What’s unique about Holland America's Grand World Voyages and how they work

Most people cruise for a week or maybe two at the most. But there is a growing contingent of travelers who are heading out to sea and staying there, sometimes for more than three or four months at a time.

Holland America is among the cruise lines offering “world cruises,” which are extended, in-depth itineraries that reach parts of the globe that most one-week cruisers (and indeed most travelers) never get to experience.

This year, Holland America’s Grand Voyage included a 133-day, pole-to-pole, 28-country cruise that sailed to Greenland, Antarctica, the west coast of Africa and a host of ports in South America.

Its similarly named but longer Grand World Voyage — the jewel in the crown of Holland America itineraries that attracts its most loyal customers — spanned 124 days and 34 countries. Destinations included Easter Island, Cape Town and Sardinia, to name just a few.

I boarded the line’s ship Zuiderdam in the Mediterranean as this year’s Grand World Voyage was coming to an end to take a look at how these uniquely expansive cruises work.

What to expect on a Holland America world cruise

Longer-term cruising definitely has a different feel from a standard weeklong trip to the Caribbean or the Mediterranean. It is something you sense on board from the moment you arrive — a feeling that guests have settled in and are feeling unhurried.

There is no rush to sightsee or to cram a lot into each day. Many guests sailing onboard the Grand World Voyage have extensive travel experience and may not need repeat visits to Rome or Barcelona, so they sometimes stay on the ship or stick close to port. There is no crush at mealtimes, and there are no packed hallways when the ship comes into port. The pace is engaged but relaxed, and it's built for travelers who have the time and the means to take it all in.

Grand World Voyages are designed to cater to a seasoned clientele, including the many repeat guests who have sailed on previous Grand Voyages. The recently announced 2027 itineraries, for example, partially follow the route of Captain James Cook's second voyage and include stops on the remote Atlantic islands of St. Helena and Ascension. Such ambitious planning would not be possible with a short journey.

This doesn’t mean that there are no surprises or that those onboard aren’t amenable to change. A mid-itinerary change to this year’s Grand World Voyage meant that the ship would be skipping ports on the Red Sea in favor of additional stops in Africa and the Mediterranean. But in talking to passengers onboard, there did not seem to be much disappointment or concern about these changes. One guest said that a stop in Turkey, which was not originally planned, was among her favorites of the voyage.

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It’s all about the relationships

People make friends on short cruises. But when you’re at sea for weeks or months with the same group of people, your fellow travelers become more like family. Repeat cruisers on Holland America’s Grand Voyages book their trips so they can sail together, and they visit each other between trips, said guest Jo Johnston. She fell in love with extended-length cruises in 2017 and has sailed solo on every Grand World Voyage since 2023.

“I am never concerned about finding someone to eat with or to join me in exploring ports,” she said. “My ship friends have become some of my best friends. They come from all over the world. We share a love of travel, but otherwise bring different interests, life experiences and outlooks, which I find refreshing.”

This sense of familiarity also extends to the ship’s crew, who remember passengers from previous cruises and get to know them well. They keep tabs on specific cruisers’ daily drink orders, dietary restrictions and cabin preferences; they remember the names of their kids and their birthdays. And the feeling is mutual. Guests remember the names of their favorite crew members, and many said that they look forward to seeing them year after year.

While many crew members and staff leaders do return each year, when feasible, to the Grand World Voyage, Holland America stresses that it strives to deliver a consistently high level of service across all of its cruises — something that its guests appreciate.

To give you a sense of how tightly knit the community onboard Zuiderdam was, consider something I experienced on my second day of the Grand World Voyages. I was walking through one of the ship’s common areas, and a guest approached me and said, “Did you board in Athens?” I had, and I got this question multiple times while I was onboard, usually followed by a warm welcome. Guests are so attuned to who’s coming and going on the ship that newcomers are noticeable, even on a ship of Zuiderdam’s size. It can carry more than 2,200 passengers. Within 48 hours of boarding, passengers were greeting me by name in the elevator and inquiring about my future travel plans.

There is always a celebration

It takes a lot to impress travelers who have been to dozens of countries and have spent weeks casually browsing the world’s artistic, natural and architectural masterpieces. No onboard event will ever compete with, say, the ancient city of Petra, but the ship’s offerings still attempt to meet the moment.

Holland America’s answer is to craft onboard events — parties, happy hours, food pop-ups, special menus — that guests can enjoy throughout the Grand Voyages. And the range of offerings is broad.

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While I was on board, the ship hosted a special Easter brunch that followed morning religious services. On the more fun end of the holiday spectrum, the ship’s crew and passengers were still talking about April Fool’s Day antics that had included a daily newsletter full of fake events and nonsensical announcements over the ship’s PA system.

Many events are tailored to reflect the ship’s destination at any given moment.

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“This year it seemed like we had a special party, theme night or other event almost every day,” Johnston said. “Some of my favorites were the food truck nights around the Lido pool, with several stations offering local foods from French Polynesia, South Africa, Turkey, Italy and other destinations.”

As we were departing Naples, there was a pool party featuring personal pizzas (courtesy of Seattle-based chef Ethan Stowell) served on red-checked tablecloths. We sailed toward Rome with a playlist of Italian pop songs as accompaniment, too.

Bringing everyday life on board

Every ship has onboard activities, such as craft classes and card games. But with the same group of people aboard for extended periods of time, the approach on the Grand Voyages is more nuanced.

On these sailings, Holland America lets its guests dictate their downtime activities and offers facilities and support as needed. Pickleball and bridge are standbys — teams are longstanding, and rivalries are fierce.

But there are also book clubs and religious study groups. Less structured activities include a travel journaling meet-up that I joined while I was on board, where a crew member facilitated and provided supplies. More formal art classes are set up as a progressive series, as they would be on land — something that wouldn’t be possible on a shorter cruise. The proof is in the quality of the work, which was displayed in a special gallery on the ship.

One of the Grand World Voyages’ best-known activities is its knitting group, which makes blankets for Project Linus, a charitable organization that benefits children in need. Guests Marty and Gail Gotlieb have led blanket-making efforts on six Grand World Voyages; this includes sourcing and organizing nearly a million yards of yarn, which they provide to onboard knitters at no cost. Some Grand World Voyages have resulted in the donation of more than 1,000 blankets.

Marty was succinct when it came to the project’s goals. “This isn’t for you to make a project for yourself,” he said, while simultaneously showing some knitting newbies how to create their first stitches. “This is all for Project Linus.”

In addition to yarn and impromptu lessons from Marty, the group also provides thick binders of patterns and sample swatches created by past guests.

The future of Holland America’s Grand Voyages

New Holland America president Beth Bodensteiner has been frank about whether the line’s guest experience will change on her watch. It won’t.

She reiterated this in an onboard session with guests during this year’s Grand World Voyage — another exclusive perk for booking this cruise. She also made clear that the Grand Voyages program is important to the line and that small enhancements — different shows, a new lecture program — are guided directly by guest feedback.

In 2027, after another year of skipping the Red Sea, Holland America will return to fully circumnavigating the globe for its Grand World Voyage. The reason? Guests requested it, so it’s happening.