Is Holland America Abandoning Port Canaveral?

[BCEagle78]

I know that the Zaandam has sailed out of Port Canaveral during fall/winter/spring to the East/West Caribbean the past several years.

I was looking at the schedule for 2005 and see that the Zaandam is sailing from Ft. Lauderdale and I don't see any ship out of Port Canaveral.

We are about a 1 hour driving distance from Port Canaveral and liked having Holland America so close. Anybody know what the story is?

[doone]

I just checked the Zaandam's schedule for winter 2005, I see its still sailing from Port Canaveral. When were you looking to sail from Port Canaveral?

[jazzsea]

Zaandam will continue to sail from Pt. Canaveral. There are some thoughts of positioning another ship from Jacksonville, FL, too.

[ekerr19]

[quote name='doone']I just checked the Zaandam's schedule for winter 2005, I see its still sailing from Port Canaveral. When were you looking to sail from Port Canaveral?[/QUOTE]

doone-

I too am seeing the Port Canaveral sailings for the Zaandam... in addition to the 7-day, she is also scheduled for at least eight 5-day sailings from Canaveral...

[FlorenceItaly]

I have been looking at the Zaandam for fall 2005, and some sites say she leaves from Port Canaveral, ending cruise in FT Lauderdale...and some sites show Ft Lauderdale to Ft Lauderdale. When flying in, Ft Lauderdale is the preference otherwise transportation cost from MCO to Port Canaveral increases the transportation cost...it's about an hour from MCO to PC.

Marie

[peaches from georgia]

ekerr-

I'm sure I'm just missing something, but looking at the Zaandam schedule I don't see 5 day cruises. I know there is a 4 day in early Feb. after the Super Bowl to get it back on its regular schedule, but I don't see any 5 days, much less the 8 or more you mentioned. :confused:

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=blue]HAL signed a 2 year contract for Port Canaveral which is supposed to end in the spring of 2005. I haven't seen anything official about her signing another contract. I have seen that there are a couple of cruises for her for Ft Lauderdale. Could they be after her Alaskan season?[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#0000ff][/color][/font]
:)

[peaches from georgia]

Zaandam is doing the 10 day partial Panama Canal Sunfarer (the one the Rott has been doing) out of FLL after Alaska for the remaining 3 months of 2005.

So apparently after she does the winter 2005 out of Pt. Canaveral she goes to Alaska for the summer and then to FLL for 10 day cruises the rest of the year.

[FlorenceItaly]

Peaches - Do you know where she will be starting her cruise and ending it? Could she really be leaving from PC and ending in Ft Lauderdale??? I hope not.

Marie

[BCEagle78]

All, I was looking for fall of 2005. I can't find any Holland America sailing out of Port Canaveral after the spring of 2005. :(

[ekerr19]

[quote name='peaches from georgia']ekerr-

I'm sure I'm just missing something, but looking at the Zaandam schedule I don't see 5 day cruises. I know there is a 4 day in early Feb. after the Super Bowl to get it back on its regular schedule, but I don't see any 5 days, much less the 8 or more you mentioned. :confused:[/QUOTE]

peaches-

You always correct me and I'm glad! I'm so sorry - I looked at the brochure - this particular one has the 7-day early spring at the front and I earmarked it as the less than 7-day... my bad!

You are right - I need to check with you before I post :D

I'm not being sarcastic - and I hope you know this. I truly appreciate you pointing out my error(s). I HATE when I post in error, I get so carried away - I'm just trying to help, but it's no help when it's wrong! Thank you!

[peaches from georgia]

Just go to HAL site, click on Destinations, then Caribbean and click on the month in winter or fall 2005 you want to check, through Dec. 2005. Then click on Zaandam for each month and the monthly itineraries come up.

April - September she is in Alaska.

Edit- ekerr- Just saw your post. I hope YOU don't think I was saying you were in error, but I was so concerned when I saw you saying 8 or more 5 day cruises. Short cruises like that would again be changing the pax complex of HAL, so I was very concerned and checked it out! ;)

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=blue]As I said, HAL signed only a 2 year contract for Port Canaveral.[/color][/font]
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[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#0000ff]They also signed only a 2 year contract for Norfolk. So it is possible that Norfolk will be dropped after all the problems with schedules and arrival times (this past winter)when that contract ends.[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#0000ff][/color][/font]
:)

[ekerr19]

[quote name='peaches from georgia']Just go to HAL site, click on Destinations, then Caribbean and click on the month in winter or fall 2005 you want to check, through Dec. 2005. Then click on Zaandam for each month and the monthly itineraries come up.

April - September she is in Alaska.

Edit- ekerr- Just saw your post. I hope YOU don't think I was saying you were in error, but I was so concerned when I saw you saying 8 or more 5 day cruises. Short cruises like that would again be changing the pax complex of HAL, so I was very concerned and checked it out! ;)[/QUOTE]

peaches- I did not take it that way whatsoever... I read my brochure wrong & I'm glad you pointed it out! I have my brochure so dog-eared, I did misread it! Thank you. :)

[peaches from georgia]

I think Jacksonville FL would be so much better than Norfolk for the Maasdam in the winter if they want an alternative port to FLL, an idea I really like.

[ekerr19]

[quote name='peaches from georgia']I think Jacksonville FL would be so much better than Norfolk for the Maasdam in the winter if they want an alternative port to FLL, an idea I really like.[/QUOTE]

We found Norfolk to be very nice for embarkation/disembarkation - my only concern was with the weather - we sailed 4/3/04 and it was very chilly! It stayed that way all the way down to Florida. We got good flights (not direct - which we prefer) but not too bad - reasonably priced. I've not been to Jacksonville in a long time - not sure how'd it measure up - but Norfolk departures do seem to attract many cruisers from Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey & New York areas.

[BCEagle78]

I for one hope that HAL renews their contract to sail from Port Canaveral. It is a little more than an hour from Disney and about the same distance from our house.

It has been fun having HAL so close!

[Orcrone]

[quote name='peaches from georgia']I think Jacksonville FL would be so much better than Norfolk for the Maasdam in the winter if they want an alternative port to FLL, an idea I really like.[/QUOTE]Peaches - we have few enough sailings out of Norfolk, and I like leaving from my local port. Don't be giving them any ideas.;)

Seriously, Norfolk is a good alternative. I know it's not next door, but there are numerous ports within 8 hours of JAX for people in the south. However, Norfolk is a good alternative for all the people living in the northeast.