Holland America to Host Private Island Pickleball Invitational
Four Countdown Cruises start with Nieuw Amsterdam’s nine-day Southern Caribbean sailing on November 20, 2026, with lessons and an island clinic led by professional players.
Holland America Line will host the Private Island Invitational, a professional pickleball competition, at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas on March 13, 2027. Organized with the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) Tour and Major League Pickleball (MLP), the event will use the destination’s four new pickleball courts.
Holland America describes the competition as the first professional pickleball invitational held on a private island. Ahead of the tournament, the line will operate four “Countdown Cruises” offering passengers instruction, social events and island play with PPA professionals.
The invitational will take place during Nieuw Statendam’s seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyage to San Juan and St. Thomas, departing March 7.
Jacob Cohen, chief revenue officer for PPA and MLP, said the competition “shows how pickleball is a sport that can truly be enjoyed anywhere.”
The event also coincides with the private destination’s 30th anniversary. Holland America began calling at the island in 1997.
Four sailings with professional players
The series opens with Nieuw Amsterdam’s nine-day Southern Caribbean cruise on November 20, 2026, followed by Zuiderdam’s seven-day Western Caribbean sailing to the Greater Antilles and Mexico on December 12, 2026.
Eurodam will operate the last two, departing January 2 and January 23, 2027. Both are seven-day Eastern Caribbean voyages visiting Amber Cove and the Bahamas.
Programming on the Countdown Cruises will include onboard lessons with PPA players and a professional-led clinic at RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay. Passengers will also be able to attend coffee conversations and meet-and-greet sessions with professionals, alongside pickleball-themed trivia.
Courts already on every ship
Holland America already offers pickleball throughout its fleet, with at least one top-deck court on every ship. Regular court access is complimentary and generally available on a first-come, first-served basis, while paddles and balls are supplied without charge.
The standard program includes beginner lessons and organized tournaments, usually on sea days, as well as open play for passengers of different skill levels. Court availability depends on weather and other scheduled ship activities.
The announcement did not include starting fares for the themed departures or specify whether the special pickleball activities carry separate charges. Holland America plans to identify the professionals appearing on each Countdown Cruise in the coming months.
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