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Holland America Line’s 2021 Grand World Voyage is now open for reservations! It’s sure to be exhilarating, with the beloved Amsterdam taking travelers to five continents, more than four dozen ports and eight overnights in some of the world’s most tantalizing destinations. The 128-day World Cruise departs Ft. Lauderdale on January 4, 2021 and cruises roundtrip, offering the unique opportunity to completely circle the globe without a single overseas flight. This is also the 32nd hosted world voyage with Cruise Specialists, the world leader in world cruising. Cruise Specialists clients will enjoy a bon voyage celebration and dinner the night before the cruise departs, plus receive the benefits of an experienced Voyage Host, invitations to special onboard events, shore tour dollars and more. Details on the hosted aspect of the 2021 World Cruise are explained further below.
After departing Ft. Lauderdale, the 1,380-guest Amsterdam will head south and into the Amazon, where guests will have a full week on the mighty river, immersing themselves in the rainforest and watching for wildlife such as pink dolphins and colorful macaws – plus visiting unique wonders such as the grand 19th century opera house in Manaus.
After departing the Amazon, the Amsterdam treats guests to leisurely Caribbean calls in Grenada and Aruba before transiting the Panama Canal, a feat of engineering that perpetually wows travelers. The ship will visit Quepos, Costa Rica and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico before a stretch of six days at sea in the Pacific. Sea days become treasured times for guests to reflect on the ports they have just experienced, plan for the destinations they’ll see in the coming weeks and relish all the ship has to offer. Indulge in a spa retreat, attend a lecture series, meet friends for coffee or tea, take a computer class and more. One of the biggest surprises World Cruisers share with us at Cruise Specialists is that there is not enough time to do it all!
Paradise beckons as the Amsterdam calls on Hilo (Hawaii’s Big Island), Lahaina (Maui) and Honolulu (Oahu). Then, it’s a sampling of rarely-visited ports including Majuro (Marshall Islands), Chuuk (Micronesia), Guam, and Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands) – for an exploration of World War II history or a stroll along quiet beaches.
The 2021 World Cruise includes a significant amount of time in Japan, with the following highlights:
As the ship proceeds to China, it will call on Dalian, followed by an overnight stay each in Xingang (Beijing), Shanghai and Hong Kong. Overnights are often a coveted opportunity to take longer, organized “overland tours” – called that because they venture further inland than a typical shore excursion. Cruise Specialists’ shore excursion department develops an exclusive shore tour program with overlands for each Holland America Line World Cruise; details for 2021 will be announced at a later date.
The 2021 Grand World Voyage then proceeds south and west toward Vietnam and Singapore. An overnight in Singapore provides a thrilling chance to visit the spectacular Gardens by the Bay, a stunning nature park that has become one of the city’s top attractions.
From Southeast Asia to the Indian Ocean and Sri Lanka, there then is an overnight in Mumbai (Bombay), India. In a week’s time, ancient history and ultra-modern architecture mingle as the Amsterdam makes three port calls in the United Arab Emirates and two in Oman.
As the ship enters the final month of this epic World Cruise it heads toward another major highlight: Al ‘Aqabah, port of call for Petra, home to the breathtaking siq (narrow gorge) and dazzling Treasury made of red rock, which awes visitors from around the world. There is an overnight here to allow for the time needed to travel to and from Petra. Then, ports of call in Ashdod (Jerusalem & Bethlehem) and Haifa (Tel Aviv), Israel allow for in-depth touring of the Holy Land. Kusadasi invites visitors to explore ancient Ephesus. More centuries-old architecture and history can be found during the overnight in Istanbul, Turkey.
Sailing west through the sun-kissed Mediterranean, World Cruisers will step ashore in these classic cruise ports:
With six days to round out the voyage as the Amsterdam follows the sun west to Ft. Lauderdale, cruisers will revel in more enrichment activities and have a chance to begin packing, exchanging contact information with new friends and thinking about their plans for their next cruise!
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