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2 Holland America crew members die during "incident" on cruise ship

March 23, 2024 / 1:20 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an "incident" in the ship's engineering space, the cruise line said.

The unidentified crew members died Friday while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a statement.

Authorities were notified and the cause of the accident is being investigated, the cruise line said. 

"The safety, security and welfare of all guests and crew are the company's absolute priority," the cruise line said. The company also noted reports that these crew members perished in a shipboard fire are not accurate.

The cruise line did not offer any further details about the crew members, nor which agency was handling the investigation. The ship set sail out of Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night trip. 

Crew members were being offered counseling.

"All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this incident and our thoughts and prayers are with our team members' families at this difficult time," the statement said. 

Crew member deaths are relatively rare. Researchers at Bowling Green State University found between 2000 and 2019, there were 623 reported deaths on cruise ships, and 89% of those deaths were passengers while 11% of those were crew members.

During the pandemic, four crew members were killed by non-coronavirus causes on  cruise ships with workers stranded onboard . 

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2 crew members die on Holland America ship; fire breaks out on Carnival cruise

MIAMI — Two crew members died on board a Holland America cruise ship, and a fire broke out on a Carnival ship while both of the ships were in the Bahamas this weekend, officials said.

The two crew on the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam died Friday during an "accidental steam release" while it was calling at the private resort island Half Moon Cay, Holland America said in a statement on Sunday.

"There was an accidental steam release in an engineering space on board Nieuw Amsterdam, which sadly resulted in the death of two crew members," the cruise line said.

The Bahamas Maritime Authority and the Dutch Safety Board were investigating the exact cause of the release, Holland America said.

A representative of the Bahama’s Coroner’s Court did not immediately respond to a request for information, such as the crew members’ identities and the cause and manner of death.

The cruise line said the conclusions of any investigation would be taken seriously. "Safety is always our top priority, and we are working to understand what, if anything, can be learned from this tragic accident," it said.

Passenger Laine Doss said she was on board when the captain announced the deaths on the vessel's P.A. system.

"We were celebrating the last day of the cruise," she said, when the mood changed "to something extremely somber."

The captain's voice broke, she said.

"He broke down crying," Doss said. "There was a moment of silence that the captain requested. And that entire scenario did affect the entire cruise. Things were canceled, joyous events were canceled, and we really just thought about mortality — the people who perished on the ship."

Crew members were being offered counseling, Holland America said.

Dutch government inspectors determined the vessel to be "fully operable," and this was "confirmed" by the U.S. Coast Guard, the cruise line said.

A U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson said she was looking into the statement and was unable to immediately confirm it.

The Nieuw Amsterdam returned Saturday to its home port of Fort Lauderdale, guests disembarked, and the vessel has embarked on a cruise with a stop in Ocho Rios, Jamaica, on Monday, Holland America said.

"All of us at Holland America Line are deeply saddened by this event," the cruise line said. "We’ve been in contact with the families of both team members and are offering our support to them and to all of our crew at this difficult time."  

The ship set sail out of Fort Lauderdale on March 16 for a seven-night trip.

Fire on the port-side exhaust funnel of another Florida-based cruise ship in the Bahamas, the Carnival Freedom, rocked some passengers Saturday and took the ship out of commission for repairs, the cruise line said.

No injuries were reported.

In a statement Sunday, Carnival Cruises acknowledged witness reports of a lightning strike or the sound of thunder before the fire erupted.

Passenger Heath Barnes said the ship was on a detoured path, destined for an unscheduled stop in Freeport, as a result of stormy weather and high winds when fire started.

"I was shocked," he said. "I mean, I looked out there and you're not supposed to see black smoke and fire shooting out of the tail end of the cruise."

The blaze was preceded by "the loudest thunder-lightning clap that I've ever heard in my life," Barnes said.

Ship personnel extinguished the fire, Carnival Cruises said.

The cruise line said a technical team determined the ship sustained enough damage that it will need repairs before it can be returned to scheduled cruises. The funnel was stabilized, passengers were expected to be returned to Port Canaveral, and the ship will set off to Freeport for repairs, it said.

"The damage is more than we first thought and will require an immediate repair to stabilize the funnel, resulting in the cancellation of the March 25 and March 29 cruises from Port Canaveral," Carnival Cruises said.

Passengers scheduled for those late-March cruises are being offered full refunds and credit that can be used for a future cruise, it said.

It was the second funnel fire on the Carnival Freedom since 2022.

Marissa Parra is a national correspondent for NBC News based in Miami, Florida.

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital. 

Holland America Line Restart: Six Ships in Service by January

• December 10, 2021

Continuing its restart plans, Holland America Line will see six ships sailing with guests by early 2022. The Carnival-owned premium brand first resumed service in July, offering a summer program in Alaska with the Nieuw Amsterdam .

Four Ships in Service in the North America

Currently, five vessels are in service in North America, including the new Rotterdam.

The 2021-built ship debuted in October, sailing a transatlantic crossing before kicking off its inaugural season in the Caribbean.

The Eurodam, the Nieuw Amsterdam, the Nieuw Statendam and the Koningsdam are also presently operating, offering cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and the West Coast from two different homeports.

Here are the details:

Eurodam Capacity at 100%: 2,104 Date: In service since August 15, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 7 to 10 nights Itinerary: Panama Canal, Southern and Eastern Caribbean    

Koningsdam Capacity at 100%: 2,650 Date: In service since October 10, 2021 Region: West Coast Homeport: San Diego (United States) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Mexican Riviera  

Nieuw Amsterdam Capacity at 100%: 2,100 Date: In service since July 24, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 5 to 9 nights Itinerary: Bahamas, Western and Eastern Caribbean

Nieuw Statendam Capacity at 100%: 2,650 Date: In service since November 21, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Bahamas, Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean

Rotterdam (VII) Capacity at 100%: 2,650 Date: In service since October 20, 2021 Region: Caribbean Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) Length: 10 and 11 nights Itinerary: Eastern and Southern Caribbean

Zuiderdam Returns in December; Balance of the Fleet in 2022

While the balance of the 11-ship fleet is set to return in the first half of 2022, the Zuiderdam is resuming service in December.

The 2002-built ship is set to offer additional itinerary choices in North America, with a series of West Coast, Panama Canal and the Caribbean.

Here are the currently planned service resumption dates for the remainder of the fleet:

Zuiderdam Capacity at 100%: 1,916

Date: December 23, 2021 Region: West Coast Homeport: San Diego (United States) Length: 10 nights Itinerary: Guaymas, Loreto, Topolobampo, La Paz, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas

Noordam Capacity at 100%: 1,918 Date: April 24, 2022 Region: Panama Canal Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) to San Diego (United States) Length: 17 nights Itinerary: Cartagena, Panama Canal, Panama City, Puerto Caldera, Corinto, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Chiapas, Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Luas

Oosterdam  Capacity at 100%: 1,916 Date: May 1, 2022 Region: Mediterranean Homeport: Civitavecchia (Italy) to Venice (Italy) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Salerno, Messina, Corfu, Kotor and Zadar

Volendam Capacity at 100%: 1,432 Date: May 1, 2022 Region: Northern Europe Homeport: Rotterdam (Netherlands) Length: 14 nights Itinerary: Arhus, Warnemunde, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg

Westerdam Capacity at 100%: 1,916 Date: May 8, 2022 Region: Alaska Homeport: Seattle (Unites States) Length: 7 nights Itinerary: Victoria, Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka

Zaandam Capacity at 100%: 1,432 Date: May 12, 2022 Region: Canada and New England Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) to Montreal (Canada) Length: 9 nights Itinerary: Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney and Quebec City

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Important Cruise Updates

Holland america line adds second commemorative 150th anniversary transatlantic crossing in april 2023 aboard rotterdam.

New eastbound voyage sails from Fort Lauderdale on historic route that ends at Rotterdam on company’s 150th birthday

Seattle, Wash., June 28, 2022  — As its 150th anniversary approaches on April 18, 2023, Holland America Line will add a second commemorative transatlantic crossing aboard its newest ship, Rotterdam to the schedule of celebratory events. The 16-night itinerary departs from Fort Lauderdale, Florida on April 3, 2023, and sails to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, retracing the company’s first voyage in reverse.

To accommodate the new April 3 departure, three voyages were canceled, and all guests and their travel advisors have been notified. Bookings for the new eastbound transatlantic crossing will open to the public on July 14, 2022. For more information, please  read here.

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Worry-Free Promise Flexible Cancellation Health Protocols Frequently Asked Question

Guests on impacted cruises or their travel advisors may call the appropriate office with questions at:

Seattle Office (USD/CAD currency): Contact us at 1-800-577-1728 or 206-626-7395. Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. PST, Saturday – Sunday 7:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. PST

Rotterdam Office (EUR currency): Contact us at 00800 1873 1873. Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. For Netherlands contact us at 0800 724 5425. Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Southampton Office (GBP currency): Contact us at 0344 338 8605. Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Sydney Office (AUD currency): Contact us at 1 300 987 322. Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

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Nearly 100 Holland America cruise passengers become ill in norovirus outbreak

Nearly 100 Holland America Line passengers got sick in a norovirus outbreak.

Among 2,522 guests on the cruise line’s Koningsdam ship, 98 reported being ill, along with 12 crew members, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . Their main symptoms were diarrhea and vomiting.

Koningsdam is currently sailing a round-trip cruise visiting Hawaii and French Polynesia that departed from San Diego on Feb. 17, according to CruiseMapper . Holland America and the ship’s crew increased cleaning and disinfection and isolated sick passengers and crew following the outbreak, among other steps, the CDC said.

“At Holland America Line, the safety and well-being of our guests and crew is our top priority. During the current voyage, a number of guests on Koningsdam reported symptoms of gastrointestinal illness,” a spokesperson for the line told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “The cases were mostly mild and quickly resolving. We initiated enhanced sanitation protocols to minimize further transmission and the incidence of cases has since declined significantly.”

The news comes after more than 125 Cunard Line passengers got sick in a gastrointestinal illness outbreak earlier this year. Norovirus cases have also risen in the U.S. in recent weeks.

The CDC logged 14 cruise ship outbreaks that met its threshold for public notification in 2023, more than any year between 2017 and 2019. Norovirus was listed as the causative agent in all but one.

The virus is frequently associated with cruises, but Ben Lopman, a professor of epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, told USA TODAY last year that cruises make up a "tiny minority of norovirus outbreaks.” The majority take place in health care settings such as nursing homes.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].

Shifting focus: This cruise line is betting bigger on long cruises and unusual itineraries

Among the seven big cruise lines that account for the majority of cruises taken by Americans, Holland America has always been known as the one that offered the greatest number of long and unusual itineraries.

Just this week, two of Holland America's 11 ships set off from Florida on epic, months-long voyages — one a 74-night circumnavigation of South America, the other a 128-night circumnavigation of the entire world. This month, five more Holland America ships will sail voyages of 14 to 22 nights to the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Hawaii, South America, and Australia and New Zealand.

However, fans of longer cruises are about to get a lot more options from the 150-year-old brand.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

In a series of recent itinerary announcements, Holland America has signaled that it is doubling down on long and unusual voyages, focusing ever more on what has set it apart from such rivals as Celebrity Cruises , Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line .

It's part of a notable shift in focus taking place at the brand as it emerges from the cruising downturn of the past three years.

"We decided that it made sense for us to really lean into these longer, more differentiated itineraries and kind of try to move away from the mass-market [itineraries] that others do a beautiful job of delivering," Holland America's chief commercial officer, Beth Bodensteiner, told TPG in an exclusive interview to discuss the shift.

Referring to the relatively short, three- to seven-night sailings that dominate the schedules for most of the seven big cruise brands catering to North Americans, Bodensteiner said the idea is to "let them deliver those, and we'll deliver what we do best, which we think is crafting these really perfect unique itineraries that you can't find anywhere else."

Four-week cruises to Alaska

The new crop of longer sailings that Holland America has in the works includes an epic, 28-night voyage to Alaska planned for 2024. Unveiled on Tuesday, it will be four times the length of the typical Alaska sailing and take cruisers far beyond the Southeast Alaska ports such as Juneau and Skagway that most ships visit.

Among the calls for the new Alaska itinerary will be such off-the-beaten-path places as Nome, Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands and Kodiak Island — all rarely visited by cruise ships operated by the major lines.

Bodensteiner told TPG the itinerary was something she hoped the line could do every year in the future.

Related: The 4 types of Holland America ships, explained

Holland America on Tuesday also announced plans for two 14-night sailings to Alaska in 2024 that include visits to Anchorage — something that is relatively rare. Few ships take the time to sail up the Cook Inlet to reach the city.

In addition, the line in recent weeks also announced plans for more Europe cruises lasting 14 nights or longer in 2024, including more 21-night "Ultimate Viking Explorer" sailings to Iceland, Greenland and Scotland that can be combined with 14-night voyages to Norway, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark to create extra-long, 35-night sailings.

Interest in voyages to Iceland and Greenland is soaring, Bodensteiner noted.

The newly announced voyages are on top of a significant increase in longer sailings that the brand already has scheduled for 2023.

"It starts really in the fall of '23," Bodensteiner said of the line's new focus on longer voyages. "You'll see us with an increase in grand voyage deployment, and then we also expanded the average length of our Caribbean cruises."

Holland America will offer 28% more sailings of 25 nights or more in 2023 as compared to 2019, its last normal year of operation, according to numbers compiled for TPG. That's even as the line has shrunk in size since 2019 by retiring several vessels .

In addition, the number of sailings Holland America is offering in 2023 that are 50 nights or longer (which generally are known as "grand voyages" at the line) is up by 117%.

After that, 2024 will bring even more long voyages, including the itineraries mentioned above. It's what Holland America's customers want these days, according to Bodensteiner.

Growing demand for long voyages

"We do a lot of research when we go to plan our itineraries ... and what we [see now] in the research, and I think a lot of this is because of the pandemic and people pausing on travel for a while ... [is that] just overwhelmingly people [want a] longer, more unique deployment," shared Bodensteiner.

Bodensteiner noted that "longer" doesn't always mean months-long. In the case of Caribbean sailings, it could be "taking a traditional seven-day cruise and expanding it by just a couple days ... [to] get down to Aruba and Curacao." Or adding more 12-night and 14-night sailings.

To that end, Holland America will operate 41% more Caribbean sailings of 12 nights or longer in 2023, according to numbers compiled for TPG.

Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Holland America ship

Among longer sailings, the line will double down in particular on epic, weeks-long round-trip sailings out of U.S. ports to Europe, Africa and South America — something for which it long has been known .

Examples of such voyages include a 73-night voyage to Africa out of Fort Lauderdale that Holland America will offer later this year; it will include a complete circumnavigation of the continent. It's a signature itinerary for the line that allows Americans to see a wide swath of Africa without ever getting on an international flight.

Bodensteiner said to expect more such itineraries in the next couple of years. The "sweet spot" for such trips are 25- to 50-day voyages that allow travel to far-off places from the U.S. without getting on a long flight, she said.

It's "something that nobody else has," she said, noting that her team has been working on more such itineraries lately.

"We've had a fantastic time trying to come up with these unique things," she said, noting the process has included "surveying our guests that we know sail on longer cruises, finding out what they're interested in, and then going out and crafting some of these cool new itineraries."

Delivering a better experience

The shift in focus at Holland America comes as Josh Weinstein — the new CEO at Holland America's parent company, Carnival Corporation — is taking a hard look at the focus of all of its cruise brands. Carnival Corporation owns nine cruise lines including Holland America, Carnival Cruise Line , Princess Cruises and Seabourn .

However, Bodensteiner said the move to a bigger focus on longer sailings at Holland America began before Weinstein took charge in August.

"He agrees with [the focus on longer sailings] and thinks it's a good spot for us, but we'd already kind of been down the path of trying to think about how we can differentiate ourselves, and, quite honestly, how to drive our prices higher to return shareholder value. And that means a differentiated product that's going to command higher pricing because it's more unique."

Bodensteiner also noted that adding more longer itineraries also ties to the company's desire to lower its carbon footprint.

"Offering longer itineraries allows us to slow down the ships [and] save on fuel," she noted.

Related: The 6 best cruise itineraries you need to book right now

Still, the biggest advantage of going longer with sailings is that it allows for a better cruise experience, she suggested. It allows for longer stays in ports in addition to visits to more ports, including overnight stays in some destinations.

For instance, new, longer Holland America itineraries out of Athens include an overnight stay at the start of the trips.

"You can deliver a destination better ... [by] being there a bit longer," she said. Even extending a 10-day itinerary to 12 days makes a difference, she added.

For example, a longer cruise out of Athens allows the ship to spend two days instead of one in the Greek city. "You can overnight in Athens before you leave, which is better commercially," Bodensteiner explained. "Guests like that flexibility of being able to fly in [and] use the ship as their hotel" while exploring Athens before it sails.

"They're going to do that anyway if they're coming from North America," she said of passengers who want to add in a day for exploring Athens before a cruise.

Not eliminating short cruises entirely

Holland America isn't completely doing away with short cruises. In fact, it will continue to offer a number of seven-night sailings in various destinations around the world, from Alaska to Northern Europe.

Bodensteiner said the shorter sailings were an important "entry product" for the brand. They let new-to-the-line customers give the brand a try. Shorter sailings also appeal to families who want to sail with Holland America, she said.

The brand, which has Dutch roots, still draws a lot of Dutch customers who often start with a seven-night sailing around Northern Europe out of Rotterdam. North Americans often get a first look at the brand with a seven-night cruise to Alaska.

Related: How to maximize Holland America's Mariner Society loyalty program

Both itineraries have been and will continue to be mainstays for Holland America.

"Those are an important part of what we offer to bring people into the brand and have them get to know us," Bodensteiner said.

Still, longer sailings are where the line is heading. Bodensteiner hinted that a large number of new, longer itineraries are on the way. The line is in the midst of trying a lot of things when it comes to longer voyages, she suggested. Some will stick. Some might just be one-offs. It'll depend on how they are received by the cruising public, she suggested.

"These are all tests, right? We're putting new things out there, and we'll learn," she noted. "There's no better feedback than the bookings. But the [itinerary planning] team's got some cool things up [its] sleeve."

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• HAL-Holland America changes World Cruise 2025 itinerary (ship...

HAL-Holland America changes World Cruise 2025 itinerary (ship Zuiderdam)

HAL-Holland America Line has announced a revised itinerary for its 2025 Grand World Voyage aboard ms Zuiderdam , aiming to enhance safety and provide travelers with ample planning time. The updated route will substitute the previous itinerary through the Red Sea, introducing new ports in Africa and Europe along with a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico .

The alterations will impact the final 43 days of the 124-day journey. With the adjustments, the voyage will encompass 49 distinct ports across 34 countries and territories, spanning 6 continents, and will conclude on May 9, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida .

After the initial stop in Cape Town, South Africa , the revised itinerary now includes a visit to Walvis Bay, Namibia , before proceeding north to Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde - marking HAL's first call in 3+ years. The ship will then navigate the Mediterranean, stopping at initially planned ports in Gibraltar ; Alexandria, Egypt ; Athens (Piraeus), Greece ; Rome and Naples, Italy ; Lisbon, Portugal ; and Barcelona, Spain .

Additionally, newly added ports comprise Valletta, Malta ; Tangier, Morocco ; Arrecife , Alicante , Cartagena , and Tenerife, Spain ; Olbia, Sardinia, Italy ; and Kusadasi, Turkey , pending final confirmation from relevant authorities.

During an overnight visit to Barcelona on April 24, 2025, the Zuiderdam will rendezvous with ms Volendam , which is sailing the 133-day Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole, for a special "Grand Meetup," where guests and crew from both ships will partake in a unique celebration.

For travelers interested in booking the 2025 Grand World Voyage, starting cruise-only fares begin at US$24,999 per person, based on double occupancy. Additional expenses such as taxes, fees, and port charges apply.

I tried Holland America's 'Have It All' package. For just $55 a day, my cruise felt way more luxurious.

• I tried Holland America Line 's Have It All package on a recent cruise to Alaska.
• For $55 per person per day, we got complimentary drinks, special meals, and other perks.
• The price was so worth it we already booked this package for future cruises. 

Cruise bookings are predicted to reach record levels this year, and travelers are especially interested in luxurious sailings.

But as many of us know, luxury doesn't always equate to value, even when it comes to upgrades and special packages.

So, on our recent cruise to Alaska, my husband and I put one of many cruise packages to the test: Holland America Line's "Have It All" package, which costs $55 per person per day.

It includes perks like a beverage package, ship credit for shore excursions, onboard WiFi, and dinner at specialty restaurants.

Here's why we found it to be such a great value we're going to add it to future cruises.

The beverage package was great, and it included special drinks without alcohol

The biggest perk of the "Have It All" package was the ability to order drinks without worrying about the bill at the end of the cruise.

Our previous cruises had us drinking only tap water, drip coffee, tea, and an occasional glass of wine with dinner to avoid any sticker shock at the end of the trip. We felt restricted in enjoying our vacation.

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But this time, we had the freedom to enjoy ourselves. The "Have It All" package we booked came with 15 drinks a day under $11. If you want a drink over $11, you only pay the difference.

The beverage package also covers non-alcoholic drinks. It was perfect for when we wanted espresso drinks for cold Alaska days or a bottle of water for a shore excursion.

The shore-excursion credit helped push us to have more fun

We knew we had to do a whale-watching excursion in Alaska, but didn't consider booking other excursions due to price. Many of the ones we were interested in cost over $100 per person.

But with the package, we each got credits to use toward shore excursions during our cruise. The value of the credit varies depending on the duration of your cruise — ours was less than 10 days, so we each got a $100 credit.

The $200 worth of credits made us feel more comfortable booking an incredible excursion to kayak the wild waters of Sitka.

We probably would've hesitated to book an excursion and missed an incredible experience if we hadn't felt compelled to use the credits in the package.

Specialty dining helped us celebrate our anniversary

Our "Have it All" packages each included at least one dinner at one of the ship's specialty restaurants. If you're on a longer cruise, this package would get you access to more dinners.

We used our credits to eat at the Pinnacle Grill, known for its premium steaks and intimate dining experience. Our anniversary dinner was extra special because of the access to premium dishes unavailable in the main dining room, five-star service, and a luxurious setting.

WiFi kept us connected

The package included WiFi, which really came in handy as we shared photos with friends and family throughout our trip.

We were able to use the internet to search for whatever we needed and research the highlights to visit at the next port of call.

We've already booked the package for future cruises

For less than what a few drinks cost per day, the package helped us relax, have fun, and enjoy each port of call with a shore excursion. Plus, we got to indulge in the ship's specialty restaurants.

We loved it so much we've already purchased this same package for three future cruises.

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