Cruise the Islands of the Pacific in Signature Style With Holland America Line 14 Oct 05

In 2006 and 2007 Holland America Line ships will trace figure-eights on 20 sailings around the balmy isles of the Pacific. Hawaii and Tahiti headline the itineraries of the “Voyages of the Pacific” brochure, expected out in late October. Twelve cruises are offered during winter, spring and fall of 2006, and eight sailings are scheduled for winter and spring of 2007 with fall and winter dates still to be announced.

“Our Pacific Island cruises offer convenient west coast departures that don’t require long air flights. We visit a diversity of islands, offer extended stays in Honolulu and scenic cruising during ideal times to ensure that guests enjoy an unmatched experience in the Hawaiian Islands,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales. “And on our longer journeys we deliver the best of Hawaii and introduce guests to some of the most beautiful places on earth in Tahiti, Bora Bora and the Marquesas Islands.”

The Pacific Island Cruise Experience
Cruise itineraries are tuned for maximum exposure to Polynesian paradise. The magical islands of Hawaii, Oahu and Maui are visited on each and every sailing while ten cruises also add gorgeous Kauai, the Garden Isle. Longer voyages cross the equator delving deep to exotic South Sea isles such as Tahiti, Fiji and Pago Pago. Extended two-day stays at Honolulu on twelve cruises allow evening enjoyment at this lively tropical city. Similarly, two Tahiti sailings boast an overnight call to romantic Bora Bora Island.

Guests are welcomed aboard the cruise with a traditional lei ceremony. Through Holland America Line’s Explorations Speaker Series, experts on the history and culture of the islands share insights on Polynesian subjects, from astronomy of the Pacific skies to regional cuisine and ceremonial traditions. Each ship also features a Culinary Arts Center with demonstrations on regional food and drink. Daily menus highlight a feast of local specialties, such as Maui Kalbi ribs, Lomi Lomi-marinated salmon and papaya salad.

Five vessels – the 1,380-guest ms Amsterdam, 1,258-guest ms Ryndam and ms Statendam, and 1,432-guest ms Volendam and ms Zaandam – depart from a trio of west coast homeports: San Diego, Seattle, Vancouver, B.C.

A variety of shore excursions lead guests to swim with the dolphins, visit lush tropical gardens, hike in rainforests and take helicopter tours. Through Holland America Line’s Off-the-Beaten-Path excursions, guests may go four-wheeling through Hawaii’s back roads up to Mauna Kea’s summit to see Rainbow Falls and the world’s largest telescope, or take a Tahiti trek through the Papenoo Valley. Other excursions visit Maui’s Haleakala Crater, venture to Lana’i on a dolphin and snorkel excursion or let guests swim with reef sharks and sting rays in Bora Bora Lagoon. Shore excursion can be viewed online and are available for booking online approximately six months prior to sailing.

Hawaii - America’s Premier Island Getaway
Fifteen “Circle Hawaii” cruises sail roundtrip from San Diego for 15-days each and feature the Hawaiian Islands and a visit to Ensenada, Mexico. Cruises meander around Kauai’s cliff-hugged Na Pali coast, cruise Maui’s whale-breeding waters to Lahaina, and pair pastel sunsets with orange and black volcano scenes on evening sailing by the Big Island’s Kilauea Volcano.

Departure dates in 2006 include Feb. 5 and 20, Mar. 7 and 22, and Apr. 6, onboard the Amsterdam and Oct. 7, Nov. 1 and 26, and Dec. 21 onboard the Zaandam. Dates available for booking now for 2007 are Jan. 5 and 20, Feb. 4 and 19, and Mar. 6 and 21. Fall and winter 2007 dates will be released soon. Fares start at $1,999 per person double occupancy.

Special Hawaiian Islands Culinary Cruise
Max McCalman, cheese expert, author and Maître Fromager from the Artisanal Cheese Center in New York City hosts a special “Circle Hawaii” sailing from the Pacific Northwest aboard the Volendam. McCalman’s culinary expertise will be showcased in demonstrations and classes in the ship’s state-of-the-art Culinary Arts Center. The Apr. 22, 2006, 18-day cruise sails from the Emerald City of Seattle, calls at charming, Victorian-styled Astoria, Oregon, on the delta of the Columbia River, and then sails for the Hawaiian Islands spending nearly a week island hopping with an overnight in Honolulu, before cruising to Vancouver, British Columbia.

The cosmopolitan Canadian port city of Vancouver also plays host to a 17-day “Circle Hawaii” roundtrip cruise departing exactly one year later on Apr. 22, 2007. Fares for the two 17- and 18-day Circle Hawaii sailings listed above start at $2,399.

Exotic Escape - Hawaii, Tahiti, and Marquesas Island
The ultimate 30-day Polynesian escapade sails once a year roundtrip from San Diego navigating ancient trade routes to the coral reefs and idyllic beaches of Hawaii, Tahiti and the famous yet remote Marquesas Islands. Port calls include Hawaii, Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Raiatea, Tahiti, and Moorea with overnight stays in Honolulu and Bora Bora for additional time to shop, swim, explore and relax. Harboring relaxation is the key – as guests glide in the sun-glistened Pacific, call on the lovely islands, bask in the middle of nowhere on Christmas Island, Kiribati, snorkel in palm-lined lagoons, peruse black pearls in Tahiti, and behold sacred sites of ancient societies at Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands.

The upcoming 30-day “Circle Hawaii, Tahiti, and Marquesas” cruise departs on Jan. 6, 2006 onboard the Amsterdam and on Jan. 22, 2007 onboard the Ryndam. Cruise rates for the 30-day Hawaii, Tahiti, and Marquesas Islands voyages start at $5,079 per person.

Repositioning Cruise Reveals Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and New Zealand
Not to be missed is an exclusive 24- to 28-day “South Pacific and New Zealand” cruise departing from Vancouver on September 29, 2006. This unique repositioning cruise also calls at Los Angeles on October 3 before beginning her pacific crossing. Enroute the Statendam takes in the Hawaiian Islands, Christmas Island, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. Final stops include New Zealand’s Bay of Islands and Tauranga before arriving in Auckland where she makes her winter home sailing between New Zealand and Australia during their summer season. A similar sailing across the Pacific is also being planned for 2007. Fares for the 28-day sailing begin at $3,649 per person, double occupancy.