When Did Holland America Cruise Line Start?

Holland America Line, founded in Rotterdam, Netherlands, operated from 1873 to 1989 as a Dutch shipping line, passenger line, cargo line, and cruise line primarily between the Netherlands and North America. The company’s first ship was Rotterdam, which sailed its maiden voyage from the Netherlands to New York on October 15, 1872. The history of Holland America Line spans over a century, with its first ship, the 1,684-ton Rotterdam, sailing between Holland and New York in 1873.

In 1973, Holland America Line’s first purpose-built cruise liner, the 8,566-ton Prinsendam (I), entered service, sailing Indonesian cruises from Singapore. Prinsendam conducts Holland America Lines Alaska cruise on the line.

Founded in 1873 as the Dutch-America Steamship Company, Holland America Line began rebuilding its fleet in 1921 and commissioned four passenger-cargo ships, Edam IV, Leerdam II, Maasdam III, and Spaarndam II. Their first world cruise sailed in 1958 on board Statendam IV, a 110-day voyage that began in New York City and called on Africa, India, Asia, Hawaii, and the Pacific Coast.

Over the last 150 years, Holland America Line has transported guests to every corner of the world. The company’s most recent ship, delivered in 2021, is named Rotterdam. The history of Holland America Line spans well over a century, with its first ship, the 1684-ton Rotterdam, sailing between Holland and New York in 1873.

The Nieuw Amsterdam was barely in service when the dark clouds of war started to gather on the horizon in 1939.

Is Holland America owned by Carnival?

Carnival Cruise Line is proud to be part of a family of companies owned by Carnival Corporation, which includes sister lines Princess Cruises, Holland America Line and Cunard Line, among others.

Carnival Corporation, parent company of Carnival Cruise Line and other great brands, is the global leader in the cruise industry, leading the way in innovative and sustainable cruising to deliver memorable vacations and build borderless connections. But we never forget to create unforgettable happiness for our guests during their extraordinary cruise vacations, all while honoring the integrity of every ocean we sail, place we visit and life we touch.

In a nutshell… we’re all about fun vacations at sea and ashore! A Carnival cruise features day and nighttime entertainment like stage shows, musical performances, deck parties, casinos and more. (Like what? Like waterslides!) We invite our guests to come as they are, and we make everyone feel right at home with comfy staterooms, attentive service, casual and elegant dining, plus a variety of bars and gathering places indoors and out. Guests enjoy this unique experience against the backdrop of some of the world’s most beautiful seaports.

Is Holland America a luxury cruise line?

Holland America Cruises. About Holland America. Holland America is a premium cruise line offering an exceptional onboard cruise experience. The beautiful mid-sized cruise ships have nearly one crew member for every two guests providing the gracious attention that epitomizes classic cruising. Holland America’s award winning service is found throughout the ships including the staterooms, public areas, culinary department and the onboard amenities. The staterooms on all Holland America ships are spacious, elegant and feature amenities which create a sophisticated retreat for all guests.

Some included desirable amenities are luxurious beds and linens, large and extra-fluffy Egyptian cotton towels, sumptuous bathrobes, massage showerheads, hair dryers, Elemis Aromapure ‘Time to Spa’ bath amenities, televisions with DVD players, ample storage, complimentary fresh fruit, and complimentary 24-hour in-room dining. Accommodation choices on Holland America range from interior staterooms to suites.

Dining on Holland America is an experience to be savored. Guests can choose either a traditional set dining time or for As You Wish® open dining. Holland America offers casual dining in the Lido restaurant, elegant dining in the main dining room, and specialty dining options in the Pinnacle Grill restaurant and others. Holland America’s chefs use only the freshest produce and the highest quality meats and seafood to create delicious and innovative menus pared with an extensive wine list.

What is the newest Holland America ship?

Holland America’s newest ship, Rotterdam, joined the fleet in 2021 as the 3rd Pinnacle class ship. This ship delivers the best of everything: exquisite cuisine, award-winning service, superbly appointed staterooms and suites, and world-class entertainment. On board the Rotterdam, Dance the night away at B.B. King’s Blues Club or relive your favorite rock classics at Rolling Stone Rock Room. ExperienceRotterdam’s Pinnacle Class luxury and find a mastery of the details that keep our guests returning again and again.

• Holland America Ships:. Eurodam
• Koningsdam
• Noordam
• Nieuw Amsterdam
• Nieuw Standam
• Oosterdam
• Prinsendam
• Rotterdam
• Veendam
• Volendam
• Zaandam
• Westerdam

You can Have It All when booking with United Cruises instead of just booking with the cruise line. We will give you our exclusive bonus offers, plus all of Holland America Cruise Line offers, plus all of the Mariner Club benefits. Book your next Holland America cruise today!Call us at 800-211-2039 if you need help finding the perfect cruise.

What is the #1 cruise line in the world?

Norwegian Cruise Line The best cruise lines in 2023. Norwegian Cruise Line ranked as the best cruise line in the world, according to Condé Nast Traveler.

It looks like more smooth sailing for the cruise industry.

An October survey from Condé Nast Traveler revealed that 47% of people said they would be interested in setting sail on a ship — only 27% of readers went on a cruise last year.

A recent report from the Cruise Lines International Association shows that traveling by cruise is becoming one of the fastest-growing tourism sectors.

What are the top 5 cruise companies in the world?

Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, MSC Cruises SA, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, and TUI AG, Genting Bhd are the top 5 cruise companies in the world in 2021 by the number of passengers carried. In aggregate, the top 10 cruise companies in the world carried a total of 12,544,100 passengers in 2021, where Carnival Corporation & Plc ferried the highest number of passengers (5,842,600 passengers), followed by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (3,278,500 passengers), and MSC Cruises SA (1,414,700 passengers), while Virgin Cruises Intermediate Ltd ferried the lowest number of passengers (111,100 passengers). In terms of the geographical split, 5 out of the top 10 cruise companies in the world by the number of passengers carried are based in North America, 4 are based in Europe and the remaining 1 is based in Asia. They employed 452,982 people. The United States of America-based Carnival Corporation & plc Ltd is the leading cruise company in the world (by the number of passengers carried). The company is a leisure travel company. Carnival Corporation & plc Ltd reported revenues of $5,595 million for the fiscal year ended December 2021 (FY2021) with a 66% decrease in the revenue growth, due to the pause in guest cruise operations starting from March 2020 and the gradual recommencement in guest cruise operations in 2021. It is a provider of extraordinary vacations to all major cruise destinations in the world. Carnival provides services through a portfolio of global, regional, and national cruise brands that specialize in selling cruise products, services, and vacation experiences. It visits more than 230 destinations across the world and offers an annual world cruise and itineraries. Carnival Corporation & plc Ltd employed 39,000 people.

What is Holland America famous for?

For 150 years, Holland America Line has been a recognized leader in cruising. If you are looking for some of the most spacious and comfortable ships at sea, award-winning service, exquisite dining, extensive activities and enrichment programs and compelling worldwide itineraries, you’ve come to the right place.

Our fleet of 11 modern classic ships offers more than 500 sailings a year visiting all seven continents. Cruises include both popular and less-traveled ports in the Caribbean, Alaska, Europe, Mexico, South America, the Panama Canal, Australia, New Zealand and Asia — as well as unique voyages to the Amazon, Antarctica and our extended Grand Voyages.

Holland America Line is proud of its environmental program. The company earned its initial ISO 14001 certification in June 2006. As the internationally recognized standard for environmental management, ISO 14001 encompasses virtually every aspect of our ships’ operations. Holland America Line has been recertified to meet that standard again and again — demonstrating our belief that the safeguarding of our guests, crews, ships and the environment in which we live and operate is not only the right thing to do, it is essential to the successful conduct of our business.

When did Holland America cruise start?

1895 1895: The 3,300-ton Rotterdam (II) sails the first Holland America Line cruise — a short summer voyage from Rotterdam to Copenhagen and back — to the opening of the Kieler Canal.

Rotterdam (I), the company’s first ship, sails its 15-day maiden voyage from the Netherlands to New York City. Carrying 70 passengers (10 Cabin Class and 60 Immigrant Class) and 800 tons of cargo, the ship is 269-feet-long, has a 35-foot beam and weighs 1,700 tons. Official capacity is 8 passengers in First Class and 388 in Steerage.

Beginnings: April 18, 1873. Holland America Line (HAL — or Holland-Amerika Lijn) is founded as the Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij (NASM — Netherlands-American Steamship Company), a cargo and passenger line. The company forms as the result of the reorganization of an earlier company, Plate, Reuchlin & Co.

The company is a major carrier of immigrants from Europe to the New World during the massive emigration which takes place from the 1880s to the 1920s. At one point, Holland America Line carried more than 10% of those traveling in steerage from Europe to the New World. As if that weren’t impressive enough, the emigrants were treated to three square meals a day served in dining rooms.

What happened to Holland America Line?

Most cruise lines suspended their sailings because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As of 6 January 2021, all Holland America sailings were cancelled to at least 30 April 2021, according to an industry news item. That report listed no specific sailings for Holland America prior to the first week of June 2021.

In October 2023, Holland America announced that it was about halfway through converting its fleet Wi-Fi to Starlink. The cruise line also announced that it expected to have Starlink fully operational across its entire fleet by mid-December 2023. With the move, Holland America joined its sister-brands in Carnival Corporation & plc, including Princess Cruises and Cunard Line.

Holland America’s parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, currently owns two former Holland America Line ships operated by Marella Cruises. Both Marella Celebration and Marella Spirit sailed for Holland America as the Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam before being transferred to the Marella fleet in 2005 and 2003, respectively. Marella Spirit was operated by Louis Cruises under sub-charter to Marella until 2018, when she was sold for scrap. Her sister ship, the Marella Celebration, still remains in operation. Marella Dream was built as Homeric in 1986 before moving to Holland America as Westerdam in 1988.

What is the average age on Holland America cruises?

With an average age of 55, Holland America passengers skew slightly older than those of some major lines. On Alaska cruises, about 80 percent of cruisers are older than 50; about 40 percent are over 65. Ages wereolder on our recent New Zealand to Australia cruise. In general, Alaska cruises and those taking place during the Australia and New Zealand school holidays attract more families.

On most Alaska sailings, Holland America cruisers are 60 to 80 percent North American, although this percentage skews towards Australian and New Zealand cruisers when the ship comes Down Under. However, you will still find many nationalities onboard, with Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders and Australians making up the majority of the passenger base.

Daytime attire is casual, though shorts and tank tops aren’t allowed in the dining rooms. The Lido Restaurant is more laid-back but does request that diners wear shoes and a shirt. Recommendeddress code on most nights is “smart casual,” meaning skirts or pants for women and casual slacks and shirts for men. Two formal nights on our cruise brought out a smattering of tuxes and sequins. Cocktail dresses for women and sport coats and slacks for men predominated. Alaska, Australia and New Zealand, and Pacific Island itineraries are typically fairly informal on Holland America. On European sailings, passengers tend to dress up more.

How is Holland America different from other cruise lines?

See More Glaciers & Enjoy More Opportunities to Experience Wildlife in Alaska. Do you want to connect with the magnificent creatures, culture and spirit of the Great Land? With Holland America Line, you have more access to Alaska wildlife than with any other cruise line. Experience the wonders of the wild as National Park Service Rangers and onboard wildlife experts guide you through wildlife-watching opportunities.

Enhance your adventure with anAlaska cruisetour, taking you deeper into the wilderness whereAlaska’s Big Fiveroam. You’ll also see moreAlaska glaciersthan with any other cruise line, getting a close-up view from our ships. Whether you’re sailing along the shore or embarking on an unforgettableshore excursion, you’ll experience the best of Alaska.

Soak Up Sunshine at Half Moon Cay, Our Award-Winning Private Island. No matter which itinerary you choose, a Caribbean cruisewill have you soaking up sunshine in paradise, especially at Half Moon Cay, our award-winning private island in the Bahamas.

Where does Holland America rank in cruise lines?

Holland America stands beside Celebrity at the top of the major cruise line ratings. Holland America has been known to cater to an older crowd, but that is an image they are working on changing and they do have programs for all ages. Their ships are typically somewhat smaller than the other major lines, giving them a bit more of an intimate atmosphere.

As the name states, MSC is a very Italian cruise line. Overall quality is good and so are the itineraries, but you may find that English is not the language of choice onboard.

Norwegian’s newer ships offer good all-around cruise experiences for budget-minded cruisers. They offer a wide variety of cruises from home ports all over the United States, including the only year-round cruises in Hawaii.