Holland America Line Extends European Season by Six Weeks
Holland America Line has just announced that it is extending its 2026 European season by six weeks.
Cruisers now have four additional voyages to choose from on the 99,500 gross ton Nieuw Statendam, which will be between 7- and 15-nights long.
Paul Grigsby, Vice President of Deployment for Holland America Line, emphasized the importance of extending the season as it gives cruisers more opportunities to explore the region.
“Cruises rooted in the culture and history of Europe are proving to be popular with our guests,” Grigsby added, highlighting the significance of this decision.
Nieuw Statendam will be departing from Rotterdam in the Netherlands, with three of the four added cruises being round-trip out of this historic port.
The first of these newly added voyages is a seven-night cruise that will be exploring the scenic Norwegian Fjords.
Departing on October 31, 2026, this itinerary includes several stops in Norway, including Eidfjord, Olden, Alesund, and Bergen.
Additionally, there are two dedicated days to cruising in fjords, specifically Hardangerfjord and Nordfjord.
Then, on November 7, the ship will embark on a special 14-night cruise to the Arctic Circle, which will give passengers the chance to view the aurora borealis.
With 2026 projected to be a year with high aurora activity, the cruise line thought that adding a Northern Lights centered experience later in the year would give guests an excellent opportunity to witness the natural phenomenon.
This itinerary included stops in Norway, including Alesund, Trondheim, Tromso, Alta, Leknes, Andalsnes, and Bergen, as well as one stop in Lerwick, United Kingdom, and one day cruising through Trondheimsfjord.
Read Also: What Are Port Fees on a Cruise?
After that, Nieuw Statendam will depart on another 14-night voyage — but this one will be the first time in 10 years that a Holland America Line ship has done a roundtrip cruise of the Mediterranean out of Rotterdam.
Departing November 21, 2026, this itinerary begins with an overnight stay in Lisbon, Portugal, followed by stops in Spain, including Cadiz, Malaga, Alicante, and Cartagena.
The ship will also visit Gibraltar and Leixoes, Portugal, before returning to Rotterdam on December 5, 2026.
That same day, the 15-night transatlantic cruise will set sail, making stops in Belgium, France, and the United Kingdom before heading to the United States, where it will arrive on December 20, 2026.
Nieuw Statendam will spend the rest of 2026 into early 2027 taking voyages around the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Mexico.
Other Opportunities for the 2026 European Season
With the four new cruises added to the 2026 European season, Holland America Line will offer a total of 155 itineraries in the region between March and December.
So far, only four have sold out, two of them being the same segmented cruise that will be in the line of totality during the solar eclipse happening on August 12, 2026.
The 3,214 passenger Rotterdam will kick off the 2026 Europe season on March 22 when it will be doing a transatlantic itinerary that is essentially the reversed version of the one Nieuw Statendam just added in December.
In early April, both Nieuw Statendam and Oosterdam will head to Europe from Fort Lauderdale, Florida — both of which will disembark in Rotterdam, which will be the homeport for all three vessels during this season.
Rotterdam and Oosterdam will be heading back to tropical waters by early November, leaving Nieuw Statendam to finish the 2026 season.
Two other Holland America Line ships, Zuiderdam and Volendam, will be making stops in Europe as well during their 35- and 45-night voyages.
Surely, 2026 promises to be an exciting year for Holland America Line in Europe, offering guests a wide variety of cultural experiences and chances to witness something as special as a total eclipse or the aurora borealis.