Holland America Line has made two major announcements within the last week.
On June 23, 2023, the cruise line announced a partnership with National Geographic bringing four new shore immersive excursions on Oosterdam and Nieuw Statendam.
The “National Geographic Day Tours” which are led by a National Geographic tour guide will allow guests to explore the life of a marine biologist in Naples, Italy; meet powerful women, both past and present, in Kusadasi, Turkey; meet the locals in Santorini, Greece; or visit organic honeybee farms in Rhodes, Greece.
“We are continually looking for enriching and transformative experiences for our guests and the new National Geographic Day Tours are not only immersive but also provide exclusive access and hands-on experiences,” said Carole Biencourt, vice president overseeing shore tour experience for Holland America Line. “We are pleased to offer them to guests across our Mediterranean itineraries that visit these ports and will look to expand the program in the near future.”
The “National Geographic Day Tours” are currently available on seven- to 14-day cruises departing from Italy, Greece and Spain.
The second big announcement came yesterday with the new “Unforgettable Journeys Event” which offers “some of the best values on cruises to five continents.”
The offer began June 28 and continues through July 31, 2023, and is for cruises departing between October 2023 through April 2024. The “Unforgettable Journeys Event” adds crew appreciation (gratuities) and 50% reduced deposits to its “Have it All” premium package. The “Have It All” amenities package includes shore excursion credits, the Signature Beverage Package, specialty dining and the WiFi Surf Package. These amenities add up to about $115 per person, per day which could amount to a $1610 savings on a 7-day cruise or $3450 savings on a 15-day cruise based on double occupancy.
“Holland America Line’s ‘Have it All’ premium package already adds exceptional value with some of our most popular amenities, and with the ‘Unforgettable Journeys Event’ that includes prepaid crew appreciation we’re making it even more enticing to start planning that next cruise,” said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line’s chief commercial officer. “Travelers are looking for offers that provide significant savings or include add-ons to enhance their experience, and our newest promotion does both.”
The “Unforgettable Journeys Event” benefits allow cruisers to explore Antarctica, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America and Tahiti. Also included is Koningsdam’s 22-Solar Eclipse and Circle Hawaii cruise allowing those onboard to view the total eclipse on April 8, 2024.
The “Unforgettable Journeys Event” benefits are crew appreciation which includes prepaid stateroom gratuities for the first two guests in a stateroom, and 50% reduced deposits making it more economical for travelers to preplan. The “Have It All” premium package benefits include up to three shore excursions valued at $100 each, the signature beverage package which includes up to 15 drinks per day, up to three nights of award-winning specialty dining, and the WiFi Surf package. The exact amount of value is based on the length of the cruise.
If you are looking for an “unforgettable” cruise, Holland America Line might be the cruise line for you.