Thanks to guests Arda and Hermann Hazenberg for sharing with us this pretty picture of Veendam near San Blas Islands, Panama.

Topics: ms Veendam, Panama Canal, Postcards from... | | No Comments

Journalist Georgina Cruz recently sailed on Zuiderdam and sent in this great post about her call at Half Moon Cay.

Somewhere, the mind knows intuitively, there is an island as easy as Sunday morning, as cool as a tropical fruit sorbet, and as fun as the playgrounds of our youth. Fortunate travelers find it at Half Moon Cay.

My husband Humberto and I had been lucky to enjoy visits to Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island in the Bahamas, on a half dozen occasions. But this 2,400-acre Bahamian idyll – where only 45 acres have been developed and the rest has been left pristine – with its crescent aquamarine beach and talcum-powder-quality white sands always leaves you wanting more.

The aquamarine waters of Half Moon Cay are inviting.

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Topics: Caribbean, Half Moon Cay, ms Zuiderdam, Panama Canal | | No Comments

Thanks to our Facebook fans for sharing their favorite photos to celebrate our 140th anniversary!

Even traveling along the edge of a cyclone couldn’t take the edge of our wonderful cruise on the Oosterdam from Sydney to New Zealand. Thank you Holland America for such excellent staff and wonderful service. I wouldn’t travel any other way! — Sandra Farber

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Topics: HAL History, ms Oosterdam, ms Zuiderdam, Panama Canal, Postcards from... | | No Comments

Thanks to passenger Mary Ann Crossno for sharing with us pictures from her 40th wedding anniversary celebrated aboard Zuiderdam.

We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary with a renewal of vows ceremony, conducted by Captain Chris Turner, on a 10-day Panama Canal cruise aboard the Zuiderdam. My dear husband surprised me by buying a tux for the cruise – part of his intention was that we spend more time on DAM ships! We were delighted to get to meet and greet Captain Turner’s family as well, as they were sailing with him. How we love sailing with HAL!

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Topics: ms Zuiderdam, Panama Canal | | 1 Comment

Our Facebook fans sent us photos of their on-board celebrations. We received some great images! Thanks for sharing your special moments with us.

Jim and I celebrated our joint retirement on board the ms Statendam in November/December 2012 by cruising through the Panama Canal and then off to the Hawaiian and French Polynesian Islands. A fabulous cruise we will never forget. Looking forward to our future cruises on Holland America, the only way to cruise. — Mary Griffin

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Topics: Art, Activities & Entertainment, ms Rotterdam, ms Statendam, Panama Canal, South Pacific | | 2 Comments

Enjoy these photos from Statendam’s visit to the Panama Canal.

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Topics: Explorer's Scrapbook, ms Statendam, Panama Canal, Postcards from... | | 3 Comments

Dear Readers, back again on the lovely m.s. Amsterdam and our World Cruise. Not an auspicious start for me, personally, for within 2 days of commencing our epic voyage, I have been struck with what appears to be, flu. I am fortunate enough to have a great Bridge team and my ‘lack of enthusiasm’ was more than compensated for by their dedication; thankfully I appear to be on the mend and am able to put ‘pen to paper’.

Our voyage from Port Everglades was eventful, if only because of the weather. A dear friend of mine, speaking several years ago, once remarked that the Caribbean was always smooth and the winds light, were that I could speak to him now. Our voyage down the Old Bahama Channel, the stretch of water lying between Cuba and the south Bahama Banks was windy, however we were in relatively sheltered water. Once we rounded the eastern tip of Cuba and made courses towards Cartagena, Columbia, the wind and seas built and we had a bumpy ride across the Caribbean, it wasn’t until we reached our destination that we had any respite.

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Topics: Captain's Log, Grand Voyages, ms Amsterdam, Panama Canal | | 3 Comments

We invited our Facebook fans to share with us their “favorite HAL Ship of 2012.” Here are some of the stunning entries. Thanks to all for sharing!

These pictures are from our 2011 cruise on the Eurodam. This year it was the Statendam through the Panama Canal. Early in 2014 it is Hawaii; already booked. – Bob Deffenbaugh

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Topics: Alaska, Caribbean, Half Moon Cay, ms Eurodam, ms Westerdam, ms Zuiderdam, Panama Canal | | No Comments