Holland America introduces new 42-day Mediterranean and Atlantic cruise

Holland America Line is adding another itinerary to its roster of longer cruises, known as Legendary Voyages. 

The new "42-day Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage" was inspired by a voyage the cruise line first operated nearly 100 years ago. 

Departing on Nov. 9, 2024 aboard the Volendam, the cruise will sail roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, allowing guests to experience 16 different ports across nine countries.

A historic journey 

The original voyage that provided the inspiration for the new itinerary departed from New York City on Feb. 4, 1925, aboard Rotterdam IV and carried 550 guests across the Atlantic Ocean to explore many of the same ports. 

The 2024 cruise follows in the footsteps of this 1925 journey, with stops in Portugal, Morocco, Italy, Greece, Israel, Egypt, Tunisia, Gibraltar (United Kingdom) and Spain.

"Holland America Line was one of the first companies to feature cruise vacations that went beyond a transatlantic crossing, and today we're continuing to innovate our itineraries by offering memorable voyages like this ultimate Mediterranean and Atlantic passage sailing," said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer, Holland America Line. 

"Since introducing this new Legendary category of cruises that offer an in-depth focus on one region, they've been very popular. We're excited to add a longer voyage that makes it easy to explore the Med in depth without a long-haul flight."

The "42-day Ultimate Mediterranean & Atlantic Passage" route crosses the Atlantic before making its first stops in Horta and Ponta Delgada in the Azores. 

A call at Tangier, Morocco is followed by overnight visits to both Livorno and Civitavecchia, Italy. From Livorno, guests can explore Florence or Pisa, while Rome is accessible from Civitavecchia. 

Volendam then makes its way to Naples, Italy and Catania, Sicily, before continuing on to Piraeus (Athens), Greece.

The route will then cover the Holy Land at Haifa (Tel Aviv) and Ashdod (Jerusalem), Israel, followed by Port Said and Alexandria (Cairo) in Egypt. 

The final ports on the voyage include La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia; Gibraltar; Cadiz (Seville), Spain; and Casablanca, Morocco. 

The cruise concludes on Dec. 21 in Fort Lauderdale.

Lengthier itineraries

HAL's "Legendary Voyages" are longer cruises, which range in length from 25 to 59 days, combining the ceremony of the line's "Grand Voyages" while focusing one region. 

Most sail roundtrip or to/from a North American homeport. 

Shipboard programming provides insights into the history and culture of the destinations visited. 

Other on-board programming includes theme parties, as well as sailaways and classic cruise activities.

For more info, click here.

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