Holland America Line will feature a selection of nine unique voyages
to the Asia Pacific region in 2009. For the first time next autumn,
Volendam will sail to destinations throughout the Pacific, calling at
exotic locales in China, Southeast Asia, Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and
Russia. A convenient new round-trip Hong Kong itinerary is offered and
for passengers looking to add to their port repertoire, the 2009 Asia
Pacific voyages also include four inaugural ports of call: Puerto
Princesa, Philippines; Otaru, Japan; Sanya, Hainan, China; and Keelung
(Taipei), Taiwan.
Itineraries offer a comprehensive exploration of over a
dozen of the most popular Pacific Rim nations on cruises from 14- to
19-days that were designed to enable one to combine cruises for a
truly unique and extended experience of up to 66 days. The
Explorations Speaker Series provides further opportunities for passengers to immerse themselves in the region with lectures focused on select ports of call.
“Asia Pacific is a must-do for experienced travellers, and Holland
America Line continues to raise the bar on the premium cruise
experience with our exceptional itineraries and engaging ports of call
not found with other lines,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive
vice president, marketing, sales and guest programmes for Holland
America Line. “We strive to offer our guests innovative and exciting
destinations and onboard activities that bring them back year after
year for new adventures.”
First round-trip Hong Kong sailing for Holland America Line
For those wanting a new adventure, Holland America Line offers a
round-trip Hong Kong itinerary for the first time. The 14-day journey
departs Oct. 26, 2009, and explores the ancient wonders and mysteries
of China and Vietnam. Passengers enjoy an overnight stay in Shanghai where
shopping abounds and a visit to the tranquil Yuyuan Gardens awaits. An
inaugural call at Sanya, Hainan, a popular resort area in China, enhances
the itinerary.
New Southeast Asia itinerary features maiden port of call
From Singapore to Hong Kong, Volendam is set to explore Malaysia,
Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines, offering two itineraries — a
14-day cruise starting April 4, 2009 and a 12-day cruise starting Nov.
7, 2009. Highlights of the new 14-day itinerary include a first time call
at Puerto Princesa in the Philippines, famous for its crocodile farms,
underground rivers and dive spots. Named as a UNESCO World Heritage
Site, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park features a
spectacular limestone karst landscape. An overnight stay in Laem
Chabang (Bangkok), Thailand, allows travellers plenty of extra time for
shopping and exploring the city’s amazing pagodas and temples.
Great Wall of China, Forbidden City explored on 14- and 16-day voyage
On Volendam‘s 14- and 16-day China, Japan and Korea cruise, there’s
plenty of time to explore the palaces and tombs that dot the ancient
lands, take in the tranquility of the temples and gardens and sample
the unique flavors of Asian cuisine. The itinerary offers two
overnight stays in China to ensure that guests are able to explore the
bustling city of Shanghai with an abundance of shopping and historical
sightseeing opportunities, and Xingang (Beijing) with optional shore
excursions to the Forbidden City, Ming Tombs and the Great Wall of
China. Volendam departs on this 14-day itinerary on April 18, 2009 and
16-day itinerary on Oct. 10, 2009.
Adventurous voyage takes passengers from ancient traditions to colossal
glaciers
Those wanting a cruise with amazing scenery and diverse ports need
only join Volendam for its Japan, Eastern Russia and Alaska itinerary.
On the cruises between Kobe (Osaka), Japan; and Vancouver, the ship
will explore Petropavlovsk — known as Russia’s Far East – with it’s
scores of volcanoes, as well as the scenic Kurill Islands off the
coast of Russia and Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and Inside Passage.
An overnight stay in Yokohama (Tokyo), Japan, allows time to
experience one of the world’s busiest cities and take in the Senso-ji
and Kannon Temples. Guests on this voyage are in for a double treat:
crossing the International Date Line and visiting the inaugural port of
Otaru, Japan. Otaru is located on Hokkaido Island and is one of
Japan’s leading tourist destinations.
The 19-day cruise — which actually is 18 calendar days in length due
to the crossing of the international dateline — departs May 2, 2009,
and sails from Kobe (Osaka) to Vancouver. The 16-day cruise in the
reverse direction departs Vancouver on Sept. 23, 2009, or guests can
board the 15-day version sailing from Seattle on Sept. 24, 2009 and
take the ship to Kobe (Osaka). This cruise gains one day by crossing
the dateline, thus actually making the voyage 17 or 16 calendar days,
respectively.
Exclusive 15- and 19-day itineraries explore Indonesian Islands and
the Great Barrier Reef
Volendam’s two new Indonesian Islands and the Great Barrier Reef
itineraries are firsts of their kind among major cruise lines in the
region. Several interesting ports will be visited in Indonesia,
including Komodo Island, part of the Komodo National Park — a UNESCO
World Heritage Site — as well as Padang Bai, Bali, with an abundance
of shopping opportunities, and Semarang, a bustling city teeming with
ancient temples. Also on these exclusive cruises, passengers enjoy four
days cruising the Great Barrier Reef, including two days of daylight
cruising through the world’s largest coral reef system. Scenic
highlights in the reef include viewing the sunrise while anchored off
Lizard Island, an overnight anchorage in the reef near Sherrard
Island, cruising Torres Strait and taking in the sunset off Booby
Island. The 19-day itinerary from Auckland to Singapore departs March
16, 2009, and the 15-day Singapore to Sydney cruise departs Nov. 21,
2009.
Holland America Line also features a further selection of nine
adventurous voyages Down Under in 2009 with 14-day cruises and a
special 16-day holiday sailing between Australia and New Zealand.
For a 2009 Asia Pacific cruise brochure or for more information,
consult The Cruise People, Ltd. on 1-800-268-6523
