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Premium line to deploy three ships from UK
Friday, 26 Jan, 2010
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Departures from London Tilbury are being introduced next year by Holland America Line.
The premium cruise line’s 2011 Europe season includes 11 ex-UK sailings from Dover and Tilbury on board three ships.
The pocket-size 835-passenger Prinsendam will sail two 14-night round Britain cruises from Tilbury, departing July 11 and August 29 on different itineraries. The ship will make two maiden ports of call in Ilfracombe and Bristol.
Prinsendam will also offer 14 and 21-night sailings from Amsterdam and Tilbury including the cities of the Baltic, the Kiel Canal and the Arctic Circle.
The ex-UK programme starts with a 20 night “Mediterranean Medley” cruise on board the 1,260-passenger mid-size Ryndam; departing from Dover on May 1 visiting Rotterdam, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Cartagena, Palma, Barcelona, Sète, Nice, Civitavecchia (for Rome), Sardinia, Ibiza, Almeria, Cadiz and Portimao.
The Ryndam will then offer three seven-night itineraries from Dover. Two Norwegian Fjords cruises departing July 24 and August 7 will visit Bergen, Ålesund, Flåm and Stavanger; while a seven-night Baltic cruise departing July 31 will visit Helsingborg, Copenhagen (overnight), Skagen in Denmark and Oslo.
The 2,104-passenger ms Eurodam will run five 12-night sailings from Dover. Four “Baltic Adventure” cruises, departing May 22, June 15 and 27 and August 12 will visit Copenhagen, Warnemünde (for Berlin), Tallinn, St Petersburg (overnight), Helsinki and Stockholm. A 12-night “Fjords and Highlands” cruise departs Dover on June 3, calling Copenhagen, Oslo (overnight), Kristiansand, Bergen, Invergordon, South Queensferry (for Edinburgh) and Newcastle on Tyne.
Managing director UK & Ireland Lynn Narraway said: “We are delighted to have ms Eurodam, ms Ryndam and ms Prinsendam sailing ex-UK between May and August 2011 on a choice of seven-20 night itineraries.
“Following on from our three full round trip Dover cruises operating onboard the Eurodam this summer, this announcement demonstrates Holland America Line’s increasing and long term commitment to the UK market.
“The seven night cruises are ideal for guests who may be new to Holland America Line, and can be combined to form Collectors’ Voyages, which range from 14 to 45 days and are perfect for true explorers who seek an in-depth experience at an exceptional value.
“The Europe 2011 product is on sale from today, January 25, offering early booking opportunities for guests looking ahead to summer 2011. A brochure featuring these cruises will be available shortly.”
Narraway added: “The 2011 Europe season really has something for everyone. Featuring 15 maiden calls and offering overnight visits at 16 diverse ports, it marks the debut of several new European itineraries including two commemorative nine-day historical transatlantic crossings aboard flagship ms Rotterdam in July, one featuring a call into Southampton”.
Seven ships, including the two latest “Signature class” vessels – Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam; plus the Noordam, Rotterdam, Prinsendam, Maasdam and Ryndam — will be based in Europe next summer. The first voyage departs on April 3, 2011 on Nieuw Amsterdam and the final transatlantic sailing departs on November 7 on Prinsendam.
HAL executive vice-president marketing, sales and guest programmes Rick Meadows said: “In 2011, we are catering to a broader range of interests as the appeal of cruising Europe continues to grow.
“By expanding our cruise opportunities — both in new ports and varied itineraries — we expect to entice both first-time and seasoned cruisers.”
HAL In the Mediterranean will offer itineraries from April until November, with departures from Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Venice and Piraeus (Athens).
More unusual itineraries include the Black Sea ports of Sochi and Novorossiysk (Russia), and Sevastopol and Odessa (Ukraine); while 14-night Holy Land itineraries include Ashdod & Haifa (Israel), Port Said and Alexandria (Egypt).
Additionally, the line will offer a 35-night “Voyage to the Midnight Sun” onboard Maasdam in July, with 17-night sectors available Boston to Dover or Dover to Boston; each include ports in Iceland, Greenland and Newfoundland.
Prices start at £869 per person, double occupancy, for a seven-night cruise from Dover departing July 24, 2011 on board Ryndam.
An early booking bonus of a choice of dinner for two in the Pinnacle Grill or Tamarind, or a welcome bottle of champagne on embarkation day applies for reservations made before June 1.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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