EASTBAYTIMES.COM: March, 10, 2025

Budget travel and luxury — the two realities don’t often intersect, but when they do it’s something to celebrate.

Holland America has found the formula with its Pacific Coast cruises at a base price of $389. Cruise fans know that Holland America ships, especially their Pinnacle class of vessels, are architecturally stunning — from the gleaming mahogany accents to the sparkling chandeliers.

Every public space is reminiscent of a grand hotel, what you’d expect from a company exploring the world for more than 150 years. Yes, cruise add-ons will bring up the price, but savvy travelers know how to leverage loyalty perks and ship offerings like spa specials, happy hour and free entertainment options to make the most of a vacation at sea.

One cruise trend that’s adding value and attracting high-end diners is the addition of specialty restaurants. Holland America partners with Iron Chef Masahuru Morimoto to offer an extraordinary dining experience on five of the ships in its fleet.

Morimoto By Sea serves the sushi master’s signature sushi, sashimi and a menu of fresh fish that’s locally sourced as part of the line’s Global Fresh Fish program. The catch phrase is port-to-plate — with more than 80 types of fresh fish available in less than 48 hours, then prepared by chefs trained by Chef Morimoto himself.

“I always teach my chefs to be creative with their dishes,” Morimoto says, adding that the secret is to emphasize mastering the basics, then add their own flair to their dishes. The chef’s restaurants are also known worldwide for their tableside preparation of entrees like Ishi Yaki Buri Bop — yellowtail on rice prepared in a hot stone bowl.

“It allows diners to join in on the fun of the cooking. Guests really enjoy it because they can see the detail and precision that comes with making their dish,” he says.

Amazingly, specialty dining can be added to your itinerary for a flat fee of just $55 (plus 18% tax). The Pinnacle-class MS Koningsdam has several sail dates along the Pacific Coast in 2025.

One example is the October offering, which takes passengers from San Diego to Santa Barbara, then to Avalon in the California Channel Islands, then to Ensenada in Mexico’s Baja California and then back to San Diego. This four-day cruise (with a base price including tax and fees of $509) is a perfect short getaway for folks who want luxury, ease of travel, safety and adventure excursions like small-ship sailing off Catalina Island.

After a day of enjoying San Diego, the Koningsdam pulls leaves port in dramatic fashion at 3 p.m. Passengers see the coastline slowly meld into the sunset as the ship’s many cafés, bars, restaurants and live music venues come to life. Or you can swim or soak in the ship’s indoor and outdoor pools and jacuzzi tubs or enjoy a stroll on the top deck walking track.

When the Koningsdam steams into Santa Barbara at 8 a.m. the next day, there are lots of options for seeing this Mediterranean-style gem. The port is walking distance to marine museums and fantastic restaurants. A trolley tour is the best way to see the city and its celebrity neighborhoods, historic mission, bustling State Street and more. Some of the best whale-watching in the world is in the Santa Barbara Channel, and one of Holland America’s specially-curated excursions takes you on a high-speed catamaran for a guided whale-watching expedition.

A second night of starry skies and distance lights has passengers waking up to the clear coastal waters of Catalina Island and the charm of its seaside village of Avalon. While there, you can spend the day swimming, sailing, shopping the boutiques and exploring the history of the island that once belonged to chewing gum magnate William Wrigley and is mostly owned today by the Catalina Island Conservancy.

Day Four of this Pacific Coast cruise offers an international flair with a day in port in Ensenada, Mexico. Baja California’s third-largest city is an agricultural center and a wine region. Soft adventure excursions include all-terrain-vehicle tours and tastings through the wine region and kayaking to the Bufadora Blow Hole, the world’s largest natural blowhole with regular eruptions so high that they spray onlookers on the cliffs high overhead.

This short, but memorable coastal cruise ends on Day Five back in San Diego’s port, where even the disembark process is streamlined to send passengers on their way quickly and smoothly.

Seeing the value of cruise travel on this line doesn’t take an accountant. When you add up the accommodations, meals, nightly entertainment, ship amenities and thrill of sailing on a luxury ship, it’s an extraordinary deal for vacationers.

Ginny Prior can be reached at ginnyprior@hotmail.com and followed on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and at ginnyprior.com.

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FYI: You can search for Holland America cruises online by destination, date, duration and more at hollandamerica.com.