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The itinerary's "Panama Canal" segment features passing through the Gatun Locks and sailing in the Gatun Lake. Ms Noordam (deployment September 2024-April 2025) offers overnights in Yokohama, Kobe-Osaka, Laem Chabang-Bangkok, and Da Nang. HAL's Caribbean program is based mainly on ex-Florida roundtrips (7- to 21 days) and 6 ships - all leaving from homeport Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale Florida. From April to November (2025), 3 ships (Oosterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam) have a full European season, while ms Zuiderdam sails the popular 35-day "Voyage of the Vikings". The itineraries range from 7 to 42 days, prioritizing destinations in Northern Europe/Baltic, British Isles, Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean. Volendam offers 10- and 11-day itineraries between Boston and Montreal during the summer and fall.
What's the difference between newer and older Holland America ships?
Pacific Coast, Mexico, Hawaii, and Panama Canal sailings are operated by 6 ships (39 departures), and are either San Diego roundtrips or begin/end in the port. Due to the COVID pandemic, HAL suspended its entire fleet's passenger shipping operations (all 14 liners) canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 13, 2020, through June 30, 2021. Best Price Guarantee applies only to publicly available and advertised with pricing tour deals.
B.B. KING'S BLUES CLUB
Some vessel names have been reused (some of them several times) with the old ship's retirement. This practice of renewing ship names allows the company to emotionally connect its glorious past with its amazing business growth in our times. In 2023, HAL conducted 5 wet-dock refurbishments to expand the casino space on its vessels in the PINNACLE-class (Nieuw Rotterdam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam) and Signature-class (Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam). Each of the enlarged gambling facilities now has 140 of the gaming industry's newest slot and video poker machines. In addition, a separate non-smoking area was added in the casinos of Nieuw Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam.
The Holland America fleet
With many flavors to choose from and ingredients like Sicilian pistachios and amarena cherries, each frozen spoonful transports you to Italy. Enjoy breakfast in bed or an early dinner on your verandah — entrées and more are available whenever you wish. Rudi’s Sel de Mer restaurant is available on Rotterdam, Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam, but on other ships, the Rudi’s Sel de Mer menu is available on select evenings in Pinnacle Grill. Praised by Condé Nast Traveler for cuisine “that rivals the top restaurants on land,” Tamarind is the perfect place to explore the culinary traditions of Southeast Asia, China and Japan.
Booked passengers are notified within 2 days of submission if the tour/excursion meets the "Best Price Guarantee" requirements. If eligible, booked passengers receive a non-refundable OBC to be used during the voyage. HAL's "Flight Ease" air booking program offers up-to-the-minute flight schedules and selection of 2 competitive pricing on flights with arrival/departure dates same as the booked cruise itinerary. All flight cruise deals booked through HAL's Flight Ease program feature 24-hour assistance and "Next Port Protection". The latter guarantees that in case of flight delays or cancelations, Holland America Line takes care of the flight changes in order to join the cruise ship at the next port of call along the booked itinerary. Club Orange is also available for a limited number of non-suite staterooms per voyage.
Standby Cruising: A New Option for Bargain Seekers - The New York Times
Standby Cruising: A New Option for Bargain Seekers.
Posted: Fri, 05 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Rounding out the offerings are a safe, a minifridge, a variety of outlets and USB ports and a private bathroom. An in-room TV provides a handful of channels, ship-sponsored content and complimentary movies. There are only two R Class ships on the roster — Volendam and Zaandam, which are the line's two oldest and smallest vessels, each with room for about 1,400 passengers.
Many Caribbean itineraries can be extended/combined into B2Bs (Collectors Voyages) and booked as discount-priced B2Bs/back-to-backs ranging between days. MS Volendam's 25-day "Canada, New England, Greenland, and Iceland" Legendary Voyage departs from Boston MA on July 12, featuring stops in Iceland, Greenland, Maine, and Canada, including a new port in Eastport, Maine. (Volendam) 12-day "Historic Baja & Sea of Cortez" voyage departs on December 10th, 2023, and explores Baha Peninsula. To book the unique itineraries customers were required to contact HAL's World Cruise Reservations Desk or a travel agent, starting from April 20th. Customers with a deposited Future Cruise Request get priority booking confirmation before these voyages officially open to the public on May 24th, 2023.
KIDS CLUB
Holland America Line's Legendary Voyages are extended journeys lasting from 25 to 59 days, combining the elegance of a Grand Voyage with itineraries that feature an extensive selection of ports to enhance the experience in each destination. Most of these Legendary Voyages sail roundtrip or to/from a North American homeport, allowing travelers the convenience of seeing the world from their doorstep with a domestic flight and easy embarkation. Zuiderdam's 124-day "Grand World Voyage 2025" departs on January 4th (2025) and visits 46 ports (32 countries/6 continents). Follows a Suez Canal transit to Europe/Mediterranean and a Transatlantic crossing back to the USA. The first offer is rebooking with 125% refund in FCC (future cruise credit) plus USD 250 pp in OBC (onboard credit) on any itinerary through Dec. 31, 2022. The second offer is canceling with a full (100% monetary) refund including on prepurchased through HAL packages and services.
In general, Volendam appeals to cruisers looking for a more intimate cruise experience. It also draws cruisers who care more about the destinations they visit on a cruise than onboard attractions. Notably, in addition to a main restaurant and casual buffet, the three Pinnacle Class ships have five separate specialty dining venues — everything from a pan-Asian eatery and an Italian restaurant to a steakhouse. Other relatively new Holland America ships include the 2,650-passenger Nieuw Statendam and the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam, which are sister ships to Rotterdam.
The top decks of the Pinnacle-class ships have main pool areas that can be covered by a retractable glass magrodome during inclement weather. This makes these ships a good choice when booking a cruise in a destination where the weather can be iffy. Specifically, on Pinnacle-class ships, you'll find one of the line's signature Music Walk live entertainment areas with a B.B. King's Blues Club (for Memphis-style rhythm and blues), Billboard Onboard (for chart-topping hits played by a live pianist) and Rolling Stone Rock Room (for a live band playing classic rock). The largest ship class in the Holland America fleet, Vista ships are well-liked for their space-to-passenger ratio. Despite being 20 percent smaller than the Pinnacle-class vessels, they also carry just 72 percent of those ships’ passengers.
HAL's 2024 Canada and New England program groups 29 voyages (ranging from 7-day getaways to longer itineraries) and is based on homeporting in Boston (Massachusetts USA). An extended roundtrip-Boston itinerary visits destinations in Iceland and Greenland. Daily gratuity is an automatic service charge (applied to both adults and kids) that is added to the passenger's onboard account each day.
In general, Holland America's newest ships are bigger and more amenity-packed than the oldest Holland America ships. But they're not as big as the biggest ships operated by such competitors as Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises. Among the seven big cruise lines that account for the majority of cruises taken by North Americans, Holland America is known for smaller and more intimate vessels. Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences sailing on Holland America Line. While their size makes them ideal for managing remote locations and smaller harbors, the R Class ships still feature two pools; the Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto; the World Stage main theater, live music and more. Despite their age, Holland America ships have been thoroughly renovated over the decades to include new and updated spaces and amenities in addition to routine refurbishments to carpets, soft furnishings and other cosmetic features.
Some of these offerings include branded live music venues; two pools including a main pool covered by a retractable glass magrodrome; the Greenhouse Spa & Salon; and a fitness center. Asia Collectors' Voyages offer an ideal option for enthusiastic adventurers who desire a more extensive cruise experience, ranging from 27 to 42 days. These voyages are tailored for guests who want to explore various destinations without repeating itineraries, providing excellent value per day. Late-night stops in Loreto and Topolobampo provide opportunities for exploration and scenic appreciation. The itineraries are thoughtfully curated to include both popular and lesser-visited ports, showcasing the natural beauty, cultural diversity, and rich history of each region. In December 2022, HAL became PPA's exclusive cruise line (Professional Pickleball Association).
Ships in the Holland America fleet — formerly the Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij (Dutch-American Steamship Company) — carried immigrants from Europe to North America at regular intervals. As such, the line often attracts older cruisers and genealogy buffs looking to experience sea travel much like their grandparents, great-grandparents and even great-great grandparents did (albeit with more modern comforts). And veterans who found themselves on Holland America ships used as military transport during World War II often sail on the line's modern vessels as a way to reminisce. Newer Holland America cruise ships generally are bigger than older Holland America ships — sometimes much bigger. As a result, they have room for more onboard venues and attractions than the line's older vessels.
The other itinerary (7-day "Inside Passage") is roundtrip from Vancouver Canada. Passengers who violate the company's ship' smoking policy will be fined a cleaning fee USD 250 per day. Restricted Fares include cancelation fees and require full payment for the flight reservation at booking time. In August 2015, Holland America added enhanced features to its flight booking program "Flight Ease". HAL's website allows travelers to choose flights (departure and return) separately, also to compare real-time airfares, plus detailed schedules.
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