Holland America will deploy two ships to Australia and New Zealand for the 2013–2014 season. The 1,916-passenger Oosterdam and the 1,432-passenger Volendam will operate a series of sailings beginning in October that visit more than 50 ports across Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.
Both ships will offer 10- to 14-night voyages from Sydney and Auckland between October and March 2014. Among the highlighted itineraries are 14-night sailings that call in Melbourne and Hobart, Tasmania, and include multiple New Zealand stops such as Dunedin, Akaroa, Wellington, Napier, Gisborne and Christchurch.
The line will also present a 14-night New Zealand Discovery itinerary visiting Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Akaroa, Gisborne, Milford Sound, Napier, Tauranga and the Bay of Islands. For guests seeking a longer experience, Holland America will operate a 34-night circumnavigation of Australia departing Sydney on Oct. 20, which includes more than 20 ports of call and a visit to the Great Barrier Reef.
In addition, a 19-night Barrier Reef cruise departs Melbourne on Nov. 20. That voyage features two days exploring the Great Barrier Reef and stops in destinations across Australia, Indonesia and Singapore.
These seasonal deployments provide varied options for travelers interested in Australian and New Zealand coastal highlights, scenic fjords and island ports, as well as extended itineraries that combine reef stops and regional exploration throughout the South Pacific.