Holland America’s Zaandam Enters Drydock in Freeport

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.

Carnival Panorama to Have Funnel Removed Before Drydock in Portland

Too tall for the bridges of the Columbia River, the Carnival Panorama will have its funnel removed before entering drydock in Portland, Cruise Industry News confirmed.

Facing propulsion issues, the Carnival Cruise Line vessel is currently docked in Victoria, Canada, to get the work done before heading to the Vigor Shipyard in Oregon.

The Panorama will then undergo repairs and a technical overhaul before resuming service on Dec. 23, 2023.

On Dec. 23, the 2019-built ship is scheduled to sail from Long Beach on a seven-night cruise to the Mexican Riviera that features visits to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta.

After experiencing an issue affecting its maximum cruising speed in early November, the Carnival Panorama saw four of its scheduled cruises cancelled.

“Unfortunately, we will be unable to operate the voyages, as it is necessary to remove the ship from service to complete the required repairs,” Carnival said at the time.

The ship then spent a week docked in Astoria, while the company arranged all the details of the repairs.

Two additional week-long cruises were cancelled on Nov. 17, Carnival said, pushing the vessel’s service resumption to late December.

“While we have secured one of the limited number of drydock facilities on the West Coast for the work to be done, we do not have immediate access to the shipyard and will need more time to complete the work,” the company explained in a statement shared at the time.

The third and final ship in Carnival’s Vista Class, the Carnival Panorama entered service in late 2019. Based on the West Coast, the 4,000-guest vessel sails from Long Beach on a year-round basis.

The program features a series of six- to eight-night cruises to Baja Mexico and the Mexican Riviera, with visits to La Paz, Mazatlán, Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, and ore.

Princess Cruises Expands with Year-Round Sailings from Los Angeles

According to a press release, Princess Cruises has added a series of new summer season cruises sailing roundtrips from Los Angeles in 2023.

Between May and August of next year, Princess Cruises will mark year-round sailings from Los Angeles aboard the Emerald Princess, a MedallionClass ship, to Mexico, Hawaii, and the California Coast, with cruises ranging from five to 16 days.

Guests on the Emerald Princess can use their Medallion wearable device to enable contactless boarding, geolocation, and other services. At the same time, all bookings include onboard dining and entertainment, as well as a variety of shore excursions, according to Princess Cruises.

The company has also launched a deal that offers $1 deposits and $50 onboard spending money per person, for guests that complete their reservations by July 19, 2022.

Summer 2023 Itineraries:

Mexican Riviera with La Paz – 7 days – Stops in Cabo San Lucas, La Paz and Ensenada – Departure dates June 24, 2023, and July 29, 2023

Hawaiian Islands – 16 days – Stops in Hilo, Honolulu, Maui (Lahaina), Kauai (Nawiliwili), and Ensenada – Departure dates: May 4, 2023, June 1, 2023, July 6, 2023, and August 5, 2023

Classic California Coast – 7 days – Overnight in San Francisco – Stops in San Diego and Ensenada – Departure dates: May 20, 2023, June 17, 2023, and July 22, 2023

Cabo San Lucas Getaway – 5 days – Overnight in Cabo San Lucas – Departure date: May 27, 2023

West Coast Getaway with San Francisco – 5 days – Stops in San Francisco and Ensenada – Departure date: July 1, 2023