OOSTERDAM
August 24, 2026 | Mediterranean Cruise – Day 3: Kotor, Montenegro
Day 3 of our 14-day Mediterranean cruise aboard Oosterdam (Holland America Line) brought us to Kotor, Montenegro, on August 24, 2026. Our first port after leaving Athens combined the mountain-lined Bay of Kotor with the historic fortified city before the voyage continued to Corfu.
Oosterdam entered service in 2003 as the second of Holland America Line’s four Vista-class ships, following Zuiderdam. Built by Fincantieri at Marghera, Italy, she combined the company’s traditional passenger-ship identity with a contemporary design featuring extensive verandah accommodations, expanded public spaces and outdoor promenade decks. Her introduction coincided with Holland America’s 130th anniversary, connecting a new generation of cruise ships with the company’s Dutch maritime heritage.
Her name incorporates the Dutch word “oost,” meaning east, and forms part of the compass-point naming theme shared with Zuiderdam, Westerdam and Noordam. The Vista-class ships became an important part of Holland America’s worldwide operations, serving both regional itineraries and longer voyages between cruising areas.
Our August and September 2026 journey aboard Oosterdam followed a route from Athens to Barcelona. Kotor was the first port after embarkation at Piraeus and a day at sea, introducing the Adriatic portion of a voyage that continued through Greece, Italy, France and the western Mediterranean.
Information List
Ship: Oosterdam
Operator: Holland America Line
Builder: Fincantieri, Marghera, Italy
Launched: November 18, 2002
Entered Service: 2003
Christened: July 29, 2003, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Class: Vista Class
Ship Type: Cruise ship
Length: Approximately 936 feet
Beam: Approximately 106 feet
Gross Tonnage: Approximately 82,300 GT
Guest Capacity: Approximately 1,964
Crew: Approximately 800
Passenger Decks: 11
IMO Number: 9221281
Operator During This Voyage: Holland America Line
Cruise: Our 14-day Mediterranean cruise from Athens to Barcelona
Cruise Dates: August 22–September 5, 2026
Embarkation Port: Piraeus, Greece
Disembarkation Port: Barcelona, Spain
Cruise Day: Day 3
Visit Shown: August 24, 2026, Kotor, Montenegro
History and Features
Construction and Entry Into Service:
Oosterdam was constructed by Fincantieri at its Marghera shipyard near Venice, Italy.
She was launched on November 18, 2002, before fitting-out work continued into 2003.
The ship entered service as Holland America’s second Vista-class vessel, following Zuiderdam.
Princess Margriet of the Netherlands christened Oosterdam in Rotterdam on July 29, 2003.
The naming formed part of celebrations marking Holland America Line’s 130th anniversary.
Westerdam and Noordam subsequently completed the company’s four-ship Vista-class group.
Design and Features:
The Vista-class design emphasized ocean views, verandah accommodations and a broad range of passenger facilities.
Oosterdam retains Holland America’s traditional dark hull and white superstructure.
Her machinery combines diesel engines and a gas turbine to supply electrical power.
Two Azipod propulsion units provide propulsion and maneuverability.
The ship’s public spaces include observation areas, dining venues, lounges and outdoor decks.
Her promenade and observation spaces provide different perspectives during coastal passages and port visits.
Our 2026 Mediterranean Cruise:
Our 14-day cruise aboard Oosterdam began at Piraeus, the port serving Athens, on August 22, 2026.
August 22 was Day 1 and embarkation day, followed by a day at sea on August 23.
Kotor, Montenegro, was our first port on August 24, Day 3 of the voyage.
The following day brought us to Corfu, Greece, for our second port of call.
The itinerary continued to Messina, Sicily, on August 26, followed by an overnight visit to Salerno on August 27–28.
Civitavecchia on August 29 and Portofino on August 30 completed the next portion of our Italian port visits.
We visited Ajaccio, Corsica, on August 31 and Marseille on September 1.
Following a day at sea, the ship called at Gibraltar on September 3.
A final day at sea preceded our arrival in Barcelona on September 5.
This gallery forms part of the same voyage documented in our Corfu, Salerno and Ajaccio galleries.
Kotor – August 24, 2026:
Our Day 3 call brought Oosterdam to Kotor on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast.
The city lies within the inner portion of the Bay of Kotor, also known as Boka Kotorska.
Steep mountains surround the bay, creating a distinctive setting for the approach to the historic city.
The itinerary included both the Kotor port call and cruising through the bay.
Kotor’s fortified old town reflects centuries of maritime trade and cultural exchange along the Adriatic.
Its historic buildings, walls and surrounding landscape form part of the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor.
The region was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.
Our photographs document Oosterdam during this Montenegrin stop before the voyage continued to Corfu.
Service:
Oosterdam entered service with Holland America Line in 2003.
Her career has included European and Mediterranean voyages as well as deployments in Alaska and other cruising regions.
The ship’s Vista-class design supports itineraries combining port visits, coastal passages and days at sea.
Our August 2026 cruise connected Greece and Montenegro with Italian ports before continuing through the western Mediterranean.
Kotor formed the opening port visit of that journey, following departure from Piraeus and preceding Corfu.
Legacy:
Oosterdam helped establish the Vista class as a central part of Holland America Line’s fleet.
Her introduction during the company’s 130th anniversary linked modern cruise-ship development with its Dutch heritage.
Her name represents the eastern point of the compass theme shared by the four Vista-class sister ships.
Our 2026 voyage adds a firsthand record of the ship and her Mediterranean port visits to the Ocean Liner Photography collection.
OLP Social: Our first port of call brought us into the mountain-lined Bay of Kotor on Day 3, before continuing to Corfu on our Athens-to-Barcelona voyage.
