Spring 2022 Return-to-Service Dates Announced for Final Three Ships in the Fleet

By late spring 2022, Holland America Line will have a complete fleet back to cruising with the restart of operations for Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam. Noordam will restart with a March 14, 2022, cruise in Japan; Oosterdam will begin cruising May 1 in the Mediterranean, and Westerdam will return to service May 8 in Alaska.

The ships will join Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam and Zuiderdam, which have returned to service or are slated to restart cruising by December 2021. Volendam and Zaandam will return in May 2022.

“We’ve been working intensely to get all of our ships back into service, and to have final restart dates that will complete the fleet is rewarding for everyone who has put their all into making this happen,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Our progressive rollout plan allows us to be back in full service over the next several months, and we look forward to welcoming guests on all 11 ships cruising in different regions around the world.”

Noordam Plans Return to Service in Japan
Holland America Line is working with Japanese authorities to begin cruising for Noordam next spring in Japan with four sailings scheduled.

Himeji Castle with spring cherry blossoms in Japan

When Noordam sets sail in March, the ship plans to offer three 14-day cruises that deeply explore Japan. Sailing roundtrip from Yokohama (Tokyo), Japan, the ship makes several calls around the exotic country and with a one- or two-day visit on each itinerary to South Korea, Taiwan or Russia. The 14-day journeys can be combined to form 28-day Collectors’ Voyages.

In April, Noordam will cross the Pacific Ocean and sail a season in Alaska with cruises between Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and Whittier, Alaska.

Oosterdam Returns to the Mediterranean
Guests eager to visit the Med next year can embark Oosterdam beginning with the May 1 departure. The ship will sail the season in the region, cruising between Civitavecchia (Rome) and Venice, Italy; and Barcelona, Spain, and Venice; or roundtrip from Venice on seven- and 12-day itineraries. Oosterdam will explore ports in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Montenegro, Croatia, Albania, France, Malta and Israel.

Following a transatlantic crossing in November 2022, the ship will transit the Panama Canal and take a southerly route to offer a series of South America and Antarctica expeditions ranging from 14 to 22 days between Buenos Aires, Argentina, and San Antonio (Santiago), Chile.

Westerdam Sets Sail for Alaska
When Westerdam returns on May 8, the ship will embark on a season of seven-day Alaska cruises roundtrip from Seattle, Washington. Come September, the ship will cross the Pacific Ocean and begin a season in the Far East offering a variety of 14-day itineraries from Singapore; Hong Kong, China; and Yokohama (Tokyo).

Sunrise at Hubbard Glacier with mountain in Alaska.

Sunrise at Hubbard Glacier with mountain in Alaska.

Guests on January to May 2022 Cruises Will Move to 2023
With these restart dates for Noordam, Oosterdam and Westerdam, cruises in Asia, Australia and New Zealand, and South America and Antarctica from January 2022 through the return-to-service departures will be cancelled.

Guests on Westerdam’s cancelled transatlantic crossing departing April 18, 2022, will be moved to a comparable crossing on Nieuw Statendam departing April 17.

Guests on Noordam’s affected Asia departures in 2022 will be moved to the same itinerary in 2023 aboard Westerdam; guests on Oosterdam’s cancelled Australia and New Zealand voyages will be moved to the same itinerary in 2023 aboard Noordam; and guests on Westerdam’s cancelled South America and Antarctica Voyages will be moved to the same itinerary aboard Oosterdam in 2023. Guests also may choose to receive a 100% refund of monies paid to Holland America Line.

The above options are not applicable to guests booked on a charter sailing. Other booking and cancellation conditions and policies may apply if the cruise was not booked through Holland America Line.

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20 Comments

  1. Kenneth Dick September 8, 2022 at 5:40 pm - Reply

    Looks like Japan is starting to open up to tourism; but probably slower than most folks expected or hoped for. It was October 2021 that our March 2022 Asia Explorer cruise was canceled and transferred to March 2023. I’m hoping that the March 2023 cruise goes as expected, even if there might be restrictions/rules. How far in advance should I expect HAL to make the “go/no go” decision?

  2. Harriet Mazer August 4, 2022 at 1:17 pm - Reply

    Hello Julie,

    Will be sailing on Noordam this November, cicumnavigating Australia.

    Is the ship still scheduled for dry dock in November?

  3. Bill Rhoades May 11, 2022 at 8:27 am - Reply

    We are finally going on the Voyage of the Vikings in July on the Zaandam. I have been trying to find out if the last retrofit included the BB King Blues club?

    Bill

  4. Kenneth Dick April 28, 2022 at 2:22 am - Reply

    We’re on the Westerdam in March 2023 (Asia Explorer). I seem to recall reading somewhere that she would be undergoing updates/refresh in November 2022. With her shifting to Australia/NZ late 2022-to-early 2023 will this change? If so, when will she undergo update/refresh?

  5. Kenneth Dick April 27, 2022 at 3:08 pm - Reply

    See that Westerdam moving to Australia/NZ for Fall & early 2023. When will her Australia/NZ itineraries post for booking?

  6. Kenneth Dick April 24, 2022 at 11:13 am - Reply

    Any word on when late 2023 Australia cruises will post for booking?

  7. Nick April 6, 2022 at 3:37 pm - Reply

    We have the 69-Day South Pacific & Australia Circumnavigation Collector cruise booked from Oct 8th to Dec 17, 2022. In one of your earlier posts, you had mentioned that Noordam is going into dry dock in November 2022. How does that work with dry dock happening in the middle of the cruise or has the Noordam dry dock schedule been changed?

  8. Trevor March 31, 2022 at 7:15 pm - Reply

    My comment was not about Australian Cruises. It is related to the fact that Japan wont let tourists in at the moment. What will happen if this continues?

  9. Trevor March 13, 2022 at 10:27 pm - Reply

    We are scheduled to cruise Japan on the Westerdam in October. Is there any news regarding is Australians wil be allowed into Japan as they are currently not able to travel to Japan. I know its still a way off yet, but need to start planning flights etc.

    If we are not able to travel to Japan, what will HAL offer as an alternative.

  10. Robyn Jauk January 20, 2022 at 6:49 pm - Reply

    We are booked for the final Alaska tour of the 2022 season, and staying onboard for the trip to San Diego and then repositioning across the Pacific to Sydney and then the Australian circumnavigation ( on a wait list). I can’t find any information about after the return to Vancouver after the Alaska tour. Has this been cancelled?

  11. Heather January 15, 2022 at 1:13 am - Reply

    Hello, will Oosterdam have a dry dock refurbishment this spring 2022?

  12. Chris January 1, 2022 at 8:51 pm - Reply

    We paid a deposit for a cruise on the Noordam for a round trip of japan departing Yokohama on the 28th March 2022
    We have not been able to contact our travel agent Absolute Luxury Travel and she is not responding to emails
    Can you please advise? A) if this cruise is still operating
    Cheers
    Chris

  13. Kenneth Dick September 9, 2021 at 2:11 am - Reply

    We’re booked on the March 14, 2022 Noordam Asia cruise. Couple quick questions: (1) Is the Noordam still in the queue for a “refresh” the end of 2021 as previously planned; and (2) know HAL is in negotiations/discussions with Japan (and assume S. Korea) for cruise approval. We’re about 6 months out, any “guesstimate” on when approval, protocols, etc. are hoped to be finalized?

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