Key Aspects:
- At least three of Zaandam’s remaining Alaska itineraries have been altered, with a high possibility that more have also been changed.
- The confirmed impacted sailings include the departures on July 15, August 19, and September 16.
- Holland America Line cited limitations related to operating speeds and ocean tides as the reasons behind the adjustments.
Several of Zaandam’s remaining Alaska itineraries for the 2026 season have been altered due to operating speeds and tidal constraints, impacting thousands of booked passengers.
Cruise Hive has learned of itinerary changes for the 1,837-guest ship made across multiple voyages, starting as soon as the July 15, 2026, departure and as late as the August 19 and September 16 sailings.
It’s quite possible that more voyages beyond these three have also been adjusted, and booked guests should look out for possible updates from the cruise line.
“We look forward to welcoming you on board Zaandam for your upcoming voyage. Due to operating speeds and tidal constraints, your itinerary has been adjusted,” Holland America began multiple letters, which were shared on Facebook by impacted guests.
The 61,396-gross ton ship is primarily operating identical 7-night voyages to Alaska via the famous Inside Passage, which sail round-trip out of Vancouver, Canada.
Prior to the itinerary changes, the sailings were supposed to visit Tracy Arm Fjord, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay, and Ketchikan.
The only exception is the September 16 voyage, which is the grand finale to the 2026 season and 18-nights long to visit more destinations throughout Alaska and Prince Rupert in British Columbia.
How Are the Itineraries Changing?
In March, Cruise Hive reported that Holland America Line had removed Tracy Arm Fjord from all of Zaandam’s 2026 Alaska itineraries due to unstable geological conditions. It was replaced by Endicott Arm Fjord.
Interestingly, Holland America’s new letters state that Tracy Arm had been removed from the impacted itineraries. It’s unclear if the cruise line is reminding guests of the earlier removal or if neither fjord will be visited anymore.
The new itinerary changes vary slightly by departure date. For example, one guest booked on the July 15 sailing posted on Reddit that departure would be delayed on embarkation day, Tracy Arm (or Endicott Arm) had been removed, and the ship would arrive late in Juneau.
Looking ahead to the August 19 sailing, the changes to Tracy Arm and Juneau apply plus a port call to Ketchikan had also been shortened by one hour. However, embarkation in Vancouver remained the same.
“We will no longer conduct a service call to Tracy Arm Inlet on Friday, August 21, and we will arrive in Juneau, Alaska at 2:00 PM rather than 1:30 PM on the same date,” Holland America wrote to guests booked on the August 19 voyage.
“Additionally, we will now depart Ketchikan, Alaska, at 6:00 PM on Monday, August 24, rather than 7:00 PM as previously scheduled,” the letter continued.
Meanwhile, the 18-night sailing that is scheduled to embark on September 16 will depart from Vancouver one hour early, which means guests who are flying to the port that day should plan to arrive in Vancouver no later than 10 a.m. local time.
An early departure on embarkation day is not where the changes stop. The scenic cruising schedule has also been reworked. Instead of sailing through the Seymour Narrows, the Rotterdam-class cruise ship will transit the Inside Passage.
Additionally, scenic cruising of Princess Royal Island, Grenville Channel, and Great Bear Rainforest has been moved forward. Port times have been amended accordingly.
For all impacted sailings, any NCL shore excursions will be automatically rescheduled when possible and cancelled and refunded when not.
Is Propulsion a Factor?
Beyond citing operating speeds and tidal constraints, Holland America Line has not given a more specific reason behind the itinerary changes.
That said, the cruise community will be wondering if the ship’s engines are still in need of repairs after propulsion issues threw a wrench into the June 3 and June 10 Alaska cruises.
At the same time, Alaska is also known for having some of the most extreme tidal swings in the world. The Cook Inlet, for example, can see differences of up to 40 feet between high and low tides.
While tidal changes don’t typically prevent cruise ships from completing their voyages, they require careful planning and smart timing to navigate safely and can impact docking and tendering operations.
As another example, the Seymour Narrows creates powerful tidal currents and should only be traversed during specific “slack” water periods for safety reasons.
Ultimately, there is no doubt that Holland America Line made these itinerary changes with the safety and comfort of all onboard as the brand’s top priority.
