Sarah Bretz, ContributorHolland America launched its 2024-2025 Caribbean season on October 20th, and the seven ships in the region have a variety of new destination-centric culinary, beverage, and shore excursion experiences. With a focus on local flavors and cultural immersion, the cruise line is eager to offer guests authentic connections to the food, drinks, and history of the destinations they visit.
“Caribbean culture is full of vibrant flavors that allowed us to get creative developing new dishes and cocktails that showcase the culinary traditions of the region,” said Michael Smith, senior vice president, guest experience and product development, Holland America Line. “We continue to add new and exciting experiences ashore that make a memorable impression on our guests while also taking a more personal look at the destination.”
Culinary
Regionally-themed menus in the dining room and buffet add to the culinary journey on every Caribbean cruise. Guests can enjoy a Caribbean-themed brunch, indulge in rum tastings, and celebrate with a pirate-inspired rum punch.
The Caribbean brunch menu in the main dining room showcases fresh, local ingredients. Examples of dishes including Jamaican Banana Pancakes, Sweet Potato Chowder, and a Florida Keys Mahi-Mahi Sandwich with grilled pineapple. Local flavors on the dining room menu in the evening include Chilly Caribbean Shrimp Cocktail with orange habanero aioli; Jerked Pork Tenderloin with peanuts, rice pilaf, and black beans; Spiced Pork Belly with pineapple, salsa, roasted squash, and sweet potatoes; and Chicken and Callaloo Soup with butternut squash, garlic, thyme, and toasted coconut.
During Caribbean sailings, the casual Lido Market buffet features regional favorites like Puerto Rican Tostones, Caribbean Lamb Curry, Caribbean Roasted Pork Sandwich, and Caribbean Bread Pudding. For Panama Canal cruises, there’s a Panamanian-themed dinner in the buffet.
Pinnacle Grill also offers up local flavors with the addition of Caribbean dishes like Jerked Chicken Bao and a Cuban Mojo Pork Chop to the menu.
Once per cruise, Holland America offers a themed Caribbean Tea Time that includes Pinacolada Mousse, Rum Baba Cupcake, Key Lime Tartlet, Caribbean Chocolate Brownie, Scones (Raisin/plain) and Gugelhupf, and assorted sandwiches.
Beverages
Holland America is introducing its exclusive Rum Ambassador programming on all Caribbean sailings, developed with world-renowned beverage experts and historians David Wondrich and Jeff “Beachbum” Berry.
A new menu of five Caribbean cocktails created by David Wondrich will feature the flavors of the region. A pirate-inspired rum punch debuted last season and will make a return to the ships’ bars and lounges.
- Green Swizzle: Choice of Planteray 3 Star or Fords Gin, Velvet Falernum, lime juice, absinthe, soda, and Angostura, swizzled
- El Presidente: Plateray 3 Star, Vermouth blanc, dashes of orange curaçao and grenadine
- Myrtle Bank Special Punch: Planteray 3 Star and Smith and Cross Rum, pot-still Jamaican rums plus lime, sugar, and a dash of Italian cherry brandy
- Big Youth: Planteray Xaymaca Rum and Smith and Cross Rum, sweetened condensed milk, coconut water, bitters, and nutmeg
- 17th Century Caribbean Pirate Punch: Two kinds of rich, pot-stilled Jamaican rum, a dash of orange curaçao, three kinds of citrus juice, and a sprinkling of fresh-grated nutmeg
On each ship in the Caribbean, one of Holland America’s bartenders will train to become a Rum Ambassador. In this role, they will lead rum tastings and seminars for guests.
Shore Excursions
Holland America offers hundreds of tours in Caribbean ports. From water-based experiences to culturally-immersive explorations, the range of shore excursions features something for every taste and level of activity. Six new shore excursions are available on Caribbean voyages:
- Dominican Culture: Cooking, Coffee, and Casa Typica (Amber Cove, Dominican Republic)
- Steel Band Extravaganza at Sunbury Plantation (Bridgetown, Barbados)
- Traditional Alebrije Carving & Painting Workshop (Cozumel, Mexico)
- Magens Bay Beach and Skyride at Paradise Point (Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas)
- Historic St. Thomas & Blackbeard’s Castle (Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas)
- San Juan Artisanal Rum Distillers Experience with Lunch (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
Comments
What are your thoughts on Holland America’s Caribbean programming for this season? Are you planning to take a Caribbean cruise this winter and if so, on what line? Drop us an anchor below and let us know!
