Holland America Line Offers Unique 100-Year-Old Itinerary

Holland America Line has added a unique and nostalgic itinerary to its Legendary Voyage roster of longer sailings. Departing in November 2024, the 42-night cruise aboard Volendam will mimic a voyage that set sail in February 1925, visiting many of the same ports of call and offering guests the chance to visit nine different countries in the Mediterranean.

New Legendary Voyage Offered

The new 42-night “Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage” sailing is scheduled to depart on November 9, 2024. A roundtrip voyage from Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, the cruise will visit 16 diverse ports of call across nine countries as well as provide guests with both eastbound and westbound transatlantic crossings.

“Holland America Line was one of the first companies to feature cruise vacations that went beyond a transatlantic crossing, and today we’re continuing to innovate our itineraries by offering memorable voyages like this ultimate Mediterranean and Atlantic passage sailing,” said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer, Holland America Line. 

Ports of call for the upcoming voyage include Tangier, Morocco; Naples, Italy; Athens, Greece; Haifa (Tel Aviv) and Ashdod (Jerusalem) in Israel; Alexandria, Egypt; Cadiz, Spain, and more.

Of special interest are two overnight stays – Livorno (Pisa/Florence) and Rome in Italy, giving guests extra time to explore those rich and historic destinations. The cruise will end December 21, 2024 back in Fort Lauderdale.

More than 20 days at sea – which includes scenic cruising through the Strait of Gibraltar – will ensure guests can thoroughly enjoy all the amenities that the 61,214-gross ton, Rotterdam-class Volendam offers. The ship debuted in 1999 and is the oldest and smallest in Holland America Line’s fleet, but still offers elegance and distinction for all travelers to experience.

Volendam‘s unique décor has a floral- and nature-inspired theme, including huge vases of fresh flowers to lend both beauty and aroma to the surroundings. The Greenhouse Spa & Salon offers relaxation and wellness treatments along with a thermal suite, and guests can stay fit with a friendly game of pickleball onboard.

Other features include innovative shows, the onboard movie theater, an outdoor walkaround promenade, great music at the Piano Bar, 24-hour room service, quiet spaces in the library, and much more.

Nearly 100 years ago, Holland America Line operated a similar sailing, 42 nights roundtrip from New York City aboard Rotterdam IV. That cruise departed on February 4, 1925 and visited many of the same ports of call scheduled on the 2024 itinerary.

The two ships are very different, however, as Rotterdam IV only had capacity for 550 passengers, while Volendam will welcome 1,432 (based on double occupancy), bringing this unique opportunity to nearly three times as many adventurous travelers.

About Legendary Voyages

Legendary Voyages are Holland America Line’s longer sailings, ranging from 25-59 days. Similar to Grand Voyages, these itineraries typically focus on a single region, visiting multiple ports of call and offering in-depth exploration and longer port visits where available.

“Since introducing this new Legendary category of cruises that offer an in-depth focus on one region, they’ve been very popular. We’re excited to add a longer voyage that makes it easy to explore the Med in depth without a long-haul flight,” said Bodensteiner of the newly released itinerary.

Onboard these unique sailings, travelers will also enjoy curated programming and special guests to share cultural and historical insights into the ports of call, offering even more immersion for a truly memorable, and indeed legendary, experience.

Read Also: Holland America Unwraps Longer Voyages for Three Ships

Other Legendary Voyages coming up from Holland America Line include a 35-day cruise to Hawaii, Tahiti, and Marquesas from San Diego; a 35-day “Voyage of the Vikings” visiting Canada, Greenland, Iceland and Norway from Boston; and a 53-day “Majestic Japan” sailing from Seattle and visiting ports in Alaska, Japan, Midway, and Hawaii.

From homeports outside the US, spectacular Legendary Voyages include a 28-day “Coral Triangle, Volcanos, & Great Barrier Reef” sailing from Singapore, as well as a 35-day “Australia Circumnavigation” from Sydney.