Holland America Line Celebrates Mexico with New Cultural Ambassador Programme
A presentation on the Mayans’ Legacy pic: HAL
Holland America Line brings Mexico’s Culture to Life at Sea
Holland America Line is adding even more local flavour to its 2025/26 Mexico cruise season with the launch of a new Cultural Ambassador programme.
Tequila Workshop picture: HAL
Sailing roundtrip from San Diego on Nieuw Amsterdam, these cruises call at sun-soaked ports including Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, Cabo San Lucas, Loreto, Manzanillo and La Paz, with itineraries from seven to 14 days.
Two Mexican Cultural Ambassadors will join every voyage, sharing the country’s rich traditions, art and cuisine through a lively programme of talks, classes and workshops. Guests can dive into the mysteries of the Mayans, learn to dance the Mambo or Cha-Cha-Chá, try their hand at papel picado and piñata-making, or join a round of Lotería, Mexico’s answer to bingo.
A presentation on the Mayans’ history pic: HAL
Highlights include:
Presentations and talks
* ‘The Mayans’ Legacy: Mysteries and Knowledge’: Exploring the Mayan civilisation
* ‘All About Tequila’: Focusing on the heritage and craft behind Mexico’s iconic spirit
* ‘The Day of the Dead: A Fusion of Dance and Stories’: Celebrating the tradition through a mix of storytelling, visuals and live dance
Dance and language classes
* Learn the traditional Mexican Mambo, Cha-Cha-Chá and Salsa
* Spanish lessons, including ‘greetings and directions’ and ‘phrases for restaurants’
Arts & crafts workshops
* Papel Picado Workshop: How to create paper banners used in traditional Mexican celebrations
* Ojo de Dios (God’s Eye): How to craft the symbol of protection, intention and cultural heritage using colourful yarn
* Mexican Piñata Workshop: Build and decorate a festive piñata with authentic materials and techniques
Cultural game night
* Lotería (Mexican Lottery): Play the traditional Mexican game, similar to bingo, featuring cards that showcase the country’s heritage, folklore and daily life.
Foodies will also love the special Destination Dining menus, featuring regional dishes such as Grouper Salsa Picante, Oaxacan Lamb Leg Barbacoa, and Azteca Grilled Shrimp, alongside fresh local fish sourced through the line’s Global Fresh Fish Programme. And of course, there’ll be tequila tastings with award-winning Corazón Tequila from Jalisco.
Cruise Addicted’s Take
At Cruise Addicted, we think it’s great to see a cruise line truly celebrating the culture of the destinations it visits. Onboard cultural ambassadors make a real difference — we loved the Hawaiian team on our cross-Pacific voyage, and we think Mexico’s vibrant traditions will add even more magic to these sailings. Hopefully more cruise lines will follow suit in other destinations!
Find your Holland America Mexican Themed Cruise HERE and keep up to date with cruise news here
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico pic: HAL
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