Holland America Line opens bookings for its 2021 Grand Africa voyage

Holland America Line is planning to go ahead with its 2021 Grand Africa voyage, a 71-day cruise aboard Zaandam departing Fort Lauderdale on October 10th, 2021, calling at 18 African ports and has opened bookings with a range of incentives on offer.

The cruise line, which recently sold two of its ships as it works to conserve cash-flow, is offering those who book and pay in full before February 26th, 2021 onboard spending credit, prepaid gratuities, luggage delivery service and a 3% discount on the cruise fare.

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These incentives also apply to its 2022 Grand World Voyage, which departs Fort Lauderdale on January 3rd, 2022. The 128-day voyage features 50 ports of call in 27 countries, with overnight stays in nine ports.

These include Tokyo and Kobe (Osaka), Japan; Xingang (Beijing), Shanghai and Hong Kong, China; Singapore; Mumbai (Bombay), India; Aqaba, Jordan (overnight and next-day late departure); and Istanbul, Turkey.

The world cruise will also feature late night departures from 10 ports, (Hilo, Hawaii; Naha, Okinawa, Japan; Da Nang, Vietnam; Colombo, Sri Lanka; Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Aqaba; Ashdod (Jerusalem) and Haifa (Nazareth), Israel; and Mykonos, Greece).

Passengers will cross the equator twice and will also transit both the Panama and Suez Canals, while scenic cruising will be offered in the Amazon River, Kanmon Strait and Dardanelles.

The Grand Africa voyage, meanwhile, will circumnavigate the entire continent, calling at 18 African calls, with additional visits to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Funchal, Madeira; Crete, Greece; and Aqaba, Jordan over 71 days.

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Zaandam will stay overnight at Aqaba; Mahe, Seychelles; Zanzibar, Tanzania; and Cape Town, South Africa (overnight and next-day late departure), with late night departures from Crete; Safaga, Egypt; Richards Bay and Cape Town, South Africa; Walvis Bay, Namibia; and San Juan.

The grand voyage will also offer more than a dozen wildlife encounters, with safari opportunities at Jozani Forest Reserve, Lokobe National Park, Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve, Aqulia Game Reserve, Abuko Nature Reserve, Bandia Wildlife Reserve and more.

Zaandam is of two of Holland America Line’s last Rotterdam-class cruise ships, after her sister ships Amsterdam and Rotterdam were sold to Fred Olsen Cruise Lines.

The 61,396-gross ton, 237-metre ship can carry 1,432 passengers and was launched in 1999. She offers four restaurants, 10 bars and cafes, three pools, a spa with thermal suites and sauna, four lounges and teens and kids facilities.

In addition, there are a range of entertainment facilities, from the main theatre, to a Culinary Arts center, casino and shopping and retail promenade.