Selling Summer 2028 Cruises Now
Holland America and Royal Caribbean have opened summer 2028 bookings from Montréal and Vancouver, so advisors can lock in Canadian clients' best cabins nearly two years out.
Two big lines have put summer 2028 on sale this week, and both sail from Canadian ports. Holland America Line opened its 2028 Canada & New England season on 1 October, with Montréal as a key homeport. Royal Caribbean‘s 2028 Alaska lineup opened to the public the same day, after early access for its Crown & Anchor Society loyalty members, and includes two ships from Vancouver. For advisors with Canadian clients, that means a short-flight or no-flight 2028 cruise can be booked now, while cabin choice is widest.
Holland America: Montréal and a refitted Zuiderdam
Holland America says it will call at Montréal more often than any other cruise line in 2028. The season runs May to October on two ships, Volendam and Zuiderdam. Cruises last 7 to 14 days, with longer Collectors’ Voyages, and depart from Montréal, Québec City, Boston, New York and Fort Lauderdale. Some itineraries include late-night calls in Charlottetown and Saint John, New Brunswick, and overnight stays in Québec City. The line says the season gives access to five national parks and seven UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The selling point is Zuiderdam. It will be the first ship to sail the region after Holland America Evolution, a refit the line calls the largest fleet investment in its 153-year history. According to Holland America’s July announcement, Zuiderdam’s refit adds 32 Solo Verandah staterooms built for solo travellers, two forward-facing Bridgeview Suites, 14 Vista Suites and the Grand Dutch Café. The line opened bookings for the refitted ship’s spring 2028 sailings in July.
Most of the longer departures highlighted in the release are on Volendam:
- Fort Lauderdale to Montréal14 days, Volendam
- Montréal round trip11 days, Volendam (repeats 29 Aug)
- Montréal to Boston via Newfoundland10 days, Volendam
- Boston to Montréal via Newfoundland10 days, Volendam
- Montréal to New York9 days, Volendam
- Québec City to Fort Lauderdale14 days, Zuiderdam
Seven-day sailings linking Boston with Montréal or Québec City, or round trip from Boston, run all season on both ships.
Read next · Trade DeskHolland America Sails Pan Am's Golden Age2 min →Holland America’s “Have It All Early Booking Bonus” applies to select 2028 Canada & New England cruises for a limited time. It includes shore excursion credit, specialty dining, an Elite Beverage Package, premium Wi-Fi, prepaid crew appreciation and the line’s Best Price Guarantee. The release gives no fares.
Royal Caribbean: Alaska from Vancouver and Seward
Royal Caribbean will have four ships in Alaska from April 2028, all on 7-night cruises: Anthem of the Seas from Seward and Vancouver (May to September), Serenade of the Seas from Vancouver (May to September), and Ovation of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas from Seattle. Voyager starts in April and calls at Victoria.
Anthem is the ship for land-and-sea clients. Its sailings can be extended with 2- to 6-night Cruisetours before or after the cruise, including Denali National Park. Seward departures use the new cruise terminal Royal Caribbean Group built with the Alaska Railroad, next to the railroad station. The terminal opened in June 2026 and, according to Cruise Industry News, has 41,500 square feet (about 3,860 square metres) of enclosed space.
If you’re travelling: Both lines publish 2028 dates now, but not prices. Booking early gets you the cabin type you want, and with Holland America, the early-booking extras.
For advisors
- Pitch Montréal departures to Ontario and Québec clients. The 11-day round trip from Montréal (27 May or 29 Aug) needs no flight at either end.
- Hold Zuiderdam’s Solo Verandahs early. Thirty-two cabins won’t last long for a debut season, and the one Zuiderdam itinerary named in the release leaves Québec City on 14 October.
- Sell Anthem with a Cruisetour from Vancouver. It’s the simplest Alaska package for western Canadian clients who want Denali as well as the glaciers.
- Read the bonus terms. Holland America says the early-booking offer is limited and applies to select sailings only; confirm which ones qualify before quoting.
Sources
- Holland America Line, ‘Holland America Offers Most Montreal Cruises as 2028 Season Emerges’ (CNW), 1 Oct 2026
- https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/holland-america-offers-most-montreal-cruises-as-2028-season-emerges-824753161.html
- Royal Caribbean International, ‘Royal Caribbean Reveals 2028 Summer Lineup of Alaska Vacations’ (CNW), 30 Sept 2026
- https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/royal-caribbean-reveals-2028-summer-lineup-of-alaska-vacations-870183757.html
- https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/us/news/2026/July/news-07142026-evolution-zuiderdam (Holland America Line, Zuiderdam Evolution announcement)
- https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/whats-new/evolution/next-evolution-zuiderdam/ (Holland America blog)
- https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/holland-america-opens-2028-canada-new-england
- https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/ports-destinations/royal-caribbean-s-2028-alaska-includes-newly-amplified-ovation
- https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2026/06/royal-caribbean-inaugurates-new-cruise-terminal-in-seward-alaska/
Jeff Cameron is a chief operating officer who writes about the business of travel: operations, pricing, loyalty and the decisions behind the trips, seen through an executive lens.