Holland America Line, the world’s leading premium cruise line, has announced its 2009 global deployment which includes nearly 500 cruises that visit all seven continents and more than 320 ports of call. A highlight of the 2009 plan will take place in the fall when the ms Oosterdam moves to South America as the first Vista-class ship in the Southern Hemisphere. This will increase the line’s South America capacity by 32 percent in this popular market.
“We are thrilled to be introducing a Vista ship with more verandah staterooms in the growing South American market,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “Our commitment to offering the most varied and intriguing destinations to our guests is unparalleled. In 2009 alone, we visit 20 new ports and introduce a number of new itinerary options.”
Cruises, which sail from 35 home ports — 11 in North America – range from two to 117 days in length.
Other 2009 Deployment Highlights
• The first full year of sailings by 2,104-guest ms Eurodam, which enters service in 2008. The ship will offer itineraries in the Caribbean, Europe, and Canada/New England.
• More than 20 new ports, including Cardiff, Wales; Kristiansund, Norway; Vaasa, Finland; Kiel, Germany; Batumi, Georgia; Maputo, Mozambique; Bonne Bay, Newfoundland; and Itajai, Brazil.
• Four distinctive Grand Voyages aboard ms Rotterdam, ms Prinsendam and ms Amsterdam, ranging from a 50-day Mediterranean and Black Sea voyage to 117-day circumnavigation of the world.
• Full Panama Canal transits in fall and winter aboard ms Statendam on 14- to 28-day cruises between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego.
• Holland America Line will offer a total of 28 Mexico sailings including seven-day, nine and ten-day Sea of Cortez, 12-day in-depth Mexican Riviera itineraries, and an extensive 21-day Panamerica voyage to Mexico, the Panama Canal and Costa Rica.
South America & Antarctica
During the winter and spring season, Amsterdam embarks on six South America and Antarctica cruises ranging from 16 to 22 days and sailing from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Valparaiso, Chile. Amsterdam will also sail two 20-day cruises that venture farther south to Antarctica, sailing past stunning icescapes, volcanic Deception Island, Paradise Bay and Elephant Island. In November, Oosterdam will assume South America and Antarctica itineraries, including a 20-day holiday sailing for the first time aboard a Vista ship.
South America itineraries showcase intriguing cities such as Callao, Peru, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, and the scenery of Tierra del Fuego, the Beagle and Cockburn Channels, Strait of Magellan and the Chilean Fjords. Some cruises include the Falkland Islands.
Prinsendam reprises its popular 26-day Amazon River cruise roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale on November 25. The sailing calls at ports in the western Caribbean before heading to the jungles of Brazil. The adventure features eight days cruising the Amazon River with an overnight in Manuas, the furthest navigable point on the river for ocean-going vessels.
Europe & Trans-Atlantic
Whether guests are seeking an introduction to classic European capitals or a glimpse of life in the Shetland Islands or the Black Sea, Holland America Line packages more than 70 European itineraries, including 18 transatlantics in 2009. Six ships — Eurodam, ms Maasdam, ms Noordam, Oosterdam, Prinsendam and Rotterdam — will sail in northern and western Europe, eastern and western Mediterranean and across the Atlantic.
Noordam offers 18 Mediterranean sailings with 10-day itineraries departing Civitavecchia (Rome) April through October. Two cruises can be combined for a unique 20-day Collectors Voyage. The Oosterdam adds 14 alternating 12-day cruises sailing from homeports Barcelona and Venice, each offering overnights in Venice, Barcelona and/or Istanbul.
Prinsendam and Rotterdam cover Europe from the Black Sea and Mediterranean to Northern Europe and the Baltic, adding 22 distinct itineraries that range from 12 to 50 days.
For travelers seeking longer voyages, Maasdam offers a 35-day roundtrip Boston journey with two summer transatlantic segments between Boston and Rotterdam that include Iceland and Greenland. The Eurodam also sails August 11 from Copenhagen for a 16-day voyage to New York.
Eighteen additional transatlantic cruises provide a variety of itinerary options between Europe and North America with routes including varied ports in the Europe, Mediterranean, Iceland and Greenland and Canada.
Alaska
Holland America Line offers 154 departures from May 8 to Sept. 27 on three cruise options — Glacier Bay Inside Passage Cruises, Glacier Discovery, and Alaskan Explorer Cruise. Statendam, ms Ryndam, ms Veendam, ms Volendam and ms Zuiderdam will offer seven-day cruises roundtrip from Vancouver or between Vancouver and Seward. ms Zaandam, Amsterdam, and ms Westerdam will offer seven-day round-trip sailings from Seattle.
Many itineraries include Glacier Bay National Park with others visiting the larger and equally spectacular Hubbard Glacier. Port highlights include Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Haines and Sitka, Alaska and Victoria, British Columbia. Holland America Line also features 29 CruiseTours, which combine cruises to or from Vancouver with inland adventures.
From Alaska’s incomparable Denali National Park to the Kenai Peninsula, Arctic and Yukon Territory, Holland America Line’s 2008 Alaska CruiseTours will explore natural wonders and provide guests with in-depth cultural and wilderness experiences. With 29 CruiseTours ranging from 10 to 20 days in length, Holland America Line combines an Inside Passage cruise with exceptional land tours.
Grand Voyages
Rotterdam returns to world cruising in 2009 with a 117-day Grand World Voyage departing Jan. 19, 2009, from Los Angeles across the Pacific Ocean to the Hawaiian Islands, South Pacific, Australia, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, before concluding in New York. Guests also have the option of a pre Grand-World Transcanal on Jan. 5, 2009 from Ft. Lauderdale.
Prinsendam sails on two grand voyages in 2009. On January 2, the ship departs Fort Lauderdale for the 68-day South America & Antarctica Voyage. This sailing explores this amazing continent from the Inca empires of the Andes to the lacy fjords of Chile and three incredible days cruising in Antarctica to the remote jungles of the Amazon.
On March 11, Prinsendam departs Fort Lauderdale for a 50-day journey to the Mediterranean and Black Sea, exploring 25 centuries of history, culture and art with stops in Spain, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. This includes overnights in Barcelona, Spain, and Istanbul, Turkey, with port calls in France, Monaco, Italy, Greece, Ukraine and Portugal.
Amsterdam departs Seattle on September 26 for a new 67-day adventure to Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific. The itinerary includes French Polynesia, The Great Barrier Reef, and New Zealand.
Australia & New Zealand, South Pacific & Asia
Twenty-one South Pacific and Asia sailings from 12 to 19 days include brand-new itineraries and maiden ports aboard the Volendam. Itineraries are combinable into Collector’s Voyages ranging from 27 to 66 days.
In Australia and New Zealand, cruises sail between Auckland and Sydney, visiting such ports as Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington. Two new Great Barrier Reef Experience cruises will enjoy four days in the Great Barrier Reef, an overnight at Sherrard Island, Darwin and Cairns.
New among Asia cruises are a 14-day Southeast Asia itinerary from Singapore to Hong Kong on April 4 (a reverse cruise sails from Hong Kong on November 9 for 12 days). The itinerary explores the best of Southeast Asia with an overnight in Bangkok and a first-time stop in Puerto Princesa, Philippines. Holland America Line has also added its first roundtrip Hong Kong sailing, a 14-day China and Vietnam itinerary departing on Oct. 26.
To start the year, Ryndam will sail roundtrip from San Diego on a 30-day voyage to Hawaii, French Polynesia, and the Marquesas Islands.
Mexico & Hawaii
Seventeen Mexico sailings and 14 Hawaii departures in 2009 aboard the Ryndam, Zaandam, Amsterdam and Oosterdam range from seven to 19 days. Most depart roundtrip from the popular homeport of San Diego, which provides convenient port access.
Ryndam will sail on 10- to 15-day Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez itineraries from February through April, while changing to seven to 12-day cruises to both destinations from September onward. Oosterdam will sail seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises from Jan. through Feb. Holland America Line is the only premium line to sail the Sea of Cortez and offer optional shore excursions to Copper Canyon.
In Hawaii, Zaandam sails 15- to 19-day Circle Hawaii cruises. Fourteen departures call at Hawaii’s four main islands, including Hilo and Kona, Hawaii; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; and Lahaina, Maui.
Panama Canal and Amazon
Six Holland America Line ships traverse the Panama Canal on 23 sailings that range from 14 to 21 days. The 27-day Inca Discovery sailing aboard Statendam from Fort Lauderdale departs Jan. 10 on a journey that explores five Central and South America countries and the Panama Canal. The Oosterdam will sail a shorter version of the itinerary on Nov. 2 from Fort Lauderdale to Valparaiso, Chile. And Amsterdam sails a 21-day roundtrip Panamerica voyage Dec. 2 and visits Mexico, the Panama Canal, Guatamala and Costa Rica.
Ten 14-day full transit Panama Canal cruises depart Fort Lauderdale and San Diego aboard Statendam during winter and fall months. With these departures, Holland America Line has returned to Panama Canal cruises for an entire season in addition to spring and fall sailings. The Zuiderdam continues its 10-day Fort Lauderdale Panama Canal roundtrip cruises.
Other canal sailings are the 14-day Amsterdam departure from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 23. The Rotterdam also sails a 19-day holiday canal voyage on Dec. 16 from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles.
Canada/New England
Holland America Line’s new Signature-class Eurodam will continue sailing Canada and New England cruises in 2009 and, together with Maasdam, will offer 21 cruises ranging from seven- to 15-days between May and Oct.
Eurodam features 10-day cruises between New York and Quebec City and also offers a 14-day cruise from Quebec City to Ft. Lauderdale. Maasdam adds seven-day sailings between Boston and Montreal with spring through fall dates. One Boston to Boston roundtrip sails on Aug. 29.
Caribbean
Nine Holland America Line ships will sail the Caribbean, with a roster comprising more than 220 sailings from Jan. to Apr. and October to December. Cruises range from seven-day eastern Caribbean getaways to exotic 14-day adventures in the southern Caribbean, some of which include the Panama Canal or South American ports. Guests on seven-day cruises may choose western, eastern or southern itineraries.
Departures are designed so guests can combine a seven-day southern Caribbean with a seven-day western or eastern Caribbean cruise to offer a more in-depth journey. The Collector’s Cruises are also offered on select 10-day sailings, turning them into 20-day complete Caribbean experiences.
Many cruises also feature a day at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s acclaimed private island. With activities such as a guided AquaTrax watercraft tour and stingray adventure, Half Moon Cay continues to serve as the line’s highest rated Caribbean port of call.
