Rotterdam
headlines eight departure ports from which guests can visit more
than 175 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and 35 countries
SEATTLE, July 31,
2024 /CNW/ -- Holland America
Line opened its 2026 Europe season for booking with four
ships taking guests on Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Canary Island and
transatlantic cruises ranging from seven to 42 days. The carefully
crafted itineraries grant travelers a wide array of options and new
ports to choose from when booking their European holiday.
Exploring the Mediterranean aboard Oosterdam
For an in-depth exploration of the Med,
Collectors' Voyages spanning from 14 to 27 days are available for
booking.
Oosterdam will play host to those traversing the Mediterranean.
Guests seeking a shorter vacation can choose between seven-
to-14-day itineraries departing from five homeports: Lisbon, Portugal; Piraeus (Athens), Greece; Barcelona,
Spain; and Civitavecchia (Rome) and Trieste
(Venice), Italy. Travelers
who covet a more immersive look at the region, however, can combine
these itineraries for an even more in-depth exploration of the Med.
A series of 28 Collectors' Voyages spanning from 14 to 27 days are
available for booking; up to 21 days can be sailed with no repeat
ports.
"There's so much to see throughout the Mediterranean region and
by creating itineraries from multiple homeports we're giving
our guests the opportunity to explore more ports and countries in
an exciting way we haven't offered before. The range of options
we've put together really allows travelers to choose their own,
ideal Mediterranean adventure," said Paul
Grigsby, Holland America Line's vice president of revenue
planning and deployment. "Further, we made sure to listen to guest
feedback when crafting these itineraries: We've included some of
our most requested calls, including Sicily and Portofino — two of 11 ports of call
in Italy. And for the first time
in over 15 years, we're returning to St.
Tropez, France."
Two Pinnacle-Class Ships Explore Northern Europe
Guests seeking to explore Northern
Europe can climb aboard Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam. The two Pinnacle-Class ships will
return to homeport in Rotterdam, the
Netherlands, the premier hub to explore Europe. And Nieuw Statendam will return to
Dover, England, in 2026,
offering alternate itineraries for those wishing to sail roundtrip
from the U.K. on select sailings.
The 2026 offerings allow guests to book popular favorites,
including an increased number of seven-day cruises to
Norway's fjords as well as
seven-day open-jaw sailings between Reykjavik, Iceland, and Rotterdam. Guests can also select from a
series of "14-Day Baltic and Scandinavian Capitals" cruises, many
of which feature overnights or late-night calls in Oslo, as well as ports in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark.
Additionally, this season in Northern Europe Holland America
Line will introduce four new ports, including Aberdeen, Scotland; Kalundborg,
Denmark; and Odda, Norway, aboard Rotterdam; and Portsmouth, England, aboard Nieuw
Statendam.
"We're excited to see both Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam returning to homeport in our
historic home. Aboard the two ships, guests can experience over 80
ports across 20 countries, as far west as the Canary Islands in
Spain, and as far east as
Finland and the Baltic States,"
said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland
America Line's chief commercial officer. "And for guests seeking a
longer visit to see sites like Dover Castle, the famous White
Cliffs or London, they can choose
to embark in Dover on a dozen of
Nieuw Statendam's itineraries."
Further Highlights of Holland America Line's 2026 Europe
Cruising Season
Six Celestial Cruises, including
three eclipse cruises, two Northern Lights cruises, and one summer
solstice Arctic Circle crossing.
- July 18, 2026, 35-Day Voyage
of the Vikings: Solar Eclipse (Legendary Voyage),
Zuiderdam, roundtrip from Boston,
Massachusetts.
- July 25, 2026, 28-Day
Scandinavian Solar Eclipse with Greenland and Scotland (Legendary Voyage), Nieuw
Statendam, roundtrip from Dover,
England, or roundtrip from Rotterdam.
- Aug. 9, 2026, 13-Day
Mediterranean Solar Eclipse with Barcelona Overnight,
Oosterdam, from Lisbon, Portugal,
to Piraeus (Athens), Greece.
- Oct. 4, 2026, 14-Day Arctic
Journey and Northern Lights, Rotterdam, from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Oct. 17, 2026, 14-Day Arctic
Journey and Northern Lights, Nieuw Statendam, roundtrip
Rotterdam.
- June 13, 2026, 14-Day Arctic
Circle Crossing: North Cape Solstice, Nieuw Statendam,
roundtrip from Dover or
Rotterdam.
11 Departure Cities: Rotterdam and Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Barcelona, Spain; Boston, Massachusetts; Civitavecchia
(Rome) and Trieste (Venice), Italy; Dover,
England; Lisbon, Portugal;
Piraeus (Athens), Greece; Reykjavik,
Iceland; and Fort Lauderdale,
Florida.
12 Overnight Ports: Alexandria,
Egypt; Alta and Oslo,
Norway; Barcelona, Spain;
Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples and Trieste
(Venice), Italy; Greenock
(Glasgow), Scotland; Haifa,
Israel; Istanbul, Turkey;
South Queensferry (Edinburgh),
Scotland; and Valletta, Malta.
19 Late-Evening Departure Cities (between 10 p.m. and
midnight): Ålesund and Trondheim, Norway; Alexandria,
Egypt; Belfast, Northern
Ireland; Civitavecchia (Rome); Greenock (Glasgow); Dubrovnik, Croatia; Halifax,
Nova Scotia, Canada; Istanbul; Kiel
(Hamburg) and Warnemünde (Berlin), Germany; Liverpool,
England; Mykonos and Rhodes, Greece; Reykjavik; Santa
Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands; South Queensferry
(Edinburgh); St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada; and
Tallinn, Estonia.
Canary Islands:
- Nieuw Statendam visits the Canary Islands on 13-day and 14-day
"Canary Island Enchantment" itineraries, departing April 18 and Oct.
3, respectively. Both sail roundtrip from Rotterdam and also include ports in Madeira,
Portugal, and England. Both the spring and fall cruises
offer roundtrip Dover options
departing April 17 and Oct. 2.
Transatlantic:
- In March and April, Rotterdam
and Nieuw Statendam cross the Atlantic Ocean from Fort Lauderdale to Rotterdam on 14-day cruises; Oosterdam crosses
from Fort Lauderdale to
Barcelona on a 14-day
itinerary.
- In October and November, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam and Oosterdam sail to Fort Lauderdale via Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Barcelona, respectively, on 14- and 15-day
cruises.
Collectors' Voyages Combine Non-Repeating
Itineraries
Many of the cruises can be extended into
Collectors' Voyages, which offer the ultimate European exploration.
By combining two seven-day itineraries, a seven- and a 14-day
cruise or longer non-repeating voyages, these artfully crafted
journeys up to 42 days combine back-to-back sailings, enabling
guests to visit more ports and spend extra time discovering
centuries of art, history and culture.
Have It All Early Booking Bonus
For a limited time,
when guests book 2026 Europe cruises with the Have It All premium
package, the standard package amenities of shore excursions,
specialty dining, a Signature Beverage Package and Surf Wi-Fi are
included — plus the added perk of free prepaid crew appreciation,
along with free upgrades to the Elite Beverage Package and Premium
Wi-Fi.
Guests can also take advantage of Holland America Line's
Exclusive Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus. Mariner
Society loyalty members can enjoy up to $400 onboard credit per stateroom when these
cruises open for sale. Guests must book these cruises by
Oct. 29, 2024, to receive the
Exclusive Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus.
For more information about Holland America Line, consult a
travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit
hollandamerica.com.
Find Holland America Line on X (formerly
Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and the Holland America
Blog. You can also access all social media outlets via the
home page at hollandamerica.com.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival
Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line has been
exploring the world for 150+ years with expertly crafted
itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the
destinations. Offering an ideal perfectly-sized ship experience,
its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world
and has shared the thrill of Alaska for more than 75 years — longer than
any other cruise line. Holland America
Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching
activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and
personalized travel. Guests enjoy the best entertainment at sea,
and dining venues featuring exclusive dishes by world-famous chefs.
A new global fresh fish program brings more than 80 types of fresh
fish on board, sourced and served locally in regions around the
world.
CONTACT:
|
Bill Zucker
|
PHONE:
|
800-637-5029,
206-626-9890
|
EMAIL:
|
pr@hollandamerica.com
|
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-america-lines-2026-europe-season-allows-guests-to-choose-their-own-mediterranean-adventure-or-explore-more-ports-in-northern-europe-302211195.html
SOURCE Holland America Line