Holland America Line is charting a course for the 2026 holiday season with special cruises filled with festive traditions, seasonal flavors, and memorable celebrations at sea. Savor holiday favorites such as Thanksgiving dinner, Brunch with Santa, and the Feast of the Seven Fishes while enjoying beautifully decorated ships and special celebrations throughout Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and New Year's voyages.
Example Holiday Cruises for the 2026 season include:
- 7-Day “Baja Peninsula” on Koningsdam, roundtrip from San Diego, California, departing Nov. 21, 2026.
- 15-Day “Panama Canal Holiday” on Zaandam, from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, departing Dec. 19, 2026.
- 7-Day “Baja Peninsula Holiday” aboard Koningsdam, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, departing Dec. 19, 2026.
- 11-Day “Eastern Caribbean Holiday: Windward & Leeward Islands” aboard Rotterdam, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, departing Dec. 22, 2026.
- 14-Day “Southern Caribbean: ABC & Windward Islands Holiday” aboard Volendam, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, departing Dec. 22, 2026.
- 7-Day “Western Caribbean Holiday: Greater Antilles & Mexico” on Eurodam, roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, departing Dec. 26, 2026.
Celebrating at Sea
Celebrating the holidays at sea offers a different way to enjoy the traditions that matter most while leaving the planning to someone else. With Holland America Line taking care of the details, there's more time to gather over special meals and activities, combining travel and discovery with the wonder of the season. From cherished meals to time spent together, guests feel like they have a piece of home with you during the holidays, while experiencing priceless time together with everyone getting a holiday break!
A Festive Ambiance on Every Holiday Cruise
Whether exploring the tropical islands of the Caribbean, glaciers of Antarctica, or landscapes of Australia, Holland America Line creates a warm holiday atmosphere with seasonal décor throughout the ship, ceremonial tree lightings, and special programming.
Entertainment makes each cruise merry and bright with
- carol singing,
- holiday movies,
- crew performances and
- family-friendly activities.
A New Year’s Eve celebration will welcome 2027 with parties throughout the ships and a champagne toast.
A Holiday Taste of Tradition
Holiday traditions come to the table with seasonal food and beverage offerings that bring familiar favorites and global flavors together.
- Gather for Thanksgiving dinner,
- start Christmas with “Breakfast with Santa,”
- enjoy “Feast of the Seven Fishes” on Christmas Eve, and
- savor “Nutcracker Tea.”
Holiday menu items add a taste of home with classic items such as latkes, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and eggnog. Destination-inspired holiday flavors from around the world also give guests a chance to discover new tastes alongside the classics.
New for 2026 is a seasonal Magnolia Gingerbread Cake available in the Dining Room, an extension of Holland America Line’s partnership with famed Magnolia Bakery that brings the bakery’s signature flavors to the holidays at sea.
Holiday spirit extends to the glass with seasonal coffee creations including Christmas Cocoamint Coffee, Vanilla Gingerbread Latte and Eggnog Latte, alongside festive cocktails such as the De Lijn Ginger Mojito, Rudolph the Red Margarita and Minty Elf Martini.
Gingerbread Villages Bring Holiday Magic
A Holland America Line holiday cruise wouldn’t be complete without gingerbread, and across the fleet, shipboard culinary teams turn the classic holiday treat into elaborate village displays. Each ship creates a unique design, showcasing the creativity and craftsmanship behind these festive works. Culinary teams spend hours planning, baking, and assembling the intricate pieces that bring each gingerbread village to life, carrying on a signature holiday tradition.
About Holland America Line
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for more than 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering a perfectly sized ship experience, its fleet of 11 vessels visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for nearly 80 years — longer than any other cruise line. In 2029, Holland America Line will welcome a 12th ship to its fleet. Savour the Journey isn’t just a tagline, it’s a reinforcement that the cruise line provides experiences too good to hurry through, connecting travelers to the world and each other. Award-winning enrichment programming, entertainment, and cuisine that brings each locale on board, including a revolutionary Global Fresh Fish Program, put Holland America Line at the forefront of premium cruising. Holland America Line is part of Carnival Corporation, the world’s largest cruise company with a portfolio of cruise lines operating in over 800 ports & destinations worldwide.
*** Image: Holland America Line
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