Hopping Aboard the Coolcation Trend with Holland America

One of the hottest summer vacation trends for 2024 is also pretty cool.

“Coolcation” is a major buzzword in the travel industry right now (it was even considered for the Cambridge Dictionary back in February). The trend has been featured in Luxury Travel Magazine, Condé Nast Traveller, and even Bloomberg, all within the last few months.

The term is self-explanatory: It refers to vacationing somewhere with a more cool or temperate climate, particularly during the summer season.

Holland America, a veteran in Alaska sailings, offers several itineraries that fit the coolcation demand. TMR was invited to experience one such cruise firsthand.

The coolcation trend is growing

With temperatures in Southern Europe and North America soaring in July and August, is it any wonder why travelers are flocking to colder climates?

More and more, travelers are visiting cooler destinations like Northern Europe, Alaska, and Scandinavia, particularly in the summer months. Demand for Alaska is at record highs, with a projected 1.64 million passengers expected on 696 Alaskan cruises this year alone. Predictions suggest Iceland will see its busiest travel year ever.

The trend is fueled, in part, by climate change. A 2023 study conducted by the European Union found that tourism is shifting away from traditionally popular European destinations like Greece and Italy due to inhospitably high temperatures, with Northern regions seeing a boost in visitors.

Holland America’s coolcation experience

TMR recently experienced the 7-Day Islands of Scotland & Iceland cruise on Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam, which departed from Reykjavik, Iceland on June 8 and ended in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 15.

The cruise was scheduled to make stops in Heimaey (Iceland), Djupivogur (Iceland), Kirkwall (Scotland), and Inverness (Scotland). Shore excursions ranged from historic walking tours through ancient castles, to nature hikes across a breathtaking glacier. Possible puffin sightings were, perhaps unsurprisingly, a major selling point for multiple tours.

HAL invited a small group of press on the trip to experience the ship’s offerings firsthand. Many of the journalists invited (myself included) had never done a cruise in this region before. The eight-day trip featured some activities geared for press (like a cocktail demonstration and behind-the-scenes tours), but most of our time was spent enjoying the cruise alongside other passengers.

Cool-cation, not cold-cation

The trip was definitely a “cool” vacation. Staterooms came with fuzzy fleece blankets, which were much-needed for sitting on the balcony. The outdoor decks were sparsely used by guests throughout the sailing, likely because of the chilly sea air. It was never cold, but it was windy and brisk—many of the passengers TMR spoke to were from areas like Seattle, Florida, and Vancouver, and while they weren’t uncomfortable, they did need to bundle up to be outside.

Some of these guests complained of being cold on shore days, particularly in Heimaey when waiting to tender. Kirkwall, Inverness, and Copenhagen were noticeably warmer, but also damp thanks to the rain. Some sort of windbreaker or rain jacket is highly recommended.

As a Canadian from the Toronto region, I personally found the temperatures pleasant throughout the trip (sans jacket), but guests accustomed to year-round warm weather will need to bring appropriate clothing to feel comfortable.

Rougher waters

A possible downside to an Iceland and Scotland cruise is that the North Sea has generally rough waters. Nieuw Statendam was swaying (the relaxing spa hydropool became a wave pool). A cruise influencer in the press group really struggled with seasickness on the trip, having to excuse himself from our dinner on the roughest night.

The Iceland ports of call (other than Reykavik) required tender boats, and that experience was complicated by the weather. Not only was it a lengthy process getting on and off the cruise ship in Heimaey, but the experience on the tender boats themselves was unpleasantly jerky, and it was difficult getting on and off because the boats were moving so much.

The stop in Djupivogur was cancelled due to inclement weather, and guests had another day at sea instead. To HAL’s credit, the crew hustled to fill the day with last-minute activities to keep guests entertained.

A unique adventure

There was a laid-back vibe on Nieuw Statendam that was in keeping with HAL’s reputation for attracting older passengers. But there was something else too: A spirit of adventure.

Guests flocked to the information sessions for each port. Nieuw Statendam is a beautiful ship with clean, comfortable cabins, but it’s not luxurious nor is it stacked with onboard recreational facilities. It was obvious guests came for the unique destinations—and they stayed on Nieuw Statendam for the good food and nighttime musical performances.

Speaking with guests, most were of retirement age and many were frequent HAL cruisers. Few were on the seven-day sailing: most were doing a minimum of 14 days, with some having started before we embarked in Reykevik and some staying past Copenhagen. HAL makes a point to stop at different ports on round trips so guests staying for multiple weeks don’t have repeat destinations.

When asked why they booked this sailing, almost everyone answered that they were drawn to Iceland and Northern Scotland as bucket list destinations. “Something different,” said one grandmother, a veteran cruiser on a multigenerational family trip.

This might be the coolcation’s secret weapon: novelty. These destinations are less traveled, generally, adding to the appeal. Post-COVID, tastes have changed, with more emphasis on doing memorable, once-in-a-lifetime trips over the familiar sun-and-sand staples. The coolcation is perfectly positioned to fit that need.