Holland America relocates Oosterdam to Alaska for 2017 season
Banking on the surge in popularity of Alaska cruises, Holland America is pulling ms Oosterdam from her 2017 Mediterranean season and moving the ship to Alaska, where she will make seven-day roundtrip voyages from Seattle.
Once the Oosterdam is in Alaskan waters it will increase the number of Holland America Line ships to seven in the area, including ms Amsterdam, ms Eurodam (which will replace the ms Westerdam sailing from Seattle), ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Volendam and ms Zaandam for a total of 135 departures to Alaska, more than any other cruise line.
Holland America will also be celebrating its 70th year exploring Alaska. New in 2017, Eurodam will replace ms Westerdam in sailing from Seattle. The addition of another Signature Class ship means more new restaurants and venues will be available for guests to enjoy on Alaska sailings.
“Our award-winning Alaska cruises are at the heart of our global itineraries, and adding Oosterdam to the region in 2017 will allow even more guests to join in celebrating the exciting milestone of our 70th year in Alaska,” Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president, said in a statement. “As Seattle’s hometown cruise line, we’re thrilled to be sailing three ships from our local home port for the next Alaska season.”
Holland America’s 2017 Alaska season starts in late April and lasts through the end of September.The line will offer 126 seven-day cruises and nine 14-day “Great Alaskan Explorer” sailings round-trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Nieuw Amsterdam, Volendam, Noordam and Zaandam. In addition, Noordam and Zaandam each will sail 18 one-way alternating north-south seven-day cruises between Vancouver and Seward, Alaska.
Oosterdam is slated to sail 21 seven-day cruises round-trip from Seattle, calling at Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, Alaska; and Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Guests on board will enjoy scenic cruising in Puget Sound upon departing Seattle, as well as in Stephens Passage and Hubbard Glacier in Alaska.
Guests departing from Seattle have choice of glaciers
All Seattle departures on Holland America include calls at Sitka; Ketchikan; Juneau; and Victoria, B.C., and guests choose between either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier for their epic glacier experience. All Glacier Bay itineraries include park ranger and Huna native speaker presentations. This classic cruise maximizes the best of what Alaska has to offer and enables guests to enjoy some of the finest scenic cruising in the world.
Ship upgrades
Both ms Eurodam and ms Oosterdam have been upgraded with a Gallery Bar, a chic new venue that replaces Northern Lights; Lincoln Center Stage, in partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; Billboard Onboard, in partnership with Billboard; and extensive suite refurbishing with new furniture, soft goods and entertainment systems as well as a full makeover in the bathrooms.
