montreal. We sailed from Fort Lauderdale. I know times I touched my eyes and rubbed my nose. I did get sick.

  3. Crew Member says:

    Being a current crew member on the Maasdam I must reply to the comment from the doctor who was also onboard. I have worked on ships for 6 years and I have never been on a ship that has gone into code red. As crew members, we know how easily virus’ are spread and how important it is to wash our hands. We go through special training to make sure things are cleaned properly. Since being in code red many of the crew members have had to stand at the hand sanitizing stations to insure everyone is using them. I was amazed at how many of the passengers refused to do it, or gave me severe attitude about it. One passenger even started cursing at another crew member. Some were just tired of doing it. Some gave me the excuse of having lotion on their hands & they didn’t want to wipe it off. I could also tell you many stories about disgusting things that the passengers do while onboard. Like reaching into the food with their hands, or defecating in the floor and not telling anyone. They just leave it for others to walk through. You, sir, are very wrong when you say it is the crew keeping the virus spreading. It is the passengers. They bring it on the ship and don’t want to do what is necessary to get rid of it, and then, like you, blame the crew, who work around the clock cleaning their ships to keep grumpy passengers like you from getting sick.

    • Sheree Wiser says:

      I was on the Maasdam for the last 15 day NE/Canada cruise. I, for one, along with my husband, did not get the norovirus and I attribute that to diligently washing, purelling, until our hands were so rough we had to constantly use hand cream. I also saw how passengers treated the crew when they were only doing their job. Because of the cod RED, they worked 16 hour days non-stop and always had a smile on their face, even through exhaustion.

      I also feel that it was brought on by a passenger from the last cruise before either form an island or from home and it just kept on going even with sanitizing the ship before we got on and after we got off. Viruses spread and the crew did their best to go by the rules that were afforded to them. By no means were the crew exempt from being sick. At least a few of them were quarantened also. This also was not only on the Maasdam but Princess cruise lines experienced a norovirus where 138 passengers and 12 crew members were sickened.

      I might disagree that all of this stomach upsets were caused by a virus. I feel bad food, rich food, food allergies could attest for some of the distress. Also eating some things you are not used to. But hard to qualify which is the virus and which is other things and so lumped together.

      I want to again commend the crew for their hard work, diligence and always with a smile on their face with exhaustion ever present.

  4. CDC to assess possible norovirus outbreak on Holland America Line’s MS Maasdam - The Global Dispatch says:

    […] a follow-up to a story 10 days ago, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP) will be […]

  5. J.Gehrmann says:

    Just sailed one month on The Oosterdam and had no norovirus. Sailed many times on Maasdam but you have to protect yourself by washing your hands more than often.Hal is doing everything preventing an outbreak and know that all crew are instructed. I think it is a bit easy blaiming the crew for their illness, maybe they got The virus ashore ?

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