Long cruises ask for a different kind of planning. They suit travellers who want a full travel chapter, not a short break between flights. Holland America Line’s 2028 programme gives guests two clear choices across six continents. The 129-day Grand World Voyage aboard Volendam offers a broad global route, while the 90-day Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage aboard Zaandam focuses on the Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, and key island destinations. Together, these Grand Voyages show how extended cruising works best when the route has depth, rhythm, and enough time for each region to matter.
Holland America Line will sail two Grand Voyages in 2028. The 129-day Grand World Voyage departs Fort Lauderdale on 04 Jan 2028 aboard Volendam, visiting 45 ports across 26 countries. The 90-day Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage departs San Diego on 30 Jan aboard Zaandam, visiting 41 ports in 12 countries and territories, with several overnight stays across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.
At this length, a cruise becomes a complete travel season. The route needs variety, rest points, cultural depth, and enough contrast between regions to hold interest for months.
Holland America Line has shaped its 2028 programme around two different long-voyage moods. One suits travellers seeking a broad world route. The other suits those who want a deeper Pacific and Australasian journey.
The 129-day Grand World Voyage aboard Volendam covers 45 ports across 26 countries. That scale gives the itinerary a strong world-cruise identity because guests move across regions rather than staying within one continent or ocean corridor. For travellers with the time to commit, this type of voyage offers structure, comfort, and a clear path across several parts of the globe.
A long global route also changes the way guests experience travel. Instead of managing several separate trips, flights, hotels, and transfers, travellers settle into one ship-based journey. The ship becomes the constant, while each port adds a new layer to the overall story.
This is where Holland America Line’s long-voyage experience matters. A 129-day itinerary needs more than port count. It needs pacing, onboard routine, enrichment, and a ship environment suited to extended time away from home.
The 90-day Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage aboard Zaandam takes a different approach. It departs San Diego on 30 Jan and features 41 ports across 12 countries and territories. This route focuses less on global sweep and more on depth across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.
For many travellers, this focus will feel practical. A 90-day journey still offers the scale of a major voyage, yet the route holds a stronger regional identity. Guests spend more time within a connected part of the world, with stops across major Australian ports, New Zealand landscapes, and Pacific island destinations.
This voyage also suits guests who prefer fewer continental shifts. The itinerary has breadth, yet it keeps attention centred on a region rich in coastline, reef systems, national parks, and culture.
Holland America Line’s two 2028 voyages together span six continents. This matters because it gives travellers meaningful choice within the same long-voyage programme. Some guests want the variety of a world cruise. Others want a long but more regionally focused sailing.
The distinction helps when choosing between itineraries. A global voyage suits travellers who want range, rare ports, and a strong sense of distance travelled. An Australia and New Zealand voyage suits those who want deeper time across the Pacific and southern hemisphere.
Image courtesy of Holland America Line
Both routes require serious planning. The best choice depends on time away, destination priorities, port style, and preferred travel pace.
Extended voyages need more than duration. They need ports and sites which justify the time commitment.
Holland America Line has built both 2028 journeys around rare access, cultural landmarks, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These features help travellers understand where the value sits beyond the number of sailing days.
The Grand World Voyage includes 16 ports in the Mariners’ Collection, a group of calls only available on Grand Voyages. The list includes Easter Island, Walvis Bay, Reunion Island, and Cape Verde. These ports add a strong sense of purpose to the itinerary because they are not standard inclusions on shorter sailings.
This matters for guests who have already cruised widely. A long voyage needs to offer places they have not seen before or ports reached less often. Mariners’ Collection calls help answer that need by giving the route a stronger sense of distinction.
Easter Island brings remote Pacific history and archaeological significance. Walvis Bay introduces Namibia’s Atlantic coast and desert landscapes. Reunion Island adds Indian Ocean character. Cape Verde gives the route a West African island connection.
The Grand World Voyage includes access to 31 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Komodo National Park and the Taj Mahal. This is a major part of the itinerary’s value because UNESCO sites often represent places of recognised cultural, natural, or historical importance.
For travellers, UNESCO access provides a useful planning lens. It helps identify ports and shore experiences with deeper significance. A voyage with 31 such sites gives guests many chances to connect their cruise with world history, biodiversity, architecture, and regional identity.
Komodo National Park offers natural value and wildlife interest. The Taj Mahal brings one of the world’s most recognised architectural landmarks into the wider voyage. Together, examples like these show how the journey blends natural and cultural highlights.
Image courtesy of Holland America Line
The Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage also includes major UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Great Barrier Reef and Tongariro National Park. These sites give the 90-day route serious destination value beyond port variety.
The Great Barrier Reef stands among the world’s most significant marine environments. For cruise travellers, reef access adds strong natural appeal and gives the route a clear Australian highlight. Tongariro National Park adds a different type of value through volcanic landscapes, cultural significance, and New Zealand’s inland scenery.
This pairing shows why the 90-day voyage deserves attention in its own right. It is not a smaller version of the world voyage. It is a distinct route with its own set of natural and cultural anchors.
Overnight calls change how guests use a port. They create more time for evening dining, longer tours, and slower exploration. On long voyages, this extra time matters. It gives the itinerary breathing room and helps travellers avoid a rushed port rhythm.
The 90-day voyage includes overnight stays in Hobart, Sydney, Cairns, and Fremantle. These ports represent different sides of Australia, from Tasmania’s waterfront character to Sydney’s harbour, Queensland’s reef access, and Western Australia’s coastal gateway.
Overnights help guests experience these cities with more flexibility. In Sydney, travellers might enjoy evening harbour views or plan a longer city experience. In Cairns, extra time helps with reef or rainforest-focused activities. In Fremantle, guests gain a better base for Perth and the broader Western Australian region.
This extra time helps the voyage feel more complete. Guests do not need to squeeze each port into a short daytime window.
The itinerary also includes overnight calls in Auckland and Papeete. These stops matter because they deepen the Pacific dimension of the voyage. Auckland gives travellers more time in New Zealand’s largest city, while Papeete extends the French Polynesian experience.
Image courtesy of Holland America Line
An overnight in Auckland supports both city touring and wider regional options. Guests might focus on waterfront dining, cultural sites, nearby islands, or day trips beyond the city. Papeete offers a different rhythm, where island atmosphere, markets, lagoon settings, and local dining all benefit from more time.
For a 90-day voyage, these overnights help keep the itinerary from feeling too transactional. Guests stay longer and gain more control over how they spend each destination day.
Overnight stays also help travellers plan shore activities with less pressure. Some excursions need more time than a standard port call allows. Others feel better when guests know they do not have to rush back to the ship by late afternoon.
This matters for multigenerational groups, couples, and solo travellers alike. More time in port helps guests match activities to their comfort level. Some might choose full-day touring. Others might explore at a slower pace, return to the ship, then go out again in the evening.
This type of flexibility suits Grand Voyages because the trip itself already asks for a more relaxed travel mindset. Extra time in port supports that approach.
If Holland America Line’s 2028 programme has you weighing a longer cruise, the Cruise Finder helps compare ships, routes, and voyage lengths. It is useful when you want to review world cruises, regional long voyages, and destination-rich itineraries in one place.
The Cruise Finder also helps travellers compare options by port style, overnight calls, and preferred regions. You can use it to narrow the choice before seeking more detailed guidance on cabins, timing, and pre or post-cruise planning.
Holland America Line’s 2028 Grand programme gives travellers two distinct ways to approach long-form cruising. The 129-day Grand World Voyage aboard Volendam offers 45 ports across 26 countries, Mariners’ Collection calls, and access to 31 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The 90-day Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage aboard Zaandam offers 41 ports in 12 countries and territories, major UNESCO highlights, and several overnight stays across Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.
The best choice depends on how much time you want away, which regions matter most, and how much destination depth you want from the journey. If you want help comparing Holland America Line’s 2028 Grand World Voyage and Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage, call our team of travel experts for guidance.