Volendam departed Venice on Tuesday (27 September) on a 14-day Holy Land and Ancient Kingdoms Explorer sailing.

The ship has spent the past six months on charter to the city of Rotterdam where it is housing Ukrainian families.

It has served as a temporary home for up to 1,500 refugees as part of a commitment by the Netherlands to accommodate 50,000 people fleeing the war in their country.

HAL held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the occasion, attended by the ship’s captain and senior officers. Guests were welcomed onboard with a flag-waving fanfare.

“This is a milestone day as Volendam embarks on its first full cruise since the industry-wide pause,” said HAL president Gus Antorcha.

“We are thankful for the incredible work of the shipboard team these past six months, caring for Ukrainian families. As we get back to cruising, we are excited to welcome guests on Volendam for a series of longer voyages that include explorations of the Mediterranean, Amazon and South America."

Over the coming weeks, Volendam will sail a series of 14-day itineraries to Greece, Turkey, Italy, Croatia and Montenegro.

In late October, it will reposition to Fort Lauderdale to sail a 28-day Amazon Explorer itinerary, followed by a series of Caribbean cruises.

Then, in January 2023, it will embark on a 74-day Grand South America and Antarctica voyage circumnavigating the continent.