Shane Hobday and Jason McGregor (Sydney Port Authority) with ms Oosterdam Captain Arjen C van der Loo accepting welcome plaque.

Holland America Line’s ms Oosterdam arrived in Sydney for her Down Under summer season yesterday.

Oosterdam, the first HAL Vista-class ship to be based in Australia, will undertake a series 10-28 day voyages to New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Holland America Line Sydney-based director of sales Tony Archbold told e-Travel Blackboard, “The arrival of Oosterdam means a 25 percent increase in capacity” joining ms Volendam this wave-season.

HAL opened a dedicated Australian office last August and the number of Australians travelling with the cruise line has “grown impressively” said Mr Archbold.

The 82,000 tonne liner offers a variety of stateroom options from verandah suites, ocean-view to interior staterooms providing generous personal space and a variety of prices points to suit all budgets.

Oosterdam guests will enjoy exceptional dining and enrichment programmes during every sailing. Options include cooking demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Centre and the world’s first Digital Workshop at sea powered by Microsoft Windows.

Jerrol Golden Holland America Line’s Manager International Public Relations, who escorted e-Travel Blackboard for a full ship tour and luncheon in the Pinnacle Grill restaurant, said HAL itineraries are very port orientated. “This season there will be eight New Zealand cruises offering spectacular scenery and exciting shore excursions on HALs port intensive itineraries” she said.

ms Oosterdam Captain Arjen C van der Loo accepted a welcome plaque from Sydney Port Authority during the ship’s turn-around yesterday marking her inaugural visit to Australia.

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