Holland America Line will roll out an expanded rum experience across its Caribbean fleet starting in October, timed to coincide with National Rum Day on Aug. 16. The 2026-27 program features more than 35 rums and cane spirits, an exclusive single barrel from Barbados, expert-led tastings, and a cocktail menu inspired by island and maritime traditions.
The cruise line describes the offering as "widely considered one of the most comprehensive rum programs at sea."
Central to the experience is Holland America Line’s Rum Ambassador Program.
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READ THE STORYThe curriculum was developed by David Wondrich, the James Beard Award-winning author and cocktail historian, alongside Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, an authority on tiki and tropical drinks. Both train the cruise line’s bar teams.
Through guided tastings and educational programming, guests learn about rum’s diverse styles, production methods, and regional distinctions.
The program treats rum "not simply as a cocktail ingredient, but as a reflection of the destinations guests visit."
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Holland America Line has also expanded its single-barrel spirits program into rum with a custom-selected cask from Barbados’ Foursquare Distillery.
Selected exclusively for the line, the limited-release rum is available only onboard.
Guests can explore more than 30 expressions from many of the region’s most respected distilleries and rum-producing nations, including Barbados, Jamaica, Martinique, Guyana, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Venezuela, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Brazil.
The collection spans styles from Barbados’ Foursquare and Mount Gay to Jamaica’s Hampden Estate and Appleton Estate, as well as Martinique’s rhum agricoles.
To connect guests with the destinations they visit, the line partnered with Wondrich to develop an exclusive cocktail menu for Caribbean itineraries.
The menu includes the 17th Century Pirate Punch, inspired by communal rum punches served aboard sailing ships during the 1600s, and the Myrtle Bank Special Punch, a nod to Jamaica’s Myrtle Bank Hotel.
Other offerings include the Green Swizzle, Big Youth, and Cuba’s El Presidente.
Each drink "reflects the people, places and traditions that helped shape Caribbean drinking culture."
Founded in 1873, Holland America Line operates a fleet sailing to destinations worldwide, with the Caribbean among its core itineraries.
