Critiques and suggestions are unbiased and merchandise are independently chosen. Postmedia might earn an affiliate fee from purchases made by hyperlinks on this web page.
Article content material
AT SEA — This week’s column involves you direct from the Caribbean Sea aboard Holland America Line’s Veendam as she sails round Cuba. It’s too early within the voyage to put in writing about it simply but (extra on the precise cruise in subsequent week’s column), nevertheless it appears to be the proper time to speak about a number of the different thrilling issues that Holland America has in retailer for 2018.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
I’ve obtained an actual mushy spot for Holland America. Earlier than I ever did this as a profession, I’d already amassed almost 40 days at sea with the road. I favored Holland America’s traditional, quiet class, its well-designed ships and intelligent itineraries and its pleasant crews — most of whom hail from Indonesia and the Philippines.
To me, Holland America has at all times epitomized traditional cruising. However a sequence of latest partnerships with BBC Earth, America’s Check Kitchen and O, The Oprah Journal be certain that this traditional expertise can be firmly rooted within the up to date.
And this 12 months, Holland America has some very cool experiences in retailer for friends.
Maybe the corporate’s boldest transfer is coming this fall. I’m not speaking in regards to the December launch of the Nieuw Statendam (which could be very thrilling in its personal proper), however reasonably the brand new position that Holland America is carving out for its venerable Maasdam.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Beginning in October, Holland America is sending Maasdam on a sequence of name new Explorations Central (EXC) In-Depth Voyages — longer and extra unique itineraries that focus closely on vacation spot immersion by distinctive port visits and in a single day stays in additional locations. Voyages will run from 12 to 34 days, and can supply an expedition-style expertise that focuses on immersion by visitor lectures and programs on images, strolling excursions, and culinary exploration.
The primary of those kicks off on Oct. 14, as Maasdam sails round-trip from Papeete, Tahiti, on an unique 14-day voyage by the South Pacific. Different itineraries embody a 12-day exploration of New Zealand (Nov. 26, Auckland to Auckland); a South Seas Sampler voyage (Nov. 11; Papeete to Auckland); and even a 16-day Southern Ocean Vacation cruise (Dec. 21; Sydney to Freemantle (Perth).
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Right here’s the actually cool bit: Holland America can be outfitting the 1,258-guest Maasdam with its personal fleet of zodiac rafts for the primary time within the vessel’s historical past.
“We created EXC In-Depth Voyages to additional improve our friends’ immersion expertise in a extra personalised manner within the unique locations featured on this sequence of specifically designed itineraries,” stated Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “The addition of Zodiac excursions will enable friends to be modern-day explorers, and Maasdam will go to many ports that now we have by no means been to or haven’t visited in years; EXC In-Depth Voyages are actually distinctive.”
The duty of scouting areas for Maasdam’s first-ever zodiac landings is being left to Dr. Peter Carey, Holland America’s director of explorations. An extensively-travelled zoologist, Carey is director of the Sub-Antarctic Basis for Ecosystems Analysis; contributing lecturer on the College of Canterbury and an affiliate professor with the Geography Program on the College of Alaska.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
I’m enthusiastic about this for one more motive: it retains the beautiful, 1994-built Maasdam within the fleet, giving her a renewed objective that she is completely suited to because of her modest (by up to date requirements) dimension. Along with sister-ship Veendam’s new position as the corporate’s ambassador to Cuba, count on to see these enticing S-Class ships within the fleet some time longer.
Holland America has additionally crafted some nice itineraries this 12 months, one among which is the corporate’s legendary Voyage of the Vikings. Crusing aboard the 1,404-guest Rotterdam, this grand transatlantic crossing from Boston, Massachusetts has been on my bucket-list for years. You possibly can take it as a 38-day voyage crusing roundtrip Boston, or as a 19-day journey between Boston and Rotterdam or reverse. Stopping in Atlantic Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Eire, Norway and the Netherlands, it’s a powerhouse itinerary on the Atlantic.
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Lastly, if you wish to sail aboard Holland’s newest and best, some brief preview cruises are supplied aboard Nieuw Statendam when she debuts, together with a four-day cruise to the Bahamas (Dec. 19); and a three-day Half Moon Cay cruise (Jan 30, 2019).
Completely satisfied cruising.
Go to Portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800-410-4744,www.cruise.middle, for each day updates on the newest cruise information, finest offers and behind-the-scenes tales from the trade. You can even join an e mail publication on the positioning for much more cruise info. Aaron Saunders could also be contacted immediately at [email protected]
Commercial
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
