It’s been a big morning for cruising in Australia with the announcement that Celebrity Century will be arriving on Australian shores in 2012/13 followed by the equally exciting news that Holland America Line’s ms Oosterdam will also be deployed Down Under during the same period.

The 2,387-passenger Oosterdam is part of the line’s Vista-Class, which is aimed at a “younger, more vibrant, multi-generational, family-oriented” type of cruise passenger, according to cruise industry bible Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships.

Oosterdam will join Volendam in local waters for the 2012/13 season and will effectively replace Zaandam, which will operate locally with Volendam during the 2011/12 cruise season.

The line also announced it would be opening a dedicated sales office in Sydney to handle new bookings. We are waiting for news of Oosterdam’s planned 10- to 25-day itineraries and when they will be on sale so will update you as soon as we hear!