Enhanced Private Island Experience Featuring New Beach Club Highlights Upgraded Caribbean Offerings in Holland America Line's 2026-2027 Season

Guests can enjoy refreshed amenities at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay; signature shipboard pool programming; and captivating historic adventures

SEATTLE, March 31, 2025 /CNW/ -- Holland America Line, a leader in leisurely travel and personalized service, released its 2026-2027 Caribbean season — featuring more voyages nine days and longer than any other cruise line sailing in the region. Nearly every itinerary features a call at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line's award-winning private island in the Bahamas. As part of the 2026-2027 season, guests will be able to enjoy a number of enhancements at the destination, including a new beach club featuring priority tendering, waiter service and exclusive food and beverage offerings. Beach club guests will have private beach access with upgraded beach furniture as well as indoor and outdoor seating with ship views.

Zuiderdam at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay

For all guests visiting the island, additional upgrades will provide more ways to experience the tranquility of RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Guests will enjoy enhanced beach facilities, upgraded cabanas, villas and canopy loungers for two. Guests can also visit new shopping venues and refreshed dining locales — including a refurbished food court and Lobster Shack, as well as new food trucks with island-only menu items. Other highlights include new pickleball courts, and refreshing beverages delivered via Aperol Spritz tricycles or Bacardi Beach Buggies.

"The Caribbean, with its crystal-clear blue waters and sandy beaches, is the perfect destination to unwind — and we're enhancing the guest experience to ensure the most relaxing vacation possible," said Michael Smith, senior vice president, guest experience and product development. "Whether on board or at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, guests will feel immersed in the Caribbean's charm and the award-winning, personalized service Holland America is known for."   

Holland America Line is also debuting a new adults-only Signature Pool Experience on its Caribbean cruises for those looking for the ultimate relaxation experience at sea. Available at each ship's Sea View Pool, guests can unwind with spa-like amenities including complimentary cold towels, cucumber water and lemonade, as well as services like sunglass cleaning. On sea days, the experience will feature live ambient music.

Guests seeking these new offerings can select from more than two dozen itineraries aboard six ships, ranging from seven to 14 days. Cruises are roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale or Miami, Florida, sailing from October 2026 to April 2027.  

A Historic Adventure
As part of Holland America Line's newly announced partnership, guests can choose from five departure dates and come aboard Nieuw Amsterdam for a 9-day Southern Caribbean and ABC Islands voyage with The HISTORY Channel. The carefully curated itinerary calls at each of the three ABC Islands — Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao — as well as RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, and features a late-night call at Curaçao. While in port, guests can choose from a number of shore excursions, including Caves & City Highlights in partnership with The HISTORY Channel. The excursion will explore Curaçao's role in Leeward Island expansion and provide the opportunity to tour Willemstad's center — a UNESCO World Heritage site — as well as take in the stunning limestone formations of the Hato Caves. Guests aboard these cruises will be able to further immerse themselves in the complex history of the region via special onboard programming.

An Extended Holiday
For those looking for longer vacations in the Caribbean, Holland America Line offers over 70 departures on cruises that are over nine days in length — more than any other line cruising in the region. Guests can choose from 11 unique itineraries, including explorations focused on the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, partial transits of the Panama Canal, Greater Antilles and beyond.

Guests looking to take one of these trips over the holidays can embark Rotterdam to celebrate both Christmas and the New Year while cruising the Caribbean. Guests can expect to celebrate Christmas Day in Philipsburg, St. Maarten, and New Year's Day at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. The voyage will also call at ports in St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda.

A Perfect Week in the Tropics
Holland America Line's seven-day Caribbean cruises will sail aboard Eurodam, Zuiderdam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Nieuw Statendam, each featuring convenient weekend departures. Late-night stays in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and evening departures from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, allow guests to further dive into the tropical beauty, delicious cuisine and spellbinding history of each destination.

Nearly three dozen departures on four different itineraries allow guests to choose both the island experience that best matches their dream vacation and their ideal timeframe.

Highlights of the 2026-2027 Caribbean Season

• 7-Day Voyages
  • Western Caribbean: Greater Antilles and Mexico aboard Eurodam, Nieuw Statendam or Zuiderdam, sails roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, with calls at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay; Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands; and Cozumel, Mexico. A special holiday edition of the voyage sails roundtrip from Miami Nov. 21, 2026, and replaces RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, with Key West, Florida.
  • Eastern Caribbean: Amber Cove and Bahamas aboard Eurodam, Zuiderdam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Nieuw Statendam will sail roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, calling at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay; Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos; Amber Cove, Dominican Republic; and either Key West or Nassau, Bahamas.
  • Eastern Caribbean: San Juan and St. Thomas aboard Eurodam, Nieuw Statendam and Zuiderdam roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, calling at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, St. Thomas, a late-night visit to San Juan, and Grand Turk.
• 9- to 14-day Voyages
• • 9-Day Eastern Caribbean: U.S. & British Virgin Islands sails aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, calling Tortola, Antigua, San Juan, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay and features a late-night call at St. Thomas.
  • 10-Day Western Caribbean cruises sail roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale aboard Rotterdam or from Miami aboard Zuiderdam, and explore the Greater Antilles, Mexico and, on select itineraries, Belize.
  • 11-Day itineraries sail aboard Zuiderdam, Rotterdam and Eurodam roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. Guests can choose between itineraries that explore the eastern or southern Caribbean.
  • Two 12-day itineraries are available aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. Guests can either discover the Panama Canal, Costa Rica and Greater Antilles, or cruise to the Windward and Leeward Islands.
  • A 14-day voyage is available on Volendam, sailing over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Guests will enjoy eight ports in the eastern Caribbean, including a late-night call in Aruba.

Have It All Early Booking Bonus
Starting Have It All fares for Caribbean cruises begin at $1,299 per person, based on double occupancy. For a limited time, when guests book 2026-2027 Caribbean cruises with the Have It All premium package, the standard package amenities of shore excursions, specialty dining, a Signature Beverage Package and Surf Wi-Fi are included — plus the added perk of free prepaid crew appreciation, along with free upgrades to the Elite Beverage Package and Premium Wi-Fi. 

Guests can also take advantage of Holland America Line's Exclusive Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus. Mariner Society loyalty members can enjoy up to $400 onboard credit per stateroom when these cruises open for sale. Guests must book these cruises by June 30, 2025, to receive the Exclusive Mariner Society Early Booking Bonus. 

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com. 

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About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]   
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for more than 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering a perfectly-sized ship experience, its fleet of 11 vessels visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for more than 75 years — longer than any other cruise line. Savour the Journey isn't just a tagline, it's a reinforcement that the cruise line provides experiences too good to hurry through, connecting travelers to the world and each other. Award-winning enrichment programming, entertainment and cuisine that brings each locale on board, including a revolutionary Global Fresh Fish Program, put Holland America Line at the forefront of premium cruising.

SOURCE Holland America Line