Your Cruise Your Way Cruise Blog

Over the next two years, Holland America Line will be shuffling Caribbean cruise options to include new ports, longer itineraries, and a new vessel ship, the ms Eurodam. Holland America Line has increased its presence in the region due primarily to the addition of the new 2,104-passenger Eurodam, and the longer itineraries it will be doing.

Beginning in 2008, Holland America Line is also going back to a southern Caribbean itinerary that proved to be a popular alternative to the standard eastern and western sailings. The seven-day roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale visits Aruba, Curaçao and the premium line’s private island experience of Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.
“Next year we are thrilled to introduce our new Signature-class Eurodam to the Caribbean and know our guests will enjoy sailing on her,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “With our greatest selection of cruises and our push to lead the industry with longer, in-depth itineraries, Holland America Line stands out in the region as offering something very unique for cruisers.
“Our on-board product, the amount of time we spend in port, and our private island experience that is regularly lauded as the quintessential Caribbean experience all add to the premium cruise experience our guests receive,” added Meadows.
Holland America Line will have ten ships sailing the Caribbean in 2008 and through April 2009, offering 189 sailings. In 2008, ships depart from Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and New York; in 2009, gateways feature Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. The Noordam, which will sail out of New York in 2008, moves to Ft Lauderdale to offer the popular Seafarer/Wayfarer itineraries.
Holland America will have three Vista-class ships – ms Noordam, ms Zuiderdam and ms Westerdam – and the ms Maasdam, ms Prinsendam, ms Rotterdam, ms Veendam, ms Volendam, ms Statendam, and ms Eurodam.
Cruises will range from 3 to 14-day cruises in the Southern Caribbean, some including the Panama Canal or South American ports. Many sailings will be the combination cruises Holland America is famous for; for example, guests can combine a Western Caribbean cruise with a Eastern Caribbean sailing to go on a 14 day sojourn.
Most cruises also plan a day at Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s acclaimed private island. With its horseback riding and swimming excursion, guided AquaTrax watercraft tour, stingray adventure, and fun-filled family aqua park, Half Moon Cay continues to be the line’s highest rated Caribbean port of call.
Cruise fares begin at $749 per person for a seven-day Eastern or Western Caribbean itinerary, $1,099 for a Sunfarer Caribbean/Panama Canal cruise, and $1,799 for a 14-day Southern Caribbean adventure.