Holland America Line and Princess Cruises extend cruise pause

At this time, HAL's Alaska cruises departing from mid-May and sailing roundtrip from Seattle, Washington, are not being canceled.

Holland America Line and Princess Cruises extend cruise pause
Photo: Princess Cruises

As Princess Cruises continues to review and assess its operations as a result of the Canadian Transport Ministry's Interim Order that extends the closure of Canadian ports and waters to passenger vessels, the company has found it necessary to cancel the following voyages:

  • Alaska seven-day Voyage of the Glaciers cruises, sailing between Vancouver, B.C. and Anchorage (Whittier)
  • Pacific Coastals that start or end in Vancouver, B.C.
  • Canadian Adventure sailing roundtrip from Southampton, UK

Princess is engaged with various United States and Canadian government officials to try to preserve a portion of the Alaska and Canada & New England 2021 cruise seasons. In the meantime, Princess has committed to operating the Kenai Princess Wilderness lodge along with McKinley Chalet Resort in Denali and Westmark Fairbanks Hotel this summer and is currently working on vacation land package details that will be announced shortly.

For guests currently booked on a cancelled voyage who had paid in full, Princess will automatically rebook them to the same cruise or cruisetour in 2022. No action is required from guests or their travel advisors. 

Photo: Holland America Line

In its turn, Holland America Line extends cruise pause to include all departures sailing to or from a Canadian Port in 2021. As Holland America Line continues to review and assess its plans around the Canadian Transport Ministry's Interim Order that closed Canadian ports and waters to passenger vessels, the company is extending its pause of cruise operations to now include all sailings that depart from or conclude in a Canadian port in 2021. This will include several Alaska, three Canada/New England and two Pacific Coastal cruises in summer and fall of this year. It also includes all Land+Sea Journeys.

At this time, Alaska cruises departing from mid-May and sailing roundtrip from Seattle, Washington, are not being canceled. Discussions are underway with Canadian and United States government authorities to try to find a path forward to preserve these sailings. As more information is known, an announcement will be made. Guests on impacted Alaska cruises and Land+Sea Journeys involving a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, gateway may not move to roundtrip Seattle cruises at this time, as these departures are not open for sale pending further announcements.  

Cruises impacted by this pause in operation are:

  • Alaska: Cruises through September 2021 to Alaska from all departure ports aboard Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam and Zuiderdam. This also includes any Land+Sea Journeys connected with canceled Alaska sailings.
  • Pacific Coastal: Two sailings in early October aboard Koningsdam and Oosterdam.
  • Canada/New England: Three cruises aboard Zaandam departing in September 2021.

All 2022 Alaska and Canada/New England cruises will operate as scheduled. The Canadian Interim Order expires Feb. 28, 2022.

Holland America Line is closely following the protocol set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and is preparing ships and implementing procedures to meet all requirements for approval to sail at the appropriate time.