Holland America Line Returns to Australia

Posted on 6 November, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

After more than a two-year absence, Holland America Line returned to Australia.

The Westerdam is Holland America Line’s first ship back in the region and arrived at Cairns, Australia on Thursday, November 3.

The Westerdam embarked on the voyage on October 2, departing from Seattle, Washington and making calls in Honolulu (Oahu), Hawaii, Nawiliwili (Kauai), Hawaii, Kailua Kona, Hawaii, Apia, Western Samoa, Suva, Fiji, Dravuni, Fiji, Lautoka, Fiji, Lifou, New Caledonia, Noumea, New Caledonia, and Alotau, Papua New Guinea before reaching Cairns, Australia.

“After being away from Australia for far too long, we are excited to be back in this beautiful part of the world,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Despite just opening sales for Westerdam in Australia seven months ago, we’re already seeing some full cruises in the region. Thank you to all of the locals who welcomed our guests at Cairns today and embraced our return with open arms.”

The ship will make a few more stops at Australian destinations including Airlie Beach on November 4, Moreton Island on November 6, and Sydney on November 8 before moving on with its itinerary to New Zealand. The Westerdam will end its journey in Sydney, Australia on November 23.

The Noordam will join the Westerdam in Australia, which will circle the Australian continent on its South Pacific and Australia Circumnavigation Collector journey, arriving at Sydney, Australia on November 5.

This will be the first time that Holland America Line has positioned two of its ships cruising simultaneously around the region since 2016, according to a statement.

On its Australian tour, the Noordam will make calls in Gladstone, Airlie Beach, Cairns, Darwin, Broome, Port Lincoln, Exmouth, Geraldton, Fremantle, Albany, Adelaide, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Melbourne.

A special, 14-day Holiday Cruise will depart from Auckland, New Zealand, on December 20, and will arrive in Sydney, Australia on January 3.

Holland America’s Noordam Resumes Service After Two Years

Posted on 24 April, 2022 by Spacejunkie2

The Noordam is reentering service for Holland America Line today in Florida.

After a 25-month hiatus, the 2006-built cruise ship is resuming commercial service with two repositioning cruises ahead of a summer program in Alaska.

First, the vessel is offering first a Panama Canal cruise. The 17-night voyage sails from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego and features visits to eight ports in Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.

Once on the West Coast, the Noordam embarks on a four-night Pacific Coastal itinerary that links San Diego and Vancouver, with a stop in Victoria.

The vessel then starts its summer season in the Last Frontier, offering open-jaw cruises between Vancouver and Whittier.

Called “Glacier Discovery,” the vessel’s regular itinerary includes calls in Skagway, Juneau and Ketchikan, in addition to cruising at the Glacier Bay and the Hubbard Glacier.

Concluding its Alaska program, the Noordam departs on a special 34-night repositioning voyage to the South Pacific in October.

The itinerary sails to Sydney and features calls in Hawaii, Kiribati, French Polynesia, Cook Islands, Tonga and Australia – where the ship is poised to spend the next winter season.

The Noordam originally entered service in 2006 as the fourth ship in a series of four 82,000-ton cruise ships known as the Vista Class.

In 2019, the 1,900-guest vessel was subjected to a major refurbishment that included several upgrades to its cabins and public areas.

Additions comprise the Billboard Onboard to the Music Walk area, the Microsoft Studio in the Explorations Café and Fujifilm Wonder PhotoShop.

Suites were also refreshed with new soft goods, furniture and bathrooms and other areas such as the Pinnacle Grill, the Pinnacle Bar, the Greenhouse Spa and Salon, the Dining Room and Lido Market received extensive enhancements.

In addition to the Noordam, six cruise ships are currently sailing with guests for Holland America Line.

While the entire fleet is set to be in service by July, two additional vessels – the Oosterdam and the Zaandam – are returning in May.

‘Positive Signs’ as Holland America Moving Six Ships Toward U.S.

Posted on 19 November, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

Holland America Line is preparing for a gradual restart and is said to be moving six cruise ships toward the U.S. citing positive signs and a new conversation around the return to service.

The news came in a letter sent to crew from President Gus Antorcha, reported by Crew Center, and also obtained by Cruise Industry News.

“Following in-depth discussions with the CDC, other government agencies, and medical and science authorities, we have decided to start moving six Holland America Line ships toward U.S. waters over the next several weeks to begin completing the requirements for conditional sailing,” Antorcha said in the letter sent to the crew.

The ships heading to U.S. waters are the Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam, and Noordam. Holland America did not specify port information but the line has traditionally had a strong presence in the winter from Port Everglades and Tampa, which would pull from a large drive-to market.

“While there is still much to be done, this is an important first step toward our goal of resuming cruise operation,” the letter said.

“Holland America Line will continue to work with the CDC on our eventual return to guest cruise operations. We are fully aligned with the CDC on our top priorities for compliance, protecting the environment, and the health, safety, and well-being of our guests, the people in communities we touch, our crew, and shoreside employees.”