With both departing in January 2025, this will be the first time Holland America operates two grand voyages of more than 120 days simultaneously.
The 'Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole' aboard Volendam enables cruisers to visit five continents on a journey that travels south to north, while the 'Grand World Voyage' aboard Zuiderdam covers six continents on an east to west route. Each sails round-trip Port Everglades.
'We craft one-of-a-kind itineraries that resonate with our world voyage guests, as indicated by pre-bookings on these cruises,' said Beth Bodensteiner, HAL's chief commercial officer.
Pole-to-pole
The 133-day pole-to-pole voyage travels through the Panama Canal, down along the Pacific Coast of South America to Antarctica, then skirts Argentina and Brazil and goes into the heart of the Amazon River. Volendam then crosses the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, sails north to Europe and up to the North Cape before heading west across the northern Atlantic Ocean via Iceland and Greenland, and finally down the eastern shores of North America.
Down south Volendam will spend four days of scenic cruising in Antarctica and up north the ship will cross the Arctic Circle to the North Cape. The cruise visits 68 ports in 28 countries and has eight overnight calls: Fuerte Amador, Panama; Callao (Lima), Peru; Buenos, Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Barcelona, Lisbon and Reykjavik.
World cruise
The 124-day world cruise also begins with a Panama Canal transit then strikes out for Easter Island while crossing the South Pacific to Australia. Zuiderdam then explores the Great Barrier Reef en route to Indonesia and Sri Lanka, sails south to Cape Town, South Africa, by way of the Seychelles, and back up along the eastern coast of Africa, through the Suez Canal to Portugal before crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
The ship will call at 46 ports in 32 countries with eight overnight port stays, at Callao (two nights), Easter Island; Papeete, Tahiti; Sydney, Singapore, Cape Town; Mombasa, Kenya; Safaga, Egypt; and Barcelona. An additional seven late-night departures are scheduled at Manta, Ecuador; Seychelles; Cape Town and Durban, South Africa; Aqaba, Jordan; Civitavecchia (Rome) and Gibraltar.
Rendezvous in Barcelona
On April 24, 2025, Volendam and Zuiderdam will meet at Barcelona for a joint overnight call. Special festivities involving both ships will mark the occasion.
Cruise fares for the world voyage start at $24,999, while cruise fares for the pole-to-pole journey begin at $26,399, both per person, double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional.
Travelers who book early will get onboard credits and a bevy of perks.
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