Antarctica via Fort Lauderdale: Holland America Line launches new pole-to-pole cruise
Traveling to Antarctica and above the Arctic Circle in one trip is easier than it sounds. Just get yourself to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Holland America Line will do the rest.
The cruise line will offer a new 133-day Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole in 2025 round-trip from Florida, sailing to far-flung destinations from South to North and back again, Holland America said Thursday.
"If we're going to go add, we can't just kind of pile on to the same things we've done," Beth Bodensteiner, the line's chief commercial officer, told USA TODAY. "We need to be unique and offer different experiences that people can't have elsewhere."
The sailing will stop at 68 ports in 28 countries and cross paths with the line's 124-day Grand World Voyage, marking the first time the line will sail two voyages of more than 120 days at once.
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When is Holland America's Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole?
The trip will take place from January 25, 2025, through June 7 on the line's Volendam ship.
Where will Holland America's Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole sail?
The cruise will stop in Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic before making its way to Central America and the west coast of South America, visiting Ecuador, Peru and more, along with the Chilean fjords. The ship will then head to Antarctica, where it will spend about four days sailing. "And that's where we pick up our first Pole," Paul Grigsby, the line's vice president for deployment and itinerary planning, said.
Passengers will then visit the Falkland Islands and continue exploring South America, including the Amazon River, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to visit Africa and Europe, where the ship will meet up with the Grand World Voyage in Barcelona, Spain and stay overnight with festivities to mark the occasion.
The rest of the itinerary will include Portugal, France, Norway's North Cape – above the Arctic Circle - Iceland, Greenland and more.
"I always like to say it's a way to get to these regions by only having to take a domestic flight because you just fly to Fort Lauderdale, and the world's at your doorstep," Grigsby said.
Volendam also has plenty to keep guests entertained while on board, with five pools and hot tubs, seven dining options, two pickleball courts and more.
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How much does Holland America Line's Pole-to-Pole cruise cost?
Pricing info for the voyage is not yet available. Travelers can call 1-800-522-3399 or contact their travel advisor to make a deposited future cruise request, and get priority booking confirmation before the sailing officially goes on sale May 24, a spokesperson for the line said.
Guests who book by June 3, 2024, can get perks like a free Surf Wi-Fi package, air credit, onboard credit and more, though those may vary depending on the stateroom category.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Holland America Line will sail new Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole in 2025