Holland America Opens 2028 Grand Voyages: Antarctica World Cruise and Australia–New Zealand From Fort Lauderdale and San Diego

What happened

Holland America Line opened bookings on May 20, 2026 for two 2028 Grand Voyages — the long-lead itineraries the line reserves for travelers who measure vacations in months, not nights. If this week's headlines had you comparing Alaska debuts or Memorial Day promos, HAL's move sits in a different planning lane: multi-continent routing, Antarctica time, and a deposit timeline measured in years.

Both sailings are now bookable through Holland America's standard reservation channels, with early-booking benefit stacks for guests who commit by June 14, 2027. That leaves roughly two years to align medical planning, visa thinking, and the cabin category that fits a grand-voyage budget — without treating the decision like a last-minute seven-night impulse book.

Two voyages at a glance

Grand World Voyage (129 nights) — Volendam, roundtrip Fort Lauderdale, departing January 4, 2028. Holland America frames the route around 45 ports in 26 countries, including an Antarctic Experience segment and a ceremonial sail past Null Island on the published map — the kind of routing detail you only see on world-cruise calendars.

Grand Australia & New Zealand Voyage (90 nights) — Zaandam, roundtrip San Diego, departing January 30, 2028. This loop covers 41 ports across 12 countries, crosses the International Date Line, and emphasizes extended time in New Zealand and the South Pacific rather than touching every continent in one sweep.

Both voyages call at Bora Bora in 2028 — the first season, per Holland America, that both HAL grand voyages visit the island in the same year. Guests who book by June 14, 2027 may receive up to $10,700 in early booking benefits per stateroom on the world voyage and up to $8,500 on the Australia–New Zealand sailing; confirm perk stacks and cabin tier on hollandamerica.com before you place a deposit.

Why 2028 routing stands out

HAL previewed the routing in an April 2026 announcement focused on Antarctica, New Zealand, and South Pacific depth before the May booking window opened. The sell is sustained time in cold-water and remote regions on mid-size ships built for repeat guests who want unhurried sea days and long stretches ashore — not a single marquee port dropped into a standard loop.

For U.S. travelers, the homeports matter. Fort Lauderdale and San Diego roundtrips reduce the one-way flight puzzles that European-embark world cruises often create. If you were already weighing a premium Alaska week — we covered Star Princess's Seattle debut this month — think of these 2028 HAL grand voyages as the opposite commitment: one packing rhythm, one ship, months of movement.

What this means for you

This is inventory for retirees, repeat Holland America guests, and bucket-list planners — not first-time seven-night Caribbean shoppers. A grand voyage is a lifestyle decision: deposit rules, cancellation posture, and whether you want Antarctica-level ambition now or a shorter HAL sailing while you compare total cost and onboard pace.

The compare block above shows our warehouse lead-in fares for the 129-night Volendam and 90-night Zaandam sailings named in this story — about $35,564 and $24,439 inside, respectively, when we checked on May 24, 2026. Holland America's early-booking benefit caps ($10,700 / $8,500) are line-side perks; confirm stacks on hollandamerica.com before you deposit.

Do not assume the shorter-sailing fares in the grid below price those grand voyages. When we checked the same day, other Holland America itineraries on Stop Looking Start Booking started around $254 per person including taxes and fees — useful for a "try the line first" strategy, not a substitute quote for four months at sea.

If a week from a Gulf homeport is closer to your reality, our 7-night Caribbean homeport guide shows how short-loop planning differs from roundtrip world-cruise logistics — flights, parking, and proof-of-return thinking all change when you are gone three months.

What to do next

If a 2028 grand voyage is realistic, request the line's brochure PDF, map deposit and cancellation terms for your chosen cabin, and calendar the June 14, 2027 early-booking cutoff. If you are not ready, book a shorter Holland America cruise you can afford to repeat while you research — then compare cabin loyalty and onboard rhythm before you escalate to 90 or 129 nights.

Browse Holland America sailings to shop shorter itineraries while you verify grand-voyage inventory on hollandamerica.com.