Pan Am’s “flying boat” Clipper planes have all been retired, but Holland America Line will offer the next best thing in 2027.
The cruise line is partnering with Pan Am to take guests to destinations visited by the aircraft, which were popular in the 1930s and ’40s, and had boat-like hulls that enabled them to land on water. The 28-Day Pan Am 100th Anniversary Legendary Voyage will spend nearly a month exploring the Caribbean.
“Originally designed as ‘ships of the air’, Pan Am’s Clipper service offered passengers an extraordinary level of elegance and comfort,” Craig Carter, CEO of Pan American World Airways, said in a news release. “From multi-course meals served on fine china to lounges for socializing, these flying clippers were a pinnacle of travel’s golden age. We’re thrilled to partner with Holland America Line to bring that experience back to life at sea – 100 years after our first flight.”
The cruise will depart from Miami, a home base for Pan Am, on October 30, 2027, on the line’s 1,988-guest Zuiderdam ship.
This won’t be the typical Caribbean cruise. Eight of its 18 ports of call will be historic Pan Am destinations such as Nassau in the Bahamas; Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas; Castries in St. Lucia, and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The latter “first linked Pan Am’s Caribbean network to both North and South America,” according to the release.
Passengers will also visit the cruise line’s private Bahamas destination, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay.
Other ports include Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Santa Marta and Cartagena in Colombia. Travelers can also enjoy special programming onboard, such as themed meals and “period-inspired décor.”
“Pan Am and Holland America Line both helped pioneer modern travel – Pan Am in the skies and Holland America Line at sea. With roots that reach back more than a century, both brands share a legacy of connecting people to the world with impeccable service and a spirit of discovery,” Paul Grigsby, the cruise line’s vice president of itinerary planning and deployment, said. “This collaboration is a tribute to the golden age of travel and humanity’s enduring drive to explore.”
The sailing currently starts at $3,724 per person based on double occupancy, including taxes and fees. Holland America fares include accommodations, many meals onboard, entertainment and more.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
