Holland America Line Offering Special Holiday Getaways

Holland America Line has released details about its upcoming holiday season sailings, covering Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year’s. Special events, destinations, and activities will make these seasonal cruises a wonderful and memorable experience for guests, no matter what traditions they celebrate.

Celebrate the Holidays With Holland America Line

The holiday season is undeniably stressful, but Holland America Line is seeking to give travelers stress-free options that still preserve treasured traditions even while enjoying new memorable moments. Special seasonal activities, unique destinations, and more will make each of these holiday sailings an amazing way for guests to celebrate the season.

“Travelers are looking for ways to destress around the holidays while also maintaining a sense of tradition, and by cruising with us they’re able to do both,” said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line’s chief commercial officer.

Holland America Line is offering holiday-themed sailings to a wide range of destinations, giving guests plenty of options to meet both their travel preferences as well as their holiday expectations.

Global Itineraries

For many people, “holidays” mean “home” rather than travel. Holland America Line is inviting cruisers to enjoy their “home away from home” atmosphere for worry-free celebrations all around the world.

Special holiday-themed sailings are available from US homeports such as Fort Lauderdale and San Diego, as well as in more far-flung destinations for truly unique holidays.

For example, guests could enjoy balmy Caribbean weather rather than icy snow and cold, with sailings aboard Eurodam, Rotterdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Zuiderdam, Zaandam, and Nieuw Statendam. Yet onboard each ship, traditional holiday festivities bring seasonal spirit to life regardless of the temperatures.

Of special note is Rotterdam‘s 19-night “Panama Canal Sunfarer/Eastern Caribbean” sailing departing Fort Lauderdale on December 3. In addition to transiting the canal, the ship will visit Colombia, Costa Rica, and more. Especially notable is the opportunity for guests to visit the oldest continually operating synagogue in the Americas, the Mikve Israel-Emmanuel Synagogue in Curacao, on the first day of Hanukkah.

For more far-flung options, Koningsdam and Volendam are offering Hawaii and Mexico cruises through the holiday season, with both ships homeported from San Diego. Koningsdam will be offering Mexican Riviera and “Circle Hawaii” itineraries, while Volendam is sailing “Historical Baja” and “Sea of Cortez” options during the holiday season.

Oosterdam and Noordam will be offering even more unique holiday sailings for truly once-in-a-lifetime celebrations. Oosterdam is sailing a once-in-a-lifetime 22-day “South America and Antarctica Holiday” departing December 16, 2023 from Buenos Aires, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day cruising in Antarctica (ice, weather, and permissions permitting).

Meanwhile, Noordam will be offering Far East exoticness with a 14-day sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong departing December 23, 2023 with ports of call in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. A special onboard celebration will ring in the new year with dramatic style.

Holiday Events Onboard

While Holland America Line’s different holiday sailings will be visiting unique destinations with memorable ways to celebrate the holidays, the festivities also continue onboard with traditional celebratory elements.

“On a Holland America Line holiday sailing, guests can spend their days exploring exciting destinations, and at night they’ll enjoy traditional meals and other celebrations while surrounded by beautiful holiday décor,” said Bodensteiner.

Each ship in the Holland America Line fleet will be festively outfitted with classic decorations and holiday lighting and such unique and charming themed displays such as gingerbread villages and more.

Curated holiday menus will be presented on each sailing, from turkey and dressing on Thanksgiving to latkes and Sufganiyot (traditional doughnuts) for Hanukkah. For Christmas meals, festive dishes from around the world will highlight global tastes of the season.

Read Also: What to Expect on a Christmas Cruise

Onboard activities will include tree-lighting ceremonies, dreidel games, holiday movies, caroling parties, and much more, including special activities for younger cruisers with visits from Santa. On New Year’s sailings, a lively ball and midnight countdown will ring in 2024 with outstanding style.

No matter how cruisers choose to celebrate, Holland America Line can help them make amazing, stress-free holiday memories.