Holland America Line has opened its 2028 Canada and New England season for sale, with cruises running from May through October aboard Volendam and the reimagined Zuiderdam. The programme ranges from seven to 14 days and includes more calls to Montreal than any other cruise line, according to the brand.
The season also adds longer Collectors’ Voyages, late-night port calls, overnight stays in Quebec City, UNESCO sites, national parks, and destination-led experiences on board. For travellers weighing eastern Canada and New England, the 2028 programme places greater emphasis on time ashore as well as itinerary variety.
Montreal sits at the centre of the 2028 programme. The line says it will make more calls to the city than any other cruise operator, while also using Montreal as one of several departure points for longer Collectors’ Voyages.
Image courtesy of Holland America Line
The expanded Montreal programme gives travellers more opportunities to include the city within a Canada and New England cruise. More calls also increase flexibility when comparing dates, cruise lengths, and port combinations across the May to October season. For guests who want Montreal to be a major part of the trip rather than a brief stop, the increased frequency is an important planning detail.
Montreal also works as more than a destination within the wider schedule. It is one of the departure points for selected longer voyages, giving travellers another way to build a cruise around the city. The added role strengthens Montreal’s place within the overall programme.
Select itineraries will include overnight stays in Quebec City, giving guests more time to experience the destination beyond a standard daytime call. An overnight change changes the pace of a port visit because passengers are not working around an early evening departure. It also gives travellers more freedom to plan dining, sightseeing, or an evening ashore.
Quebec City is also one of the listed departure points for Collectors’ Voyages. This gives the destination a dual role within the programme, both as a port with extended stays and as a place to begin selected longer itineraries. The combination adds depth to the season without relying only on additional ports.
Collectors’ Voyages will depart from Montreal, Quebec City, Boston, New York City, and Fort Lauderdale. These longer itineraries give travellers an alternative to the seven- to 14-day core programme. They also broaden the ways travellers may approach a Canada and New England cruise from different departure cities.
The range of departure points matters for travellers planning flights or combining a cruise with time on land. A Montreal or Quebec City departure creates a different trip shape from one beginning in Boston, New York City, or Fort Lauderdale. The 2028 programme, therefore, offers more than one way to approach the region.
The 2028 season will feature Volendam and Zuiderdam, with Zuiderdam making her regional debut after a northern spring dry dock. The arrival gives the programme a refreshed ship alongside Volendam across the May to October season.
Zuiderdam will enter the Canada and New England programme after her 2028 dry dock. The supplied context does not detail the individual changes planned for the ship, so the key confirmed point is her reimagined return and debut in the region. Guests choosing her 2028 sailings will experience the refreshed ship during its first season in this market.
The timing gives the programme a ship-level development alongside its itinerary features. Zuiderdam’s regional debut follows the northern spring dry dock, placing the refreshed vessel directly into the 2028 season. This gives travellers another factor to weigh when comparing the two named ships.
Image courtesy of Holland America Line
Volendam will sail alongside Zuiderdam from May through October. Her inclusion gives the programme two named ships across the operating season. Travellers therefore have both ship and itinerary details to consider when reviewing the schedule.
Some guests will focus first on destination and port time, while others will place more weight on the vessel. The presence of Volendam and Zuiderdam adds another point of comparison. This is especially relevant once travellers narrow their preferred dates and itinerary lengths.
The core season includes cruises from seven to 14 days, giving travellers several ways to balance port depth with total trip length. A seven-day itinerary suits a more compact regional trip, while longer sailings allow more time within the overall journey. The schedule, therefore, serves different holiday lengths across the season.
This range also sits alongside the longer Collectors’ Voyages. Travellers have a progression from week-long cruises to two-week itineraries and then to extended combinations. The structure makes trip duration one of the clearest starting points when comparing the 2028 programme.
One of the strongest features of the programme is its emphasis on longer time ashore. Select itineraries include late-night calls in Charlottetown and St John, plus overnight stays in Quebec City, while the wider season features UNESCO sites and national parks.
Selected sailings will include late-night calls in Charlottetown, extending the time available in port. A later departure gives guests more room to plan the day without compressing every activity into standard daytime hours. It also gives travellers more flexibility around dining and evening plans ashore.
The extended call fits the wider direction of the 2028 season. The programme increases usable time in selected ports rather than focusing only on the number of destinations visited. It makes itinerary timing an important detail when comparing sailings.
St John will also feature late-night calls on select itineraries. As with Charlottetown, the later departure gives guests more time to experience the destination at a slower pace. This is especially relevant for travellers who place a high value on time ashore.
Late-night calls also create a clearer distinction between itineraries visiting similar destinations. The amount of time spent in each port will shape the experience alongside the port list itself. Travellers should therefore compare port times as carefully as port names.
Image courtesy of Holland America Line
The destination experience will extend beyond the ports through regional dining and local entertainment on board. This keeps the Canada and New England theme present during time on the ship. It also gives guests another way to engage with the region outside their shore visits.
For travellers, this creates a more connected itinerary. The ports remain the central draw, while onboard programming supports the same regional focus. The programme therefore carries its destination theme from shore visits into the onboard experience.
The 2028 programme offers several variables to compare, including ship, cruise length, departure city, overnight stays, and late-night calls. Our Cruise Finder helps you review available sailings and narrow the options around the itinerary style best suited to your plans.
If Montreal access, a Quebec City overnight, or a longer Collectors’ Voyage matters most to you, start by comparing route details rather than looking only at duration. The right sailing will depend on how much time you want in each destination and where you prefer to begin the trip.
The 2028 season gives travellers a broader set of ways to experience eastern Canada and New England, from seven-day cruises to longer Collectors’ Voyages. More Montreal calls, extended stays in selected ports, and Zuiderdam’s regional debut give the programme a stronger destination focus.
If you want help comparing ships, departure cities, and itinerary lengths, speak with the S.W. Black Travel team for practical guidance before choosing your sailing.