Grand Meetup Reunites Friends, Sisters for Barcelona Extravaganza

Day 110, 2025 Grand World Voyage

Thursday, April 24, 2025; Barcelona, Spain.

Holland America exceeded my expectations with an amazing party and drone show tonight in Barcelona.

I admit that early on I had my doubts about the Grand Meetup 2025, when Holland America’s Zuiderdam and Volendam – each on a long grand voyage – would come together in Barcelona. We didn’t get much advance information about exactly how it would work, and I was particularly interested because my sisters, whom I hadn’t seen since fall, were on the Volendam. Many of the world cruise and long voyage regulars knew people on the other ship, and we were eager to see them. After all, we are family who live together much of the year.

The details came together perfectly in the past few days, with easy access to each ship via a skywalk at the port, a grand tea with groups of friends filling the dining room, reunions taking place all over both ships and parties on the facing Sea View decks all night long.

As the Zuiderdam arrived, backing up to the stern of the Volendam, I could just pick out my sister Elaine (see the red circle).

Once our ship had cleared entry, Eloise and Elaine were among the first to come over the Zuiderdam.

We spent the late morning and afternoon eating lunch in the Lido, stopping in the Crow’s Nest and wandering through the ship so they could see friends among the passengers as well as the ship’s staff (Elaine with Deb and with Angelica and Rey).

After tea, we went to the Volendam so I could do the same while they changed for dinner. I saw Rich and Suzi there, and Ellen later.

We had dinner with Ian and Megan Pearson who are sailing on the pole-to-pole voyage with my sisters.

As exciting as Barcelona is, we didn’t even leave the ships as we moved from group to group, catching up on our journey and learning future cruise plans of our friends.

But of course, the highlight was the party, with DJs providing the dance music on each ship. Only from a distance could you see just how close together the ships had docked. (The captains had to get special port permission to dock so close.)

Our concerns about how passengers would be able to buy drinks on the other ship were solved when the bars were open – no charge for anyone! Past world cruise friends Jett and Kelly joined our table, but hardly anyone sat as we kept reuniting and dancing with friends from past cruises.

The weather cooperated and the highlight of the evening was a drone show over the water, with images of each ship and the sights we have seen on our way to Barcelona. My friend Brad shared his video.

As if the reunion isn’t enough, it turns out both ships will be docked together again on Monday in Lisbon!