Holland America Line’s Zaandam recently arrived in Freeport to undergo routine maintenance at the Grand Bahama Shipyard.
After concluding a cruise in Fort Lauderdale, the ship entered one of the drydocks of the facility on Jan. 25, 2025.
As part of its two-week shipyard stay, the Zaandam is now undergoing a series of technical overhauls, as well as class work and general maintenance.
Upon completion of the drydock, the vessel is scheduled to welcome guests back in Florida on Feb. 8, 2025.
The 2000-built ship will then kick off a month-long cruise to the Caribbean, South America and the Amazon.
Sailing roundtrip from Miami, the “Amazon Explorer” itinerary is part of Holland America’s Legendary Voyages program and features visits to 13 destinations.
The sailing is highlighted by an overnight stay in Manaus, as well as scenic cruising on the Amazon River.
After the cruise, the Zaandam is scheduled to offer a Panama Canal cruise before kicking off a series of cruises to the Mexican Riviera.
The seven- to ten-night itineraries from San Diego will be followed by a summer deployment in Alaska and Canada.
In September, the 1,440-guest ship is also scheduled to offer a 56-night cruise to the South Pacific and Hawaii.
The vessel continues to sail in the Pacific during the 2025-26 winter, with itineraries to the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, French Polynesia and more.
Extensively refurbished over the years, the Zaandam underwent a major refit in 2018 as part of a $300-million fleet upgrade program.
At the time, the vessel saw significant suite and stateroom enhancements and updates to its public areas.
New additions included USB outlets to the bedside headboards, as well as LED lights to facilitate late-night reading and upgraded electrical outlets. A fully new interactive television system was also installed in all cabins.
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