Cruise ship Hondius departs Rotterdam for Norway after deadly hantavirus outbreak

The cruise ship Hondius left the port of Rotterdam on Saturday evening en route to Spitsbergen in Norway, following a hantavirus outbreak in May that killed three people and led to an emergency evacuation in Tenerife. The departure marks the vessel’s return to service after extensive cleaning and delays.

The ship, which had been docked in Rotterdam for three weeks, is scheduled to arrive next weekend in Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, where it will begin a new seven-day cruise.

A spokesperson for operator Oceanwide Expeditions told the ANP that 137 guests and a doctor will board for the voyage in the Norwegian region.

The company said the upcoming trip carries fewer risks than the previous voyage in South America. However, stricter passenger guidelines will be in place, though the company did not specify what those measures involve.

The Hondius had two earlier planned trips canceled to allow time for a full sanitization process. All hard surfaces on board were disinfected using hydrogen peroxide, while soft surfaces were treated with hot steam.

After an initial cleaning, the GGD health service identified deficiencies. Following a second round of sanitation, the GGD declared the ship clean.

In May, the Andes variant of hantavirus was confirmed on board the vessel. Three patients died, including two Dutch nationals.

Passengers were evacuated after the ship docked in Tenerife. A core group of crew members remained aboard and sailed the vessel back to Rotterdam for disinfection.