Great Bear Rainforest Cruise Finale for Zaandam’s Alaska Season

The Great Bear Rainforest shrouded in mist as seen from the water
Cruise Industry The Americas
by Eve Church

Holland America Line’s Zaandam is currently operating the cruise line’s “Great Bear Rainforest and Alaska Explorer” voyage.

Sailing roundtrip from Vancouver, the 18-night itinerary features visits to 11 destinations across Alaska and Canada. Among the highlights are calls at ports that receive fewer cruise ship visits, including Prince Rupert, Homer and Anchorage. The ship is scheduled to spend the night in Anchorage.

The itinerary also features visits to Kodiak, Sitka, Valdez, Wrangell, Juneau and Ketchikan, along with scenic cruising at Hubbard Glacier and through Glacier Bay.

Marking the conclusion of Zaandam’s Alaska season, the voyage is scheduled to finish in Vancouver in early October. The 1,440-passenger ship will then reposition to San Diego, where it will begin a program featuring cruises to the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii and the South Pacific.

Among the highlights of its fall and winter schedule is the five-week “Legendary Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas” voyage, which sails roundtrip from San Diego. Departing in mid-October, the 35-night cruise is scheduled to visit 13 destinations across the region.

Part of Holland America Line’s Legendary Voyages collection, the itinerary includes overnight stays in Tahiti and Honolulu. Other destinations include Fanning Island, Nuku Hiva, Bora Bora and Huahine.

Before moving to Fort Lauderdale in December, Zaandam is also set to operate a 12-night Sea of Cortez itinerary. According to Holland America Line, the cruise will visit historic destinations around the Sea of Cortez and Mexico’s Pacific coastline. Calls are scheduled for Guaymas, Topolobampo, Loreto, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Ensenada and Mazatlán.

In early 2027, Zaandam will embark on an extended 70-night voyage circumnavigating South America roundtrip from Port Everglades. In addition to calls in the Caribbean, the itinerary features scenic cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula and around Cape Horn. Other notable experiences include a visit to Belém, located near the mouth of Brazil’s Amazon River, as well as a three-day stay in Buenos Aires.