The big excitement at HAL his year is the July 2010 launch of Nieuw Amsterdam, the fourth HAL ship to bear that name. A sister ship of the Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam has décor that pays tribute to the city of New York. From a chandelier that echoes the Manhattan skyline to a yellow cab in the teen area, the design comes together quite successfully. The city is also celebrated in the multimillion dollar fine art and photography collection displayed throughout the ship.

Nieuw Amsterdam

The Pinnacle Grill steak house and the Tamarind Asian restaurant offer diners more variety, and passengers willing to pay $89 per person can enjoy a seven-course dinner with wine pairings at the Master Chef’s Table. A casual Italian trattoria in the Lido called Canaletto that serves pastas and antipasti is another option.

New with this ship are staterooms with direct access to the spa, and some with floor-to-ceiling windows. All but inside cabins have tubs.

Other amenities that were a hit when Eurodam was launch have returned, including the private cabanas near the pool area.

Eurodam sails in the Mediterranean until October 18, which she leaves from Barcelona for the start of her repositioning cruise to America. She calls at Monte Carlo, Livorno, Rome, Valencia, Cartagena, Almeria, Portimao, and Lisbon before crossing the Atlantic. After eight days at sea, she arrives in the Bahamas on November 6 and disembarks passengers in Fort Lauderdale on November 7.

This is an excellent repositioning cruise on several levels. First of all, there are ten Mediterranean ports at the beginning of the voyage – more than most repositioning cruises include. And the ship will be new enough to still be shiny and bright, but any early service glitches will likely have been worked out by then.

October transatlantic repositioning cruise on Noordam and Westerdam.

Funchal

The 1,918-passenger Noordam was launched in 2006. She’s slightly smaller than Nieuw Amsterdam, but she offers many of the same amenities. The two-level Vista Dining Room has sweeping views of the ocean, and the innovative Culinary Arts Center has cooking demonstrations and wine-tasting classes on some days at sea.

Noordam sails from Rome on October 18 and has port calls at Livorno, Monte Carlo, Barcelona, Cartagena, Malaga, Cadiz, and Funchal in Madeira. She arrives in Fort Lauderdale on November 3 after a week at sea.

Westerdam, which launched in 2004, is one of the roomiest ships in the HAL fleet. She carries 1,916 passengers in a space that often carries many more. She sails from Rome on October 25 and also calls at Livorno for Florence, Monaco, and four ports in Spain. She overnights in Funchal on November 3, so passengers have the opportunity to experience Madeira nightlife. She arrives in Fort Lauderdale a week later on November 12.

Find other Holland America repositioning cruises here.

Nieuw Amsterdam Image Flickr: Mike Knell
Funchal Image Flickr: Jean & Nathalie

For residents of California, Washington, or Oregon, these repositioning cruises are a terrific value and a hassle-free way to enjoy everything that cruising has to offer – good food, entertainment, cool amenities, and a complete escape from the same old routine.

Victoria’s Inner Harbor

This September, there are five Holland American ships sailing down the Pacific coast from Vancouver to California. Known for their classic-style cruise ships, impressive art collections, and excellent service, Holland America also has innovative new programs and amenities that will make your days at sea stimulating and enjoyable.

The flagship of the line, Rotterdam VI, features one of the most exciting additions to Holland America ships in recent years – the Culinary Arts Center. This state-of-the-art exhibition kitchen is where you’ll go for cooking classes, wine tastings, demonstrations, and more. It’s a great facility that’s been a big hit with passengers. And it’s now available on all Holland America cruise ships.

Rotterdam VI leaves Vancouver on Sunday, September 19 and spends two days at sea before arriving in San Diego on Wednesday morning, September 22. Which means that you can have a relaxing mini-vacation and still be back at work by Thursday. At press time, Southern California residents could fly one-way to Vancouver for less than $200, and cruise fares were as low as $199 per person. So it’s very affordable.

Their Ryndam adds an extra day to the voyage, so if sea days are your thing, it’s a great choice. You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the two pools, one of which is under a retractable glass dome, tennis, the spa, sauna, and steam bath. Like Rotterdam VI, she sails from Vancouver on September 19, but she doesn’t arrive in San Diego until Thursday, September 23 – giving you an extra night to enjoy a Broadway-style show in the Vermeer Show Lounge.

Bay Area residents can board Zuiderdam in Vancouver on Saturday, September 25 and disembark in San Francisco on Tuesday, September 28. With one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the Holland America fleet, Zuiderdam is a delight. The huge spa has a hydrotherapy pool, aroma therapy rooms, a sauna, steam room, and eleven treatment rooms. You can arrange to be pampered to your heart’s content. A variety of dining options make it possible eat in a different restaurant every night of your cruise.

Holland America’s Ryndam

On Sunday, September 26, Statendam sails from Vancouver bound for Victoria, British Columbia. Victoria is a charming town, that’s very British in feel. Passengers can explore the Provincial Museum with it’s impressive totem poles and coastal art, visit the beautiful Empress Hotel on the Inner Harbor, or go for an optional tour of Butchart Gardens. She arrives in San Diego on September 30, following two days at sea.

Like Zuiderdam, Osterdam has lots of extra room and extensive spa facilities. And with two port calls and two sea days, her fall repositioning cruise offers a good balance of sightseeing and relaxing. Osterdam sails from Vancouver on Monday, September 27, so consider spending the weekend there before boarding the ship. She calls at Astoria, Oregon the next day. From there, you can take a side trip to Cannon Beach or Seaside. Passengers will have two days to enjoy the ship’s amenities before calling at Catalina Island. There’s plenty to do on Catalina, and in the surrounding water. Go for a snorkeling trip, take a glass-bottom boat ride, or do some shopping in Avalon. Osterdam arrives in San Diego on Saturday morning, October 2.

Victoria’s Inner Harbor Image Flickr: dbaron
Holland America’s Ryndam Image Flickr: wch14

If any of this strikes a chord with you, we have just the solution — a repositioning cruise from California to Vancouver, British Columbia.  Fares start $149, and that includes all your meals, transportation, accommodations, and entertainment.   And if you watched the Winter Olympics, you know that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Vancouver

At press-time, one-way fares from Vancouver to LAX were running under $150, so the total cost including airfare runs as little as $300.  Dollar for dollar, a repositioning cruise is a terrific way to get out of Dodge and add some excitement to your life without breaking your budget.

Holland America Line (HAL) is offering four west coast repositioning cruises this spring, and their cruise ships are some of the nicest at sea.

Their 1,432-passenger Zaandam sails from San Diego on Wednesday, April 21, 2010.  You can tour San Diego or visit the world-famous Zoo in the morning, and then board the ship in the late afternoon.  San Diego is a beautiful city to sail in and out of, and you’ll likely be treated to a spectacular sunset as you leave.  If the weather’s fine, you can enjoy a dip in the pool or one of the spas before dinner.

In addition to the main dining room, Zaandam serves Pacific Northwest specialties like Dungeness crab cakes in the intimate, reservations-only Pinnacle Grill.  During your days at sea, you can watch cooking demonstrations in the innovative Culinary Arts Center, see a movie at the Wajang Theater, or enjoy a treatment in the spa.    If you’d like to get some exercise, there’s a jogging track, fitness center, and sports court.  At night, enjoy a show in the lounge where hydraulic lifts and a revolving stage add to the excitement or have a quiet drink in the Crow’s Nest.

Catalina Island

The first morning, you call at Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island.  You’ll have a full day to explore the island.  Rent a bike or golf cart to get around.  You’ll spend the next two days at sea before arriving in Astoria, Oregon.  In Astoria, you can take a biking tour, go to Cannon Beach and Seaside for shopping, or enjoy a wine-tasting and cooking demonstration.  The next day, you’ll call at Victoria, British Columbia where you can see Butchart Gardens in springtime splendor, have high tea at the legendary Empress Hotel, or visit a local brewery.  You’ll disembark in Vancouver the morning of Tuesday, April 27.  Fares for this cruise start at $299 per person.

Cruisers who choose the 1,316-passenger Amsterdam will leave from Los Angeles on Thursday, April 29, 2010.  One of Holland America’s flagships, Amsterdam has an old-world, traditional ambience that seasoned cruisers appreciate.  With no port calls, this cruise is perfect for those who just want to get away from it all and enjoy some quiet time at sea.  Passengers disembark in Vancouver on Sunday, May 2.  Fares start at $149.

HAL’s  beautiful Ryndam has a wide, teak promenade deck that’s lined with old-fashioned deck chairs.  It’s a lovely, traditional cruise liner with a three-story atrium and a grand staircase.  Ryndam sails from San Diego on Wednesday, May 5th and spends two days at sea before arriving in Victoria.  She sails from Victoria at midnight, so guests can enjoy Victoria at night when the Empress Hotel, Houses of Parliament, and other buildings on the Inner Harbor are all illuminated.  Passengers disembark in Vancouver on Sunday, May 9.  Fares start at $199.

Statendam

With a fountain that cascades 26 feet down through the three-story atrium, the 1,258-passenger Statendam is a beautiful ship with excellent service.  She sails from San Diego on Wednesday, May 12, 2010 and arrives in Port Angeles after two days at sea.  In Port Angeles, you can tour spectacular Hurricane Ridge or go wine tasting at 15 Olympic Peninsula wineries.  Statendam arrives in Vancouver on Sunday, May 16.

Find more Holland America repositioning cruises here.

Vancouver Image Flickr: PoYang_博仰
Catalina Island Image Flickr: GeeSeeBee
Statendam Image Flickr: axiepics

In business since 1873, Holland America Line has one of the most impressive legacies in the cruising industry. Over the years, they’ve established a tradition of excellence in every area of cruising. And today, they’re offering new services and amenities to ensure that they continue to exceed their passengers’ expectations.

Their ships are some of the most beautiful at sea, and an upgrade program begun in 2006 has brought them up to date. Decorated with fine art and articles from the line’s nautical traditions, they are sophisticated and refined. A nice feature of their ships is the Culinary Arts Center, where guests are treated to cooking demonstrations and wine-tasting classes. The center doubles as a cinema for daily movie screenings.

The Explorations Café is a coffee house/Internet center/library where you can relax or reconnect with family and friends back home. There’s a wide range of enrichment programs and lectures, and they’re broadcast in the staterooms.

Their chefs are members of Confrerie de le Chaine des Rotisseurs, which means their food is a cut above. In addition to a menu of Continental favorites, there are vegetarian options, and spa selections available each night. The Pacific Northwest-style Pinnacle Grill restaurant is worth the additional cover charge. Don’t miss the Dungeness crab cakes or the delicious bread pudding. Open seating is available from 5PM to 9PM.

The fitness clubs offer classes at no extra charge. There’s a sports court and jogging track. And the Greenhouse Spa has a variety of treatments available. Holland America is offering two repositioning cruises in 2010.

Eurodam has a larger than average Spa and Salon with a hydropool and thermal suites. She also has the largest gymnasium of any HAL ship. Nearly 70% of the staterooms have balconies. Facilities for children and teenagers make it a good choice for families. And the exhibition kitchen has video monitors for cooking demonstrations. Coffee lovers will enjoy the Crow’s Nest which has MP3 music and Internet stations, and specialty coffees.

Eurodam sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 3, 2010, and arrives in Lisbon eight days later. She calls at Portimao, Portugal, and Cadiz, Almeria, Ibiza and Barcelona in Spain, and Monte Carlo, Monaco before arriving in Rome on April 19. Passengers can disembark then or stay on board and visit Dubrovnik, Corfu, Katakolon, Santorini, Ephesus, Athens, and Sicily before returning to Rome on April 29.

With a passenger capacity of 1,916, Westerdam has more space per passenger than many other HAL ships. The Greenhouse Spa on this ship has 11 treatment rooms and a hydrotherapy pool.

Passengers can opt for set times or open seating in the two-story main dining room, or dine at the Pinnacle Grill, Lido Restaurant, or Windstar Café. The outdoor seating area next to the Crow’s Nest is a quiet spot with great views.

On April 14, 2010, she sails from Fort Lauderdale and spends seven days at sea before arriving in Funchal, Medeira. After another day at sea, she calls at Cadiz and Almeria in Spain, and then visits Corsica, Rome, Naples, Split, and Venice. Passengers overnight in visit on May 3, and disembark the next morning. This is a great itinerary with nine wonderful ports. And by the time you get to Funchal, you be rested and ready to go. Fares at price time were running up to 60% off, making it a great cruise deal.

Find more transatlantic repositioning cruises here.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, which is also known as the Jones Act, prohibits foreign-flagged ships from embarking and disembarking passengers in U.S. ports unless they call in another country on the way. Because it’s much less expensive to register ships in countries other than the U.S., nearly all cruise vessels these days are foreign flagged. So they can’t embark passengers in Seattle and disembark them in Alaska, unless they stop in Canada.

That’s why most Alaska cruises, and most Alaska repositioning cruises, begin or end in Vancouver. Which isn’t a bad thing. Vancouver is one of the most beautiful, vibrant cities in the world. And this year, it’s getting a facelift for the 2010 Winter Olympics.

One of the nice things about Alaska repositioning cruises is you can usually find one that suits your needs. They range in length from 3 to 20 days. And you can often disembark in more than one port. Because the shorter sailings are often sold at a very deep discount — fares as low as $99 per person aren’t unheard of — they’re also a good way for first-time cruisers to “test the waters.”

Holland America repositioning cruises to Alaska.

On April 18, 2010, Holland America’s Ryndam leaves Tampa on a 21-day voyage to Vancouver. She calls at Grand Cayman and Columbia before transiting the Panama Canal. After passing through the canal, she visits Costa Rica, four ports in Mexico, San Diego, and Victoria before arriving in Vancouver on May 9. With a two-level dining room, an exhibition kitchen with plasma TV monitors, and just 1,266 passengers, Ryndam is a lovely place to spend three weeks. Passengers can also embark in San Diego on May 5 for a four-night cruise.

Holland America fans who don’t have much time for vacation can board their Zaandam in San Diego on April 21, 2010. En route to Vancouver, she calls at Catalina Island, Astoria, Oregon, and Victoria, BC. During the days at sea, passengers can enjoy a pool with a retractable roof, a jogging track, tennis and volleyball courts, and the Ocean Spa. With fares starting at just $399 per person, it works out to less than $135 per couple, per day.

Ryndam’s sister ship, Statendam, sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 25, 2010 and calls at Aruba before entering and crossing the Panama Canal. After that, she visits Costa Rica, Guatemala, four ports in Mexico, and San Diego, before ending the voyage in Vancouver on May 16. A 26-foot splashing fountain in the three-story atrium greets passengers as they board. Those with less time can board in San Diego on May 12.

Cruisers who love days at sea can join Holland America’s Amsterdam in Los Angeles on April 29, spend three nights aboard and disembark in Vancouver on May 2nd. The 1,380-passenger Amsterdam is a sister ship to the Rotterdam.

On May 4, 2010, the 1,918-passenger Zuiderdam sails from San Diego to Vancouver. Passengers can disembark in Vancouver four days later. But those who want to see Alaska can remain aboard and cruise the Tracy Arm, and then visit Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and Ketchikan before leaving the ship when it returns to Vancouver on May 15.

Princess Cruises repositioning cruises to Alaska.

Coral Princess is 1,974-passenger cruise ship with a demonstration kitchen, a ceramics lab, and a swimming pool with a retractable dome roof. She sails from Fort Lauderdale on April 21, 2010 and transits the Panama Canal, arriving in Vancouver on May 10. As an alternative, passengers can board in Los Angeles on May 6, call at Victoria, BC on May 9, and arrives in Vancouver the next day. This four-night getaway is a nice break for west coast cruisers, and with fares from $349, it’s very affordable.

The 2,600-passenger Golden Princess has four pools, nine whirlpools, an adults-only Sanctuary, 17 lounges, and more than 700 balcony staterooms. She sails from Los Angeles on May 9, overnights at Catalina Island, and visits San Francisco, and Victoria before ending in Vancouver on May 14.

Royal Caribbean repositioning cruises to Alaska.

Sailing from the opposite direction, Royal Caribbean’s Rhapsody of the Seas sails from Honolulu on April 27, 2010. She spends two full days in Maui and then visits Kona and Hilo on the Big Island before crossing the Pacific en route to Vancouver. Five days at sea give passengers plenty of time to enjoy the spa, fitness center, and rock climbing wall. Special deals for California residents start as low as $899.

On May 8, Radiance of the Seas sails up the west coast from San Diego to San Francisco. After a couple of days at sea, she visits Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Hubbard Glacier, and Sitka in Alaska, and then Nanaimo and Victoria in British Columbia. Passengers leave the vessel in Vancouver on May 21.