The city of Rotterdam has extended its charter agreement for Holland America Line’s Volendam to house Ukrainian refugees through Sept. 14.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience this will cause to guests booked on Volendam through the summer,” Beth Bodensteiner, chief commercial officer of Holland American Line, said in a news release. “We appreciate their continued understanding as we work with the city of Rotterdam on this important mission.” Read more...

Holland America cruise line’s new Rotterdam is carrying on a tradition that began in the 1920s. The Rotterdam’s godmother will be Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands.

“We are deeply grateful that Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet will once again act as godmother to a Holland America Line ship, carrying on a long tradition with the Royal Family that continues to honor our Dutch roots,” Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America line, said in a news release. Read more...

Looking for a fun food day to celebrate? Mark your 2022 calendar for April 6^th as National Food Faces Day.

Appropriately, the celebration falls on the same day as the birthday for Rudi Sodamin, the Holland America Line master chef, who has been playing with food for years. In fact, the holiday honors Sodamin’s expertise and was created by Holland America Line which will be celebrating its 150 years as a cruise line in 2022. Read more...

COURTESY Holland America Line: Seattle, Wash., May 5, 2021 — Working in close coordination with the government of Greece, Holland America Line has received approval to restart cruising from Piraeus (Athens) in August with four departures aboard Eurodam. Bookings for these cruises will open May 6. Read more...

For those planning a cruise, Crown Cruise Vacations President Ross Spalding and his team of travel and cruise specialists are experts at booking families, friends and individuals on their dream cruise vacations. A great place for inspiration and insight when booking a cruise vacation is the Crown Cruise Vacations blog. Read more...

Holland America Line’s new flagship pays homage to an historic vessel. The new cruise ship will be named the Rotterdam and will be the new flagship for the Holland America fleet.

The Rotterdam is expected to be delivered from Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy on July 30, 2021. The ship will spend the summer exploring Northern Europe and the Baltic on roundtrip cruises from Amsterdam. Read more...

“’Food Faces’ has a universal appeal that crosses all ages, languages, art, cultures and food groups,” Sodamin said. “Food is an international language, understood by all, and everyone in the world, regardless of race, gender, experience or social status, can communicate and connect through food.”

As master chef for Holland America Line, Sodamin has delighted passengers for years with his delicious food and artistic food faces. Now the popular chef has a book showcasing his Food Faces talents. “Food Faces” is sold in bookstores nationwide.

“Rudi is an icon in the cruise industry for his culinary talent and creativity in the kitchen and is regarded as the hospitality industry’s most innovative chef, but today we congratulate him for his innovation as an artist with his beautiful new book,”  said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president.

“Rudi is esteemed throughout the world for his passion for his craft and his ability to translate that creative energy into serving thousands of guests each day on our ships. ’Food Faces’ allows people to be inspired by Rudi’s work every day in their homes.”

In the forward to “Food Faces,” Thomas Keller, chef, restaurateur and cookbook author, writes: “Rudi has a keen eye, playful sensibility and a willingness to let inspiration take him where it will. Rudi puts happiness front and center.”

On board Holland America Line ships, guests who dine in Rudi’s Sel de Mer pop-up restaurant can enjoy his dynamic Food Faces on exclusive limited-edition plates made by Bernardaud, the leading French manufacturer of Limoges porcelain. Each plate charger features a different image from the “Food Faces” book, creating an unusual and and fun table setting.

Story by Jackie Sheckler Finch

Photos courtesy of Holland American Line

I’ve made bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches ever since I was a preschooler. But mine were pretty basic – bacon, lettuce, tomato (from my Dad’s garden), white bread and Miracle Whip.

Delicious with a cold glass of milk.

But Justin Chapple, the senior test kitchen editor at Food & Wine Magazine, shared a different recipe on a Holland America cruise aboard ms Zuiderdam. The ship features cuisine presentations for guests in its Culinary Arts Center.

Justin’s recipe is for a California BLT. Definitely worth trying and a step up from one of my childhood favorites.

Here is the recipe if you’d like to make it:

                                                         CALIFORNIA BLT
Ingredients:
24 thin bacon slices
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. finely chopped tarragon
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and pepper
8 slices multigrain sandwich bread, lightly toasted
1 Hass avocado
2 Persian cucumbers
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
4 small bibb lettuce leaves
1/2 cup mixed sprouts, like radish, sunflower and alfalfa

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Line large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Weave 6 strips of bacon into a lattice on the baking sheet, leaving enough space for 3 more lattices. Repeat with the remaining bacon strips.

Read more...

Foodies and fans of America’s most watched cooking competition series get the rare opportunity to experience MasterChef LIVE with a new line-up of entertainment and activities featuring MasterChef All Stars.

The cruise will include MasterChef menus and hands-on culinary demos from some of the best Home Cooks in the nation. The All Stars cooks will share what led them to receive an apron to cook in the legendary MasterChef Kitchen.

The All Stars were mentored in-show by some of the most esteemed chefs in the world and program participants can enjoy the results. Cruisers also will get to taste the food they’ve seen created by the MasterChef All Stars.

Some passengers will have a chance to be part of a lucky group of people chosen to participate in a Mystery Box Challenge or a Pressure Test. Participants will get to experience the pace, thrills and countdown of the clock similar to what the All Stars had to experience in the show.

The cruise includes ports of call in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas.

Photo courtesy of Holland America

For every Seattle Mariners strikeout at home, Holland America will make a cash donation to the Seattle Children’s Hospital. In 2015, Holland America rewarded the home strikeouts by presenting a check to the hospital for $25,000 on Fan Appreciation Night.

“Holland America Line is proud of our ongoing partnership with the Seattle Mariners, and this season we’ve increased our support of their community outreach programs,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line.

“Our two organizations share a like-minded commitment to giving back in the region, and together we can continue to make a difference in our community.”

The cruise line also will continue to sponsor Get Well Tours with visits to area hospitals by Mariners players. Under the Seattle Mariners Get Well Tours, Mariners players along with the Mariner Moose mascot will visit area hospitals. During the visits, children and veterans will receive photos and autographs, plus a Holland American Line branded sports bag filled with Mariners items and baseball-related items such as replica baseballs and a stuffed moose.

The cruise line also is adding a new component – the “Salute to Those Who Serve” recognition event. At 26 Mariners home games this season, the “Salute to Those Who Serve” program will honor some of the men and women from various branches of the United States Military. During Friday and Sunday games, a member of the military (active, reserve, veteran or retired) is recognized on-field for his or her service to our country. Each honoree will receive four tickets and one parking pass to the game. Holland America Line is the presenting sponsor of this program.

In addition, Holland America Line is also the presenting sponsor of the annual Fan Appreciation Night at Safeco Field. Traditionally the final Friday home game of each season, Fan Appreciation Night celebrates the community support by local Mariners fans with prize drawings throughout the same. As part of its sponsorship, Holland America Line provides cruise giveaways at the special event.

“Holland America Line has been a tremendous supporter over the past six years,” said Bob Aylward, executive vice president of corporate business for the Seattle Mariners. “We are proud to continue our relationship and expand our community outreach partnership to serve the community we all call home.”