Cruises to Bermuda are Back!
In 2015, Holland America Line is returning to the pink sands and pastel-colored skyline of Bermuda on seven-day cruises aboard ms Veendam.
Sailing roundtrip from Boston, Mass., the six departures in May, June and July feature two full days and three nights at Hamilton, the country’s capital known for its gorgeous beaches and abundance of golf courses.
Carrying just 1,350 guests, Veendam offers an ideal mid-size ship experience in Bermuda that enables the vessel to dock at Hamilton in the center of town. The seven-day voyages spend a day at sea after departing Boston, and arrive at Hamilton mid-day with enough time for guests to go ashore and enjoy the town. The ship then spends two nights alongside, where guests can experience local nightlife and dine ashore, if desired. Veendam departs Bermuda mid-day, with a day at sea before arriving back at Boston.
With two full days and two half-days, guests will have multiple opportunities to experience Hamilton’s British charm, cultural heritage sites and world-renowned beaches on a variety of shore excursions. From the ship, guests can take a short walk to Front Street and explore its array of colorful shops and restaurants. Hamilton also is home to a massive 19th-century, neo-Gothic cathedral and the Georgian-style Sessions House, built in 1815.
The seven-day Bermuda itinerary can be combined with a seven-day Canada/New England cruise to create a 14-day Bermuda & Canada/New England Collectors’ Voyage. The full Collectors’ cruise calls at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island; Sydney and Halifax, Nova Scotia; Bar Harbor, Maine; Boston; and Hamilton, with scenic cruising in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
The Bermuda cruise also can be combined with a 17-day Panama Canal transit to create a 24-day Panama Canal and Bermuda Collectors’ Voyage. The ship departs San Diego, Calif., April 15, and calls at ports in Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Colombia, as well as Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Boston and Hamilton, including a full transit of the Panama Canal.
Recently enhanced, Veendam offers an onboard experience defined by spacious comfort and the latest Signature of Excellence features and amenities. Guests aboard the ship will not only enjoy elegant dining rooms, a $2 million art and antique collection, wide teak decks and spacious staterooms — many with private verandahs — but also new and exciting venues and stateroom options along with a complete update to all stateroom furnishings.
Are you excited that the Bermuda cruises are back? Will you be joining Veendam? Tell us in the comments below!
This is my first cruise with HAL, but forth cruise to Bermuda. On the cruise leaving May 2nd. Can hardly wait – hear such good things about HAL.
My husband and I had been discussing what we would like to do to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary next year. We knew we would most likely take a cruise, but 4 times on NCL left us unimpressed. We have always had a good time, but after 4 cruises with NCL, we are getting tired of the same old experience. Then HAL announced your Bermuda out of Boston cruises planned for 2015. We knew immediately this was the opportunity we had been waiting for! Two days ago we booked a Verandah Suite on the May 9th sailing. We are so psyched to be cruising with Holland America, and excited to be docking in Hamilton this time. No more precious hours wasted on the ferry from the Dockyard at King’s Wharf! It’s going to be difficult to have the patience to wait what works out to be an entire year, but, we KNOW it will be worth the wait. Thank you for choosing to offer this itinerary, we are so psyched to finally come and join you.