Holland America Line

I joined Holland America’s Eurodam for a weeklong cruise through southeast Alaska, visiting some of the charming port towns and cities along this popular route.

I have enjoyed Alaska on both big cruise ships and smaller expedition vessels that ranged from 60 to 200 passengers, so I know there are different ways to see this magical destination.

While Holland America Line is a well-known mainstream cruise line that sails across the globe, they only operate a fleet of eleven ships, most of which were constructed in the early and mid-2000s. 

The cruise line was founded in 1873 in Rotterdam, Netherlands as a shipping and passenger line. It would not be until 1989 that Holland America Line would be purchased by Carnival Corporation, making it a United States-owned cruise line. 

Holland America’s Eurodam isn’t going to be the first ship you hear about when you start looking for cruises.

It’s a little older now. And it’s not flashy. Certainly, nothing about it really stands out.

And that’s exactly what makes Eurodam a perfect ship for your first cruise to Alaska.

A Holland America Line beverage package offers the choice to enjoy alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks for a fixed daily price for the duration of your cruise vacation.

Your base cruise fare includes entertainment, accommodations, transportation between ports of call, and select food and beverages. Unless you book Holland America's "Have It All" fare, you will find that there are some cruise add-ons you have to purchase separately, including alcohol. 

Unfortunately, sometimes we need to change travel plans. Not ideal, but life is busy, and things pop up. Adding to travelers’ worries are the recent flight delays and cancellations, resulting in some guests missing their cruise.

Before booking a cruise, it is a good idea to understand cancellation policies, especially as it relates to any promotional pricing and packages. Details regarding how much money you will get back, timeframes and processes are all things to know ahead of time.

Holland America Line’s newest ship, Rotterdam, had its official naming ceremony on May 30, 2022. The ceremony took place in the city for which the ship is named, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Attending the ceremony was her royal highness, Princess Margriet of The Netherlands. Princess Margriet will serve as the ship’s godmother, and participated in the naming ceremony.

In a statement from Beth Bodensteiner, Chief Commercial Officer for Holland America Line, they said, “guests are thrilled to be back on board and exploring new adventures. We want everyone to feel comfortable when booking one of our great cruise offers available right now, knowing that they will be covered if their plans change.”

Saturday was the first time a cruise ship has docked within Canada in over 905 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Holland America’s ship the Koningsdam was the first to return to Canadian waters since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020. The ship docked in Victoria British Columbia on Saturday, containing roughly 1,200 passengers.

The cruise line Holland America has committed to housing roughly 1,500 Ukrainian refugees onboard their ship Volendam. The ship will be docked in Rotterdam Netherlands for the time being.

Holland America will be providing temporary home and shelter for Ukrainian Refugees for approximately three months. This arrangement from Holland America comes on the heels of the Netherlands’ commitment to accommodate 50,000 Ukrainians who fled their homes due to the war and ongoing fighting in Ukraine.