Holland America Line will send ms Maasdam to Australia for the first time this wave season to join sister ship ms Noordam.

The mid-sized ship which can accommodate 1200 passengers will be homeported in Sydney from October till February next year. She will then return to Australia for her second season late next year when she offers a 31-day cruise departing Sydney on November 22 visiting Tonga, Tahiti, the Cook Islands and Fiji.

During her stay in Australia this year, ms Maasdam will offer a 17-day Australia and New Zealand cruise over Christmas and New Year, departing Sydney on 16 December. She will call at Melbourne, Eden, Burnie and Hobart enroute to Auckland and explore the eastern coast of NZ’s North and South Islands. She will also visit Milford Sound, Akaroa and the Coromandel Peninsula.

For those looking for a shorter 13-day cruise, ms Maasdam will depart Auckland on January 2 next year calling at Napier, Wellington, Akaroa and visiting the amazing Fiordland National Park.

“ms Maasdam is a much loved ship and one that HAL Mariners consistently name as one of their favourites in the fleet. It’s also great news that she’ll be back again later in 2017 for the 2017-18 season,’’ said Tony Archbold, the line’s director of sales for Australia and New Zealand.