Holland America Line Refreshes 2025 Grand World Voyage Itinerary

In order to prioritise safety and give Aussie/Kiwi travellers adequate time to plan, Holland America Line released a refreshed itinerary for its 2025 Grand World Voyage sailing aboard Zuiderdam. The updated itinerary includes portions to replace the previously announced route through the Red Sea, while adding new ports in Africa and Europe as well as a call in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The changes will only affect the last 43 days of the 124-day voyage. The updated voyage will now visit one more port than originally planned, calling at 49 unique ports in 34 countries and territories, spanning six continents, concluding as planned on May 9, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

“We are delighted to be offering our Aussie/Kiwi guests our carefully crafted itineraries for our 2025 Grand World Voyage. Travellers will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in exciting destinations across the world including Europe, the Mediterranean and Africa plus more on our perfectly mid-sized ships”, said Ryan Taibel, Vice President of Sales and Partnerships of Australia and New Zealand at Holland America Line.

Following the originally planned visit to Cape Town, South Africa, the new itinerary has been updated to include a call to Walvis Bay, Namibia, before heading north toward Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde—the first time Holland America Line has called in more than three years. The ship will then explore the Mediterranean, calling at originally scheduled ports in Gibraltar, Gibraltar; Alexandria, Egypt; Athens, Greece; Rome and Naples, Italy; Lisbon, Portugal; and Barcelona, Spain. Newly added ports include Valletta, Malta; Tangier, Morocco; Arrecife, Alicante, Cartagena and Tenerife, Spain; Olbia and Sardinia, Italy; and Kusadasi, Turkey, pending final confirmation from relevant ports.

2025 Grand World Voyage Highlights — Zuiderdam 

• 124 days. Departing Jan. 4, 2025, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale.
• 49 total ports in 34 countries across six continents.

• The voyage will depart from Fort Lauderdale on Jan. 4, 2025, and sail the original route through March 27—transiting the Panama Canal and making its way to Easter Island before crossing the South Pacific to Australia, through Indonesia and Sri Lanka and south to Cape Town, by way of the Seychelles. It then proceeds along west Africa to Walvis Bay, Namibia, and Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde. After calls in the Canary Islands, the sailing enters the Mediterranean via Gibraltar and completes a full loop of the sea as far east as Egypt and Turkey, before returning west via Italy and Spain. After a call to Lisbon, Portugal, the cruise visits Tangier, Morocco, before crossing the Atlantic, bound for San Juan, Puerto Rico. The sailing then ends three days later in Fort Lauderdale on May 9, 2025.

• Six overnight calls: Callao, Peru (two nights); Easter Island; Papeete, Tahiti; Sydney, Australia; Cape Town; Barcelona, Spain.
• Six late-night departures: Manta, Ecuador; Seychelles; Cape Town; Alexandria, Egypt; and Valletta, Malta.
• Memorable Moments: Panama Canal transit, two nights at Callao allowing time to visit Machu Picchu, Easter Island, Pitcairn, scenic cruising in the Great Barrier Reef, two full days in Cape Town.

The following ports are scheduled for the altered portion of the itinerary: 

Grand Rendezvous in Barcelona 

When Zuiderdam calls at Barcelona for an overnight visit on April 24, 2025, she will rendezvous with Volendam, sailing the 133-Day Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole for a once-in-a-lifetime “Grand Meetup.” While in Barcelona, guests and crew aboard both ships will share in a special celebration.