Holland America Line Restart: Six Ships in Service by January

Continuing its restart plans, Holland America Line will see six ships sailing with guests by early 2022. The Carnival-owned premium brand first resumed service in July, offering a summer program in Alaska with the Nieuw Amsterdam.

Four Ships in Service in North America

Currently, five vessels are in service in North America, including the new Rotterdam.

The 2021-built ship debuted in October, sailing a transatlantic crossing before kicking off its inaugural season in the Caribbean.

The Eurodam, the Nieuw Amsterdam, the Nieuw Statendam and the Koningsdam are also presently operating, offering cruises to the Caribbean, the Bahamas and the West Coast from two different homeports.

Here are the details:

Eurodam
Capacity at 100%: 2,104
Date: In service since August 15, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 7 to 10 nights
Itinerary: Panama Canal, Southern and Eastern Caribbean    

Koningsdam
Capacity at 100%: 2,650
Date: In service since October 10, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: San Diego (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Mexican Riviera  

Nieuw Amsterdam
Capacity at 100%: 2,100
Date: In service since July 24, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 5 to 9 nights
Itinerary: the Bahamas, Western and Eastern Caribbean

Nieuw Statendam
Capacity at 100%: 2,650

Date: In service since November 21, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Bahamas, Western, Eastern and Southern Caribbean

Rotterdam (VII)
Capacity at 100%: 2,650
Date: In service since October 20, 2021
Region: Caribbean
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States)
Length: 10 and 11 nights
Itinerary: Eastern and Southern Caribbean

Zuiderdam Returns in December; Balance of the Fleet in 2022

While the balance of the 11-ship fleet is set to return in the first half of 2022, the Zuiderdam is resuming service in December.

The 2002-built ship is set to offer additional itinerary choices in North America, with a series of West Coast, Panama Canal and the Caribbean.

Here are the currently planned service resumption dates for the remainder of the fleet:

Zuiderdam
Capacity at 100%: 1,916

Date: December 23, 2021
Region: West Coast
Homeport: San Diego (United States)
Length: 10 nights
Itinerary: Guaymas, Loreto, Topolobampo, La Paz, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas

Noordam
Capacity at 100%: 1,918
Date: April 24, 2022
Region: Panama Canal
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) to San Diego (United States)
Length: 17 nights
Itinerary: Cartagena, Panama Canal, Panama City, Puerto Caldera, Corinto, Puerto Quetzal, Puerto Chiapas, Huatulco, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Luas

Oosterdam 
Capacity at 100%: 1,916
Date: May 1, 2022
Region: Mediterranean
Homeport: Civitavecchia (Italy) to Venice (Italy)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Salerno, Messina, Corfu, Kotor and Zadar

Volendam
Capacity at 100%: 1,432
Date: May 1, 2022
Region: Northern Europe
Homeport: Rotterdam (Netherlands)
Length: 14 nights
Itinerary: Arhus, Warnemunde, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki, Tallinn and St. Petersburg

Westerdam
Capacity at 100%: 1,916
Date: May 8, 2022
Region: Alaska
Homeport: Seattle (United States)
Length: 7 nights
Itinerary: Victoria, Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka

Zaandam
Capacity at 100%: 1,432
Date: May 12, 2022
Region: Canada and New England
Homeport: Fort Lauderdale (United States) to Montreal (Canada)
Length: 9 nights
Itinerary: Boston, Bar Harbor, Halifax, Sydney and Quebec City

Koningsdam Set to Resume Service, Kicking Off First Season on the West Coast

Holland America Line is resuming service on the West Coast today, as the Koningsdam welcomes guests back in San Diego.

After a 19-month operational pause, the 2016-built vessel is starting a week-long California Coast voyage.

Debuting in the region, the Koningsdam is set to visit three ports during the cruise, including Catalina Island and San Francisco, where an overnight stop allows the guests to explore further. Before returning to its homeport, the 2,650-guest ship also pays a visit to Ensenada, a popular cruise port in Mexico.

Now sailing from San Diego every Sunday, the Koningsdam is also offering Mexican Riviera itineraries through the end of the year. The seven-night cruises include call in three ports: Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

From January, the vessel’s program will see the addition of longer voyages to Hawaii, with visits to Honolulu, Hilo, Lahaina and more.

Inspired by Holland America Lines’ Dutch roots and heritage, the Koningsdam was named to honour His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, the first king of the Netherlands in over a century.

With the word koning standing for “king” in Dutch, the name is also meant, according to the company, to celebrate the majestic ship.

As the first vessel in the Pinnacle-class, the Koningsdam ushered a new era for Holland America Line, debuting a new design approach and several new features.

With interiors created by Adam D. Tihany and Bjørn Storbraaten, the 99,500-ton ship was conceived to blend a fresh, contemporary styling with the line’s renowned classic elegance.

The iconic Queen’s Lounge, for instance, was completely reimagined for the ship, becoming an elegant theatre and entertainment venue that spans two floors. 

Also debuting was an updated culinary vision for the fleet, with new dining and eatery concepts, including the Grand Dutch Café, another nod to Holland America Line’s heritage, and a place to grab Dutch-themed snacks and beverages.

Following the Nieuw Amsterdam and the Eurodam, which resumed service in July and August, respectively, the Koningsdam is the third Holland America Line vessel to restart guest services.

Three additional vessels are welcoming the guests back for the company through the end of December, including the 2018-built Nieuw Statendam.

Holland America Set for U.S. Cruising with 6 Ships from San Diego and Port Everglades

Holland America Line announced it is set to restart cruising out of Port of San Diego in California beginning with a season of cruises to Mexico, Hawaii and along the California coast aboard Koningsdam and Zuiderdam.

The cruise line has expanded the season with the addition of six new cruise departures for Zuiderdam and two new cruises on Koningsdam, offering a total of 40 cruises from San Diego from September 2021 through April 2022.

Holland America Line also is looking toward cruising in the Caribbean with four ships, according to a press release.

All sailing roundtrip from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the season will begin Oct. 23, 2021, with Nieuw Amsterdam. The ship will be joined by the new Rotterdam Nov. 3, Eurodam Nov. 14 and Nieuw Statendam Nov. 21.

Caribbean cruises range in length from four to 14 days, span the entire region and include a call at Half Moon Cay.

“San Diego has always been an incredible homeport for our ships, and we are eager to restart on the West Coast with two ships operating an expanded season, including the debut of Koningsdam on these itineraries and close-to-home California cruises that our guests are going to love,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We’ve also been anticipating announcing our plans for the Caribbean and we’re thrilled to have four ships in the region, including our new Rotterdam. Cruising is back and having vaccinated ships for these cruises in 2021 ensures that we can deliver the experience just how our guests remember and expect. We’re ready to cruise!”

 Highlights of the 2021-2022 San Diego Cruise Season:

  • Zuiderdam: Sept. 18, 2021, to April 22, 2022: 17 cruises from San Diego — eight Mexico, four California coast, three Hawaii and two Panama Canal.
  • Koningsdam: Oct. 10, 2021, to April 3, 2022: 23 cruises from San Diego — 15 Mexico, six California coast and two Hawaii cruises.
  • Seven-day cruises along the California coast include a new itinerary that calls at Catalina, Santa Barbara and San Francisco for a late evening stay, along with Ensenada, Mexico. Additional “Classic California Coast” cruises include California calls at Santa Barbara, San Francisco and Avalon, and at Ensenada.
  • A new 21-day Panama Canal cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam from Seattle, Washington, to Fort Lauderdale departs Oct. 2 and includes calls at San Diego; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; Fuerte Amador (Panama City), Panama;; Oranjestad, Aruba; and Half Moon Cay.
  • All seven-day “Mexican Riviera” cruises feature three Mexican ports of call: Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas.
  • “Mexico and Sea of Cortez” itineraries are between nine and 12 days and call at a combination of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, Guaymas, Topolobampo, Pichilingue (La Paz) and Loreto, Mexico.
  • “Circle Hawaii” cruises are 17 or 18 days and call at the Hawaiian ports of Lahaina, Hilo, Honolulu, Nawiliwili and Kona, and Ensenada.
  • Two 14-day cruises through the Panama Canal from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale on Zuiderdam depart Jan. 2 and Jan. 30, 2022.

 Highlights of the 2021-2022 Caribbean Cruise Season:

  • Nieuw Amsterdam: Oct. 23, 2021, to April 7, 2022: 24 cruises to the eastern, western and southern Caribbean. All itineraries are seven days except a nine-day holiday cruise departing on Dec. 30.
  • Rotterdam: Nov. 3, 2021, to April 10, 2022: The ship kicks off its maiden season in the Caribbean with a series of 22 cruises, ranging from three to 11 days covering a wide offering of Caribbean ports.
  • Eurodam: Nov. 14, 2021, to April 10, 2022: 15 departures, including 12 10- and 11-day Panama Canal Sunfarer cruises featuring a partial Panama Canal exploration of Gatun Lake and three seven-day eastern Caribbean itineraries.
  • Nieuw Statendam: Nov. 21, 2021, to March 27, 2022: 15 cruises to the eastern, western, southern and tropical Caribbean ranging from seven to 11 days.
  • All itineraries include a call at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island.