Nine ships to offer 126 Caribbean and Panama Canal
sailings
SEATTLE, Sept. 11, 2014 /CNW/ -- Travelers looking
for an intimate, mid-sized cruise experience in the Caribbean have 126 itineraries to choose from
during Holland America Line's 2014-15 Caribbean season. Featuring nine of the line's
vessels sailing roundtrip from either Fort Lauderdale or Tampa, Fla., the cruises span the Caribbean on eastern, western and southern
routes, as well as partial transits of the Panama Canal.
From October 2014 through
April 2015, ms Eurodam, ms
Maasdam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Ryndam, ms
Westerdam and ms Zuiderdam sail regular Caribbean voyages, while ms Amsterdam and ms Prinsendam each
sail one December holiday cruise in the region. The
ships feature 21 different seven-, 10-, 11- and 14-day
itineraries that can be combined into longer Collectors' Voyages
ranging from 14 to 25 days. All Fort
Lauderdale departures feature a call at Half Moon Cay, the
line's award-winning private Bahamian island known for its pristine
beaches, diverse shore excursions, exclusive beach cabanas and
kid-friendly activities.
"With our elegant mid-sized ships and wide variety of onboard
activities, Holland America Line is a leader in the Caribbean's premium cruise market," said
Richard Meadows, Holland America
Line's executive vice president of sales, marketing and guest
relations. "We carefully plan our itineraries to highlight the best
ports in the region, including our award-winning private island,
Half Moon Cay."
Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale Itineraries
During the
season, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and
Zuiderdam will sail a series of seven-day eastern and
western Caribbean itineraries that
can be combined to form a 14-day Collectors' Voyage spanning both
regions. Maasdam sails 10-day eastern routes, as well as
longer 11- and 14-day southern itineraries. Noordam also
features 10- and 11-day southern Caribbean cruises ideal for guests looking for
a longer vacation.
In addition to the 14-day Collectors' Voyages, the itineraries
can be combined to form a diverse range of options, including an
18-day southern and western cruise on Noordam, a 21-day
southern and eastern option on Maasdam and a 25-day
nonrepeating double-southern route on Maasdam.
New for 2015, Noordam, Eurodam and Ryndam have added more
dates to their already-robust schedules, giving guests expanded
options from which to choose.
Partial Panama Canal Transits
Guests looking to
explore the lakes and locks of the Panama Canal without going
through to the West Coast can embark on a convenient roundtrip
Fort Lauderdale partial transit
aboard Maasdam or Zuiderdam. The ships make their way
to Gatun Lake and spend the day leisurely scenic cruising. During
the 10-, 11- or 14-day departures the ships also visit several
Caribbean ports. The partial
transit itineraries can be combined with other Caribbean cruises to form a Collectors' Voyage
of up to 25 days.
Roundtrip Tampa Itineraries
Ryndam spends the
Caribbean season cruising
roundtrip from Tampa on seven-day
western and 14-day southern itineraries. The two options can be
combined to form a 21-day western/southern Caribbean Collectors'
Voyage. The ship makes a maiden call at Banana Coast, Honduras, and also visits Puerto Rico, Antigua, St.
Lucia, Aruba, Curacao, Guatemala, Mexico, the U.S.
Virgin Islands and Key West,
Fla.
Celebrate the Season with a Festive Holiday Cruise
For
travelers who like to get away from the hustle, and chill of
December, the holiday season is a special time onboard. A total of
15 holiday sailings will ply the warm waters of the Caribbean on itineraries ranging from seven to
14 days. Several non-repeating itineraries can be combined to form
a grand Holiday Collectors' Voyage.
Guests looking to explore the Caribbean on Prinsendam and
Amsterdam during the
holidays can embark on their only Caribbean sailings of the season.
Prinsendam leaves Dec. 18 on a
roundtrip Fort Lauderdale cruise
to the southern Caribbean. The
16-day itinerary includes 10 ports and stretches from Half Moon Cay
to Tobago. Departing Dec. 22, Amsterdam sails a roundtrip Fort Lauderdale cruise on a 14-day southern
Caribbean cruise.
During the holiday cruises, guests can take part in a Christmas
tree lighting ceremony, enjoy traditional holiday meals with all of
the trimmings and indulge in a special Royal Dutch High Tea with fanciful holiday
cookies and pastries. The ships' international crew chorus performs
a magical holiday show, while caroling and sing-alongs take place
around the ship. Kids will delight in a visit from Santa Claus and
holiday-themed crafts.
The New Year's Eve sailings are
the ideal setting to ring in a new year, featuring a festive
holiday ball with a champagne toast.
Go "On Location" in the Caribbean
On each cruise, experiences
such as steel drum performances and classes, cooking demonstrations
of dishes such as Caribbean Pepper Pot and Jerk Grouper, and
Caribbean rum tasting are part of
Holland America Line's "On Location" program. The itinerary sets
the scene for guests to indulge in localized experiences that make
time on board as enriching as visiting the ports of call through
lectures, demonstrations and performances.
Fares begin at $399 per person,
double occupancy for a seven-day cruise. Visit Holland America
Line's website, www.hollandamerica.com, and browse the extensive
menu of Caribbean options, contact
a travel professional or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425)
for more information.
Editor's note: Detailed PDF fact sheets of
cruise itineraries and photos are available at
https://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/W1nfF-R6K-d60.
Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland
America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the Online
Communities quick link on the home page at
www.hollandamerica.com.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival
Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland
America Line's fleet of 15 ships
offers more than 500 cruises to 415 ports in 98 countries,
territories or dependencies. One- to 110-day itineraries visit
all seven continents and highlights include Antarctica, South
America, Australia/New
Zealand and Asia voyages;
four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to ports in the
Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Europe and Panama Canal. The line currently
has a new ship on order from Fincantieri shipyard for delivery in
February 2016.
Fleetwide, the company features Signature of Excellence
enhancements, a commitment totaling more than $500 million, that showcase the Culinary Arts
Center presented by Food & Wine magazine — a state-of-the-art
onboard show kitchen where more than 60 celebrated guest chefs and
culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and classes —
Explorations Cafe powered by The New York
Times, Digital Workshop powered by Windows, teens-only
activity areas and all new stateroom amenities highlighted by
flat-panel TVs and plush Euro-top Mariner's Dream Beds.
World's Leading Cruise Lines
Holland America Line is a proud member of World's
Leading Cruise Lines. Our exclusive alliance also includes Carnival
Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and
Seabourn. Sharing a passion to please each guest and a commitment
to quality and value, World's Leading Cruise Lines inspires people
to discover their best vacation experience. Together, we offer a
variety of exciting and enriching cruise vacations to the world's
most desirable destinations. Visit us at
www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com.
CONTACT:
|
Sally
Andrews
|
PHONE:
|
800-637-5029
|
FAX:
|
206-262-5934
|
EMAIL:
|
pr@hollandamerica.com
|
Logo -
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130930/SF88951LOGO
SOURCE Holland America Line