By
Sean Dudley |
Six Holland America Line (HAL) ships will be sailing 28 full and partial transits of the Panama Canal in autumn 2013 and spring 2014, to mark the canal’s centenary year.
The cruise line's Amsterdam, Statendam, Veendam, Westerdam, Zaandam and Zuiderdam will be departing from six cities between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
“The Panama Canal is a ‘must see’ for many travellers because of the historic technology and beautiful scenery,” said Richard Meadows, HAL executive vice president of sales, marketing and guest programmes. “The Panama Canal changed travel by enabling easy travel between oceans, and it’s exciting for us to make several canal cruises in the season celebrating its 100th year.”
Guests will receive an extensive itinerary that will provide a number of ways to experience the region, with trips ranging from 10 to 22 days.
HAL's new ‘On Location’ programme is designed to immerse passengers into the local cultures in which guests will be able to a enjoy range of activities including steel drum lessons, weaving and crafting palm leaves, and listening to an authentic Mariachi band during a Mexican fiesta.
Further options include walking along the ramparts of a colonial Spanish castle, exploring ancient Mayan ruins or going on a ‘skywalk’ in the Costa Rican rainforest.