Holland America Line’s tenth ship has continued its passenger cruises, as Westerterdam is leaving the port of Seattle today.

Technically, the continued operation of the ship means that all 11 Dutch ships have continued to operate, although only ten are sailing on regular passenger cruises. This is because the Dutch government is currently renting Volendam to accommodate refugees from Ukraine in Rotterdam.

Today, Westerterdam begins the summer season of seven-night cruises with the Alaska Explorer, which will stop in Juneau, Sitka, Kecsicano and Victoria, with a picturesque cruise to see the Hubbard Glacier. This season will last until September 25, and the ship will make 16 cruises with this itinerary.

On October 2, Westerdam is set to embark on a 37-night one-way trip from Seattle to Sydney, Australia, with ports that include destinations such as Fiji, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Hawaii. The trip will also have an extended option, so the voyage will last 52 nights - it also ends in Sydney. By mid-December, the ship will travel to Australia and New Zealand before returning to Asia.

Westerterdam is part of the Vista-class, debuting in 2004. In 2015, the ship suites underwent a major transformation as part of Dutch America’s $ 300 million effort to upgrade its best cabins. In 2017, it underwent a major renovation again - this time in public areas. These included adding Exploration Central and a place for live Billboard Onboard music.

Following the shutdown of the global cruise industry in 2020, Holland America originally resumed operations in July 2021. The last ship to resume regular passenger voyages - the Volendam - is set to begin a series of trips to the Mediterranean this September following its charter.