Holland America Line has enjoyed a distinguished record of traditional cruises, world exploration, and transatlantic crossings since 1873 - all facets of its history that are reflected in the fleet's multimillion dollar shipboard art and antiques collections. Even the ships' names follow a pattern set long ago: all end in the suffix "dam" and are either derived from the names of various dams that cross Holland's rivers, important Dutch landmarks, or points of the compass. The names are even recycled when vessels are retired, and some are in their fifth and sixth generation of use.
Noted for focusing on passenger comfort, Holland America Line cruises are classic in design and style; however, with an infusion of younger adults and families on board, they remain refined without being stuffy or stodgy. Following a basic design theme, returning passengers feel as at home on the newest Holland America vessels as they do on older ones.
Entertainment tends to be more Broadway-stylish than Las Vegas - brash. Colorful revues are presented in main show lounges by the ships' companies of singers and dancers. Other performances might include a range of cabaret acts: comedians, magicians, jugglers, and acrobats. Live bands play a wide range of musical styles for dancing and listening in smaller lounges and piano bars. Movies are shown daily in cinemas that double as the Culinary Arts Centers.
Holland America Line may never be considered cutting edge, but the Signature of Excellence concept introduced in 2003 sets them apart from other premium cruise lines. An interactive Culinary Arts Center offers cooking demonstrations and wine-tasting sessions; Explorations Café (powered by
The New York Times) is a coffeehouse-style library and Internet center; and the Explorations Guest Speakers Series is supported by in-cabin televised programming on flat-screen TVs in all cabins; the traditional Crow's Nest observation lounge has a new nightclub - disco layout, video wall, and sound-and-light systems; and facilities for children and teens have been greatly expanded. Signature of Excellence upgrades are scheduled to be complete on the entire Holland America fleet by fall 2006.
Food
Holland America Line chefs, members of the Confrerie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs gourmet society, utilize more than 500 different food items on a typical weeklong cruise to create the modern Continental cuisine and traditional favorites served to their passengers. Vegetarian options as well as healthy Inbalance Spa Cuisine by Jeanne Jones are available, and special dietary requests can be handled with advance notice. Holland America's passengers used to skew older than they do now, so the sometimes bland dishes were no surprise; however, the food quality, taste, and selection have greatly improved in recent years. A case in point is the reservations-required Pinnacle Grill alternative restaurants, where fresh seafood and premium cuts of Sterling Silver beef are used to prepare creative specialty dishes. The $20 per person charge for dinner would be worth it for the Dungeness crab cakes starter and dessert alone. Other delicious traditions are afternoon tea, a Dutch Chocolate Extravaganza, and Holland America Line's signature bread pudding.
Flexible scheduling allows for four full dinner seatings in the two-deck, formal restaurants, alternating between upper and lower levels at 5:45, 6:15, 8:00, and 8:30.
Fitness & Recreation
Well-equipped and fully staffed fitness facilities contain state-of-the-art exercise equipment; basic fitness classes are available at no charge. There's a fee for personal training, body composition analysis, and specialized classes such as yoga and Pilates.
Treatments in the Greenhouse Spa include a variety of massages, body wraps, and facials. Hair styling and nail services are offered in the salons. All ships have a jogging track, multiple swimming pools, and sports courts. Some have hydrotherapy pools and soothing thermal suites.
Your Shipmates
No longer just your grandparents' cruise line, today's Holland America Caribbean sailings attract families and discerning couples, mostly from their late-30s on up. Holidays and summer months are peak periods when you'll find more children in the mix. Comfortable retirees are often still in the majority, particularly on longer cruises.
Dress Code
Evenings on Holland America Line cruises fall into three categories: casual, informal, and formal. Ties are optional, but men are asked to wear a sport coat on one informal night. For the two formal nights standard on seven-night cruises, men are encouraged to wear tuxedos, but dark suits or sport coats and ties are acceptable, and you'll certainly see them. Other nights are casual. It's requested that no T-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, tank tops, or shorts be worn in public areas after 6 pm.
Junior Cruisers
Club HAL is Holland America Line's professionally staffed youth and teen program. Age-appropriate activities planned for children ages three to seven include storytelling, arts and crafts, ice-cream or pizza parties, and games; for children ages 8 to 12 there are arcade games, Sony PlayStations, theme parties, on-deck sports events, and scavenger hunts. Club HAL After Hours offers late-night activities from 10 pm until midnight for an hourly fee. Baby food, diapers, cribs, high chairs, and booster seats may be requested in advance of boarding. Private in-cabin babysitting is sometimes available if a staff member is willing.
Teens aged 13 to 17 have their own lounge with activities including dance contests, arcade games, sports tournaments, movies, and an exclusive sun deck on some ships. Select itineraries offer water park - type facilities and kid-friendly shore excursions to Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line's private island in the Bahamas.
Service
Professional, unobtrusive service by the Indonesian and Filipino staff is a fleetwide standard on Holland America Line. It isn't uncommon for a steward or server to remember the names of returning passengers from a cruise taken years before. Crew members are trained in Indonesia at a custom-built facility called the ms
Nieuw Jakarta, where employees polish their English-language skills and learn housekeeping in mock cabins.
Tipping
$10 per passenger, per day is automatically added to shipboard accounts, and gratuities are distributed to stewards and waitstaff. Passengers may adjust the amount based on the level of service experienced. Room-service tips are usually given in cash (it's the passenger's discretion here). An automatic 15% gratuity is added to bar-service tabs.
Past Passengers
All passengers who sail with Holland America Line are automatically enrolled in the Mariner Society and receive special offers on upcoming cruises as well as insider information concerning new ships and product enhancements. Mariner Society benefits also include preferred pricing on many cruises; Mariner baggage tags, and buttons that identify you as a member during embarkation; an invitation to the Mariner Society champagne reception and awards party hosted by the captain; lapel pins and medallions acknowledging your history of Holland America sailings; a special collectible gift delivered to your cabin; and a subscription to
Mariner, the full-color magazine featuring news and Mariner Society savings. Once you complete your first cruise, your Mariner identification number will be assigned and available for lookup online.
Public Areas & Facilities
Similar in layout to Statendam-class vessels, these slightly larger sister ships introduced playful art and interior design theme elements to Holland America Line's classic vessels. Triple-deck atriums are distinguished by a fantastic, and fiber-optic lighted, Murano-glass sculpture on Volendam and, in an attempt to be hip, an almost scary towering pipe organ on Zaandam. Larger than the S-class ships, these ships' atriums open onto three Promenade decks.
The interior decor and much of the artwork found in each vessel has a predominant theme -- Volendam centers around flowers, and Zaandam, music. Look for Zaandam's collection of guitars autographed by famous musicians such as the Rolling Stones and a saxophone signed by former President Bill Clinton. Since the ships are larger than the original Statendam-class ships, the extra space allows for a larger specialty restaurant and a roomier feel throughout.
Restaurants
The formal dining room has four set dinner seatings. Pinnacle Grill, the steak-and-seafood specialty restaurant, and the casual Lido restaurant are alternatives for dinner. Breakfast and lunch are also served in the Lido restaurant and poolside buffet. Room service is available 24 hours.
What Works & What Doesn't
There isn't a bad seat in each vessel's Wajang Theater -- something of a curiosity on modern cruise ships. The home of Hal's new Culinary Arts Institute cooking demonstrations, the theaters continue to function as cinemas, and moviegoers still relish the freshly popped popcorn. Newly expanded spa facilities make the gym area somewhat tight and also eliminate the individual men's and women's steam rooms. Passengers now have to pay for use of the thermal suite, which has fancy coed aromatherapy steam rooms.
Accommodations
Layout: Staterooms are spacious and comfortable, with a few more balconies than Statendam-class, but still fewer than newer fleetmates. Every cabin has adequate closet and drawer - shelf storage, as well as bathroom shelves. Some suites have a whirlpool tub, powder room, and walk-in closet.
Amenities: All staterooms and suites are appointed with Euro-top mattresses, 250-thread-count cotton bed linens, magnifying halo-lighted mirrors, hair dryers, a fruit basket, flat-panel TVs, and DVD players. Bathrooms have Egyptian cotton towels, shampoo, body lotion, and bath gel, plus deluxe bathrobes to use during the cruise.
Suites: Suite amenities include duvets on beds, a fully stocked minibar, and personalized stationery. Penthouse Verandah and Deluxe Verandah suites have exclusive use of the private Neptune Lounge, personal concierge service, canapés before dinner on request, binoculars and umbrellas for use during the cruise, an invitation to a VIP party with the captain, and complimentary laundry, pressing, and dry-cleaning services.
Good to Know: As a nod to families, connecting cabins are featured in a range of categories. However, although the number of triple cabins is generous, there are not many that accommodate four. Twenty-two staterooms are designed for wheelchair accessibility.
Favorites
Best Place to Escape the Crowds: Grab a book from the library and claim a cozy corner of the Explorer's Lounge while the fun-in-the-sun set is baking on the Lido deck.
Best Value: If you love cooking classes but just can't face anyone during a bad hair day, don't despair. You can watch the culinary-arts demonstration on your cabin television.
Our Favorite Spot for a Nightcap: As on every Holland America ship, the Crow's Nest is the traditional lounge where dancing and late night cocktails go together.
Best Casual Dining: Waiters serve made-to-order entrees in the Lido restaurant at dinner, and an evening poolside barbecue buffet is usually scheduled during each cruise.
Best Pool Game: Use materials supplied by the staff to construct your own model ship. The last one afloat in the treacherous waters of the hot tub is the winner.
