This summer, Holland America Line will not be operating any of the six cruises that were scheduled to take place aboard the Volendam because the ship will continue to be used to shelter Ukrainian families who have fled their country as a result of the conflict.
Since the beginning of April, the Dutch city of Rotterdam has been chartering the ship Volendam for up to 1,500 Ukrainian migrants. Rotterdam has now extended its arrangement with Holland America to continue chartering the ship until September 14th.
The charter of the Volendam, which was originally scheduled to end at the conclude of June, will now remain for an additional ten weeks. In accordance with the terms of the agreement, the cruise line will offer piping hot meals, private cabins, cleaning services, laundry services, access to public areas and exercise facilities, as well as other amenities and services.
Due to the fact that the charter was extended, Holland America has decided to cancel an additional six itineraries, some of which included visits to Norway, the British Isles, and the Mediterranean. Guests who were already booked on one of these voyages will have their reservations transferred over to another ship with a comparable itinerary, and the cruise company will get in touch with them immediately to discuss their available alternatives.
The chief commercial officer for Holland America, Beth Bodensteiner, expressed their regret for the difficulty that this situation would give to customers who have reservations on the Volendam throughout the summer.
We are grateful to them for continuing to understand our position as we collaborate with the city of Rotterdam on this vital endeavor.
Volendam is planned to restart its regularly scheduled voyages on September 24, 2018, with a Holy Land and Ancient Kingdoms Explorer trip that will set sail from Venice. The cruise will last for 14 days.
