Holland America Sets A Course For Greece

Holland America Line is set to sail from Greece beginning in August.

Working in close coordination with the government of Greece, Holland America confirmed that it has received approval to restart cruising from Piraeus (Athens) in August with four departures aboard Eurodam.

Bookings for these cruises will open today (May 6).

The line-up for sailings include:

  • The Idyllic Greek Isles which departs Aug. 15 and Aug. 29, and featuring calls at Kotor, Montenegro, as well as the Greek isles of Kékira (Corfu), Thíra (Santorini) and Mykonos. “Ancient Wonders” departs Aug. 22 to explore Haifa, Israel, as well as Náfplion, Mykonos and Rhodes in Greece. Both options can be combined to form a longer, back-to-back 14-day Collectors’ Voyage.
  • A seven-day “Adriatic Allure” itinerary departing Sept. 5 will sail from Piraeus to Venice, Italy, with calls at Mykonos, Katakolon (Olympia) and Crete (Chania), Greece, and Sarandë, Albania.

Additional Mediterranean cruises aboard Eurodam through the fall will be announced in the coming weeks and include ports in Italy and Greece. Eurodam returns to the United States to begin sailing its published Caribbean cruises in mid-November.

Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, said: “Everyone at Holland America Line has been preparing for our return to service, and we are grateful to the government of Greece for allowing us to show that we can safely operate our cruises.”

Antorcha continued: “The beautiful islands of Greece have been a highlight of our Mediterranean itineraries for decades, and we are honored to be able to restart out of Athens and give our guests a memorable vacation after all this time without cruise travel.”

Greece’s minister of tourism, Harry Theoharis said: “The Greek Islands have been welcoming Holland America Line ships for many years, and we are proud to work together to welcome the cruise line back this summer.”

Minister Theoharis continued: “We are sure that all visitors to Greece will once again have unique experiences to our beautiful destinations and fully enjoy the rich history, culture and gastronomy of our nation.”

Holland America Line cruises from Greece are available for guests who have received their final dose of an approved COVID-19 vaccine at least 14 days prior to the beginning of the cruise and have proof of vaccination.

Passengers will be required to comply with all health and safety protocols in place at the time of departure for travel to and from the ship, as well as all onboard protocols and procedures for visiting ports. Guests can find information about Greece traveler health requirements on the Visit Greece website.

Additional preventive health measures under Holland America Line’s “Travel Well” program will be in place, including health screenings, face mask requirements, physical distancing and capacity controls. The ships now feature enhanced environmental sanitation and air filtration with upgraded HVAC systems and ultraviolet technology. HEPA filters will be used in key areas as a further safeguard. In addition, medical centers will be equipped with COVID-19 testing and treatment capabilities.

Full details, including cruise fares and information on shore excursions, are being finalized and will be shared in the coming weeks at www.hollandamerica.com.

Airfares from several domestic and international gateways will be available through Holland America Line’s FlightEase program.

Flexible cancellation terms, including our Covid-19 Protections, are offered through “Book with Confidence” when booked by June 30, 2021, for sailings through Dec. 31, 2021. The cruise line’s Cancellation Protection Plan also allows cancellation up to 24 hours in advance.

To accommodate the new Greece sailings, guests sailing on Eurodam’s published Seattle roundtrip Alaska cruises will be moved to similar accommodations on sister ship Nieuw Amsterdam, which is scheduled to sail on the same departure dates.

In addition, European cruises departing from July 1 through July 25 on Volendam and on July 1 through Aug. 31 on Westerdam will be cancelled.

Guests who were booked on impacted cruises and their travel advisors are being notified.

Fares for Eurodam’s seven-day Greece cruises begin at a “Have it All” premium package fare of $1,999 per person that includes one shore excursion, a beverage package, specialty dining and Wi-Fi. Cruise-only fares start at $1,649 per person, double occupancy. Taxes, fees and port expenses are additional.

For more, sail on over to www.hollandamerica.com.