Time travel
Holland America Line is set to celebrate its 150th anniversary next year, making it one of the cruise industry’s longestrunning companies.
Travelling the world since 1873, its first ship, the 1,684-tonne Rotterdam, set sail on a voyage between Holland and New York. Its fleet of premium ships now visit nearly 400 ports in 114 countries – and it was the first cruise line to offer adventures to Alaska and the Yukon nearly 75 years ago.
Originally named The NetherlandsAmerica Steamship Company, it soon became known as the Holland America Line because it carried great numbers of immigrants from Holland to America.
Retaining its strong ties with its Dutch heritage, most of its ships are named after dams found on rivers in the Netherlands. In other cases, such as with the Vista class, the names represent points of the compass (Oosterdam is east, Westerdam is west).
A premium cruising favourite, Holland America Line’s ships feature a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination exploration and personalised travel. Live music at sea fills each evening at Music Walk, and dining venues feature exclusive selections from its esteemed Culinary Council of worldfamous chefs.
To commemorate the cruising milestone, the company is planning special events including two transatlantic crossings in honour of the maiden Rotterdam I voyage, with the company’s history woven into the menu. The 12-day October 15, 2022 crossing from Rotterdam to New York, (from £1,949pp), has limited availability and the 13-day sailing departing Fort Lauderdale on
April 4, 2023, is now open for booking. hollandamerica.com