Holland America Line Review

I just disembarked from a 7-night cruise to Iceland onboard Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam and it wasn’t what I expected…

I’ll admit I’ve been very late to the party when it comes to Holland America Line. I never fully understood what it was that this cruise line had to offer. I wasn’t sure if it would be exciting enough for me.

But now that I’ve sailed with them, I completely understand why once people try Holland America, they don’t want to go anywhere else.

Note: I was invited aboard as a guest of Holland America Line, but all of the opinions in this review are mine, and as always, the cruise line has no control over the content.

Embarkation

I boarded Nieuw Statendam in Rotterdam which was so quick and easy. There was a large troll to welcome us, as get us in the mood for the Scandinavian theme of the cruise.

With its Dutch heritage, Holland America Line offers a wide range of departures from Rotterdam and Amsterdam. There are a choice of 30 embarkation ports across the world though, including Dover for those who prefer to sail from the UK.

Prior to the cruise, I stayed overnight in the Nhow Hotel, which was so close to the cruise port it was practically touching the ship. I’d definitely recommend this hotel for any cruise departing from Rotterdam.

My boarding time was ‘anytime between 12 pm and 5 pm’, which was perfect. I checked out of my hotel at 12 and within minutes I was onboard the ship! It was the easiest embarkation morning ever!

As I’d done my check-in on the Holland America Line Navigator App beforehand, all that was left to do was drop my bag, show the barcode on my phone and walk right onto the ship. It was so quick and easy!

Accommodation

I stayed in a standard balcony cabin onboard Nieuw Statendam and it was lovely. Although I cruised solo, I would be very happy to have a room like this for a family of four, as it had plenty of space.

Some of the features I love include:

• Larger than average balcony
• Larger than average shower
• Super comfy bed with drawers underneath
• Evening turndown service with towel animals and pillow chocolates
• Bathrobes to use
• Luxury Elemis toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, hand wash and body lotion

When I arrived, the bed was made up as two singles. I mentioned to my cabin steward that I would prefer a double and he was happy to change that for me. There was also a card to fill in with any extra requests, which I think is a great idea!

The bed was incredibly comfy and I also loved the sofa area, well-lit desk and the large TV which had a great selection of channels and movies on demand at no cost.

Dining

I was pleasantly surprised by how great the food was on Holland America Line. There was a lot of choice and everything was delicious.

Main Dining Room

The main dining room on Nieuw Statendam is truly beautiful – one of the most stunning dining rooms I’ve ever seen.

I love that dining times are flexible – you can arrive at any time between 5pm and 9pm – and I could choose to dine alone or at a shared table.

You can check the daily menus for each restaurant on the app, and at first I wasn’t sure if the main dining room was for me as I couldn’t see any vegan options. However, when I went to ask, they handed me a full vegan and vegetarian menu with so many lovely things to choose from, much of it made with Beyond Meat, like these ‘beef’ tacos and spaghetti bolognese.

Suggested read: The Best Cruise Lines For Vegans

Buffet

The buffet on Nieuw Statendam is fantastic. It’s really big, and everything is served to you for increased hygiene. I found there to be more choice available at breakfast and lunchtime than dinner, but there were always lots of things to tempt me.

Most things were labelled with allergens. Not everything was, but there were always crew members there to ask and they were happy to help with any questions.

In the buffet, there are also crew members who will come over and serve drinks, which was a lovely touch.

Casual Dining

Nieuw Statendam has some fabulous casual dining options. By the pool there’s Dive In, which offers a range of burger and hot dogs (including Beyond Meat options) as well as fries with various sauces.

You won’t want to miss the New York Deli & Pizza which is just upstairs from the main pool. Here you can get breakfast bagels, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, desserts and snacks like pretzels, popcorn and crisps.

I love that they make you a whole pizza with whatever you want on it – this is much better than the ready-made slices that you see on most cruise ships.

There’s also the Grand Dutch Cafe which has a range of Dutch specialities like friet (chips with mayo and peanut sauce), poffertjes (pancakes), bitterballen (breaded meatballs) and stroopwafels (caramel biscuits).

Speciality Dining

Nieuw Statendam has five speciality dining restaurants offering a range of cuisines.

• Pinnacle Grill – Refined steakhouse serving premium beef and seafood in an elegant setting
• Rudi’s Sel de Mer – French‑style seafood brasserie by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin
• Tamarind – Pan‑Asian cuisine spanning flavours from Thailand, China, Japan, Malaysia
• Nami Sushi – Traditional sushi dishes with modern twists
• Canaletto – Italian dishes in a casual yet distinct space near the buffet

If you opt for the ‘Have It All’ package, you’ll get some included speciality dining meals (how many depends on the length of your cruise) as well as drinks, WiFi and shore excursion credit.

I found the service in the speciality restaurants to be impeccable and the waiters offered to adjust any of the dishes to suit – such as switching meat for tofu on any of the dishes in Tamarind.

If you stay in a suite or opt for the Club Orange package, you’ll also get to dine in the exclusive Club Orange restaurant.

Drinks

Holland America Line ships offer a wide range of drinks. And if you want a cocktail that’s not on the menu, the bartenders will always be happy to make it.

With the ‘Have It All’ package, you get a Signature drinks package included, which is much better value than buying the drinks package on it’s own.

I had the Quench soft drinks package which is excellent value at $17.95 per day as it includes all non-alcoholic drinks including fancy coffees, mocktails, smoothies, canned water and cans of soft drinks.

Suggested read: Holland America Line Drink Packages Guide

I also discovered that if you accumulate 1500 points in the casino (as I did), you get free drinks in there. You don’t have to consume your drink in the casino, so you can order a glass of wine and then take it with you to the theatre or even to dinner.

Onboard Activities

I found there to be a good selection of activities to do onboard Nieuw Statendam. The ship has two pools – one with a retractable roof and one adults-only pool at the aft. There are five hot tubs too so taking a dip is a good option whatever the weather.

The sports facilities on this ship are great with a pickleball court (including beginner lessons and tournaments), two table tennis tables, a large gym, outdoor exercise equipment and a running track on the top deck.

There are organised activities throughout the daytime. I particularly enjoyed the art studio which has classes in water colouring, doodling and sketching, all included in the cruise fare.

The casino onboard is fantastic with a great selection of machine and tables. I never found it to be particularly busy. Although smoking is allowed in the casino, it was very rare to see anyone smoking in there.

In the Crow’s Nest bar there’s a huge selection of board games and jigsaw puzzles, one of the largest I’ve seen on a ship.

Entertainment

If you like live music you’ll love Holland America Line. Nieuw Statendam has four live music venues offering everything from duelling pianos to rock cover bands to Memphis-style rhythm and blues.

In the theatre, there are two shows each night too with a mix of big productions, magicians and live bands. In that daytime this venue is often used for lectures.

There’s also a big screen by the pool where you can enjoy movies either under the stars or under the comfort of the retractable glass roof.

Ports and Excursions

The cruise I took called at Alesund in Norway and then four ports in Iceland – Djupivogur, Akureyri, Isafjordur and Reykjavik. Many passengers then continued for a second week to see more of Iceland as well as Scotland before returning to Dover or Rotterdam.

I was surprised to learn how so many of the guests I met onboard were doing back-to-back cruises. Some were onboard for four weeks, six weeks or even longer. People seemed to have a strong preference to Holland America Line over other cruise lines that they had tried, too.

At some of the ports, I was able to step off the ship and there was lots to see within walking distance. In Akureyri I did spot an excursion coach visiting many of the same places that I walked to, so I would advise anyone to do their own research before booking excursions as they’re not always needed.

In Reykjavik I did an excursion to the Sky Lagoon. This was fantastic. We had the perfect amount of time there and hopping on the coach that was waiting by the ship was easier and more cost-effective than making my own way there.

Service

The crew members on Holland America Line really went above and beyond to make sure that every guest was happy. They’re all super friendly and I love how they make time to chat.

I found that if I visited the same bar a few times then the bartenders would remember my name and if i were to order the same drink regularly then I’m sure they’d remember that too.

Atmosphere

The atmosphere onboard was wonderfully relaxed. The ship was very spacious and never felt busy. I never once had to queue for anything and there was always a choice of places to sit.

Holland America Line doesn’t do formal nights as such, but there were a couple of ‘dressy’ nights which gave people the option to dress up if they wished. I did find the casual nights to be very casual. I usually change into a casual dress in the evening, and some people did this while others just stayed in the same casual clothes they had worn ashore that day.

However you like to dress, you can feel relaxed and comfortable onboard. I found the other guests to be lovely and it was easy to make friends, especially at the solo traveller events which were popular.

Family Facilities

Given that Holland America Line isn’t known as a family-friendly cruise line, I was really surprised at how good the children’s facilities are. The Club HAL kids’ club has separate areas with organised activities for younger kids (age 3-5), older kids (age 7 to 11) and teenagers (age 12-17).

The teen area, High Score, was open to everyone after 6 pm most evenings. I love this idea as it meant that younger children and their parents could also enjoy the activities together. And there was so much to do here, with pinball machines, games consoles, table football, air hockey and so much more.

This is one of the best kids clubs I’ve seen, and I know that when I return here with my children, they’ll be spending a lot of time in this area. We’ll be booking on one of the newest Pinnacle-class ships (Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam, Koningsdam) as they’re bigger with more facilities for children.

There are also reduced fares for children up to the age of 17 years when sharing with two adults, and you can look out for Kids Sail Free offers at certain times too. I’m currently looking at a sailing in the Easter holidays, and the kids fares are showing as just £27 per night, which is fantastic!

The Verdict

I loved my week on Nieuw Statendam and am already planning to return. Next time, I’d like to bring my husband and children and we’ll do either a British Isles cruise or a transatlantic cruise with some time in Florida beforehand.

I think that Holland America Line is great for anyone who just wants a relaxing time on their cruise. Whether you’re a solo traveller, a couple or a family, it’s a great choice.

Of course, everyone is different, so if you like non-stop action, loud nightclubs, waterslides and a constant party atmosphere, then it’s probably not for you. But if you’ve sailed with Princess Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Cunard or Azamara, then I’m sure you’ll love Holland America Line too.

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