An Introduction To: Holland America Line

What's It Like To Cruise With Holland America?

Holland America Line is renowned for its timeless elegance, immersive experiences, and award-winning service. They were originally a Dutch company (as you may have guessed from their name) that has been cruising since the 1890s. 

Today, the US-based cruise company continues to pay tribute to their Dutch heritage by naming their fleet of traditional ships in Dutch, and continuing to deliver incredible experiences at sea for all their passengers. 

In this blog, we take a closer look at Holland America Line, including what to expect onboard, plus their food and entertainment offerings. 

Meet The Fleet

Holland America has a fleet of 11 ships, which are all mid-sized, spacious vessels. The smaller guest numbers mean that their ships have more personal space as well as having the facilities to keep you entertained that you would expect to find at sea. 

Ships are split into six classes, have between 8-11 passenger decks and can accommodate between 835 and 2650 guests. Here’s a full list of all Holland America Line ships:

MS Nieuw Statendam - Pinnacle Class, Built: 2018, Passengers: 2666

MS Koningsdam - Pinnacle Class, Built: 2016, Passengers: 2650

MS Nieuw Amsterdam - Signature Class, Built: 2010, Passengers: 2106

MS Eurodam - Signature Class, Built: 2008, Passengers: 2104

MS Noordam - Vista Class, Built: 2006, Passengers: 1924

MS Westerdam - Vista Class, Built: 2004, Passengers: 1964

MS Oosterdam - Vista Class, Built: 2003, Passengers: 1964

MS Zuiderdam - Vista Class, Built: 2002, Passengers: 1964

MS Zaandam - Rotterdam Class, Built: 2000, Passengers: 1432

MS Volendam - Rotterdam Class, Built: 1999, Passengers: 1432

MS Rotterdam - Rotterdam Class, Built: 1997, Passengers: 1404

Is There A Typical Holland America Cruiser?

Holland America Line has a country club feel, whereby you feel relaxed in a classy environment, and is for those who love their destinations, as they travel to far-flung locales such as Asia and Alaska. The line is ideal for guests who like to enjoy traditions such as afternoon tea and the elegance of having an abundance of art onboard. 

It’s for those who like a relaxed ambience and an intimate setting and who aren’t after the bells and whistles of larger ships. There are no rock climbing walls or water parks here - instead, you’ll find elegant atriums, vintage style décor and a great variety of laid-back entertainment.

Singles are welcomed on board and have plenty of opportunities to make new friends as well as solo cabins. There are also facilities which make Holland America an option for families as well as disabled guests.

Entertainment Onboard

Many people worry that they will get bored on a mid-sized ship because they mistakenly think that there will be little to do. But they couldn’t be more wrong!

Holland America has an area onboard called the Culinary Arts Centre where you can take classes. You’ll learn to make dishes as you mingle with world-renowned chefs and watch them give a master cooking class. You can also try your hand at wine tasting and cocktail making, all before dinner!

The cruise line is perhaps best known for its incredible array of musical venues. By night, Holland America Line’s ships come alive with live music provided by BB King’s Blues Club, the Rolling Stone Lounge, billboard onboard, and Strings & More, all featuring an exceptional array of singers, entertainers and bands. 

For those of you who want some light entertainment, then you’ll be able to catch performances which include musical showcases, and shows featuring Broadway veterans, illusionists, comedians and musicians in the World Stage theatre. 

The Greenhouse Spa & Salon is Holland America’s resident onboard spa that offers a range of treatments and wellness rituals. Whether you want a relaxing facial or a soothing massage there are plenty of treatment rooms and relaxing areas with breathtaking views of your surroundings. 

Reinvigorating treatments include hot stone massages, pedicures, hair styling and skin treatments. The spa itself boasts a hydrotherapy pool with bubbling warm salt water and comfortable heated ceramic lounge chairs.

This spa is complemented by a full onboard fitness centre. Classes include the likes of yoga, indoor cycling, Pilates and cardio circuit training and access to fitness equipment such as treadmills, bikes, stair machines, weights and rowing machines. 

Everyone’s favourite source of cruise ship exercise - the pool - is available for you to take a dip in after a long hard day of sunbathing. Each ship will have two outdoor swimming pools, one of which is enclosed in a glass dome so that you can still enjoy a dip, even if you’re cruising in Alaska!

The bars and lounges on board are also a good place to meet people and relax as you listen to music and indulge in a tipple, or two! There are also spacious meeting rooms available for you to use for card and bridge games, as well as an area for religious service.

Another popular recreational choice on board is the shopping options, as there are plenty of world-class luxury brands available to shop at such as Forevermark and Le Vian. As well as this, there are shops for those little things you may have forgotten - such as toothpaste!

If you don’t mind what you spend your money on, then you could head to the casino and try your luck with the dice. Inside the casino is a selection of Las Vegas-style cruising with everything from nickel slots to video poker. Have a go and enjoy the high stakes, if you dare!

Dining Experience

Similar to most other cruise lines, Holland America has dining options that are both included in your fare and speciality options that you can pay to dine in. You can also dine in them at a time to suit you with “as you wish” dining. 

In the Main Dining Room (included in your fare) you can expect to find international cuisine and you can eat here for any meal. The wine list available has over 100 labels on it, and examples of the food include apricot glazed salmon, quinoa and sweet potato cakes followed by peanut butter silk pie.

Speciality restaurants available to dine at, for a small extra charge, include: Tamarind, Morimoto by Sea, Nami Sushi, Rudi’s Sel de Mer, Canaletto and Pinnacle Grill. Tamarind offers Asian Fusion-style cuisine, Morimoto by Sea serves delicious seafood, and Pinnacle Grill dishes up Pacific Northwest steak and seafood. 

Canaletto is adjacent to the Lido restaurant and provides an authentic Italian meal, Rudi’s dishes up traditional French fare, and Nami Sushi serves authentic fresh sushi. 

Casual dining venues include the Lido Restaurant (a good choice of sushi, gourmet sandwiches and salad bar), Slice (serving gourmet pizzas) and Dive In (which serves burgers and hot dogs). 

Those of you who are health-conscious, kosher or diabetic will have your needs catered to, just let Holland America know when you book your dietary requirements and let them take care of the rest. Additionally, 24-hour room service is available to all guests and you’ll also be able to enjoy Afternoon Tea on many sailings.

Family Friendly Facilities

There are lots of kids' facilities available onboard Holland America Line’s ships for those aged 3 to 17 years old. Young guests will be invited to a Welcome Aboard party on the first night and can take part in a range of activities. There are three tiers of kids clubs available which are:

Club Hal Kids: For kids aged 3 to 7. These younger children will be supervised at all times and take part in pirate treasure hunts, arts and crafts, ice cream parties and PJ parties.

Club Hal Tweens: Children aged 8 to 12 can join in x-box tournaments, karaoke parties and a Junior Ranger programme and make use of their own dedicated area to play arcade games, air hockey, table football and Dance Dance Revolution.

Loft For Teens: For teens aged 13 to 17 years old. They will be able to make mocktails, participate in sporting competitions, take tech classes and have fun at teen-only club nights. Several ships have a teen-only lounge and there are internet access stations and pools teens can play in.

Amenities

Holland America Line caters to guests with additional needs, thanks to a range of options available such as print braille menus, wheelchair-accessible cabins, tender lift systems and staterooms fitted with a vibrating bed alert.

Each room is fitted with a good range of amenities too, including a flat panel TV and DVD player (with a complimentary DVD library), Egyptian cotton towels, a safe, fresh fruit upon request, complimentary shoeshine and a minibar.

The suites onboard are equipped with an even greater level of luxury and include items such as organic cotton robes and slippers, a fitness DVD, aromatherapy bath salts, nightly turn-down truffles and orchids in your room.

Every ship also has an onboard medical centre run by a physician and three nurses - 24 hours a day. So rest assured that even if you need an x-ray at sea, you’re fully covered!

Staff, Gratuities and Dress Codes

Gratuities are not included in standard cruise fares with Holland America Line, and are charged, at an additional cost, at per person per day. An 18% surcharge is also added to all bar, restaurant and spa purchases.

The dress code in the daytime onboard is casual, although you can’t wear your swimsuit to the buffet! Mostly you will just need to remember to pack for the climate you are travelling to. 

The only thing you may need to consider is if you need to cover up when visiting religious sites, but you will usually be informed of this on your itinerary if you have chosen a cruise line excursion.

In the evening, the dress code is split into two categories - gala attire and smart casual. Smart casual attire means slacks, sports shirts, trousers, skirts and blouses. Gala attire means smart suits and cocktail gowns.

Many guests on Grand Voyages may opt to dress formally every night - but it isn’t compulsory! Most cruises will have a least one gala night but it will vary depending on your itinerary and length of cruise. For example, you can expect one formal evening on a cruise of less than seven days and two formal evenings on a thirteen-day cruise.