Pan American World Airways may have stopped flying in 1991, but its centenary is getting a full send-off at sea. Holland America Line has unveiled its Pan Am 100th Anniversary Legendary Voyage — a 28-day Caribbean and Central America sailing aboard Zuiderdam, departing Miami on 30 October 2027 and tracing sections of the airline's historic Clipper routes.
The theme runs deep on board. Pan Am historians and former staff will give a rolling series of talks, including actor and storyteller Willie Aames on the airline's pioneering spirit and the WWII-era Pacific Clipper journey; Linda Freire, co-founder of the Pan Am Museum Foundation, on the people and culture behind the brand; and frequent-flyer storyteller David Kliman, who has logged more than four million airline miles and plenty of Pan Am memories. The airline's famous Clipper Club — its invitation-only network of pre-flight lounges — gets a reimagined tribute aboard the ship.
Food is a big part of the nostalgia. Menus recreate dishes once served in Pan Am's heyday: Cocktail de Crevettes with Louis dressing, Sole en Croûte with crabmeat filling in puff pastry, Broiled Filet Mignon Maître d'Hôtel, and a Grand Marnier soufflé for dessert. The cocktail list leans retro too, with a Pan Am Cocktail (white rum, Campari, orgeat, lemon, egg white) and the original Clipper Cocktail once poured aboard the flying boats, made with Mount Gay rum, Dolin Blanc and grenadine.
Ashore, several tours have been designed specifically for this sailing. In Cartagena, Colombia, guests can cruise the old town in a fleet of classic roadsters while learning why the city was a magnet for jet-setters hunting world-class emeralds. In Colón, Panama, the itinerary pairs the Agua Clara Locks with a ride on the Panama Canal Railway. Antigua's Shirley Heights lookout doubles as a stand-in for the vantage point Pan Am navigators used to guide aircraft into harbour. And in Port of Spain, Trinidad, travellers can visit Chaguaramas — the airline's former flying boat base — plus the Chaguaramas Military History & Aerospace Museum.
Who is this for? Aviation buffs, cruise regulars who like a narrative voyage, and anyone old enough to remember when flying felt like an occasion. With expert talks, themed dining and shore excursions all tied to one storyline, it's a rare example of a cruise where the theme shapes the whole trip rather than just the entertainment schedule. Bookings go through Holland America's website or a travel advisor — and with a 28-day itinerary in peak dry-season timing, early planning will pay off.
