Holland America Line has opened bookings for its 2028 European season, offering travelers more options to discover the continent with an expanded itinerary encompassing Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and other destinations. Drawing on its more than 150 years of experience in the region, the new season combines stops at iconic destinations with immersive experiences that provide deeper insights into local culture, landscapes, and traditions.
The 2028 season will feature the airline's highest number of European calls in nearly a decade, including record numbers of visits to Norway, Spain, Ireland, and the Netherlands. Passengers will be able to discover more than 200 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Norwegian fjords, as well as enjoy regional cuisine, local traditions, and immersive shore excursions.
“Europe is a destination that changes with each season, and each one offers a completely different way to experience it,” said Paul Grigsby, Vice President of Deployment Planning and Revenue at Holland America Line. “We’ve designed each season around experiences that can only be enjoyed at certain times of the year, from tulips in bloom in the Netherlands during spring to winter getaways in the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands, or long summer days on the European coasts.”.
The cruise line has recently expanded its European schedule to operate virtually year-round, with departures between January and early December 2028 and itineraries ranging from 7 to 48 days. Five ships—Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Volendam, and Zuiderdam—will sail the region, offering a wide variety of options in Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands, and transatlantic crossings. In addition, several ports of call will include overnight stays, extended stays, and evening cruises, allowing passengers to enjoy each destination at a more leisurely pace.
The Mediterranean gains prominence
The Mediterranean will be one of the season's main attractions, with itineraries ranging from 7 to 11 days and departures from six home ports. Cruises will visit destinations in Spain, Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey, while the Nieuw Amsterdam will return to Europe for the first time in over ten years, allowing passengers to enjoy some of its most exclusive offerings, such as Morimoto by Sea, the only restaurant at sea by renowned chef Masaharu Morimoto.
Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam will operate during the spring and autumn, while Zuiderdam will return to service after completing its Evolution modernization program.
Many of the itineraries are designed to be combined, allowing you to link several consecutive cruises and explore a larger part of the Mediterranean with minimal revisiting of ports. For those seeking an even more extensive experience, the cruise line will also offer the Legendary Mediterranean Voyage, a 48-day cruise departing from and returning to North America.
More options in Northern Europe
The Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam ships will offer itineraries of between 7 and 28 days through Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the British Isles and the Baltic, combining major cultural capitals with small coastal destinations.
The 2028 itinerary will feature the highest number of port calls in Norway since 2014 and record numbers in Ireland and the Netherlands. Highlights include scenic cruises through Norway's UNESCO World Heritage-listed fjords, as well as visits to Iceland, Greenland, and numerous historic cities in Northern Europe.
Canary Islands and transatlantic crossings
The season will also include itineraries through the Canary Islands, with stops in Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote, combined with ports in Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
In addition, Holland America will offer various transatlantic crossings and its popular Legendary Voyages, connecting Europe and North America through itineraries that combine long days of sailing with stops in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Atlantic islands.
Europe all year round
- Winter (January-March) – The Nieuw Statendam will run itineraries of between 7 and 14 days around the Canary Islands, Spain, Portugal and Morocco, visiting ports such as Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Lisbon and Casablanca, taking advantage of the mild weather of the season.
- Spring (March-May) – The ships Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Zuiderdam will sail the Mediterranean, the Netherlands and Northern Europe with itineraries of 7 to 14 days, coinciding with the tulip blooming season.
- Summer (June-August) – The five ships of the season will tour Europe with trips of between 7 and 35 days, visiting Norway, Iceland, the British Isles, the Baltic, Greece, Croatia and Turkey, with stops in destinations such as Flåm, Geiranger, Reykjavik, Stockholm and Dubrovnik.
- Autumn (September-November) – Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Volendam will continue sailing through the Mediterranean and Northern Europe with itineraries of between 7 and 48 days, coinciding with the harvest season and numerous gastronomic and cultural celebrations.
- Late autumn (November-early December) – The European season will extend until early December with cruises of between 7 and 14 days in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands and transatlantic crossings with stops in Barcelona, Lisbon, Tenerife and Fort Lauderdale.
Passengers who book a 2028 European cruise with the Have It All package will enjoy, for a limited time, complimentary shore excursions, specialty restaurants, Signature Beverage Package and Surf Wi-Fi connection.
In addition, those who book in advance will receive the Early Booking Bonus, which adds prepaid tips for the crew and free upgrades to the Elite Beverage Package and Premium Wi-Fi service.
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