LinerLore Aboard Nieuw Statendam 25 July – 22 August 2026

LinerLore Aboard Nieuw Statendam 25 July – 22 August 2026

25 July 2026: Ahoy! Alfredo and I are now at sea onboard the lovely Holland America Nieuw Statendam, having set sail from Rotterdam. For the next 28 days we’ll be cruising northern waters with stops in Norway, The Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and Scotland before returning to Rotterdam and Dover. Along the way, we’ll experience a full solar eclipse on August 12. 

Our very great thanks to Geoff DeVito and all the Holland America folks shoreside and aboard ship for inviting us to share our salty sea tales. It’s a great honor and joy.

Throughout the journey, I’ll be available to “talk ships” with our fellow passengers and also offer my “LinerLore” maritime history presentations. See below.

Titanic: Legend and Legacy: Without a doubt, the most famous ship – and shipwreck – in the world, RMS Titanic has lived longer in memory and ongoing fascination than her all-too-brief maiden voyage. Learn of the 1898 book that “predicted” her story (and loss), and take a tour through the dozens of movies, and hundreds of books that continue to bring this classic sea tale to new generations. Plus – a Holland America connection!

Paddlewheels, Steam & Speed: The Birth of Oceanic Travel:

For millennia, humans have sought to bridge the “Old World” to the “New” over the “Western Ocean”. From St. Brendan to SS Great Britain from sail to steam, former ship office and award winning author David Eugene Perry chronicles the story of TransOceanic travel including the birth of the great Holland America line.

Ocean Olympians: Ships of State, Immigration & Sometimes War:
From 1900 – 1914, millions of Europeans crossed the Atlantic: immigrants, business people and tourists. The competition among the ship owners of the US, Britain, France, Germany, Holland and others was intense, and changed the world leading up to World War I.

The Golden Age of Liners: Blue Riband Royalty:

The Holland America greats including the iconic Nieux Amsterdam, Queens Mary and Elizabeth, Rex, Normandie, Breman & Europa and SS United States. These fastest and most glamourous of liners defined an age, and a way of life, between the Wars, and after. A crowd pleasing “must sea” talk of the Sea!

From Crossing to Cruising: A New Golden Age at Sea:

In the late 1950s, air-travel became “the only way to cross” the Atlantic. What to do with aging, elegant ships meant for passenger comfort but not competitive with jets? The answer: “Getting there is half the fun.” Learn how “crossing” gave way to “pleasure cruising” including Holland America’s significant contributions.

Linerlore: Classic Tales of the Sea and Famous Ship Stories:

Nothing is more evocative than “Tales of the Sea.” Learn about the Italian beauties Michelangelo & Raffaello, FDR’s presidential yacht Potomac, the only ship that ever sailed in two centuries, two millennia, and in two days – at the same time – plus more fascinating ship stories.