Holland America Line

Carnival's Holland America Line has reported a gastrointestinal illness outbreak on its current sailing with over 100 ill passengers onboard. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Holland America Line's Rotterdam has 152 sick guests onboard its current voyage which departed on February 2, 2025. 17 crew members are also reportedly ill. 

I've always thought of Cruise Directors as A-list celebrities on a cruise. You'll rarely disembark without having heard their voice over the PA system or seen them interacting with other passengers. However, their duties go far beyond being pretty faces who introduce events—they're also hosts, entertainers, planners, and problem-solvers. 

During their contracts, Cruise Directors live onboard their ships for multiple months. While you'll see them frequently in guest areas, their "home away from home" is below deck where passengers can't go.

If you're looking for an itinerary-focused cruise to Alaska, look no further than Holland America Line. They've been sailing to Alaska for over 75 years, longer than any other cruise line, and now, they're guaranteeing that guests will see one or more glaciers on their cruise. If not, passengers are entitled to a Future Cruise Credit.  

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. 

Private cabanas can elevate a normal beach day to a memorable VIP experience. However, they aren't cheap. 

Thanks to Holland America, I got to spend a day at one of the rental villas on Half Moon Cay, the line’s private island in the Bahamas, and live the rock-star beach life for a few hours.

Was it worth the $1,000?

Anyone who’s been to Half Moon Cay knows it’s a perfect beach day. On this itinerary, we have a rare two-day stop at the Carnival Corporation private island shared by Holland America and Carnival Cruise Line. That means I have the opportunity to try out a few new activities since I have extra time.

One of the hallmarks of Holland America is its music program, especially on its newest ships. As today was a sea day, I decided to explore more of the ship’s musical offerings.