Escape from a Ho-Hum Holiday to a Ho Ho Ho Vacation at Sea
ByWhether you’re seeking an entirely new holiday experience or simply escaping the frantic pace of the season, Holland America Line offers 22 holiday cruises in 2010 for warm weather celebrations.
“Holiday cruises are a very special experience,” said a Holland America Spokesperson. “Our crew takes special pride in delivering all the seasonal favorites for guests to enjoy without the traditional rush. Holiday meals, decorations and family time can be savored while sailing through warm, picturesque waters.”
Departing between Dec. 17 and Dec. 31 aboard seven ships — ms Westerdam, ms Maasdam, ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Ryndam, ms Prinsendam and ms Noordam — options abound for Caribbean cruises with 13 holiday sailings from Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa over one or both holidays. Itineraries include exploring the southern Caribbean via a seven-day cruise with stops in such exotic ports as Aruba, Curacao and Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private Bahamian island. Or try seven days exploring the rich waters of the eastern Caribbean and legendary ports of call such as Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Maarten. Finally, holiday cruisers can settle into several western Caribbean options with stops that may include Belize, Montego Bay, Georgetown, Costa Maya and Key West.
The more adventurous travelers can opt for a 10- or 14-day cruise throughout the Caribbean and usher in the New Year in St. Thomas or St. George’s while sampling the ports of Barbados and Grand Turk. . Per person fares begin as low as $999, double occupancy. Taxes are additional.
Or say Ole to a sunny Mexican Riviera & Panama Canal cruise. Departing from Fort Lauderdale, San Diego or Los Angeles in mid to late December, Holland America Line offers five cruises that visit the warm water ports of the Mexican Riviera — Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puerto Chiapas and Puerto Quetzal — as well as the Central America coastline and Panama Canal. Per person fares begin at $1,099.
The Sunfarer Caribbean Holiday cruise is a 10-day trip departing roundtrip Fort Lauderdale on Dec. 23 aboard ms Zuiderdam and sailing through the southern Caribbean with Christmas Eve at Half Moon Cay, a partial transit of the Panama Canal to Gatun Lake and New Year’s Eve at sea before returning on Jan. 2, 2011.
Two additional cruises visit the Panama Canal beginning with the 14-day Panama Canal which departs Los Angeles on Dec. 22 aboard ms Amsterdam in time for Christmas Day at sea and stops in Mexico, Guatemala and Costa Rica before traversing the Canal en route to Ft. Lauderdale. Or guests can opt for the 14-day Panama Canal Holiday Cruise aboard ms Statendam departing San Diego on Christmas Eve. Stops in Mexico include Puerto Vallarta and Puerto Chiapas before crossing the Canal to Fort Lauderdale.
Christmas and New Year’s holidays along the Mexican Riviera can be particularly memorable with an eight-day cruise from San Diego aboard ms Oosterdam on Dec. 18 or a seven-day sailing on Dec. 26 that visit Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. Or guests can opt for a 12-day cruise departing Dec. 22 aboard ms Rotterdam that features Christmas Eve in Cabo San Lucas, Christmas Day at sea and New Year’s Eve in Mazatlan.
Contact a personal cruise expert at iCruise.com and they can gift wrap the cruise that’s just right for you. Visit us on the web at www.iCruise.com or call 1-800-iCruise (1-800-427-8473)
