[10] The cruise ship was constructed by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiana SpA at Marghera, Italy with the yard number 6036 and the keel was laid down on 26 June 1998.

[11] On 24 June 2018, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 73 people became ill on Zaandam in a norovirus outbreak en voyage from Seattle, Washington to Alaska.

The citation reads:[13]The cruise ship MS Zaandam encountered the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 off the west coast of Mexico.

In spite of weather challenges, the skill and expertise of Captain Ane Smit, his officers, and crew ensured that the discoverer of this minor planet and the other passengers onboard successfully observed the eclipse.On 7 March 2020 Zaandam departed Buenos Aires, Argentina, sailing for San Antonio, Chile with 1,243 passengers and 586 crew.

[14] On 27 March, Zaandam was denied transit through the Panama Canal due to the number of sick people on board.

"[26][27] The Florida state governor, Ron DeSantis, was also hesitant to accept Zaandam at Fort Lauderdale, and declined to make a decision on 31 March 2020.

The president of Holland America made a public plea for acceptance of the ship and expressed concern that various ports in several countries had been reluctant to provide provisions and medical supplies.

[28] In a 30 March press conference, the state governor suggested that the best solution might be to send medical assistance to the ship.

After the ship was allowed to dock, nine passengers were taken to local hospitals, but 45 others who were ill were required to remain on board, receiving medical care, until they fully met "the CDC guidelines for being fit to travel."

[32] By 4 April, "14 critically ill people" were admitted to local hospitals, while the others were allowed to disembark when flights to their destinations were available.

[34] A book about Zandaam was published in June 2022 titled Cabin Fever: The Harrowing Journey of a Cruise Ship at the Dawn of a Pandemic, by Michael Smith and Jonathan Franklin.