Key Aspects:
- Noordam was forced to skip a visit to Townsville on January 9 due to a tropical cyclone.
- The Australian cyclone season runs from November 1 through April 30.
- Noordam was able to remain safely at sea and has continued her 42-night itinerary.
January isn’t typically the month that cruise travelers expect hurricanes to impact their sailings, but it that is just what happened to Noordam recently when the Holland America Line ship skipped a planned visit to Townsville, Australia on Friday, January 9.
For cruisers accustomed to the Atlantic hurricane season running from June 1 through November 30, it can be a rough lesson to learn that the Australian cyclone season runs from November 1 through April 30.
Therefore, it isn’t surprising that Noordam, offering a 42-night Sydney to Auckland itinerary that first departed on December 21, 2025, is sure to run into some cyclone-influenced weather changes on the lengthy sailing.
On Friday, January 9, 2026 the ship was to have visited Townsville in northeastern Queensland. Due to the influence of Cyclone Koji, however, the visit was not possible and the port stop was cancelled.
“Due to weather this cruise arrival has been cancelled and the Noordam will no longer be arriving,” the city’s economic board confirmed two days before the planned visit.
When a strong storm has a confirmed track toward a port, it’s not unusual for itinerary adjustments to be made even a few days ahead of schedule. This gives ample time for the ship to make alternative plans and steer well clear of rough seas.
Noordam was to have been in port from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., but instead spent the day at sea staying in calmer waters as much as possible.
“Such is life on the high seas, so for now we’re just relaxing and enjoying the ship going round in circles!” one guest onboard Noordam reported. “Fortunately the ocean is surprisingly calm so no real impacts on us.”
At no time was the ship in any danger and onboard services continued without interruption.
Noordam is celebrating her 20th anniversary of joining the Holland America Line fleet this year. The 82,500-gross-ton, Vista-class ship can welcome 1,916 guests aboard with 800 international crew members to provide superior service.
The next ship scheduled to visit Townsville will be Crown Princess on Saturday, January 17, as part of an 8-night Great Barrier Reef sailing from Brisbane.
Cyclone Koji Landfall
Cyclone Koji was downgraded to a Category 1 cyclone just before making landfall on Sunday, January 11, between Townsville and Airlie Beach.
Localized flooding, heavy rains, swells, and other impacts were common along the coast as the storm impacted the region.
Because Noordam was able to divert away from the impacted area of the coast well ahead of the storm’s arrival, the ship enjoyed a much calmer day than would have been had in port.
While only a few weeks old, the start of the Australian cyclone season has already been active with six named storms confirmed by the first week of January.
Koji formed as a depression on January 7. As it was clear the storm was approaching Townsville, city authorities conducted several controlled releases from the Ross River Dam to mitigate expected flood risks. Significant power losses were reported after landfall, with over 14 inches of rain recorded in just 24 hours.
Noordam Continues Journey
Fortunately, Noordam‘s diversion for the cyclone has been relatively minor and the ship has continued on her epic journey. Having already visited nearly a dozen ports in Australia, including Adelaide, Hobart, and Melbourne, the ship has turned her bow toward Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, and Fiji.
Upcoming port visits include Kiriwina Island, Port Vila, Mystery Island, and Suva, among others. Noordam will continue on toward New Zealand as well, visiting the Bay of Islands and Tauranga before arriving in Auckland for debarkation on Sunday, February 1.
The ship will offer several more lengthy sailings in Australia and New Zealand over the next few weeks, before departing Sydney on March 15 for a one-way 35-night transpacific cruise to Seattle, visiting 17 ports along the way. Highlights include destinations in New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Fiji, Tonga, French Polynesia, and Hawaii.
Noordam will spend the northern summer sailing in Alaska before returning Down Under in October 2026.
