Holland America Line’s Volendam has spent the past six months in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, under charter to the City of Rotterdam to house Ukrainian families. The ship was a temporary home for up to 1,500 refugees through the charter, part of a larger commitment from the Netherlands to accommodate 50,000 people who fled the war in their homeland. Now, two-and-a-half years after the cruise industry pause, Volendam returned to cruising in Italy as the ship embarked guests for a 14-day Holy Land and Ancient Kingdoms Explorer itinerary.

Holland America Line held a ribbon-cutting ceremony in the terminal to open embarkation, attended by the ship’s captain and senior officers, with flag-waving fanfare from team members lined up to greet guests as they boarded.

Following the Holy Land and Ancient Kingdoms cruise, the ship will sail 14-day itineraries to Greece, Turkey, Italy, Croatia and Montenegro. In late October, the ship will reposition to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to offer a 28-day Amazon Explorer voyage, followed by a series of Caribbean cruises. In January 2023, the ship departs on the 74-day Grand South America and Antarctica Voyage that circumnavigates the continent.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.