Holland America Line has put its 2028 Canada and New England season on sale, and it's a big one: sailings from May through October 2028 aboard two ships, the Volendam and the Zuiderdam, with itineraries from seven to 14 days. Departure ports include Montréal, Québec City, Boston, New York and Fort Lauderdale, and the line is also selling longer 'Collectors' Voyages' that combine back-to-back sailings.
The lineup covers a lot of ground. Standard seven-day routes run between Boston and Montréal, Boston and Québec City, or roundtrip from Boston, with stops that can include Prince Edward Island, Sydney and Halifax in Nova Scotia, Portland in Maine, and Saint John in New Brunswick. Beyond that, there are more specialised sailings: a nine-day Lighthouse & Harbors trip from Montréal to New York departing 30 September 2028; a 10-day Québec & Newfoundland voyage from Montréal to Boston on 7 June 2028, calling at smaller spots like Baie-Comeau, Havre-Saint-Pierre and St Anthony; and a 10-day return version in August hitting Saguenay and St John's.
If you want the fullest loop, an 11-day Maritimes & New France circle sailing roundtrip from Montréal (departing 27 May and 29 August 2028) includes a genuinely unusual port: Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, the French territory off Newfoundland. And two 14-day options bookend the season — one from Fort Lauderdale to Montréal in mid-May via Norfolk and Boston, and an October run from Québec City down to Fort Lauderdale aboard the Zuiderdam.
That October sailing is notable for another reason: it marks the regional debut of the post-Evolution Zuiderdam. The ship is the second of six vessels getting the Evolution treatment, described by Holland America as the largest fleet update in its 153-year history. Holland America also claims more Montréal calls than any other cruise line for this season, and is leaning into onboard regional programming — local entertainment and destination-focused dining — to extend the experience beyond the ports.
The line's pitch is simple: this stretch of coast delivers a European feel without the transatlantic flight, from French-speaking Montréal and Québec City to the maritime culture of Atlantic Canada. For travellers, booking 2028 this early means the pick of cabins and the longer, less common itineraries — especially the Newfoundland and Saint-Pierre sailings, which tend to sell to repeat cruisers first. If your interest is fall colour, aim for the September and October departures; if you'd rather have milder weather and puffin season in Newfoundland, the June sailing is the one.
