Holland America Cruise
Cruising has become one of our favorite ways to travel together: unpacking once while a series of destinations comes to you, with days at sea balanced by port adventures.
Our experience
This entry marks a Holland America cruise from our 2023 travels — part of our growing love of seeing the world by ship. The easy rhythm of days at sea, the simple pleasure of watching the water go by from the deck, and a floating home base that turns travel itself into part of the destination.
Holland America Line is one of the long-established names in ocean cruising, with roots dating back to 1873 and a long history of passenger travel between Europe and North America. For us, any cruise is about that blend of comfort and discovery.
Holland America Line was founded in Rotterdam in 1873 as a passenger and cargo company. During its first 25 years, the line completed around 1,300 transatlantic crossings and carried nearly half a million passengers, many of them emigrating from Europe to America.
Must-sees and must-dos
- Days at sea — embrace the slower rhythm onboard, whether that means relaxing on deck, joining activities, or simply watching the ocean go by.
- Shore excursions — use port days to explore the destinations along your particular itinerary.
- Onboard dining — enjoy everything from classic dining-room meals to specialty restaurants and regional dishes inspired by the places you visit.
- Deck views — make time for sunrise, sunset, and those long stretches of open water that are part of the cruise experience.
- Live entertainment — Holland America offers live music, stage entertainment, and other evening programming onboard.
- Unpack once — one of cruising’s simplest pleasures is settling into one room while the scenery and destinations keep changing.
Our pro tip
From our cruising experience, the best advice is to make plans early for the ports you care about most, whether that means booking the ship’s shore excursions or arranging your own day ashore. Protect a sea day or two for pure relaxation instead of trying to fill every hour.
Pack a versatile layer for changing weather, comfortable walking shoes, and a small day bag for port stops. Whenever possible, arrive in the embarkation city at least a day early so a delayed flight doesn’t turn into a missed sailing. Browse current itineraries on the Holland America site when you’re ready to plan.