Holland America Line to Sail to Cuba on Roundtrip Fort Lauderdale Itineraries Aboard ms Veendam Beginning in December 2017
Premium cruise leader to offer an extended call at Havana and
visit to Cienfuegos on seven-, 11- and 12-day Caribbean itineraries
Demand expected to be
high when Cuba cruises open for booking on May 26, 2017
Seattle, Wash., May 24, 2017 —
Holland America Line has received approval to begin sailing to Cuba from Fort
Lauderdale, Florida, starting with the Dec. 22, 2017, 12-day holiday cruise
aboard ms Veendam.
Holland America Line becomes Carnival Corporation's third cruise line to be
approved to sail to Cuba following the company's historic inaugural sailings to
the island last year.
The addition of Veendam itineraries
will help meet the growing demand for premium cruise experiences to Cuba. Nine
seven-day itineraries will feature the capital city Havana, and three of these
will add another Cuba call at Cienfuegos, known as the model of early 19th
century urban planning in Cuba. The 12-day holiday cruise showcases both Cuban
ports. Depending on the departure day, cruises include the Cuba ports, as well
as a combination of Caribbean ports, including Amber Cove, Dominican Republic;
Belize City, Belize; Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; George Town, Grand Cayman;
Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Key West, Florida; and Montego Bay, Jamaica.
"For many, travel is about seeking new places to explore and discovering
meaningful new cultural opportunities, and Cuba is one of the most sought-after
new destinations for many of our guests," said Orlando Ashford, president of
Holland America Line. "We are excited to finally be able to include Cuba in our
itineraries, and our guests and travel partners have been anxiously awaiting a
premium cruise experience to this relatively undiscovered Caribbean treasure."
As leaders in destination immersion and experiential travel, Holland America
Line adds Cuba to its itineraries in order to provide guests with a thoughtful
cultural exchange experience. Most itineraries include an extended call at
Havana, allowing guests the time to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site and
immerse themselves in a wide array of historical and cultural adventures.
Additionally, a stop at Cienfuegos presents the opportunity for a special visit
to Trinidad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cuba's province of Sancti
Spíritus.
The series of Cuban cruises will debut with the Dec. 22, 2017, 12-day holiday
sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. In addition to the seven-day cruises,
an 11-day spring cruise sails March 17, 2018, and also features the Cuban ports
of Havana and Cienfuegos, as well as Key West, Cozumel, Montego Bay and
Georgetown. The final seven-day Cuba sailing departs on April 18, 2018.
On board, the Cuba experience will be enhanced through the line's Explorations
Central, or EXC, program, featuring EXC Guides who will bring the destination to
life through presentations and EXC Talks that will enable guests to deepen
their understanding of the Caribbean's largest island. Also enriching the Cuba
experience for guests are EXC Port Maps created for the Cuban calls, EXC
Encounters that will showcase the culture and history of Cuba to guests before
they visit the ports, and much more. In addition, educational and cultural EXC
Tours are being developed in and near Havana and Cienfuegos with a highlight
being Trinidad, one of the best-preserved historic towns in the Caribbean.
Bookings for Holland America Line's cruises to Cuba will open May 26, 2017.
Guests booked on Veendam's
previous deployment will be given a full refund and opportunity to book on
another Holland America Line voyage. Fares for Cuba cruises begin at $899 per
person, double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional.
The visits to Havana and Cienfuegos comply with regulations of the U.S.
Department of Treasury that permit travel operators to transport approved
travelers to Cuba to engage in activities as defined by the U.S. Department of
Commerce, Office of Foreign Assets Control. All information about special
requirements for travel to Cuba is available at hollandamerica.com.
The deployment of the 1,350-guest Veendam
to Cuba adds Holland America Line to the historic launch of cruises
to the island nation from the U.S. by Carnival Corporation sister brands Fathom
and, more recently, Carnival Cruise Line.
For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel professional,
call 1-877-SAIL HAL (1-877-724-5425)
or visit hollandamerica.com.
Editor's note:
Photos are available at https://www.cruiseimagelibrary.com/c/xdesj1ku.
— # # # —
Find Holland America
Line on Twitter,
Facebook and the Holland
America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the Online Communities quick link on the home page
at hollandamerica.com.
About
Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE:
CCL and CUK)]
Holland
America Line's fleet of 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400
ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From
shorter getaways to 115-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit all seven
continents with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America
circumnavigations and exotic Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; four
annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico,
Canada/New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line currently
has a new 2,650-guest ship, ms
Koningsdam, delivered in April 2016, as well as a second Pinnacle Class
ship, ms Nieuw Statendam,
due for delivery in December 2018. A third Pinnacle Class ship, due
for delivery in 2021, recently was announced.
The company recently announced $300 million in brand enhancements to secure its
position as the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature
innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on
destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand their
knowledge onboard at an America's Test Kitchen show; Explorations Café, powered
by The New York Times and Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Outstanding
entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage,
Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's Blues Club. The dining experience can be
savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from
Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council that comprises world-famous
chefs who design dishes exclusively for our guests.
CONTACT: |
Sally Andrews |
PHONE: |
800-637-5029 |
EMAIL: |