Holland America Line will deploy five ships for its 2028 Europe cruise season, offering the largest number of European port calls by the line in nearly ten years. The 2028 schedule includes the debut of Zuiderdam’s first European sailings following Evolution program refurbishments.
The fleet sailing Europe in 2028 includes Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Volendam, and Zuiderdam. Itineraries range from seven-day cruises to a 48-day Legendary Mediterranean Voyage, sailing across Northern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Canary Islands. Nieuw Amsterdam returns to Europe for the first time in more than a decade and features Morimoto by Sea, Chef Masaharu
Morimoto’s only sea-based restaurant.
The 2028 season features record numbers of port visits to Norway—the highest since 2014—and to Spain, the highest since 2017. Ireland and the Netherlands also see increased visits. Holland America plans six calls at Portofino, its highest number there. Northern Europe voyages include Norway, Iceland, Greenland, the British Isles, and Baltic ports. Canary Islands itineraries visit Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, plus ports in Portugal, Spain, and Morocco.
Departures run from January through early December 2028, reflecting a shift from a traditional summer Europe season to nearly year-round cruising. This follows sharp booking increases for Northern Europe
and Mediterranean trips, signaling strong demand. The 2028 program supports port-intensive itineraries emphasizing more days ashore, including extended port stays, overnight visits, and late-night departures.
Passengers will have access to more than 200 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including Norway’s fjords. Shore excursion options expand to culinary tours, cultural workshops, hiking, cycling, and coastal sailing. Holland America clusters voyages around key embarkation hubs for operational efficiency and integrates Europe into multi-continent Grand Voyages scheduled for 2028.
Paul Grigsby, vice president of deployment and revenue planning, said, “Europe is a destination that changes with every season, and each one offers guests a
completely different way to experience it.” He added, “We built each season around moments travelers can only experience at certain times of year, from the Netherlands in full bloom during spring to winter escapes in the Mediterranean and Canary Islands and long summer days along Europe’s coastlines.”
Zuiderdam’s return marks its first European cruises after Evolution program refurbishments that update public spaces and accommodations. Holland America is expanding European presence as part of a broader global deployment including Alaska, the Caribbean, Australia/New Zealand, and transpacific voyages. Port authorities have upgraded infrastructure to ease arrival congestion, supporting Holland America’s expanded itinerary
diversity and year-round Europe focus.
