Cabin Fever

More about the book

A harrowing narrative unfolds aboard the Holland America cruise ship Zaandam, which set sail just days before the world shut down in March 2020, carrying a deadly stowaway—Covid-19. In early 2020, as an ominous virus spread globally, the Zaandam prepared to depart Buenos Aires with 1,200 passengers, primarily over 65, and 600 crew members. Despite growing concerns about the virus, the cruise line insisted the voyage would continue as planned, asserting it would be safe. This riveting thriller takes readers behind the scenes of the ship’s operations and into the lives of those unprepared for the impending crisis. Among the passengers is a retired American school superintendent on a dream trip to Machu Picchu with his wife, and an Argentine psychologist celebrating her 64th birthday, who finds herself anxious and fretting in her cabin. An Indonesian laundry manager, dedicated to supporting his family back home, also faces the unfolding disaster. As illness spreads among the passengers, the world’s ports close, and Zaandam becomes a headline story, denied safe harbor. With only two doctors and limited medical supplies, the ship drifts through a harrowing ordeal, facing dwindling food and water while navigating the chaos of a pandemic.