Metro Vancouverites looking for a long vacation can sail to several bucket-list tropical hot spots on an affordable cruise this fall.
Holland America Line (HAL) departs Canada Place on an epic 56-day voyage to the South Pacific on Sept. 25 that includes dreamy stops in Hawaii, Fiji, the Cook Islands, the Society Islands, Tahiti, and more before sailing into San Diego in California on Nov. 20.
Not everyone will find taking this cruise realistic. Guests must spend shy of two months on the high seas and have a few thousand saved to do it. However, the overall cost shaves about two-thirds the price of the cost luxury competitors, including Silversea, Viking, and Oceania. These competitors don't necessarily offer the same route but the differences are minor.
For people who need more time to plan (it is a long voyage), HAL and Princess Cruises (both owned by Carnival Corporation), typically offer sailings like this once or twice annually. The voyages may differ somewhat but key destinations should be included. Travellers can then plan a year or more in advance to take a similar sailing next year.
For those able to get on board this fall, the "Tales of the South Pacific" voyage includes overnights in popular destinations including Honolulu in Hawaii, Suva in Fiji, and Papeete in Tahiti, offering ample time for visitors to explore the paradisiacal ports.
Travellers will stop in San Francisco and San Diego before visiting three Hawaiian Islands, crossing the International Date Line, stopping in American Samoa, and visiting Fiji.
The Zaandam carries fewer guests, with a capacity of 1,432, allowing for more room on board. Passengers enjoy more space to enjoy musical decor featuring guitars signed by Queen, Iggy Pop, Eric Clapton and the Rolling Stones. It also boasts a luxury spa, called the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, as well as a fine dining restaurant.
| Date | Port | Arrive | Depart |
| Wed., Sept. 25 | Vancouver | 4 p.m. | |
| Thur., Sept. 26 | At Sea | ||
| Fri., Sept. 27 | At Sea | ||
| Sat., Sept. 28 | San Francisco, CA | 8 a.m. | 8 a.m. |
| Sun., Sept. 29 | At Sea | ||
| Mon., Sept. 30 | San Diego, CA | 7 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Tue., Oct. 1 | At Sea | ||
| Wed., Oct. 2 | At Sea | ||
| Thur., Oct. 3 | At Sea | ||
| Fri., Oct. 4 | At Sea | ||
| Sat., Oct. 5 | At Sea | ||
| Sun., Oct. 6 | Nawiliwili, Kauai, HI | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Mon., Oct. 7 | Kona, Hawaii, HI | 8 a.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Tue., Oct. 8 | Honolulu, Oahu, HI | 8 a.m. | |
| Wed., Oct. 9 | Honolulu, Oahu, HI | 11 p.m. | |
| Thur., Oct. 10 | Kahului, Maui, HI | 8 a.m. | 8 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 11 | Hilo, Hawaii, HI | 8 a.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 12 | At Sea | ||
| Sun., Oct. 13 | At Sea | ||
| Mon., Oct. 14 | Cross International Dateline (Cruising) | ||
| Tue., Oct. 15 | Fanning Island, Kiribati | 8 a.m. | 2 p.m. |
| Tue., Oct. 15 | At Sea | ||
| Tue., Oct. 15 | Cross International Dateline (Cruising) | ||
| Wed., Oct. 16 | At Sea | ||
| Thur., Oct. 17 | At Sea | ||
| Fri., Oct. 18 | Pago Pago, American Samoa | 8 a.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 19 | At Sea | ||
| Sun., Oct. 20 | Cross International Dateline (Cruising) | ||
| Mon., Oct. 21 | At Sea | ||
| Tue., October 22 | Suva, Fiji | 8 a.m. | |
| Wed., Oct. 23 | Suva, Fiji | 6 p.m. | |
| Thur., Oct. 24 | Lautoka, Fiji | 8 a.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 25 | Dravuni Island, Fiji | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 26 | Savusavu, Fiji | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Sun., Oct. 27 | At Sea | ||
| Mon., Oct. 28 | Nuku'alofa, Tonga | 8 a.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Tue., Oct. 29 | Vava'u, Tonga | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Wed., Oct. 30 | Cross International Dateline (Cruising) | ||
| Thur., Oct. 31 | At Sea | ||
| Fri., Nov. 1 | At Sea | ||
| Sat., Nov. 2 | Aitutaki Atoll, Cook Islands | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Sun., Nov. 3 | Rarotonga, Cook Islands | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Mon., Nov. 4 | At Sea | ||
| Tue., Nov. 5 | Raiatea, Society Is. | 8 a.m. | 6 p.m. |
| Wed., Nov. 6 | Bora Bora, Society Is. | 8 a.m. | Mid. |
| Thur., Nov. 7 | Huahine, Society Is. | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Fri., Nov. 8 | Moorea, Society Is. | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Sat., Nov. 9 | Papeete, Tahiti | 8 a.m. | |
| Sun., Nov. 10 | Papeete, Tahiti | 5 p.m. | |
| Mon., Nov. 11 | Fakarava, Tuamotu Islands | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Tue., Nov. 12 | At Sea | ||
| Wed., Nov. 13 | Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands | 8 a.m. | 5 p.m. |
| Thur., Nov. 14 | At Sea | ||
| Fri., Nov. 15 | At Sea | ||
| Sat., Nov. 16 | At Sea | ||
| Sun., Nov. 17 | At Sea | ||
| Mon., Nov. 18 | At Sea | ||
| Tue., Nov. 19 | At Sea | ||
| Wed., Nov. 20 | San Diego, CA | 7 a.m. |
Sailing to Paradise from Vancouver with Holland America Line
An inside cabin for two people costs $15,444.82 or $7,722.41 per person. The per-diem, per-person amount is $137.90 for the 56-day cruise (see slide three), making this nearly two-month-long voyage a great value.
Not only does that cost include your transportation on a beautiful four-star vessel, but it also includes meals, entertainment, snacks, and lodging. The only thing it doesn’t factor in is alcohol, but you may opt to purchase a drink package that can reduce the cost of your overall spending.
A flight back to Vancouver from San Diego is very affordable when booked in advance. Almost any day in November costs just over $200 for connecting options, while direct ones are just over $250 (see slide four).
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