Holland America Line has shifted its deployment strategy to offer longer roundtrip sailings out of domestic ports. A new category of extended cruises and longer sailings has doubled the capacity of Holland America sailings to at least 50 days. Longer European itineraries are also in the planning stages.
Holland America Cruises will offer more sailings in the Caribbean, ranging from nine to 21 days. In addition, the itineraries include calls to farther-away destinations where fewer ships sail, including Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao, as well as the Panama Canal and Cartagena, Columbia.
A new category of 29 to 59-day roundtrip sailings is being created and named “Legendary Voyages, with many sailings out of the U.S. or Canada. For example, a 53-day cruise will depart Seattle aboard the Westerdam and sail Alaska Cruises before making 14 calls in Japan, then sailing to Hawaii before returning to Seattle.
Here are some of the Sailings …
128-night 2024 Grand World Voyage from Ft Lauderdale – January 3, 2024 Zuiderdam
94-night 2024 Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage from San Diego – January 3, 2024 Volendam
79-night 2024 Grand World Voyage – Segment 3 from Ft Lauderdale – January 3, 2024
73-night 2023 Grand Africa Voyage from Ft Lauderdale – October 10, 2023 Zuiderdam
73-night Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage Cruise from Ft Lauderdale – October 7, 2023
58-night 2024 Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage – Segment 1 from San Diego – January 3, 2024
58-night South Pacific and Australia Circumnavigation Collectors’ Voyage from Seattle – October 24, 2024
56-night Tales of the South Pacific Cruise from Vancouver – September 25, 2024
56-night Tales of the South Pacific Cruise from Vancouver – September 27, 2023
55-night 2024 Grand World Voyage – Segment 2 from Ft Lauderdale – January 3, 2024
53-night Majestic Japan Cruise from Seattle – September 1, 2024
51-night Tales of the South Pacific Cruise from San Diego – September 30, 2024
43-night 2024 Grand World Voyage – Segment 4 from Honolulu – February 8, 2024
Holland America isn’t the only line leaning towards longer sailings. Norwegian Cruise Line plans to sail its first two Prima Class ships on seven to 12-day voyages.
American Cruise Lines has created a 60-day package combining four major rivers and two coasts on three ships, called the “Great United States Itinerary.” Guests will begin on the Pacific Coast in Portland, Oregon, and sail the Columbia and Snake Rivers on the 180-passenger American Jazz, the Mississippi River on the 180-passenger American Symphony from New Orleans to St. Paul, Minnesota, and from Maine to New York, up the Hudson River on the 90-passenger American Independence. Highlights of the package include private guided tours of the three national parks, a 10-state Mississippi River sailing, and fall foliage along the Hudson River, as well as a pre-cruise hotel stay, all flights, and hotels between cruise segments, daily excursions, all meals and beverages, internet service, gratuities, and port charges.
