By
Rebecca Gibson |
Holland America Line is to reposition one of its large Vista-class ships to Mexico and increase its presence in the region fro October 2016 to February 2017.
The 1,916-guest Westerdam will sail a series of 13 seven-day roundtrips from San Diego, California, including two holiday departures in December.
“We’re looking forward to the 2016-2017 Mexico cruise season, and with increased sailings and a larger ship we’ll have the opportunity to show more of our guests what makes Mexico such a vibrant destination,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “Mexico has it all, and with convenient roundtrip San Diego cruises, we know that these itineraries are going to attract a lot of cruisers looking for a unique warm weather vacation.”
Westerdam will kick off the season on 18 October with an 11-day Mexican Riviera departure from Vancouver, British Columbia to San Diego, California. The ship will visit Santa Barbara, California, before calling at San Diego and calling at the Mexican ports of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta before returning to San Diego. Guests can also take a shorter, seven-day cruise by embarking in San Diego on 22 October.
For the remainder of the season, Westerdam will operate 13 seven-day Mexican Riviera cruises sailing roundtrip from San Diego until 7 February. The itinerary includes calls at Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta, and three days at sea.
Highlights of the call in San Diego will include the opportunity to explore the downtown and Old Town areas, walk on Coronado Island, or head to the San Diego Zoo. Meanwhile, guests will be able to participate in watersports, sport fishing and historical tours in Mazatlán, or enjoy eco-tours and market visits in Puerto Vallarta. In Cabo San Lucas, they will be able to go whale watching, visit the beach, take a four-wheel drive tour and more.
HAL will also offer its onboard ‘On Location’ programme to immerse guests in Mexico’s local culture and cuisine. Guests will be able to watch mariachi band performances throughout the voyage, try Mexican dishes at the Lido Deck barbeque, attend a destination presentation or head to the Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food and Wine magazine, for a cooking demonstration, class or themed mixology class featuring local ingreditents. Plus, Westerdam’s main dining room and Lido Market will showcase the Mexican food.