Eight ships to sail 19 full and partial transits between autumn 2017 and spring 2018
By
Rebecca Gibson |
Eight Holland America Line ships will sail 19 full and partial transits of the Panama Canal between autumn 2017 and spring 2018.
During the 2017-2018 season, Holland America Line will provide full and partial transits ranging from 14 to 23 days, carrying more than 400,500 guests through the man-made canal in Central America.
Between September 2017 and May 2018, Holland America’s Amsterdam, Eurodam, Maasdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Zaandam will pass through the canal on departures from five different cities. These include Boston, Massachusetts; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; San Diego and San Francisco, California; and Vancouver, British Columbia.
On the full transits, guests will also visit destinations in Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua and the Caribbean. Most sailings will also include a call at Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private Bahamian island.
“The Panama Canal is among the greatest engineering feats of our time, and its easy access from a US homeport makes it one of the most popular longer itineraries we feature,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “There’s no better way to become more immersed in the world than by experiencing something like the Panama Canal, where history comes to life as you witness up close what it took to connect these two oceans. Everyone should transit the Panama Canal at least once in their lifetime.”
In addition to the full transits, Zuiderdam will make 16 partial transits between November 2017 and April 2018. The 10- and 11-day ‘Southern Caribbean & Panama Canal Sunfarer’ itineraries include an exploration of the canal’s Gatún Lake and a combination of Southern Caribbean calls in Aruba, Bonaire, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, Grand Cayman, Panama and Half Moon Cay.