It's all change on the no-fly market from the UK again, with Holland America announcing it is to sail three cruises from Dover to the Baltic and Norwegian fjords next summer.
The line has been testing the UK waters with a couple of mini cruises from Dover on Eurodam - they are in July but sales have clearly been good enough for HAL's US lords and masters to agree to the longer cruises.
Interestingly, just a month ago I reported the line has been having its best year ever for sales in the UK. Not bad going in a recession!
The 2010 cruises will also be on Eurodam, which will be operating 12 and 11-night sailings to the Baltic on May 29 and June 9 respectively, each with an overnight stay in St Petersburg, and also an eight-night Norwegian fjords voyage on June 21. Prices start from £939 per person.
It's good news for the UK no-fly market, which is losing a lot of capacity next summer, when NCL pulls its cruises from Southampton and downsizes the ship it is sailing from Dover to the Baltic.
What next? I guess if things continue to go so well a full season of HAL cruises from the UK is not so unlikely.
Jane Archer
