By
Rebecca Gibson |
Holland America Line (HAL) is to deploy two ships in Asia during the winter 2014-spring 2015 season.
The 1,432-passenger Volendam will sail a series of 14- to 17-day cruises and non-repeating itineraries, while the 1,404-passenger Rotterdam will offer a 90-day ‘Passage to the Far East’ in January 2015.
“As more travellers look to fulfill their dream of a vacation to far-off corners of the globe, the Far East remains popular due to its historical significance, wealth of sightseeing opportunities and mysterious allure,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president of marketing, sales and guest programmes for HAL. “From overland tours to the Bagan Temples to a chance to see the famed Komodo dragon, the length and diversity of our Asia cruises make them a truly unique experience.”
Rotterdam will begin 2015 with a 90-day ‘Passage to the Far East’ roundtrip from Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Guests can also opt for an 88-day roundtrip from Southampton, UK, while segments ranging from 34 to 55 days are available between Rotterdam, Southampton and Singapore.
The vessel will call at Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Malta and Greece. After sailing a daylight transit of the Suez Canal, the ship will visit Muscat, Oman; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; several ports of call in India; and Rangoon, Myanmar, for an overnight visit. Guests will also sail to several ports in Singapore, Jakarta, Indonesia, Malaysia, before travelling back to Sri Lanka, India, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, the Suez Canal, Italy and Spain. The vessel will then return to Southampton and Rotterdam. Overnight calls include Port Klang, Malaysia; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Mumbai, India; Bali and Singapore.
New this year, Volendam will sail three 14-day ‘Asian Adventure’ roundtrips from Singapore. Departing 22 December, 2 February and 16 March, the itineraries features calls at ports in Malaysia, Thailand and Myanmar, as well as overnights in Singapore and Rangoon, Myanmar. Guests can also enjoy an extended port call at Port Kelang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Volendam will also offer a series of 14-day ‘Far East Discovery’ cruises between Singapore and Hong Kong, China. She will call at Koh Samui, Thailand; Sihanoukville, Cambodia; several ports in Vietnam including late departures from Nha Trang and Halong Bay; and overnight in Laem Chabang in Bangkok, Thailand.
Passengers can combine the ‘Asian Adventure’ and ‘Far East Discovery’ itineraries to make a 28-day ‘Collectors’ Voyage’.
In addition, Volendam will sail three non-repeating itineraries at the beginning and end of the season, starting 22 November 2014 with a cruise from Sydney, Australia, to Singapore. The 16-day ‘Great Barrier Reef’ voyage enables guests to visit Hamilton Island and Port Douglas in Cairns, as well to watch the sunrise at Lizard Island, the sunset at Piper Island. The ship will also sail around the Ribbon Reef and Far North region and through the Torres Strait, before calling at Darwin, Komodo Island, Bali and Java in Indonesia.
Next spring, Volendam will offer a 14-day ‘China and Japan’ voyage departing Hong Kong on 13 April and ending in Kobe, Japan. During the voyage, the ship will overnight in Shanghai and Beijing, China, enabling guests to explore Jeju and Pusan, South Korea, as well as Nagasaki, Japan.
Departing Kobe on 27 April, Volendam will then sail a 17-day trans-Pacific voyage to Vancouver, British Columbia, offering an overnight at Tokyo, Japan, and visits to Hakodate and Kushiro, Japan; Kodiak and Sitka, Alaska. The ship will also sail along Alaska’s Inside Passage.
Passengers can combine the 14-day China and Japan itinerary with the 17-day trans-Pacific cruise for a 31-day ‘China, Japan and North Pacific Crossing Collectors’ Voyage’.