Holland America Line announced that the City of Rotterdam is extending its charter agreement for the cruise line's Volendam ship through to 14SEP 2022 to continue housing Ukrainian refugee families.
The ship has been home to around 1,200 Ukrainians since docking in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in early APR and will house up to 1,500 refugees through the extended charter, part of a larger commitment from the Netherlands to accommodate 50,000 people who fled the war in their homeland.
The government originally chartered the ship through the end of JUN 2022 but has asked to extend for an additional 10 weeks. Under the agreement, Holland America Line is providing hot meals, private stateroom accommodations, housekeeping services, laundry, use of public spaces, fitness facilities, internet access and other necessities. Volendam is staffed with approximately 650 crew members.
To allow for the continued charter mission, HAL is cancelling an additional six departures on Volendam, including cruises to Norway, the British Isles and Mediterranean. According to HAL, guests on cancelled cruises will automatically be rebooked on similar itineraries and do not need to contact the cruise line, as it will reach out directly with options.
“We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause to guests booked on Volendam through the summer,” said Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer of Holland America Line. “We appreciate their continued understanding as we work with the city of Rotterdam on this important mission.”
Volendam’s first scheduled voyage is a 14-day Holy Land & Ancient Kingdoms Explorer itinerary departing Venice, Italy, on 24SEP 2022.
For more information on Holland America Line, visit its web site.
