Holland America cruises 2026–2027: ships, routes and who they suit

Holland America at a glance

Fleet

11 ships

Price tier

Premium: similar to Princess and Celebrity, below Oceania

Ship size

About 1,400 to 2,700 guests

Main regions

Alaska, Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal, Europe, Canada and New England, Hawaii, Australia, world voyages

Included

Main dining room, buffet, room service basics, shows and live music; drinks, Wi-Fi and tips are extra unless you add a package

Parent company

Carnival Corporation

Holland America cruise ships

The Holland America fleet comes in four sizes. The three Pinnacle-class ships are the newest and largest; the Vista and Signature ships are the mid-size workhorses; the two R-class ships are the smallest and turn up on long voyages and smaller ports.

• RotterdamPinnacle class, 2021, about 2,670 guestsThe newest ship in the fleet. Pick it for the most up-to-date cabins and the full music-venue lineup.
  From $139 per personChecked November 2026
• Nieuw StatendamPinnacle class, 2018, about 2,670 guestsRotterdam's near-twin, and the ship that stays in Europe year-round from November 2027.
• KoningsdamPinnacle class, 2016, about 2,650 guestsThe first Pinnacle ship, with the same core layout at a slightly lower price.
• Nieuw AmsterdamSignature class, 2010, about 2,100 guestsOne of the six Alaska ships, and on Panama Canal voyages in 2026–27. A good middle ground on size and price.
• EurodamSignature class, 2008, about 2,100 guestsNieuw Amsterdam's sister, with a similar mix of venues; also in Alaska in summer and on the Panama Canal in 2026–27.
• ZuiderdamVista class, 2002, about 1,920 guestsOn Panama Canal voyages in 2026–27 and two added winter Europe voyages in 2027–28. Pick it for the itinerary.
• OosterdamVista class, 2003, about 1,920 guestsMid-size and usually cheaper than the Pinnacle ships for the same region.
• WesterdamVista class, 2004, about 1,920 guestsOne of the six Alaska ships. Older cabins, strong routes.
• NoordamVista class, 2006, about 1,920 guestsThe newest of the Vista ships; sails Alaska and, in 2026–27, long Hawaii voyages from the West Coast.
• VolendamR class, 1999, about 1,430 guestsSmall and traditional. Pick it for port-heavy itineraries, not for onboard variety.
• ZaandamR class, 2000, about 1,430 guestsVolendam's sister; an Alaska ship in summer and on long Hawaii voyages from the West Coast in 2026–27.

Holland America has no new ship on order as of September 2026, so this is the fleet you’ll be choosing from through 2027.

Where Holland America sails by season

• April to September: Alaska. This is the line’s signature product; see our Holland America Alaska guide. Six ships sail Alaska (Koningsdam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam). Round trips run from Seattle and Vancouver, and one-way Glacier Discovery routes pair a cruise with a land tour into Denali. If you want to start and finish in a U.S. port, compare the round trips in our Seattle cruise port guide and our best cruise lines for Alaska.
• October to April: the Caribbean, Mexico and the Panama Canal. Holland America Caribbean cruises mostly sail from Fort Lauderdale; full and partial Panama Canal voyages run between September and April; in 2026–27 Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Zuiderdam sail them, starting or ending in Vancouver, Seattle, San Diego, Miami or Fort Lauderdale.
• Spring to autumn: Europe. Northern Europe cruises mainly start in Rotterdam or Dover (for London), and Mediterranean cruises from ports such as Barcelona, Piraeus (Athens), Civitavecchia (Rome) and Lisbon. From November 2027 Nieuw Statendam stays in Europe year-round, adding winter Mediterranean and Canary Islands cruises. See our European cruise guide.
• Autumn: Canada and New England. Holland America New England cruises run from Boston and Montreal during the fall foliage season; see our Boston cruise port guide.
• September to April: Hawaii. A Holland America Hawaii cruise usually means a long round trip from the West Coast with several sea days each way. In 2026–27 Koningsdam, Noordam and Zaandam sail 17- to 28-day Hawaii voyages from San Diego, Seattle and Vancouver, some combined with Alaska.
• Winter: long voyages. The Grand World Voyage and other long sailings leave in January; our world cruise guide has the 2027 and 2028 routes. The holiday sailings in between appear in our Christmas and New Year cruise picks.

Destination guides for these regions: the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada and New England, the Panama Canal, Europe, Greece, Northern Europe.

What’s included and what’s extra

Included in the base fare: meals in the main dining room and the Lido buffet, the pools, gym, daytime activities, lectures, shows and the live-music venues.

Available as a bundle: Holland America’s Have It All package adds the Signature Beverage Package, Surf Wi-Fi, specialty dining on up to three nights (depending on cruise length), a shore excursion credit and prepaid crew appreciation (gratuities) for a per-day price. Whether it pays off depends on how much you drink and how many excursions you would book anyway.

Always extra: the daily crew appreciation charge unless you book Have It All or a promotion covers it, specialty restaurants outside a package, the spa, shore excursions beyond any credit, and drinks above the package’s per-drink cap.

As of September 2026, Holland America lists crew appreciation at $18 per guest per day in standard staterooms and $20 in suites, and says the rates can change. You can adjust the amount on board. Drinks and specialty dining carry a separate 20% service charge, and spa services 18%.

How Holland America compares

• Against Princess: the closest rival, also owned by Carnival Corporation and also big in Alaska. Princess has more, and larger, ships and more family appeal; Holland America ships feel smaller and quieter. See Princess Cruises and Holland America vs Princess.
• Against Celebrity: Celebrity’s Edge-class ships are more design-led and have a livelier bar scene. See Celebrity Cruises.
• Against Oceania: if food is the priority and budget allows, Oceania includes its specialty restaurants in every fare.
• Overall: where Holland America lands in our cruise line rankings.
• Our verdict: the grades, strengths and weaknesses are in our Holland America review.

Holland America cruise deals and prices

Holland America cruise deals usually come as fare promotions that bundle Have It All perks or reduced deposits, rather than deep cuts to the base fare. Compare the total with the package included, not the headline number.

Sample Holland America Line sailings. From-prices per person, checked November 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Nov 8, 2026	Holland America Line, Nieuw Amsterdam	12	12 Night Panama Canal Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$999	Check price
Nov 10, 2026	Holland America Line, Rotterdam	11	11 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$1,099	Check price
Nov 11, 2026	Holland America Line, Zuiderdam	10	10 Night Caribbean - Southern Cruise (from Miami Florida)	$949	Check price
Nov 14, 2026	Holland America Line, Koningsdam	7	7 Night U. S. Pacific Coast Cruise (from San Diego California)	$684	Check price
Nov 19, 2026	Holland America Line, Zaandam	18	18 Night Hawaii Cruise (from San Diego California)	$1,949	Check price
Nov 20, 2026	Holland America Line, Nieuw Amsterdam	9	9 Night Caribbean - Southern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$699	Check price
Nov 20, 2026	Holland America Line, Nieuw Amsterdam	21	21 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$1,604	Check price
Nov 21, 2026	Holland America Line, Eurodam	7	7 Night Caribbean - Eastern Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$599	Check price
Nov 21, 2026	Holland America Line, Koningsdam	7	7 Night Mexico Cruise (from San Diego California)	$959	Check price
Nov 21, 2026	Holland America Line, Rotterdam	21	21 Night Caribbean Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$1,644	Check price
Nov 21, 2026	Holland America Line, Rotterdam	10	10 Night Caribbean - Western Cruise (from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades) Florida)	$749	Check price
Nov 21, 2026	Holland America Line, Zuiderdam	7	7 Night Caribbean - Western Cruise (from Miami Florida)	$599	Check price

Holland America cruises FAQ

Is Holland America good for families?

It works for families with older children who like port days, but it is not built around kids. There is a youth program, but no waterslides or large kids’ areas on the scale of Disney or Royal Caribbean. The Kids Club youth program takes ages 3 to 17 in two groups, 3 to 11 and 12 to 17. See our family cruise picks for alternatives.

Which is the best Holland America cruise ship?

For most people, one of the three Pinnacle-class ships: Rotterdam, Nieuw Statendam or Koningsdam. They are the newest and have the most dining and music venues. Choose an older, smaller ship when it runs the itinerary you want.

Who owns Holland America Line?

Carnival Corporation, which also owns Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line and several other brands.

Does Holland America sail to Alaska from Seattle?

Yes. Seattle is one of Holland America’s main Alaska home ports, along with Vancouver. Round trips from Seattle usually include a stop in Victoria, British Columbia, which is how they meet U.S. cabotage rules.

Is Holland America the same as a Holland cruise line?

Yes. People searching for a “Holland cruise line” or “Holland cruises” almost always mean Holland America Line. It was founded in the Netherlands and now operates from Seattle.