Westerdam: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
Let's talk about the Westerdam, because for once we get to skip the dramatic music. This Hal Vista-class ship came out of Fincantieri's Marghera yard back in 2004, got a 2023 refurb to keep her from feeling like a floating time capsule, and now carries a modest 1,968 passengers with 817 crew looking after them — a small-ship ratio that alone should tell you something about the vibe here. But the real headline is the paperwork: a Latest CDC Score of 97, which also happens to be her all-time average, five-year average, and highest score on record. That's not a fluke stacking the deck — that's just what a 97 looks like when it's the only data point you've got.
And that's the catch worth being upfront about: this is one inspection, dated 2026-05-06. One really good inspection, sure, backed up by a Food Safety Score of a perfect 100.0 and a "Spotless Galley" grade that reads less like a nickname and more like a dare to future inspectors. But with Total Inspections sitting at 1, the Score Trend is officially "insufficient_data" — meaning nobody, including us, gets to tell you whether this ship is trending up, holding steady, or about to have a bad month. We also don't have reliable outbreak history to report on right now, so we're not going to pretend we checked that box and came back clean — we simply don't have the receipts either way.
Who it's for: smaller-ship loyalists who want a mid-size, freshly refurbished vessel with a genuinely excellent food safety showing and no red flags on the books — if a spotless galley score matters to your peace of mind, Westerdam is currently delivering one. Who should skip it: anyone who leans on a long inspection track record before booking. A single 97 is a great first impression, not a proven pattern, so if you want years of consistency to point to, check back after this ship racks up a few more visits from the CDC.
Westerdam at a Glance
Westerdam is a Hal Vista-class ship in the Holland America fleet, built in 2004 and refurbished in 2023. It carries 1,968 passengers and measures 82,862 gross tons. Westerdam has 49 sailings on the schedule through November 2027, mostly from Vancouver (19) and Whittier (9), most often on 14-night voyages (trips run 7 to 49 nights). The next departure is September 27, 2026 from Tokyo.
Its most recent CDC inspection scored 97 out of 100 on May 6, 2026. A trend needs at least two inspections, so we will add one when the next result is published.
Hal Vista-Class Sister Ships
Westerdam has 2 sister ships in the Hal Vista class. Here is how their latest CDC scores compare.
| Ship | Line | Latest CDC score | Inspected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noordam | Holland America | 100 | May 7, 2026 |
| Zuiderdam | Holland America | 91 | Feb 27, 2026 |
Score History
Outbreak Timeline
No outbreaks on record for the Westerdam.
Outbreak history for this ship is not currently available from the CDC.
Environmental Rating: B-
Making Effort
Score Breakdown
Friends of the Earth Report Card
USCG Environmental Compliance
✓ Clean environmental compliance record — no MARPOL deficiencies on file.
Spotless Galley
Food Safety Sub-Score based on 1 inspection with item-level data.
Food Inspection Breakdown
Item-level deductions from the most recent inspection with detailed data.
| Item | Category | Type | Deducted | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #11 | Employee Health & Illness Management | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #12 | Employee Cleanliness & Handwashing | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #13 | Food Safety Management & Knowledge | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #14 | Employee Appearance | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #15 | Food Sources & Receiving | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #16 | Food Temperature & Time Control | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #17 | Food Protection & Prep Practices | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #18 | Cross-Contamination Prevention | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #19 | Food Storage & Handling | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #20 | Food Display & Service | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #24 | Food-Contact Surface Cleaning | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| #25 | Wiping Cloths Cleanliness | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #26 | Equipment Sanitization | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| Total Food Deductions | -0 | 50 | ||
How Is This Calculated?
The Food Safety Sub-Score extracts deductions from 13 food-specific CDC VSP inspection items (items 11-20 and 24-26) covering employee hygiene, temperature control, cross-contamination, food storage, and equipment sanitation. The maximum possible food deduction is 50 points. Score = 100 × (1 - food deductions / 50).
Crew Treatment: Fair Passage
This score reflects how Holland America treats its crew — based on employee reviews, flag state quality, safety compliance, and editorial assessment. All ships in the Holland America fleet share this line-level rating.
Glassdoor Employee Rating
★★★★☆ 3.3Based on 645 employee reviews
Score Breakdown
Flag State Quality
Westerdam is registered under a Paris MOU White List flag state — the highest safety and compliance tier. Flag State Score: 100/100
Upcoming Sailings
| Voyage | Departs | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 14 nights, round-trip from Tokyo, Japan | Sep 27 | 14N |
| 13 nights, round-trip from Tokyo, Japan | Oct 11 | 13N |
| 29 nights, one-way from Tokyo to Hong Kong | Oct 24 | 29N |
| 14 nights, one-way from Hong Kong to Singapore | Nov 22 | 14N |
| 14 nights, one-way from Singapore to Hong Kong | Dec 6 | 14N |
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Frequently Asked Questions
The latest CDC sanitation score for the Westerdam is 97/100 as of May 6, 2026.
No, the Westerdam has never failed a CDC inspection. All recorded scores have been 86 or above.
No, the Westerdam has no recorded gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on file with the CDC.
The Westerdam has a latest CDC sanitation score of 97/100. See the full inspection history and our ShipTea verdict for a complete assessment.
Based on CDC VSP inspection item-level data, the Westerdam has a food safety score of 100/100 ("Spotless Galley"). This sub-score focuses on 13 food-specific inspection items covering temperature control, cross-contamination, and sanitation.
The Westerdam was last inspected by the CDC on May 6, 2026.