Holland America Line Marks America's 250th Anniversary in 2026 with Cruise to Historical U.S. Ports
SEATTLE, July 3, 2025 /CNW/ -- In honor of America's 250th birthday in 2026, Holland America Line is sailing a landmark cruise roundtrip from Boston — the epicenter of the American Revolution. The seven-day "America's 250th Celebration: Stars & Stripes Voyage" aboard Zuiderdam departs July 4, 2026, and includes a visit to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, an overnight visit to New York City, as well as a special call at Norfolk, Virginia, with access to Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown.
Guests will have a front-row seat to explore the heart of American culture and history. As Zuiderdam departs Boston, the ship plans to position in Boston Harbor, so guests can take in the city's iconic Fourth of July fireworks from a distance, a truly unique sailaway celebration. Following Saint John, guests will enjoy a rare call at Norfolk and an overnight at New York before returning to Boston.
"America's 250th anniversary is a singular milestone, and we're excited to mark this historic occasion with a cruise that brings our guests closer to the places where our nation was born," said Beth Bodensteiner, president of Holland America Line. "From walking the grounds of Williamsburg and visiting Ellis Island to exploring Boston's Freedom Trail, this voyage offers an unforgettable journey through American history. And with special events planned to celebrate the Fourth of July in true patriotic style, it promises to be a meaningful and memorable experience for everyone on board."
Tours in Norfolk Offer Visits to Important Historical SitesCombining key Revolutionary War ties, an important naval legacy and significant Semiquincentennial celebrations, a visit to Norfolk opens the door to historical exploration. During the call, guests can take shore excursions to three Virginia towns that are among the most important in American history: Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown.
The "Colonial Williamsburg & Governor's Palace" shore excursion takes guests to Virginia's historic peninsula, home to Jamestown, Yorktown and Colonial Williamsburg.On the "Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum at Yorktown" tour, guests visit Colonial National Historic Park, connecting Jamestown and Yorktown.
Overnight at New York Coincides with 'Sail 4th 250' Tall Ships VisitZuiderdam arrives in New York in time to catch the conclusion of the "Sail 4th 250" tall ships flotilla that takes place in the city July 3-8, 2026. For Sail 4th 250, the largest fleet of the world's tall ships and gray hull ships will assemble in New York Harbor for the week. When Zuiderdam cruises into New York July 8 past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, Sail 4th's "Farewell to the Fleet" will be happening as the tall ships depart for Boston, offering the possibility to get a glimpse of some of the tall ships sailing by.
With an overnight visit, guests have more time to explore New York, see the sites and experience the vibrant nightlight of the city that never sleeps. Guests who want to delve into America's history while in the Big Apple can take the "Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island" shore excursion that includes a visit to both of these iconic locales. The "New York City by Land & Sea" features a cruise on the city's waterways for unique views of several landmarks, including Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
Fares for the seven-day "America's 250th Celebration: Stars & Stripes Voyage" start at $1,459 per person, double occupancy, and include port fees and taxes.
For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.
Find Holland America Line on Facebook, Instagram and the Holland America Blog. You can also access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for more than 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering a perfectly-sized ship experience, its fleet of 11 vessels visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for more than 75 years — longer than any other cruise line. Savour the Journey isn't just a tagline, it's a reinforcement that the cruise line provides experiences too good to hurry through, connecting travelers to the world and each other. Award-winning enrichment programming, entertainment and cuisine that brings each locale on board, including a revolutionary Global Fresh Fish Program, put Holland America Line at the forefront of premium cruising.
CONTACT:
Bill Zucker
PHONE:
800-637-5029, 206-626-9890
EMAIL:
pr@hollandamerica.com
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-america-line-marks-americas-250th-anniversary-in-2026-with-cruise-to-historical-us-ports-302497908.html
SOURCE Holland America Line
View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2025/03/c0159.html

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Fox News
an hour ago
- Fox News
Two vacationers drown at Carnival's new Bahamas private destination
Less than a month after welcoming its first cruise passengers, two Americans have died in drowning incidents on Carnival's new, private destination in the Bahamas. A 79-year-old man and a 74-year-old woman reportedly died in separate incidents on Friday at a "private tourist destination," the Royal Bahamas Police Force said in a Facebook post. First responders were told the man had become "unresponsive while snorkeling at a beach." He was pulled from the water by a lifeguard and given CPR, but did not survive. The woman "became unresponsive while swimming in a pool," police said. She was assisted out of the water by a lifeguard and given CPR, but did not make it. Autopsies are being performed as part of the investigations into what happened. A Carnival spokesperson confirmed the deaths to Fox News Digital, saying they happened on its new Celebration Key. The cruise line's "lifeguards and medical team responded to two separate water emergency incidents—one in the lagoon and one at the beach." "One guest was sailing with family on Mardi Gras and one guest was sailing with family on Carnival Elation," the Carnival spokesperson said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the guests and their families and our Care Team is providing assistance." Celebration Key welcomed its first cruise guests on July 19. The $600-million destination features a 10-story sandcastle, "two thrilling racing watersides," a shopping village, a basketball court and an "adults-only retreat," Carnival said in an opening-day press release. "Celebration Key will initially bring more than two million guests a year to Grand Bahama," it said. "By 2028, this number is expected to grow to four million. The economic impact for Grand Bahama is substantial, with hundreds of long-term jobs created by daily operations. The destination features an adjacent cruise pier capable of accommodating two of Carnival's largest ships simultaneously. Already, construction on an extension to the pier is underway to accommodate two additional ships."
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Why The US Military Still Flies The Boeing 707
The role of Boeing's 707 in modern commercial aviation simply cannot be overstated. It was the first successful jet airliner outside of the Soviet Union, and by 1955, more Americans were traveling by plane than by train for the first time ever. A similar milestone was checked in 1957, when more passengers crossed the Atlantic Ocean to and from Europe on jets than by ship, even fast ships like the SS United States. The next year, the Pan Am completed its groundbreaking transatlantic flight from New York to Paris with a B707. In the end, the Boeing 707 may have been a little too successful, because its single-aisle design couldn't accommodate the massive number of passengers who suddenly flocked to air travel. Not to mention that its four engines were both fuel-thirsty and noisy compared to modern advancements at the time. The last U.S.-based airline to fly the Boeing 707 was Trans World Airline in 1983, while Iran's Saha Airlines took the last civil 707 flight anywhere on the globe in 2013. According to a Facebook post from the aviation news site Flight Drama, a total of 79 Boeing 707 jets are still flying today, albeit all for government or military organizations, not scheduled passenger flights. Presumably, that doesn't account for the KC-135 tanker variant, which still numbers in the hundreds. These aircraft, while old, are prized for their durable construction, versatility, and long cruising range. To that end, many have been updated with new engines and electronics to keep them viable. Read more: These Are The Best Engines Of All Time, According To You Budget Is Also A Factor One of the U.S. military's oldest aircraft, excepting maybe the B-52 bomber, is the aforementioned KC-135. Nicknamed the Stratotanker, this plane was developed simultaneously with the 707 platform. Indeed, the first KC-135 jets took to the skies in 1956, a year after Chevy's small-block V8 engine made its splash debut. Instead of passengers or cargo, the KC-135 carries more than 31,000 gallons of jet fuel, which it dispenses to other aircraft like fighter jets and bombers mid-air at speeds up to 125 mph. A newer Boeing product, the KC-46 Pegasus, was slated to replace the aging KC-135 en masse, but it proved problematic on multiple levels, giving the KC-135 a longer lease on life. Another Boeing 707 variant that's still in service with the U.S. military is the E-3 Sentry. As of 2022, the U.S. Air Force had a fleet of 31 E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning And Control System (AWACS) jets, the most recent of which was delivered in 1984. The E-3 Sentry is pretty much a flying radar station, with the ability to track ships, other planes, and missiles. In the near future, that role will fall largely to space satellites instead of airplanes. But in the meantime, the Air Force is facing budget cuts that prevent wholesale replacement of the aging E-3 Sentry with the B737-based E-7 Wedgetail as an interim measure. In a recent hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska stated, "The E-3 fleet [is] barely operational now, and ... you've got a situation where you're not going to be able to use more duct tape to hold things together," as reported by TWZ. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.


Skift
4 hours ago
- Skift
Apollo Gives Highside $500 Million to Build Choice's Everhome Suites
The DJIA rose 35 points on Friday, while Nasdaq fell 88, the S&P 500 fell 19 points and the 10-year treasury yield was up .04 to 4.33%. Lodging stocks were mixed. Deutsche Bank predicted that October would be a make-or-break month for sentiment on the hotel REITs. They noted 2Q25 may have had mostly beats, but the majority of the REITs lowered guidance for 3Q below Wall Street estimates while saying they thought 4Q would be the uplifting quarter. DB said they see reasons to believe that, while at the same time, plenty of reasons to be skeptical. The net result is they believe the Hotel REITs are a stock pickers' group, even more than usual. Their top picks remain Ryman Hospitality and Host Hotels. DB lowered price targets on RLJ and Summit Hotels by -$1, to $9 and $8, respectively. Cinnamon Beach Vacations announced that select rental properties are available on Homes & Villas by Marriott