With celebrations for its 150th Anniversary year underway, Holland America Line is hosting a series of Heritage Cruises that authentically focus on ports rich in the brand’s history and feature unique onboard and shoreside experiences.
From a marquee city like Rotterdam, the Netherlands, that shares an intwined connection to the company’s beginnings to meaningful ports like Skagway and Juneau that helped introduce the world to Alaska cruising, guests can expect to be fully immersed in Holland America Line’s Dutch seafaring heritage.
Almost 50 “Heritage Cruises” have been designated with special itineraries in Alaska, the Caribbean, Northern Europe, Mediterranean, Australia/New Zealand, Hawaii, South America, and Mexico. Agents and clients who want to explore dedicated Heritage Cruises can click a link on Holland America Line’s homepage that displays the departures.
“As a beloved company that’s been around for 150 years, these special Heritage Cruises allow us to continue celebrating Holland America Line with our guests in a meaningful way,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We have a deep connection to ports around the world, and we’re excited to show how each highlighted destination has shaped our brand.”
With a history that spans centuries and continents, Holland America Line’s cruises have called at hundreds of ports around the world. The Heritage Cruises shine a spotlight on 56 ports of call and delve into the region-specific stories that connect these locales to the cruise line.
Shipboard display screens will showcase the ports’ historical moments, photos, and fun facts, while other touches like region-specific drinks and menu items bring the destinations to life on board.
Heritage cruises port spotlights:
• Alaska: Sitka, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Juneau, Icy Strait, Ketchikan, Prince Rupert
• Northern Europe: Copenhagen, Eidfjord, Ålesund, Geiranger, Bergen, Oslo, Amsterdam and Rotterdam
• Mediterranean: Trieste, Naples, Rome, Florence, Dubrovnik, Sarande, Katakolon, Nice, Le Havre, Barcelona, Cartagena and Lisbon
• Caribbean: Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, Curaçao, San Juan, Oranjestad, Philipsburg and Colon
• Hawaii: Hilo, Honolulu, Kona and Maui
• Mexico: Ensenada, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas.
• West Coast: San Diego
• South America: Lima, Pisco, La Serena, Santiago, Punta Arenas, Puerto Montt
• Australia/New Zealand: Sydney, Melbourne, Wellington, Auckland, Hobart and Port Chalmers
• Panama Canal
Experiences
• Dinner menus in the dining room showcase Holland America Line’s history with regional-based Heritage Dishes
• A Throwback Happy Hour rolls back time and features select drinks priced as low as 75 cents
• A special Dutch High Tea offers sweets like Oliebollen, Specoolus, mini bossche bollen, Gugelhupf and Tompouce, along with tea sandwiches including smoked salmon on curry bread and chicken sate in peanut sauce on spiced bread
• Special port fact sheets to showcase fun, historic and unique facts about the Heritage Ports
• Classic cruise activities and sporting games like Sjoelen turn back the clock, along with anniversary-themed trivia
150th anniversary celebrations on all cruises
• A Captain’s Gala Menu one evening in the Dining Room is a collection of classic dishes, with every option coming from a previous Holland America Line menu
• New exclusive Holland America Line “De Lijn” gin follows a western-style flavour profile, capturing the essence of rose and orange, alongside a tinge of lemon verbena and raspberry. De Lijn is featured in three new anniversary cocktails: Dutch 150, 150th Martini and 150th Gin and Tonic
• HAL Pils, a limited-edition 150th Anniversary Pilsner made in partnership with Pikes Brewing from Seattle, in a commemorative can
• “Origin Story” is a visual telling of the company’s history from founding through present day. The presentation is offered in the World Stage with LED screens that envelop the audience in an emotional journey
• Mariner Society members receive a 150th Anniversary Royal Goedewaagen tile
• Limited-edition, specially designed 150th Anniversary retail items in the shops
150th anniversary crossing
Travellers looking for a commemorative celebration can book the 150th Anniversary Transatlantic Crossing departing April 6 from New York, ending at Rotterdam April 18, the cruise line’s 150th birthday.