Holland America Grand Voyages 2026 add star chefs

Published on Sep 24, 2025, 4:29 pm CDT

6 min read

Holland America Line will elevate its marquee Grand Voyages in 2026 with four high profile additions to its Culinary Ambassador Program. Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Seattle restaurateur Ethan Stowell, and Art of Tea founder Steve Schwartz join select segments of the 133 day Grand World Voyage aboard Volendam. Chocolatier Jacques Torres will sail a portion of the 93 day Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage aboard Zaandam, including a Chocolate Teatime when both ships meet in Sydney on March 7, 2026.

Key Points

Why it matters: Culinary Ambassadors add live demos, chef hosted dinners, and tastings to already immersive itineraries.
Travel impact: Shorter segments from 14 to 72 days, plus 33 or 60 days, make Grand Voyages more accessible.
What's next: Public bookings are open for 2026 Grand Voyages, with chef appearances tied to Asia and Pacific Coast segments.
Morimoto sails Sydney to Yokohama, aligning with the ship's Japan calls.
Torres hosts a one day Chocolate Teatime as Volendam and Zaandam rendezvous in Sydney.

Snapshot

Both 2026 Grand Voyages depart January 4, 2026. The Grand World Voyage, roundtrip Fort Lauderdale on Volendam, runs 133 days after a late 2024 refresh added more Asia and a Panama Canal transit. The Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage, roundtrip San Diego on Zaandam, spans 93 days across Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. New Culinary Ambassador programming layers chef demonstrations, coffee chats, and reservation only dinners in Pinnacle Grill, plus tea tastings with Steve Schwartz and a Chocolate Teatime by Jacques Torres when the ships meet in Sydney on March 7, 2026. Travelers can also book shorter segments, including Sydney to Yokohama and Singapore to Yokohama on the world voyage, and Sydney to San Diego on the Australia and New Zealand itinerary.

Background

Holland America has steadily expanded food and beverage programming tied to destination depth. Recent initiatives include the Global Fresh Fish program with Morimoto as Fresh Fish Ambassador, pop up Morimoto by Sea experiences, and the new six course Koningstafel chef's table rolling out fleetwide by spring 2026. Grand Voyages traditionally emphasize enrichment, longer port days, and regionally driven menus, making them a natural stage for Culinary Ambassadors. For 2026, Volendam's world cruise stretches to 133 days after the line adjusted routing to favor East and Southeast Asia and to bypass the Red Sea, while Zaandam's Australia and New Zealand voyage concentrates on marquee coasts and islands with an easy roundtrip from Southern California. The Sydney meet up on March 7, 2026, gives both sailings a signature crossover moment anchored by Torres's chocolate event. Segment offerings broaden access for travelers who want the flavor of a Grand Voyage without the full duration.

Latest Developments

Celebrity chefs headline Grand World Voyage segments

Morimoto joins the Sydney to Yokohama leg that departs March 7, 2026, aligning appearances with calls in his native Japan and adding locally inspired menus and demos. Ethan Stowell boards for part of the Yokohama to San Diego stretch, embarking in Seattle for late April into early May. Steve Schwartz, Art of Tea founder and CEO, appears during the Singapore to Yokohama portion that departs March 24, 2026, with tastings and tea education tied to port provenance. Across these segments, Holland America plans coffee chats, live cooking demonstrations, and small capacity, reservation only dinners in Pinnacle Grill hosted by each ambassador. Ten world voyage segments ranging from 14 to 72 days let travelers choose targeted portions, including Asia intensive routes that match the chef schedule. The line says executives will also join during the Pacific Coast portion for added events.

Torres brings Chocolate Teatime to Sydney ship meetup

Zaandam's Grand Australia and New Zealand Voyage will host Jacques Torres for part of the Sydney to San Diego segment that begins March 6, 2026. When Volendam overnights March 6 and Zaandam overnights March 7, both ships share Sydney for a one day rendezvous capped by a Chocolate Teatime created by Torres for guests. The event complements longer form culinary programming onboard and underscores the brand's tilt toward signature, one time moments on Grand Voyages. For travelers with tighter schedules, the Australia and New Zealand itinerary offers two segments of 33 or 60 days, each crossing highlights like New Zealand's fjords and Pacific archipelagos before the trans Pacific run. Roundtrip San Diego simplifies air and logistics for West Coast travelers, while the world cruise's roundtrip Fort Lauderdale origin gives East Coast travelers a single gateway. Bookings are open with limited inventory on chef dates.

Analysis

Culinary tie ins have become table stakes for premium lines, yet execution quality still separates marketing from meaning. Holland America's approach leans into authenticity by aligning appearances with geography, a smart choice that should translate to better product market fit onboard. Morimoto during Japan calls, Schwartz on an Asia segment, and Stowell on a Pacific Coast run create clear narrative arcs that travelers can understand and plan around. The Sydney meetup and Chocolate Teatime add a newsworthy tentpole without disrupting either voyage's pacing. Importantly, the brand continues to spread access through segments, keeping the Grand World Voyage aspirational while offering attainable entry points from two to ten weeks.

From an operations lens, the 2026 world cruise changes that boosted Asia after Red Sea concerns demonstrate nimble routing and risk management. That pivot also improves culinary synergy, since the line's Global Fresh Fish sourcing thrives in port dense Asian waters. The concept should dovetail with Koningstafel as it rolls out across longer itineraries, giving guests a consistent premium dining ladder that escalates to chef hosted evenings when ambassadors are aboard. For travel advisors, the sell is straightforward, pair destination depth with named talent on specific dates, emphasize roundtrip gateways that reduce complex air, and position segments as limited capacity events. Expect highest demand around Japan calls, the Sydney crossover, and late April coastal dates into San Diego.

Final Thoughts

For travelers eyeing a long voyage with serious culinary cred, Holland America Grand Voyages 2026 now bring recognizable names to already rich itineraries. The chef schedule maps to Asia and Pacific Coast segments, the Sydney Chocolate Teatime adds a headline moment, and roundtrip U.S. gateways simplify planning. Shorter segment options balance ambition with time and budget. If dining drives your destination choices, target March and April segments where Morimoto, Schwartz, and Stowell appear, or book the March Sydney leg to catch Torres's showcase. Availability is finite around chef dates, so plan early and anchor your search around Holland America Grand Voyages 2026.

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Topics

Holland America Line