A Holland America Mediterranean cruise in 2027 means Oosterdam, the line’s main ship in the region, on 7- to 11-night voyages from Barcelona, Athens, Rome and Trieste between April and November, joined in the autumn by Rotterdam on its first Mediterranean season. Week-long fares listed in September 2026 started at $944 per person, taxes included, and gratuities add $17 a night.
Holland America is the traditionalist among the big lines: mid-size ships, a quieter atmosphere, a strong Dutch heritage (it was founded in Rotterdam in 1873) and itineraries that give you more evenings in port than most. Its Mediterranean program is small next to Princess or MSC, but it is cleverly built. Most summer voyages are one-way weeks that link into longer loops, and the line publishes its overnight and late-evening calls, which is exactly what you want to know before choosing. This guide lays out every 2027 voyage we could price, what a week costs per night, how the weeks fit together, where Holland America gives you more time ashore, and what is new with Rotterdam. For how Holland America ranks against Princess, Celebrity, Viking and the rest, see our guide to the best Mediterranean cruise lines; this page is the deep dive on Holland America alone.
At a glance: Holland America in the Mediterranean, 2027
| Main Mediterranean ship | Oosterdam, which Holland America calls its primary Mediterranean ship, sailing 14 itineraries of 7 to 11 days. |
| New for autumn 2027 | Rotterdam‘s first Mediterranean season: 10- and 11-night voyages from Barcelona and Piraeus from late October to early December. |
| Homeports | Barcelona, Piraeus (Athens), Civitavecchia (Rome) and Trieste, which the line sells “for Venice”. |
| Season | April to November, with Rotterdam sailing into December before crossing from Barcelona to Florida. |
| Cheapest weeks seen | Oosterdam, 7 nights from Piraeus via Kotor, Corfu and Messina, summer 2027: from $944 per person, about $135 a night, taxes included. |
| Longer voyages | The 7-night weeks combine into 14- and 21-day voyages; Holland America says the 21-day versions repeat no ports. |
| Overnights in the Med | Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Trieste, Istanbul and Valletta, plus Alexandria and Haifa, which are provisional. |
| Gratuities | $17 per person per night in standard staterooms, $19 in suites. |
| Eclipse voyage | A 14-night Solar Eclipse & Astronomical Discovery voyage from Piraeus on 31 July 2027, with scientists on board. |
| Exchange rate used | €1 = $1.1403, the European Central Bank reference rate on 25 September 2026. |
Holland America Mediterranean cruise ships for 2027
Holland America’s 2027 Europe announcement is unusually direct about the Mediterranean: Oosterdam “will continue as the cruise line’s primary ship to sail Mediterranean cruises”, with 14 itineraries of seven to 11 days, while Nieuw Statendam offers three longer voyages that begin in northern Europe. Since then, a third ship has joined the program for the autumn.
| Ship | Class and year | 2027 in the Mediterranean | Lowest fare seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oosterdam | Vista class, 2003 | April to late autumn: 10- and 11-night voyages in spring and autumn, 7-night one-way weeks in summer, from Barcelona, Piraeus, Civitavecchia and Trieste | $944 (7 nights from Piraeus) |
| Rotterdam | Pinnacle class, 2021 | First Mediterranean season, late October to early December, from Barcelona and Piraeus, after a summer in northern Europe | $1,549 (10 nights from Piraeus) |
| Nieuw Statendam | Pinnacle class, 2018 | Three 14- and 15-day voyages to the Canary Islands and Morocco or the Western Mediterranean, round trip from Rotterdam or Dover | — |
Oosterdam: the Mediterranean ship
Oosterdam, a Vista-class ship from 2003, is mid-size by modern standards. It crosses from Miami to Barcelona in spring and spends the whole season in the Mediterranean. The pattern changes with the months. In April and May it sails 10- and 11-night voyages: from Barcelona along the Riviera to the Amalfi Coast, from Piraeus to Istanbul with an overnight and on to Dubrovnik, and from Trieste down the Croatian and Montenegrin coast. From June to early September it switches to 7-night one-way weeks that link together, described below. In autumn it returns to 10- and 11-night voyages, including several to Egypt and Israel that should be treated as provisional, before crossing back to Florida at the end of the season.
The choice of ship is the point of Holland America’s Mediterranean program. A ship of Oosterdam‘s size docks in more places and crowds the port less than the megaships, and Holland America adds a program curated with The HISTORY Channel on its 7-day voyages, with onboard presentations on the ports ahead. If you want waterslides, look elsewhere; if you want a well-run ship and time to take in the ports, it fits.
Rotterdam: its first Mediterranean season
Rotterdam, the Pinnacle-class ship of 2021 that carries the line’s historic flagship name, was originally planned to spend 2027 in northern Europe. The current schedule adds an autumn in the Mediterranean: after sailing south around the Iberian peninsula in October, it runs four Mediterranean voyages between late October and early December. An 11-night voyage from Barcelona on 27 October calls at Palma, Marseille, Livorno and Civitavecchia on the way to Greece, from $1,684; a 10-night voyage from Piraeus on 7 November includes an overnight in Istanbul, Mykonos and Rhodes, from $1,549; an 11-night Egypt and Holy Land voyage from Piraeus on 17 November is, like Oosterdam‘s, provisional; and a 10-night voyage from Piraeus on 28 November includes an evening in Rome, from $1,699. It then crosses from Barcelona to Florida on 8 December, a 14-night voyage by way of Valencia, Alicante, Málaga and Tangier listed from just $909.
Nieuw Statendam: the Mediterranean from northern Europe
Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam‘s Pinnacle-class sister from 2018, sails three 14- and 15-day voyages to the Canary Islands and Morocco or the Western Mediterranean, each round trip from Rotterdam or Dover. They suit British travelers who would rather not fly, although two weeks from Dover reaches only the western edge of the sea; our guide to Mediterranean cruises from Southampton explains the geography, and the same applies from Dover.
What is the Holland America Mediterranean itinerary for 2027?
Oosterdam sails 10- and 11-night voyages from Barcelona, Piraeus and Trieste in April and May, a rotation of 7-night one-way weeks between Barcelona, Athens and Rome from June to early September, and 10- and 11-night voyages again in autumn, with Rotterdam adding five autumn voyages from Barcelona and Piraeus.
Here are the 2027 Mediterranean voyages we could price, in date order, with the ports the listings show first and the fare per night.
| Voyage | Ship and date | First ports listed | From | Per night |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 nights, Mediterranean Splendor: Amalfi Coast & Ancient Ruins, from Barcelona | Oosterdam, 23 April 2027 | Villefranche, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples | $2,864 | About $260 |
| 11 nights, Greek Isles: Istanbul Overnight with Dubrovnik, from Piraeus | Oosterdam, 4 May 2027 | Kuşadası, the Dardanelles, Istanbul, Mykonos | $2,364 | About $215 |
| 10 nights, Adriatic Splendor: Croatia & Italy, from Trieste | Oosterdam, 15 May 2027 | Zadar, Dubrovnik, Kotor and the Bay of Kotor | $1,949 | About $195 |
| 11 nights, Western Mediterranean: Spain, Italy & France, from Barcelona | Oosterdam, 25 May 2027 | Málaga, the Strait of Gibraltar, Tangier, Almería | $2,334 | About $212 |
| 7 nights, Greek Isles: Malta & Santorini, from Barcelona | Oosterdam, 4 departures, 5 June–28 August 2027 | Valletta, Chania, Santorini, Kuşadası | $1,144 | About $163 |
| 7 nights, Mediterranean Splendor: Naples, from Piraeus | Oosterdam, 4 departures, 12 June–4 September 2027 | Kotor and the Bay of Kotor, Corfu, Messina | $944 | About $135 |
| 7 nights, Western Mediterranean: Florence, from Civitavecchia | Oosterdam, 19 June 2027 | Livorno, Portofino, Marseille, Gibraltar | $1,294 | About $185 |
| 7 nights, Western Mediterranean: Corsica, from Civitavecchia | Oosterdam, 10 July 2027 | Portofino, Ajaccio, Marseille, Gibraltar | $1,339 | About $191 |
| 14 nights, Naples Overnight & Rivieras, from Piraeus | Oosterdam, 3 July 2027 | Kotor, Corfu, Messina, then ten more | $2,344 | About $167 |
| 21 nights, Greek Isles: Malta & Rivieras, from Barcelona | Oosterdam, 26 June 2027 | Valletta, Chania, Santorini, Kuşadası | $3,584 | About $171 |
| 11 nights, Mediterranean Splendor: Spain, Italy & Greece, from Barcelona | Rotterdam, 27 October 2027 | Palma, Marseille, Livorno, Civitavecchia | $1,684 | About $153 |
| 10 nights, Greek Isles: Istanbul Overnight with Mykonos & Rhodes, from Piraeus | Rotterdam, 7 November 2027 | Mykonos, Istanbul, Kuşadası, Kos | $1,549 | About $155 |
| 10 nights, Mediterranean Splendor: Italy with Rome Evening Stay, from Piraeus | Rotterdam, 28 November 2027 | Kotor, Valletta, Messina, the Strait of Messina | $1,699 | About $170 |
The summer weeks, and how they combine
From June to early September, Oosterdam runs a triangle of 7-night one-way voyages. One leg sails from Barcelona to Athens by way of Malta, Crete, Santorini and Ephesus. The next sails from Athens to Rome by way of Kotor, Corfu, Messina and Naples. The third sails from Rome back to Barcelona by way of Livorno, Portofino, Marseille and Gibraltar. You can buy any leg on its own, any two as a 14-night voyage, or all three as a 21-day loop, which Holland America says never repeats a port.
Unlike some lines, Holland America does not reward you for combining, at least on lead-in fares. The three weeks’ cheapest fares add up to about $3,380 to $3,430; the 21-night loops were listed from $3,584 to $3,839. The Barcelona to Rome 14-night voyage was listed from $2,519, against $2,088 for its two halves. Lead-in fares come from different dates, so this is a guide rather than a quote, but it is a strong hint to price the weeks separately before booking the long version. What the long version buys is simplicity: one booking, one set of flights and no mid-trip hotel.
The eclipse voyage
Holland America has two eclipse cruises in its 2027 Europe program, and the Mediterranean one is a 14-night Solar Eclipse & Astronomical Discovery voyage from Piraeus on 31 July 2027, with a day set aside for viewing the total eclipse of 2 August and calls including La Goulette for Tunis, Valletta and Cagliari. Holland America says eclipse guests can expect lectures from scientific experts and themed activities, and that eclipse glasses will be provided. The listings showed no fare yet. Longer 21- and 28-night voyages wrap around the same dates for anyone who wants more time.
Egypt and the Holy Land: treat as provisional
Holland America’s 2027 plan includes overnights in Alexandria for Cairo and Haifa in Israel, a 7-night “Cairo Overnight” voyage from Piraeus in July, and 11-night Egypt and Holy Land voyages in the autumn on both Oosterdam and Rotterdam. The major lines suspended calls at Israeli and Egyptian ports through 2026, so treat these as provisional until much closer to sailing, check current government travel advice, and read the line’s policy on itinerary changes before you book one for those ports.
Where does Holland America give you more time in port?
At its published overnight ports, which in the Mediterranean are Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Trieste, Istanbul and Valletta, plus Alexandria and Haifa, and at its late-evening departures between 10 p.m. and midnight, which include Civitavecchia, Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Mykonos and Rhodes.
Those lists come from Holland America’s own 2027 announcement, and few lines publish anything like them. They matter because the most common problem on a Mediterranean cruise is not the port but the clock. A late departure from Civitavecchia, which Holland America sells as a “Rome Evening Stay”, changes the Rome day completely. Here is the arithmetic for going independently on a call from 07:00 to 22:00 with all aboard at 21:30. All aboard is the time by which every passenger must be back on the ship.
| Time | What is happening |
|---|---|
| 07:00 | Ship alongside at Civitavecchia; free in-port shuttle to the port gate |
| 07:45 | Walk to Civitavecchia station, about 20 minutes, or take the Argo bus, about 6 |
| 08:10 | Train to Rome: the fastest take 45 minutes to Roma San Pietro, and about 44 run a day |
| 09:15 | In Rome, with a timed ticket for the Vatican Museums or the Colosseum |
| 09:15–18:00 | About eight and a half hours: two major sites, lunch, and an early dinner in Trastevere |
| 18:30 | Latest sensible train back, leaving later trains as a margin |
| 19:30 | Civitavecchia station, then the shuttle to the ship |
| 20:00 | Aboard, an hour and a half before all aboard |
On a typical 08:00 to 17:00 call, the same trip leaves you about three and a half hours in Rome, enough for one major site. That difference is the best argument for Holland America’s Mediterranean program. The same logic applies to the late departures from Mykonos and Rhodes, which put the harbor at sunset within reach, and to Dubrovnik, where an evening departure means seeing the Old Town after the day-trippers have gone. Our Italy cruise ports guide covers Civitavecchia, Naples and Livorno in more detail.
Which Holland America Mediterranean cruise is best?
For a first visit, Oosterdam‘s 7-night week from Athens to Rome, with Kotor, Corfu and a night in Naples, from $944. For Greece, the Barcelona-to-Athens week via Malta and Santorini. For Istanbul, the 11-night May voyage from Piraeus or Rotterdam‘s 10-night November voyage. For Croatia, the 10-night voyage from Trieste.
These picks rest on the published routes and fares rather than on having sailed each voyage. By type of trip:
- The cheapest good week. Oosterdam‘s Athens-to-Rome week in summer, from about $135 a night, with the Bay of Kotor, Corfu, Messina for Sicily and Naples, where Holland America schedules overnights on this route.
- Greece and Turkey. The Barcelona-to-Athens week, via Valletta, Chania, Santorini and Kuşadası for Ephesus. Combine it with the Athens-to-Rome week for a 14-night voyage if you have the time.
- Istanbul with a night ashore. Oosterdam‘s 11-night voyage from Piraeus on 4 May, which passes through the Dardanelles, or Rotterdam‘s 10-night voyage from Piraeus on 7 November, which is cheaper per night.
- The Adriatic. The 10-night voyage from Trieste on 15 May, via Zadar, Dubrovnik and the Bay of Kotor.
- Autumn on a new ship. Any of Rotterdam‘s autumn voyages: newer hardware and quieter ports at around $153 to $170 a night.
- The long way home. Rotterdam‘s 14-night crossing from Barcelona to Florida on 8 December, from $909, about $65 a night, for anyone who can fly one way and sail the other.
The Athens-to-Rome week, port by port
Because it is the cheapest week in the program, Oosterdam‘s Athens-to-Rome voyage is the one most readers will look at first. Its four headline ports need four different plans.
| Port | Dock or tender | Getting to the sight, as of September 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Kotor | The main quay opposite the Sea Gate when it is free; otherwise anchor and tender, 5 to 20 minutes | The old town is 200 to 400 meters from the quay. Taxis to Perast run about €12–€18 (about $14–$21) one way. The sail in through the Bay of Kotor is part of the day, so be on deck early |
| Corfu | Docks at the New Port, with an in-port shuttle | The Old Town is about 1.9 miles (3 km) away, a 30-minute walk along the seafront; taxis and buses run too, but the fares we hold are out of date |
| Messina | Docks downtown | The cathedral is about 10 minutes on foot; Taormina is 31 miles (50 km) away and Etna about 90 minutes, which is where a ship’s tour earns its keep |
| Naples | Docks at the Stazione Marittima, next to Molo Beverello | The center is 10 minutes on foot; Pompeii is 15 miles (24 km) by the Circumvesuviana train, with named, timed tickets from €20 (about $23); Capri is about 40 minutes by hydrofoil |
Two of these ports reward the early start. At Kotor, the fortress walls above the town are best climbed before the heat and the crowds. At Naples, Pompeii’s morning time slot holds most of the day’s capacity, so book it as soon as you know your date; if Holland America schedules the overnight on your sailing, you can do Pompeii on one day and Capri or the city on the other.
How much does a Holland America Mediterranean cruise cost?
From about $944 to $1,339 per person for a 7-night Mediterranean week on fares listed in September 2026, taxes included, or about $135 to $191 a night, and about $153 to $260 a night on the 10- and 11-night voyages. Add gratuities of $17 per person per night, drinks, Wi-Fi and excursions, or the Have It All package.
The fare table above shows the pattern. The summer 7-night weeks are the best value in the program, especially the Athens-to-Rome leg. The spring voyages are the most expensive per night, led by the 11-night Amalfi Coast voyage from Barcelona in April at about $260. Rotterdam‘s autumn voyages sit in between, which makes them good value for the newest ship on offer. Holland America’s early-booking promotions come and go; when the 2027 season launched, bookings with the Have It All package were offered free prepaid gratuities and upgraded drinks and Wi-Fi. Lines have been documented raising brochure rates before discounting them, so compare the price you are offered with what you saw months earlier rather than with the advertised saving.
Gratuities, Have It All and the extras
- Gratuities. $17 per person per night in standard staterooms and $19 in suites, according to industry trackers updated in July 2026. On a 7-night voyage, a couple in a standard stateroom pays $238.
- Have It All. Holland America’s premium package, which its 2027 announcement describes as including shore excursions, specialty dining, a Signature Beverage Package and Surf Wi-Fi. We could not verify its current per-day price; ask for the fare with and without it, and compare the difference with what you would actually spend. On a port-intensive Mediterranean week, the excursions are usually the part that pays.
- Destination fees. Greece’s cruise passenger fee is billed for each port where you go ashore: €20 (about $23) at Santorini and Mykonos and €5 elsewhere from June to September, falling to €12 and €3 in April, May and October.
- Excursions. Holland America’s tours at Civitavecchia, Livorno and Naples are where a week gets expensive; our Mediterranean cruise cost guide compares ship tours with going independently.
Where do Holland America Mediterranean cruises depart from?
Barcelona, Piraeus for Athens, Civitavecchia for Rome, and Trieste, which Holland America sells “for Venice”. Because the summer weeks are one-way, most voyages start in one of these and end in another, so book flights into one city and home from a different one.
- Barcelona. Seven cruise terminals across the Moll Adossat and the World Trade Center. The official fixed taxi fare from the airport to the Moll Adossat is €46 (about $52); the PortBus to the Columbus Monument costs €3 one way.
- Piraeus (Athens). About 30 miles (50 km) from the airport, outside the taxi flat-fare zone, so expect a metered €50–€70; the airport metro costs €9 and the X96 bus €5.50. There is no parking at the cruise terminals.
- Civitavecchia (Rome). A working port 46 miles (74 km) from Rome, with trains taking between about 45 minutes and an hour and 20 minutes depending on the service. If your voyage ends here, a night in Rome afterward is easy by train.
- Trieste. A separate city at the head of the Adriatic, not a suburb of Venice. Large ships have been barred from Venice’s Giudecca Canal since August 2021, which is why Adriatic programs now start in Trieste or Ravenna. Our Adriatic cruise ports guide covers the region.
Whichever city you start from, land at least a day before sailing. The EU’s Entry/Exit System has taken fingerprints and a photo from non-EU travelers at their first Schengen entry since 10 April 2026, and airport queues at Barcelona, Rome and Athens have been long. Our guide to Mediterranean cruise embarkation ports covers each homeport in detail.
What to know before you sail with Holland America in the Mediterranean
- Passports and entry. The Schengen area needs a passport issued within the last 10 years and valid at least three months beyond your departure from Europe; most lines ask for six months after the cruise, which is the safer standard. ETIAS, a €20 travel authorization for visa-exempt visitors, is due to start in the last quarter of 2026. For Turkey, US, Canadian and British citizens are visa-free. Morocco, on the spring and December voyages that call at Tangier, requires US passports to be valid for six months at entry. Our Mediterranean cruise travel documents guide has the full picture.
- Onboard life. Holland America keeps its Dutch roots visible, with a “Dutch Day” on board, and it runs “Up Close” presentations and port talks. On the 7-day voyages curated with The HISTORY Channel, expect more history on board than on most big ships.
- Money. Your onboard account is in US dollars. Ashore, pay in euros whenever a card machine offers to charge you in dollars; in Tunisia and Morocco, local currency cannot be taken out of the country, so change only what you need.
- Power strips. Surge-protected power strips are banned on every major line; bring individual plug adapters for the countries you visit.
- Mobility. Tender ports such as Santorini and Portofino depend on the sea state and on being able to step into a small boat. Our guide to wheelchair-accessible Mediterranean cruises covers the ports where this matters.
A booking checklist
- Pick the route first, then check whether it is one-way and price the flights at the same time.
- For a 14- or 21-night voyage, price the 7-night legs separately; on Holland America the combination has often cost more.
- Look for the overnight and late-departure ports on the itinerary; they are where the extra hours come from.
- Treat any Egypt or Israel call as provisional, and read the line’s policy on itinerary changes.
- Budget gratuities at $17 per person per night, or check whether a promotion prepays them.
- Ask for the fare with and without Have It All, and decide based on the excursions you would actually take.
Holland America compared with Princess, Celebrity and Viking
Holland America’s nearest Mediterranean rivals are its sister line Princess, the premium Celebrity and the small-ship Viking. On the points that matter in Europe:
| Holland America | Princess | Celebrity | Viking | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Style | Mid-size, traditional, overnights and late departures | Big ships, broad itineraries, long voyages | Premium, modern design, food and wine | Small, quiet, adults only, one tour per port included |
| Gratuity per night | $17 ($19 suites) | $18 ($19–$20 suites) | $19.50 from 29 July 2026 | $20 on US bookings |
| Cheapest 7-night Med fare seen | $944 (Oosterdam, summer 2027) | $1,048 (Enchanted Princess) | $935 (Constellation, May 2027) | $2,599 (8 days, Barcelona to Rome) |
| 2027 hallmark | Published overnights and 10 p.m.–midnight departures; Rotterdam‘s first Med season | 136+ Mediterranean departures on 51 itineraries; eclipse voyages | Xcel leads seven ships | 43 itineraries, many with overnights |
Our view: Holland America is the line for travelers who care more about time in port than about the ship’s attractions, and who like a traditional, unhurried atmosphere. If you want more itinerary choice on bigger ships, compare its sister line in our guide to Princess Mediterranean cruises; if you would pay more for a smaller, adults-only ship with tours included, compare Viking in the Mediterranean.
As for Holland America Mediterranean reviews, member reviews on sites such as Cruise Critic are the best place to read about particular sailings, and we don’t reproduce star ratings we cannot check. Weigh reviews by ship: Oosterdam dates from 2003 and Rotterdam from 2021, and they are very different ships under the same flag.
Holland America Mediterranean cruise FAQs
Which Holland America ships sail the Mediterranean in 2027?
Oosterdam is Holland America’s primary Mediterranean ship, sailing from April into the autumn. Rotterdam adds its first Mediterranean season in the autumn of 2027, and Nieuw Statendam sails three longer voyages to the Western Mediterranean or the Canary Islands and Morocco, round trip from Rotterdam or Dover.
How much is a Holland America Mediterranean cruise?
Seven-night Mediterranean voyages on Oosterdam in summer 2027 were listed in September 2026 from 944 to 1,339 dollars per person, including taxes, and 10- and 11-night voyages from about 1,549 to 2,864 dollars. Gratuities of 17 dollars per person per night, drinks, Wi-Fi and excursions are extra.
Where do Holland America Mediterranean cruises leave from?
Barcelona, Piraeus for Athens, Civitavecchia for Rome, and Trieste. Many summer voyages are one-way weeks between Barcelona, Athens and Rome, so you fly into one city and home from another. Nieuw Statendam’s longer voyages start in Rotterdam or Dover.
Does Holland America have overnight stays in the Mediterranean?
Yes. Holland America’s 2027 overnight ports in the Mediterranean are Barcelona, Civitavecchia, Naples, Trieste, Istanbul and Valletta, plus Alexandria and Haifa, which should be treated as provisional. It also lists late departures between 10 p.m. and midnight from ports including Civitavecchia, Dubrovnik, Istanbul, Mykonos and Rhodes.
Is Rotterdam sailing the Mediterranean in 2027?
Yes, in the autumn. After a summer in northern Europe, Rotterdam sails four voyages from Barcelona and Piraeus between late October and early December 2027, including an Istanbul overnight and a Rome evening stay, before crossing from Barcelona to Florida on 8 December.
Are gratuities included on Holland America?
Not in the standard fare. Holland America charges 17 dollars per person per night in standard staterooms and 19 dollars in suites. Some early-booking promotions have included prepaid gratuities with the Have It All package, so check the terms of your fare.
Does Holland America have a solar eclipse cruise in 2027?
Yes. Its Mediterranean eclipse voyage is a 14-night Solar Eclipse and Astronomical Discovery cruise from Piraeus on 31 July 2027, with a day set aside for viewing the total eclipse of 2 August. Holland America says scientific experts will give lectures and eclipse glasses will be provided.
Where this guide goes deeper
This page is part of our cruise lines series, and it will link to its companion guides as they publish: Oceania Mediterranean cruises, the food-focused premium line with similar-sized ships; Azamara Mediterranean cruises, the small-ship line built around long port stays; and Viking vs Oceania, our head-to-head of the two inclusive premium lines. For where Holland America sits among every line sailing the region, from MSC to Seabourn, go back to our comparison of all the Mediterranean cruise lines.
How we researched this guide
Ship roles, homeports, the season, the overnight and late-departure ports, the eclipse voyage and the Have It All contents come from Holland America’s 2027 Europe season announcement of 3 June 2025, and the regional program from its Mediterranean cruises page, both checked on 26 September 2026. Individual voyages, dates and fares, including Rotterdam‘s autumn season, come from The Cruise Web’s published listings on the same date, which quote per-person fares including taxes and fees. Gratuities come from industry trackers updated in July 2026. Port logistics, fees and entry rules come from port authorities, transport operators and official sources, via our port and documents guides.
We are an independent editorial site, not a cruise line or travel agent, and Holland America has no say in what we write. We have not sailed these voyages and do not claim to have; the recommendations are our editorial judgment from the published itineraries and fares, and you are free to weigh them differently. What we could not verify: full port lists where the listings show only the first few ports, fares for several autumn voyages, port times for individual calls, the current Have It All price, and whether any Egypt or Israel call will go ahead. We recheck this page whenever Holland America announces its next European season.
Image credits
| Image | Photographer | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Oosterdam berthed in port | AlMare | CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| Rotterdam | Cavernia | CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| The Venetian lighthouse, Chania | Dietmar Rabich | CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| Hagia Sophia from the water, Istanbul | Ray Swi-hymn | CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| Bay of Kotor, Montenegro | Milica Buha | CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| Valletta Waterfront, Malta | Jules Verne Times Two | CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| Harbour of Portofino | Superchilum | CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
| The Street of the Knights, Rhodes | Unknown | Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
Published 16 October 2026. Ships, fares and policies were checked on 26 September 2026 and will change — verify anything you are about to pay for on Holland America’s site.