Holland America to Deploy Two Ships in Australia at Same Time

Holland America Line will deploy the Volendam and Zaandam in Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the South Pacific in 2011-12, marking the first time the line will have two ships sailing a series of itineraries in the region simultaneously.


Guests will be able to select from a variety of itineraries ranging from 13 to 26 days, with calls at some of the most popular and exotic ports throughout the Pacific. Travelers looking for a longer exploration will be able to sail a Collectors' Voyage from 27 to 39 days long that combines two back-to-back itineraries, allowing for an in-depth experience while visiting multiple regions.


“That part of the world has always been popular with our guests, and that greatly influenced our decision to increase our capacity in the region,” said Richard Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs for Holland America Line. “The entire area has such diverse offerings -- from the Great Barrier Reef and fiords of New Zealand to the dramatic landscapes of the South Pacific islands and rich and exotic cultures of the Orient.”


The Volendam will sail a series of 14-day cruises roundtrip from Sydney, Australia, or between Sydney and Auckland, New Zealand, that explore both the North and South Islands. The nine departures from October 2011 through March 2012 feature extensive scenic cruising opportunities in Fiordland National Park -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- as well as Milford, Dusky and Queen Charlotte Sounds. Calls at some of the most popular ports like Wellington, Napier and Tauranga highlight the itineraries, along with several evening departures. Following the same itinerary as Volendam, Zaandam also sails a 14-day roundtrip Sydney cruise departing Nov. 25, 2011.


From December 2011 through February 2012 Volendam and Zaandam will sail three 13- or 14-day roundtrip Sydney itineraries to islands in the South Pacific. The ships visit lesser-known tropical ports in New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji. In 2012, Zaandam sails six 14-day sailings between Singapore or Kobe (Osaka), Japan and Hong Kong, China. The cruises -- which depart January through March -- offer extended stays in several ports, as well as overnight calls at Laem Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand; and Hong Kong, Shanghai and Xingang (Beijing), China. With extra time in port, guests will be able to visit such landmarks as Hong Kong's Big Buddha, and the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of the Great Wall of China, Vietnam's Halong Bay and Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

The Volendam and Zaandam also both offer repositioning cruises to and from Asia and the South Pacific region, ranging from 22 to 26 days. These trans-Pacific adventures provide an excellent opportunity to visit several countries on one cruise, spend relaxing days at sea and require only one-way international airfare. Volendam departs Sept. 7, 2011, from Vancouver, B.C., on a 26-day cruise that makes its way to Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji and New Caledonia before arriving at Sydney. The ship returns to Vancouver from Sydney on a 23-day itinerary departing April 10, 2012, that also makes calls throughout the South Pacific and the Aloha State.


Zaandam sails from San Diego, Calif., to Sydney on a 26-day crossing via Hawaii and the South Pacific that includes an evening sailing by the Kilauea Volcano. Guests looking for a northern Pacific crossing can sail from Kobe to Vancouver April 1, 2012, on a 22-day journey and explore several ports in Japan before arching up to Alaska and enjoying scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage.