Noordam: Sanitation Record & Health Report
ShipTea Verdict
Let's be real: the Noordam is the cruise ship equivalent of a B-minus student who keeps insisting they "totally could have gotten an A if they'd tried harder." A CDC score of 89 gets you a passing grade, yes, but when the fleet average hovers around 95, "technically passing" starts to feel a lot like "aggressively mediocre." For a Holland America ship that markets itself on refined, classic ocean travel — the kind of voyage where they hand you a newsletter about Dutch Masters paintings — you'd hope the sanitation standards would lean closer to museum-grade than "we passed, okay, calm down."
The food safety picture is similarly... fine. An 86.0 earns the "Clean Kitchen" designation, which sounds reassuring until you realize that's essentially the inspection equivalent of a restaurant receiving a C and framing it on the wall. The June 2025 inspection didn't uncover anything catastrophic, and points for that — but there's a meaningful gap between "nothing went terribly wrong" and "this ship has its act together." The Noordam is firmly in the former camp.
Who it's for: Holland America loyalists who appreciate the quieter, older-skewing vibe of a Vista-class ship and aren't going to lose sleep over scores that are passing but not stellar. If you care more about the itinerary than the galley's sanitation philosophy, the Noordam will probably not ruin your vacation. Who should skip it: Anyone with a household member who has a compromised immune system, or frankly anyone who just spent five minutes reading this and now wants their ship's food safety score to not require a pep talk to feel okay about.
Score History
Outbreak Timeline
No outbreaks on record for the Noordam.
Total outbreaks on record: 0
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.
Clean Kitchen
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 | -2 | 2 |
| #20 | Food Display & Service | Non-Critical | -2 | 2 |
| #24 | Food-Contact Surface Cleaning | Critical | -3 | 5 |
| #25 | Wiping Cloths Cleanliness | Non-Critical | 0 | 2 |
| #26 | Equipment Sanitization | Critical | 0 | 5 |
| Total Food Deductions | -7 | 50 | ||
⚠ 3 points deducted from critical food safety items.
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 treats its crew — based on employee reviews, flag state quality, safety compliance, and editorial assessment. All ships in the fleet share this line-level rating.
Glassdoor Employee Rating
★★★★☆ 3.3Based on 645 employee reviews
Score Breakdown
Flag State Quality
Noordam 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 nights, round-trip from Seattle, USA | Oct 4 | 7N |
| 35 nights, one-way from Seattle to Sydney | Oct 11 | 35N |
| 35 nights, round-trip from Sydney, Australia | Nov 15 | 35N |
| 14 nights, round-trip from Sydney, Australia | Dec 20 | 14N |
| 14 nights, one-way from Sydney to Auckland | Jan 3 | 14N |
Sailing on Noordam?
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Should You Book?
Good For You If...
- You want a ship with an excellent latest score (100/100)
- A clean outbreak record matters to you
Proceed With Caution If...
- No CDC inspection data is available yet
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Frequently Asked Questions
The latest CDC sanitation score for the Noordam is 100/100 as of May 7, 2026.
No, the Noordam has never failed a CDC inspection. All recorded scores have been 86 or above.
No, the Noordam has no recorded gastrointestinal illness outbreaks on file with the CDC.
The Noordam has a latest CDC sanitation score of 100/100. See the full inspection history and our ShipTea verdict for a complete assessment.
Based on CDC VSP inspection item-level data, the Noordam has a food safety score of 86/100 ("Clean Kitchen"). This sub-score focuses on 13 food-specific inspection items covering temperature control, cross-contamination, and sanitation.
The Noordam was last inspected by the CDC on May 7, 2026.