Holland America to return to Africa in 2023 for circumnavigation of continent

Holland America Line will reprise its African circumnavigation voyage in 2023 with a 73-night cruise around the entire continent.

The Grand Africa Voyage will depart Fort Lauderdale, Florida on October 10th, 2023 and visit 26 ports in 22 countries and territories, including four overnight calls.

The shore excursions in destinations around the continent offer insight into the history, culture and cuisine of every country, with numerous safari opportunities also available for guests.

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This will be Holland America Line’s third circumnavigation of Africa after its hugely popular 2021 itinerary and near-identical 71-day voyage in 2022.

On the cruise, the line’s ship Zuiderdam will also stay overnight in four key ports, including Cape Town, South Africa.

“Our guests like to explore the world in the comfort of a Holland America Line cruise, and our Grand Voyages allow them to travel internationally, while departing from domestic ports,” said Beth Bodensteiner, Chief Commercial Officer of Holland America Line.

“Our Grand Africa Voyage focuses on this one region, so our guests are able to have a complete cultural immersion into the African lifestyle,” she added. “From shore excursions that best showcase each port to menus that feature local cuisine and wines, we want our guests to return home feeling like their cruise was delivered in the most authentic way.”

The 81,769-gross ton Zuiderdam will cross the Atlantic after departing Florida, calling first in Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, and Greece, before transiting the Suez Canal to visit Egypt and Jordan. She’ll then cruise the Red Sea for the Indian Ocean, visiting Seychelles, Tanzania, Mayotte, Madagascar, Mozambique, before arriving in South Africa.

South African ports of call include Cape Town, where the ship will spend two nights and three days in port, giving guests more time to explore Table Mountain, Nelson Mandela’s prison cell, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Cape Winelands and more.

As she cruises up the west coast of Africa, Zuiderdam will call in Namibia, Angola, Ghana, Ivory Coast, The Gambia, Senegal, Cape Verde, and Puerto Rico.

This 2023 itinerary will feature several safari and wildlife opportunities, including Victoria Falls National Park, Namib Rand Nature Reserve, Etosha Game Reserve, Abuko Nature Reserve, Jozani Forest Reserve, and Bandia Wildlife Reserve.

For those with less time, the cruise can be broken up into two shorter-segmented itineraries, 46 days from Fort Lauderdale to Cape Town and 27 days from Cape Town to Fort Lauderdale.