Cruise Ship Westerdam Returns to Sihanoukville With Nearly 2,000 Tourists

By Ngoeul Narath

SIHANOUKVILLE, Cambodia (Nov. 18, 2025) — The cruise ship Westerdam, once famously welcomed by Cambodia in 2020 after being denied entry by five countries and territories during the COVID-19 pandemic, docked again Tuesday at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port with nearly 2,000 passengers.

Port officials said the Holland America Line vessel carried 1,850 tourists, including 992 women, from 43 nationalities. Most were from the United States, Australia and Canada. The ship arrived safely at 6:20 a.m. for a one-day visit to Cambodia, marking its third consecutive year of docking since 2023.

The Westerdam gained international attention in February 2020 when, amid the global coronavirus outbreak, several countries refused to allow it to dock over infection fears. Cambodia’s then-Prime Minister Hun Sen opened the port to the ship, citing humanitarian concerns for the passengers. He personally welcomed the vessel, a gesture that drew praise from the cruise operator, which later pledged to return to Cambodia.

True to that promise, the Westerdam docked in December 2023 with more than 1,500 tourists from 43 nationalities, and again in 2024 with 1,873 passengers, most of them Americans. Officials said the ship’s repeated visits highlight Cambodia’s growing role as a destination for international cruise tourism.