Heading into the 2006 Europe cruise season, Holland America Line deploys a record five ships and introduces a full summer of Mediterranean cruises aboard…
Heading into the 2006 Europe cruise season, Holland America Line deploys a record five ships and introduces a full summer of Mediterranean cruises aboard the new ms Noordam. The premium line covers all of Europe — featuring 14 maiden port calls and 27 unique itineraries sailing the Mediterranean, Scandinavia and Russia, Greenland and Iceland, North Cape and Polar Icecap, Black Sea, North Africa, British Isles and Transatlantic voyages.
We have increased our 10- to 12-day sailings and added more 15- to 16-day itineraries, with a special focus on sailing the Mediterranean for the entire summer, said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales. We`ve added new ports and more time in ports including late departures and overnights, and our onboard culinary arts and guest-speaker programs enhance the unparalleled value of a premium cruise to Europe.
Fourteen maiden ports of call lead guests to the pristine north of the Arctic Circle, once forbidden Libya, the breezy esplanades of Alicante and Palomos, Spain, or the rainforest-enveloped castles of northern Turkey during one of fifty-five 10- to 35-day cruises in spring through fall of 2006.
In this hallmark European season, Holland America Line will feature the luxury of one- to two-night stays in Amsterdam, Athens, Gdansk, Istanbul, Marseille, St. Petersburg and Venice; and extended evening stays for enjoying night-life in lively ports such as Barcelona, Monte Carlo and Santorini.
The European quintet of ships includes the intimate 793-guest ms Prinsendam designed for longer cruises; the new, state-of-the-art, 1,848-guest
Noordam with open, airy spaces; the premium line`s twin flagships the 1,316- guest ms Rotterdam and 1,380-guest ms Amsterdam; and the five-star 1,258-guest ms Maasdam.
Highlights of 2006 Europe Cruises
The new Noordam makes her graceful debut in Europe starting with a 16-day Atlantic crossing with the glamour of a live Big Band followed by a full
summer sailing the Mediterranean. Highlights of the Prinsendam sailings feature a 21-day Midnight Explorer journey to Jan Mayen Island and the Arctic
Circle and an epic 34-day transatlantic sojourn covering Western Europe. The Rotterdam ventures throughout southern Europe on eight varied itineraries from the thriving arts center of Varna, Bulgaria to the impressive remains of long- vanished empires in Tripoli, Libya.
A vast array of European shore excursions are offered from adventurous Off the Beaten Path tours such as Mallorca kayaking, a four-wheel drive safari in the Sintra Mountains, or riding a jet boat through Helsinki`s waterways, to cultural and historical tours featuring monumental museums, churches and castles, and engaging cultural and folkloric experiences. Medallion excursions deliver exclusive experiences such as Formula One racing in Barcelona and popular Signature Collection touring which provides a private luxury vehicle, a driver and an English speaking guide; guests may design a self-styled itinerary that suits their interests, drawing on the professional expertise of shore excursion staff and the local guide. Hundreds of detailed shore excursion descriptions can be viewed online and are available for booking online approximately six months prior to sailing.
Four culinary experts will sail on European cruises, conducting demonstrations and classes in the Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine magazine. Robert Kinkead, chef/owner, Kinkead`s in Washington, D.C., sails on the May 26 Grand European Capitals cruise aboard the Rotterdam; Michael Lomonaco, chef/director, Guastavino`s in New York City and co-host of Epicurious on the Discovery Channel, sails July 28 aboard the Rotterdam`s Best of the Baltic cruise; Mark Fiorentino, chef, boulanger, Daniel Boulud Restaurants, New York City, joins the Gems of the Baltic cruise on the August 11 departure of the Amsterdam; and Charles Dale, founder, Range and Rustique in Aspen, hosts the Mediterranean Enchantment sailing on September 18 aboard the Noordam.
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