Holland America Line: What You Need To Know Before Cruising 

I love that they’re traditional: The ship looks like a ship and not a pastel-covered playground - and they don’t push the alcohol packages like other cruise lines are wont to do. A beautiful teak promenade deck with teak furniture rather than plastic. Gorgeous ship!

My father emmigrated to this country from Germany in the mid-1950s on the Maasdam. 30+ years later, when he was booking a cruise for pleasure with Holland America, the young lady taking his reservations told him that the ship they would be sailing on was the Maasdam. He of course, mentioned his story of immigration oh, and she promptly gave him a discount for having sailed with them before and for the miles he had earned in his first sailing so many years ago.

I had 100 questions and now - thanks to you - I have none. An excellent , comprehensive presentation - thank you!

I’m 17 and I’ve been on 3 of holland America cruises and Holland America is the only cruise line I’ll stick with.

Holland America is my favorite cruise line. Everything he says is true. I give Holland America 4 stars.

Been on other cruise ships. Loved my 2 week cruise to Alaska last July. We left from Seattle and returned to Seattle on the beautiful Zaandam. I was travelling by myself, but met up with my friends from Arizona and Oregon. I had requested a handicap room, and was amazed at how roomy and great it was. The bathroom was roll in shower with a transfer bench. The Staff went over and above to make my trip wonderful. Will be going again.

I think the other thing you need to add is how safe HAL Cruises are. I can tell you from experience that there have been very few incidents with the exception of petty theft with that issue being resolved in minutes. In all my traveling with HAL I have never once been threatened or felt in any danger. And I do appreciate your videos; you seem to really care that we get the most out of cruising.

My husband and I LOVE HAL for the traditional feel and the extra service. We've been on HAL many times since our first when we were 24. We are now 35.

Holland America is a great cruise line. We’ve sailed with them all over the world and have always had a great experience

Just returned from our first HAL Cruise. Excellent experience Our favorite restaurant was Canelleto BB King blues Club was great But our favorite music venue was the “Rolling Stone Rock Room” Outstanding band that played Classic Rock and Roll from the 70’s, 60’s and 50’s Will definitely use HAL again

This is GOOD. I've learned that H.A.L. is for me!! Thank you for this one!

Our family left Rotterdam in 1955 to come to Canada. We traveled with Holland America Line on the Maasdam 3. We actually got to travel tourist class. It was very exciting as an 11 year old. I got to see my first Western. We came through Pier 21 and took the train from Halifax to Medicine Hat and then reality set in. It was in the month of March and very cold. I think we started school very soon. My brother and I started together in grade 5. No ESL. We had a wonderful teacher who taught us to speak English. We have had a very good live here in Canada. Thank you Holland America Line. We had a wonderful trip. Yvonne Hardy nee van Wyngaarden

One of the best parts about HAL for me is not only their traditional approach to cruising, but also their rich history of transatlantic liners and the traditional ocean liners.

Brilliant brilliant brilliant! You covered it all and now I want to book on Holland America. My husband & I have gone on several Royal Caribbean cruises and this looks like a beautiful change. Thank you.

Thanks for the timely review. My wife and I are booked on a 25 day cruise out of Rome in June 2019 with HAL. Looking forward to the "old world charm" you spoke about.

Thanks Gary. We are sailing with HAL for the first time on the Koningsdam to Alaska in 2020 so these things are good to know. I also appreciated that a fair bit of footage was from Alaska.

Your typical excellent review. Nice job. Have not done Holland Line yet, but it looks great for us in the 70’s. Thanks.....

Wife & I have been on 4 HAL Cruises and have Enjoyed each one and are planning our 2019 HAL cruise. I must say the staff have always been so Polite and Very Helpful. 👍👍👍👍👍

Very helpful video. It has been several years since I last cruised with HAL, and this was a nice refresher course in the culture aboard Holland America ships.

I think you do a wonderful job in all of your videos. Thanks for answering so many of my questions!

Only sail with them now. I’m 50 and love the older crowd and lack of young kids. Great tips!

Thank you so much, Gary! This video was super helpful. Had no idea that HAL had an app, but will definitely be downloading before my Alaska cruise tomorrow!

I've cruised with HAL since I was very young. It has become and will stay my favorite line there is to date. Great value for the price and of course the tradition of great ships, great crew, and fantastic food. Love those "dam" ships!

Gary, as always a great presentation. Will be taking my first Holland America cruise later this year and this info was very helpful.

Very insightful! Thank you for providing this video!

Exactly the information I was looking for! Thanks.

Thanks for your tips which we saw after the event and confirmed our own experience. We did the Alaska cruise at the end of June 2018 on the Volendam. We really enjoyed it as it was one of their smaller ships and we're not into the vast floating hotel-style cruise ships. We had a Lanai cabin which was great. It had a sliding patio door (with one way vision glass - like in police interview rooms!) opening directly onto the deck with our own designated recliners just outside. Food and service were all excellent. If we ever decide to do a cruise again, we'll seriously consider HAL.

Thank you so much for posting this is the best video I’ve seen for the Maasdam!

I just returned from the Rotterdam on a Panama Canal cruise and had the time of my life. This was my third cruise, second on HAL, and first solo cruise. I met some of the most awesome people and the staff made me feel like royalty at all times. The entertainment was top notch and the part of my day I looked forward to the most, especially Billboard OnBoard with the dualing pianos. Joey and Emily were simply amazing together. Lincoln Center Stage was a refreshing compliment to the usual entertainment on board ships and added cultural pleasure mixed in with humorous additions to keep it from being too stuffy. And the talent? Top notch all the way! No BB King Lounge on Rotterdam yet, but the Ocean Bar offered great entertainment with similar entertainment as well. The Main Stage offerings were pretty great most of the time. My only complaint was really that too much was offered all at the same time and you could not be everywhere at once. They should really stagger the times different performances are offered, especially on sea days, so you can catch more. Dining was outstanding! Main dining (lunch or dinner) offered plenty to select from and if you went away hungry it was your own fault. Even what seemed to be the simplest fair came out extravagant and delicious and it really gave you an opportunity to experiment with new tastes and foods. The Pinnacle Grill upheld its reputation. I was there for dinner, lunch, and a special wine pairing event called the Cellar Masters Dinner where the food and wine was expertly paired for a culinary experience that has to be witnessed to properly enjoy and appreciate. The service was by far as excellent as could be expected with royal treatment and personal attention that made you feel you had your own staff attending to your every need. The buffet offerings in the Lido Market were fresh and many changed daily to give you new and exciting experiences daily. And again, the staff attention was awesome as they made you feel they were there just for you to make your day the best it could be. I prefer Holland America as a senior traveler so as not to fight crowds and be over stimulated by young activities that do not interest me. I love the ability to find quiet spaces to relax and read, watch the world flow by, or simply play a game of scrabble with a new found friend. And the open spaces inside and out gave me more opportunity for exercise than I ever would have tried at home. My average steps the last two weeks exceeded well over twice my normal average when I am at home.

Great review. We missed SO MUCH, due to needing afternoon naps, so we need to go AGAIN!

We traveled the Inland Passage out of Vancouver on the Zuiderdam several years ago. This video is accurate. I would like to add this. "You get what you pay for."

Spot on for recommendations. We have taken 3 HAL cruises. We always enjoy them. Great if you need to relax and find quiet time.

Just been on a Holland America cruise around South America and it was fantastic could not fault it at all. The food was great and the trips amazing too. Has a brilliant time and would love to book another one in the future

Just got back from our 3rd trip on HAL. We really enjoy the coziness of the ships, the people we've met and the outstanding crew along with the entertainers. We've been on the MS Amsterdam, MS Nieuw Amsterdam and MS Veendam. We have met a lot of younger couples on the ship who are looking to relax and enjoy instead of being on the party ships. I highly recommend the line. Looking forward to our next adventure sometime early next year.

Hi! If you're not a pro, you sure report like one! My experiences on 3 HA cruises mimic your report. You've done a mighty excellent job here and I thank you!

i noted that the Osterdam was part of the presentation. My wife and I enjoyed our 50th anniversary cruise in 2016

We have Really Enjoyed our 3 cruises with HAL and plan on taking our 4th Cruise in January 2019. We can't say enough good things about the crew!!

Excellent information. Especially the App! Loved HAL for our Alaska Cruise. We leave for the Medon Koningsdam in less than a week! Can't wait!

Excellent video. Everything you've said is right on. I've been on four HAL cruises to date and just booked my fifth.

Thanks so much for this great overview! Super helpful, well timed and no fluff! We are first time cruisers so this was very much need to know info! We selected HAL after significant research and you have just confirmed my research results were spot on! We are taking HAL on an Alaskan cruise in July 2019. Feeling much more prepared now thanks!

Perfect timing on this video! We embark in a couple weeks on the Nieuw Amsterdam (which it looks like you used for this video). We're cruising with a couple children and have been stressing about the dress code mostly. The reputation as an "older" clientele doesn't bother us. In fact, it's good there's not a lot of distractions for the kinds, since we're doing this to see Alaska. Thank you for your thoughtful tips! Edit: just saw your tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam! Excellent videos!

Thank you. Always enjoy your knowledgeable videos!

The food is very high quality on HAL. They have some great chefs! Thanks for this review. Did not know about the app. Yes and Lincoln Center Stage is a really refined way to have a preprandial while enjoying some amazing classical music.

Great review. My husband and I are 40 and we only cruise with HAL. Yes, the clientele can be older but we are old souls! Lol. We enjoy the smaller ships, classy bars, great food and the service. We set sail on the Zuiderdam next month in the Baltic. Can hardly wait!

We sailed to Alaska on the Amsterdam in July 2018. It was our first cruise and we really enjoyed the experience. Crew was very good along with lots of different things to do onboard. We're already planning our next one for Jan 2019 in the Caribbean! Just mom & dad this time.

Excellent as always, Gary. Thank you! I would love to see something more about the hop on hop off busses you mention.

Thanks for taking time out for this video found it very helpful.

Wow! What a relaxing video! I sailed to Hawaii from California in 09 on HAL. The Zaandaam. It was a beautiful trip! 15 days.

Those ships with the black hulls have a beauty of their own they fascinate me sleek looking too

Thank you so much for this video!!!

Looks like a lovely cruise line. Thank you for sharing.

I was on the Maasdam 11 years ago, it was my first and only Holland America experience and I wish I could go back with them one day. The ship was beautiful, service was impeccable, food was excellent, love the old school experience. I've been with RCL, NCL, and Celebrity. HA is tops in my book of experience.

Great video, Thank you. We have been on Princess tons of times and this will be are first time on Holland America. There website was very vague with prices and about the ships. You answered a great deal of guests . Thank you.

Love Holland America Cruises! Great tips!

We love Holland America. We especially enjoyed the Pinnacle Grill.

Great video as always, I'm a big fan of yours. You are the best Cruise RU-vidr on the net.

Thank you for all the great tips. I'm going on my first cruise on this ship in Feb 2020 🥳🎊🥂👏🥰🛳

Thank you that was great!!

I did my first HA cruise last January. The cabin was really great and the food was out of this world. The one thing I didn't like was there wasn't much in the way of entertainment and everything closed early. It definitely was an older crowd. Not sure if I would do them again unless the price was right.

Our AAA travel agent just recommended and sold mother and I a Holland America cruise. She is 89, I am 56. We wanted a safe and relaxing way to visit Mexico, so we are on a 7 day out of San Diego, near our home. This video was very helpful and reassuring.

Thanks for posting a very informative video. I will be on the Koningsdam this October. I have not sailed on HAL in 11 years. The last 6 cruises have been with Celebrity. I am looking forward to the change.

Was on Holland America 10 Times. Food is good, Service is excellent.

The Pinnacle Grill is great and recommend it. The Caviar is sublime, and not cheap.

Nice review. We sailed with Holland in Feb., on the Volendam. Small ship

Good information, thanks for sharing your video with us.

Excellent video! In my language UK English. Very timely since we are cruising next month to Caribbean.

Interesting video - we were on a HAL cruise last month and enjoyed it very much. First cruise that my husband and I had done so it was all very new and exiting. After a week I started to notice that the ship is a little tired, but the thing we struggled with is the set amount for gratuities. Being from NZ we are not used to tipping and found along with other travellers from NZ and Australia that the $13.50 per person per day could be altered. We reduced the daily amount and left cash in our suite for the young men would we felt worked tirelessly the whole time we were on the cruise. The excursions at Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan were very good and well worth doing.

The last two were new to me. I’ll use the app on my next one.

I recently sailed with them in the Caribbean for 7 days on Nieuw Amsterdam which was the ship you filmed on. The crew was great and I would take them again.

We love HAL and just got our 100 days at sea medal. We also love the fact that they have longer cruises! Finally, their ships are not overwhelmingly large. i don't want to go on vacation with 4-5,000 other people. Their ships are about 2,500 passengers and that is a perfect size for us.

Thank u very much 😁 it was very helpful thanks 🙏 again

Great Video. We enjoyed our cruise on Holland America.

I’m not sure how this popped up but this was very helpful thank you

Wife and I went to Hawaii in October 09 on the MS Zaandam. Two week round trip. I never felt like we were on a "cruise", no... we were sailing the Pacific Ocean in an ocean liner! Wasn't all that expensive either. I think the entire tab came in at around $6500, including passage on the liner, tips and excursions. The most memorable trip I've ever taken.

I was a medical officer for Holland America. I worked for them, because I was a flight nurse before that. Trinity Air, I used to pick up their passengers. Anyway, HAL, I did not hav an ethical conflict. If a passenger does not have travel insurance, HAL will pick up the bill, and charge the passenger. Also, HAL have the largest cabins, in the industry. Thanks for the info.

Love Holland. Have sailed on them for 7 or 8 years

Fantastic video going on Koningsdam April 7 looking forward to it thanks AliciaKay

They do have anytime dining. We sail mostly with Holland and love it.

I went on a Holland American cruise as a kid I found it so much fun evan if you don't go in the kids zone.

Wonderful video. Thank you!

Some good tips. I have cruised with them 3 times and always had enjoyable cruises. The app must be pretty new as it was not available on my last cruise although that was almost two years ago now. Time flies!

I took a cruise this Nov. 2019, 15 day Panama Canal. It was excellent. This cruise line is not for young folks looking to have onboard blast. It is a traditional cruise ship, very very nicely layed out. I turned 50 an it was amazing getting into myself and talking with so many elders who had lots to chat about. It is not for first time cruisers. Lovely cruise and all the tips given are so on point. Take your best company, loafs of swim suits. The only thing not mentioned, well two things, the wifi premier package is excellent! And two book all your things ( spa, drinks, wifi) early/before cruise and it's cheaper!

Great vlog!

Took a 7 day New Year girl's trip 2019-2020 and had a great time. Watching this now that I've gone on the cruise is really bringing me back. I give this video 2 thumbs up 👍🏾👍🏾 #NieuwAmsterdam

Really great tips...thanks for posting. Such a wealth of info. I hope you are enjoying your summer.

I just spotted myself at the nature talk.

we've sailed twice on HAL. the Alaska cruise and the Mexican Rivera cruise. we like the smaller ships, compared to the large circus atmosphere cruise lines. not many children so it's more peaceful. they also offer round the clock room service which is nice.

Love cruising HAL.

Good Job ! Sir...thsnk you

Great video, Thanks for sharing. My wife & I are going on the Nieuw Statendam next month, we're looking forward to it.

Excellent.

I’ve been on Holland America, it’s ok...it is definitely for the older folks. I have a 3 year old so we are going on Disney’s Fantasy cruise....omg can’t wait!!!!

I love the teak deck for walking laps and just a fresh air viewing spot; the buffet -dining is accessible to sit and enjoy the views with a hot cup of tea between meals. You can relax or be on the go. I will stick with HAL as best Alaska cruise.

The two waiters were awesome

I love HAL! It feels more traditional and calm; I'm 22 but am not a fan of 'party' cruises, and Holland America was perfect for me. The gala nights were such a fun bonus, too! Went on an Alaskan cruise last year and going to the Caribbean this October. So excited! If you're going on your first cruise, and especially if you're part of the older crowd, I definitely suggest looking into HAL.

I'll be working on this ship soon

this ship is in Montreal today thats why im here =)

Finally and after watching your video a couple of times I made my mind and booked my first Mediterranean cruise with HAL (Koningsdam) in May! going solo too!

Love your beautiful videos

Hamish Davis with HAL is the best cruise director ever. The most fun cruise I’ve ever been on (I’ve been on 5) was the one where he was in charge of entertainment.