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Holland America Eurodam Review on Alaska Cruise

Nearly four years had passed since my last Holland America’s Eurodam  cruise. But now I was going on a cruise to Alaska aboard the recently refurbished Eurodam .

Here’s my review of the ship and what Eurodam is like on an Alaska cruise.

Holland America Eurodam Review and Photos

Eurodam has been a long-time favorite ship for me. This Alaska Inside Passage cruise was a chance for me to experience the ship after its major 2015 refurbishment. Most of all, I’d learn what cruising Alaska is like on a medium-sized ship.

From Seattle our itinerary included Juneau, Sitka , Ketchikan and the required stop in Victoria, British Columbia. In addition, Eurodam would spend a full day cruising spectacular Glacier National Park.

Eurodam Fast Facts

Cruise Line:  Holland America Cruise Ship:  Eurodam Category:  Premium cruise line – $$$ Passengers/Crew: 2,104/929 Refurbished: 2015 Dining Rooms: 2 Dining Times: 5:45,  8pm and Open Self-Serve Laundry: No

Welcome aboard Holland America’s Eurodam

What to Expect on Holland America’s Eurodam

I’ll start my Alaska Holland America Eurodam review with a little background info about the ship.

Holland America launched Eurodam in 2008, the first of two ships in their mid-size Signature Class of ships. 

With only 11 decks and 2,104 passengers, based on double occupancy, it’s fairly small compared to the mega-ships of other cruise lines. 

That’s one thing I really like and appreciate about Holland America; all of their ships are medium-sized and very easy to get around without a major learning curve.

When Eurodam was refurbished in 2015, it was the first ship to add B.B. King’s Blues Club, and has become one of the liveliest nightspots on the ship.

The following year, the cruise line partnered with the BBC Earth and now features live classical music to accompany the amazing BBC Earth Live movie presentations in the main theater. 

On this particular itinerary, the one-night-only BBC Earth Live event was entitled, “Alaska in Concert”. I never miss these multi-sensory production shows.

There are a total of 24 public rooms aboard Eurodam including 12 bars and lounges, two swimming pools (one under the sliding glass dome), fitness center, spa and salon and my favorite, a dedicated movie theater with freshly popped popcorn.

Alaska is all about the outdoors and there’s plenty of deck space aboard the Eurodam. There’s no “best” side of the ship for viewing as the ship makes a U-turn in Glacier Bay so everyone gets the best view.

Also Read:  21 Best Things to Do in Sitka, Alaska

One of Holland America’s long-standing accolades has been the superior level of service provided by their crew and staff. This cruise didn’t disappoint in that category either. 

Every crew member always said good-morning, may I help you, can I get you anything, without getting too friendly or intrusive that it made you cringe upon each encounter.

Onboard Expenses

Holland America is not an all-inclusive cruise line so plan to pay extra for specialty dining, soft drinks, alcohol & spirits, deluxe coffees and shore excursions. You can purchase various beverage and dining packages before or during your cruise, and you won’t feel nickel’d and dime’d during your vacation. One bottle of wine per person may be brought aboard at embarkation.

As with most cruise lines, wifi is not complimentary. The wifi packages are reasonably priced and connectivity fairly consistent except in wilderness areas of course. One advantage of an Alaska cruise is that you’re still in the United States and you can use your phone for internet access. Just make sure to turn on Airplane mode when cruising the coast of British Columbia!

Eurodam Stateroom Review

My standard balcony stateroom, with a little extra balcony

This is stateroom #5138 and as you can see, there’s a wee bit extra balcony space. There are two really cool features to this balcony; 1. if you stand in the little triangle space you have a perfect forward view without having to look to your side and 2. There’s no one above you to look down onto your balcony – as I was able to do to the enormous balcony just below my room.

As you can see, the standard balcony has everything you’d need including a ton of USB ports dotted around the stateroom. There’s extra storage in the bins above the small sofa as well as at the end of the desk and under the bed. Closet space is excellent, too, with “real” hangers that you can actually remove from the closet rod. You don’t find that on many cruise lines very often.

Something else you don’t find very often is a bathtub. I think almost all of the older Holland America ships put bathtubs in all but the inside staterooms. I was also happy to see that the tub is equipped with large grab bar to help getting in and out of the tub/shower. Or to hold onto in the shower in rough seas!

Under the bathroom countertop is more open storage space. A non-wall-mounted hairdryer is also furnished as is a magnifying mirror. Toiletries are the Elemis standard and pump bottles with shampoo, conditioner and body wash are mounted in the shower. I find the basic Elemis products too harsh so I always bring my own. The bar of hand soap on the sink is just fine.

Cruise Maven Loves:   In the closet is a neatly-folded, not-to-heavy bathrobe and slippers tucked inside a mesh zip bag.

Read next:  How I traveled from Florida to Alaska without flying

Eurodam Dining Review

I’ll admit it. I’m a fussy eater. That’s why more times than not, you’ll find me at the Lido Market scouting out my options. Holland America has revamped their Lido dining experience and grouped food stations into a smoother flow, with clearly-marked signs for each type/category of food; The Homestead for comfort food, salad bar, Asian, a carvery, ice cream, etc.

READ MORE:  Holland America Increases Specialty Dining Fees

Eurodam ‘s Rembrandt Dining is on two levels. The first level is located on Deck 2 and offers open seating at breakfast and lunch. At dinner time, it’s again open seating, called “As You Wish” dining with Holland America. You can choose to dine from 5:15 pm until 9:00 pm. The second level is on Deck 3 and is where you go for fixed dining times, offered at 5:15 pm and 8:00 pm.

All totaled, there are 14 dining options, including daily afternoon Royal Dutch Tea time.

Complimentary

• Main Dining Room, Lido Market, Dive-In, 24-hr room service, New York Pizza

Additional cost

• Grand Dutch Café, Gelato, Explorations Café (specialty coffees), Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto, Tamarind, Rudi’s Sel de Mer, Culinary Arts Center

Cruise Maven loves:   Any of the three dining packages. You’ll save $6 – $9 per person and have wonderful culinary experiences to remember.

Eurodam Entertainment Review

My favorite night spot on Eurodam and any Holland America ship with B.B. King’s Blues Club. The band plays three sets on almost every evening, the last set starting at 10:45 p.m. and that’s when the place really gets going. In addition, there are specialty cocktails with jazz and blues themes.

In partnership with BBC Earth, you can experience live concerts that accompany BBC Earth nature production films from all corners of the earth.

If you haven’t had enough music, head over to Billboard Onboard’s piano bar. Guests can sing along with the piano players who dole out fifty years of top of the charts hits.

Cruise Maven loves:   To arrive a little early for the one and only BBC Earth main stage event. I think the best seats are middle-center.

Onboard Activities

Onboard activities are offered from sunrise til late night. On an Alaska cruise like this one, the ship brought a naturalist on board from the National Park Service and Alice, a member of the Tlingit tribe. They joined us as we entered Glacier Bay and set up their tables in the EXC Lounge.

As part of Holland America’s EXC, Explorations Central – a destination immersion program, the naturalist narrated our 9 -hour cruise through Glacier Bay. Alice was on hand to talk about Native American life in Alaska. I had met Alice a couple of weeks before on another guided trip so it was fun to see her again.

Several times during the cruise (on sea days) a chef from America’s Test Kitchen does a cooking demonstration. No, there aren’t any samples given out at the end! But you do get a large recipe card to bring home.

Also Read:  Holland America and America’s Test Kitchen Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

The pool under the dome was pretty popular – in fact this whole area was usually filled with swimmers, loungers and diners from Dive-In (upper left corner) or the Lido Market.

There’s trivia contests, dance lessons, computer classes and more. Everything is listed in the daily planner that you’ll receive at bedtime.

There’s so much going on, I can’t list it all. But this gives you an idea of some of the activities, especially on sea days.

Cruise Maven Loves:   To always pack a yellow highlighter pen to note the activities in the daily planner that I want to do .

Who’s Onboard

For years, Holland America was known for catering to the over-55 crowd. And for good reason. 

With smaller, easy-to-get-around ships, superior crew training that resulted in respect and kindness to their older passengers and a slightly less jam-packed onboard schedule, it was a perfect combination.

Today, as you’d expect, Holland America adjusted their focus to attract the 40s to 60 crowd. The addition of Music Walk (with Billboard, Lincoln Center and B.B. King’s), more active shore excursions and even improved wifi all help to lower the age demographic.

This Alaska cruise, as on many cruises to our 49th state, attracted an outdoorsy crowd across the age range spectrum. Our cruise began on September 1 so the amount of young children was really minimal. 

During a conversation with the Captain, he related that during the past summer, there were many families some of which spanned three generations.

Despite a somewhat older crowd, every show at the B.B. King Blues Club was a full house. The dance floor was jumping until the last minute of the last music set. Older doesn’t mean the carpet rolls up at 9 p.m. Especially not here.

On every cruise, Holland America hosts a loyalty club luncheon. Eurodam ‘s luncheon filled the lower level of the Rembrandt dining room. Holland America has an avid loyal following and at this event, it was evident.

Parting Thoughts

During this time in Alaska, I also completed a one-week Alaska Inside Passage cruise on a very small ship. 

Getting to Alaska without flying, I traveled aboard the Alaska Marine Highway ferry. I was curious what the same itinerary would be like aboard this larger 2,104 passenger ship.

Bottom line, the Eurodam Alaska cruise was excellent, for several reasons. Because Holland America has been cruising Alaska for 75 years, they have a bit of clout when it comes to being allowed into Glacier Bay.

On my small ship cruise, the Park Service said we weren’t allowed to get up to breathtaking Marjerie Glacier because the viewing area already had its two allotted ships. 

But aboard Eurodam , under spectacular blue skies, we scooted right up to what’s probably the most photographed glacier in the park.

The selection of well-managed shore excursions was vast and varied. There was something for every level of Alaska adventurer. 

Float planes and helicopter rides to stand on mighty glaciers. There were culinary tours, easy walking or uphill hikes, and my favorite, a visit and ride to a dog sledding training camp. 

Something for everyone at every level. Alaska cruises are about the great outdoors, so visits to museums or indoor activities are nearly non-existent.

More of What I love About Eurodam

• Riding up and down in the glass elevators overlooking the ocean. You have to try it – the view is amazing though a bit daunting at first!
• The traditional teak wraparound promenade. No running allowed.
• Watching first-run movies in the dedicated Cinema. Pick up your bag of popcorn at the entrance.
• To have a cocktail or two at the exotic Silk Den Lounge while relaxing on plush, purple velvet sofas.
• The lighted, magnifying make-up mirrors and detached hair dryers
• On Deck for a Cause 5K walk to benefit cancer research.

Holland America Eurodam Review Facts in a Nutshell

Cruise Line:  Holland America Cruise Ship:  Eurodam Category:  Premium cruise line – $$$ Passengers/Crew: 2,104/929 Best time to go:  Alaska cruises go from May – Sept. Beginning and end of season offer best values. Internet:  Fee-based, packages available. Shoreside phone signal in Alaska is available. Itinerary:  Inside Passage cruise round-trip from Seattle. Ports included: Ketchikan, Juneau, Inside Passage, Sitka, Victoria – British Columbia. Gratuities:  Tipping guideline – $14.50 per person per day standard staterooms / $16.00 per person per day suite guests.

Disclosure:  I was an invited guest aboard Holland America Eurodam . I was not offered compensation nor was I required to write this article. As always, all opinions are my own. Cruise experiences are very subjective and if I like or dislike something, it does not mean my readers will all agree. My Holland America Eurodam review represents my personal experiences without bias.

If you like this Eurodam review, please PIN it!

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Hi Rebecca, Thank you for your comment…I have to update my article as it seems that you are correct. They’ve gotten rid of the dedicated movie theater. There still are six other Holland America ships with a movie theater and popcorn, though. Also, the newer Koningsdam and the new Nieuw Statendam have movies on the Lido deck and serve popcorn. I’m sorry to learn about the Eurodam losing the movie theater. But the Eurodam is a fabulous ship and always has a good Alaska itinerary. Thank you again and have a wonderful cruise next year. Sherry

According to the Holland America Line “Our Ships At A Glance” pdf – the Eurodam does not have a movie theater. Which might be disappointing because I was looking forward to a movie and popcorn one evening. I’ll find out for certain when we board soon for the next cruise to Alaska.

Hi Liz, Thank you for reading my Eurodam review. I’m currently aboard the Maasdam and enjoying movies in the dedicated Wajang Movie Theater. Holland America’s website states that Eurodam does indeed have a movie theater…same as in my review. Unless something’s changed and their site hasn’t been updated, then the movie theater is still there. I hope this helps. Thank you again. Happy Cruising! Sherry

Just wanted to ask about the Movie Theater – I saw some posts in 2018 that said it had been removed, but sounds like they brought it back since you were there in 2019?

Also, did you happen to see the Retreat Cabanas and do you think one would work for a trip to Alaska in July. We don’t have a balcony booked, but thought this would be a lovely way to view the glaciers.

Thanks – loved your review. I’ll pin it to my pinterest page.

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Updated on October 8, 2022 by Sherry Laskin

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Oui In France

What our Alaska cruise was like aboard Holland America Line’s Eurodam

on everything else · travel

My dad and I just wrapped up a trip of a lifetime to Alaska. We had an amazing time aboard Holland America Line ‘s Eurodam on our 7-day Alaska cruise. This was a very special trip to honor my mom who passed away in October 2021. She had always wanted to do an Alaska cruise but never got the chance, so we did it in her honor.

Let’s get into my Holland America Alaska cruise review!

Table of Contents

Where we went on our Holland America Alaska cruise

I’ll break down each of our port stops below, but here’s our 7-Day Alaskan Explorer cruise itinerary at a glance aboard the Holland America Eurodam cruise ship from June 3-10, 2023:

Saturday: Departed Seattle, 3 p.m.

Sunday: At sea

Monday: Juneau, 1 p.m.-10 p.m.

Tuesday: Glacier Bay scenic cruising & Icy Strait Point evening arrival 6 p.m-10 p.m.

Wednesday: Sitka, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Thursday: Ketchikan, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.

Friday: Victoria, British Columbia 8 p.m.-11 p.m.

Saturday: Seattle arrival, 7 a.m.

Here we are at the Space Needle!

Our Holland America Alaska cruise left from Seattle on Saturday afternoon but we arrived Thursday night, which gave us a bit of a buffer in case our flight was delayed. The early arrival also allowed us to explore Seattle. It was our first time there and the weather cooperated. We had sunny skies and temps in the high 60s F. It was literally a warm welcome!

First up, we visited Pike Place and the original Starbucks in the early morning hours (thanks jetlag!) and retraced my mom’s footsteps from years ago when she went to Seattle on a business trip. We also went to the Seattle Art Museum and the Space Needle before the cruise left and had a lot of fun discovering Seattle.

My dad and I arrived at the ship on Saturday morning around 11am and the embarkation process had us on the boat and in our room at noon. One thing to note is that your luggage will be delivered to your room up to a couple of hours later, so keep any medication and other important items you might need right away in your carry-on.

The ship: Holland America Line’s Eurodam

The Eurodam was Holland America Line’s first Signature Class ship, completed in 2008, and accommodates about 2,100 passengers and is 936 feet long. It’s home to several specialty restaurants, a bunch of entertainment venues such as B.B. King’s Blues Club where you’ll hear all kinds of R&B classics, a World Stage for the dance, other performances, and talks, and Billboard Onboard.

There’s also a pickleball court on the top decks along with a basketball hoop, walking track, ping pong, pools, and hot tubs.

If relaxing at the spa is more your thing, you’ll find the Greenhouse Spa & Salon® up on Deck 9 next to the fitness center complete with hydropools that are perfect for sea days. There’s also a casino down on Deck 2 with both table games and slot machines.

Cabin 6170, Aft Verandah Stateroom aboard Holland America’s Eurodam

We stayed in cabin 6170 of the Eurodam which is an aft verandah stateroom (balcony cabin) at the very back of the ship looking straight out. It has two twin beds that can be pushed together or kept separate, a couch that can be pulled out to a third bed, desk area, and a bathroom that had a bathtub (not just a shower).

I appreciated the different sized pillows and the fact that there were three per bed. They were comfy as well. It’s the little things, right?

Cabin 6170, Aft Verandah Cabin aboard Holland America’s Eurodam

We found the space to be very comfortable with plenty of room and adequate storage both under the bed and in the closets. The balconies on the aft cabins seem to be a little bigger than standard verandah cabins on the sides of the ship and had two chairs with footrests and a small table.

There were several electrical outlets in the cabin to charge your devices right next to the bed and by the desk. They all had USB outlets so you can plug your chargers directly into the USB ports.

The cabin was a 10/10. Zero complaints! We didn’t find it to be any louder or more prone to motion than other cabins so seasickness wasn’t an issue. I appreciate that Holland America ships all have classic styling and a relaxing feel in all the cabins — no crazy colors or anything so you’ll get great sleep!

Ports we visited on our Holland America Alaska cruise on the Eurodam

I told you a little bit about our short time in Seattle above and I’d definitely recommend spending a day or two in Seattle either before or after the cruise. There’s a lot to see and do and it’s well worth leaving yourself some extra time.

Our first port was Juneau and we had a whale watching/glacier excursion booked. It was a small group tour of just 20 people and included an easy hike to the Mendenhall Glacier first, followed up by a scenic trip on a whale watching boat.

The hike to the glacier is slow and easy and only about a mile long. The tour company has access to a private trail that takes you to the glacier, so there were no crowds along the way. Thank goodness our guide had bear spray just in case we encountered any grizzly bears. Luckily, we didn’t and I’m not sad we didn’t see any bears up close.

The Mendenhall Glacier is stunning in person and well worth the trip. We learned that it’s receding little by little each year so we’re glad to have seen it before it disappears. We also learned a bit about the area and its wildlife along the way. We even saw a porcupine in a tree.

Then, it was time to board our whale watching boat. We lucked out and saw about 15 humpback whales! Tour boats needs to stay 100 yards away from the whales, but even at that distance we saw the whales as they came to the surface and even did a few tail flips for us. It was an amazing sight to witness! They moved too quickly for me to get a photo, though.

Definitely wear layers, gloves, and bring a hat or headband to cover your ears. Even though we had nice weather and it was June, you might get a bit splashed like I did. It also got windy and quite cool toward the end of our tour and I was glad I dressed for the weather (high 40s F). More on what to wear below.

I believe this was the Margerie Glacier. Just WOW!

Glacier Bay

The next day in Glacier Bay was one of the highlights of our Holland America Alaska cruise. Just WOW! It reminded me of some of the sights from our Norway trip ! It’s part of the scenic cruising and you stay on the ship and take in the views from the water.

The narrow bay is flanked by majestic terrain on both sides. From snow-capped mountains to glaciers and forests, it’s out of this world. Glacier Bay State Park was a perfect mix of calm and beauty in one. If you have the chance to go, DEFINITELY GO!

Something I appreciated that really helped us to see everything was how the captain stopped several times and slowly turned the ship 360 degrees. Everyone on board was able to see Glacier Bay in all its glory no matter what side their cabin was on.

On our kayaking excursion!

Icy Strait Point

Later that day after hitting the casino a bit and trying our hand at pickleball, we pulled into Icy Strait Point around 6 p.m. and promptly hopped off the ship to head out to our kayaking excursion. Despite the fact that neither my dad nor I have kayaked much in the past decade, we figured it would be fun. Oh boy, were we in for a surprise.

For the life of us, we couldn’t get the dang tandem kayak to go straight for the first half of the tour. We were just laughing the whole time looking like degenerates at the very back of the group with the second tour guide.

We tried our best and finally got a little better and joined the rest of the group. Our group even saw a sea lion and bald eagle (probably laughing at our pitiful kayaking skills lol).

Kayaking is harder than it looks, let me say that. Thank goodness it was a beginner excursion, nothing strenuous, so we didn’t get too far behind. If you can paddle forward, you’re in good shape.

Along the way, the guides told us about the local area including the wildlife, what life is like there, and the price of groceries. They explained how everything has to be flown in and the meat and dairy products are nearly at their expiration date upon arrival.

You do get a bit wet while kayaking and the tour company provided us with special pants, a life jacket, and a leg covering so we wouldn’t get too wet, so rest assured you’ll have all the gear you need for this excursion. 

We finished up around 9 p.m and had to get back to the ship. There was a cool gondola ride that I wish we had time for. Tom would have loved that. Next time, I guess! All in all, the kayaking was fun and once we figured things out, the tour went a lot more smoothly.

Also, if you stop like our group did a few times to listen to the guide, there are midges (insects) that will bite your face. My dad didn’t feel them biting him and when we got back to the ship, I gasped because his whole forehead looked like he had the measles. They faded after a day or so, but be prepared.

We didn’t have an excursion booked and decided to explore Sitka on our own. There’s a free shuttle bus right from the port that’ll get you into town in about 10 minutes. The downtown area is right on the water so you can walk around and take in the beautiful scenery while shopping or grabbing a bite to eat.

Enormous King Crab legs for sale in Sitka, Alaska

Check out the biggest King Crab legs I’ve ever seen. I thought they were fake at first!

We did a little souvenir shopping and then headed back to the ship in the afternoon.

One of the most stunning things I’ve ever seen with my own eyes.

Ketchikan was where we did the Bering Sea Crab Fisherman’s tour with crew from the Deadliest Catch reality show. It was the highlight of our trip and this gets a 10 out of 10. If you’re on the fence about what Alaska shore excursions might be right for you, definitely go with this one if you’re interested in fishing, wildlife, and good stories.

First up, you board the Aleutian Ballad that’s been outfitted for tours and you have the option to sit either upstairs or downstairs. Make sure you arrive early so you can get a front row seat.

It’s a 3-hour tour that stays within the calm waters of the Inside Passage, so you definitely won’t get seasick. Along the way, you’ll be treated to stories from Bering Sea fishermen and even get to see and hold some of the crabs they catch. The King Crabs were HUGE and the biggest I’ve ever seen. Everything is released back into the sea. 

Only the tour guides were allowed to hold these because if not done correctly, they could break your finger!

Two parts of the tour were especially moving for us. The first was when the fishermen threw bait into the water which attracted about 20-30 bald eagles. We saw them up close as they dove into the water to grab the fish with their claws.

They swooped down and around in this flying frenzy like nothing I’ve ever seen before. It was quite a show! To be able to witness this in nature — not in a zoo — was extremely emotional for my dad and me and we knew my mom was with us. I’m so grateful we got to see that.

Quick aside: I actually made a memorial diamond from my mom’s ashes and she had her homecoming in March 2023. This special trip is the first (hopefully of many) where my mom came along in diamond form.

The second thing which was especially meaningful to us was when the crew members pulled up a crab pot that had a bunch of tags on it. They explained that each tag had a handwritten message from guests who wanted to honor a loved one and we knew it was something we wanted to contribute to as well. It was perfect, considering the whole purpose of our trip — to honor my mom and take her on her bucket list trip.

The donations go toward helping a local group of natives who have lost fishermen over the years. They depend on fishing to live and donations go toward helping their families. We made a donation and got our own blank tag that will then get attached to the crab pot with all the others. I wrote my message, signed the tag, and smiled despite the tears.

Victoria, BC

It was a rainy and cool night, so my dad and I decided to stay on the ship. It was a late arrival, and since we had food and drinks on the boat and were tired, we figured we’d catch Victoria another time and call it an early night.

Holland America Line Eurodam food

OK, let’s move on to what we ate!

For meals, you have several dining options on your Holland America Alaska cruise:

–Buffet on Deck 9, the Lido Deck (for breakfast, lunch and dinner)

–Main Dining Room on Decks 2-3 (for breakfast and dinner, and lunch on certain days)

–Specialty dining restaurants (additional fee, for lunch and dinner)

–Room service (24/7)

— Dive-In and New York Pizza on Deck 9 (Dive-in closes at 6 p.m. but NY Pizza stays open until 11 p.m.)

First, I’ll start with the most important meal of the day! We’re breakfast lovers and had no shortage of choices. Since it’s our favorite meal of the day, we went big and tried almost everything on the menu. Standouts for me were pancakes, French toast, Belgian waffles, omelets, and the sausage patties (you can’t get them in France!).

You can either have breakfast upstairs at the buffet on the Lido Deck 9, in the main dining room at a sit-down table with a menu and waiter, or opt for room service (which is free). We split our breakfasts between the buffet and main dining room.

We opted for a room service breakfast on the morning we arrived in Ketchikan, as we had an early excursion and the main dining room wasn’t open yet (had to be out the door by 7:30am and that’s when it opened). The buffet opens at 6 a.m., though for the early risers.

For lunch, we usually hit the buffet and had a small lunch and saved our appetite for dinner. I tried Dive-In and New York Pizza and both were excellent. Dive-In is kind of a Shake Shack-style place with a bunch of burger, hot dog, and fry options.

For dinner, we ate in the main dining room every night except for the first night where we had booked a table ahead of time at the Pinnacle Grill. You can book specialty restaurants ahead of time or once you’re on board, but if you have your heart set on a specific day and time, definitely reserve a table ahead of time or on the first day since reservations are required. My dad got lamb and I got chicken. Both were excellent. There are also vegetarian options.

To sum up my thoughts on the food, well, I can’t praise the food enough. We didn’t have a single subpar meal on the Eurodam. We ate everything from fish and shrimp to beef and lamb and even escargots. Desserts ranged from tiramisu, to a hot fudge ice cream sundae, to a fruit crumble, and so much more. Portions are on the medium size, I’d say. They were just right.

I’d also like to point out that the entire Holland America staff took extra care with my food allergy and no mistakes were made. I let the dining staff supervisor know about my problem with citrus right when we boarded and everyone was made aware.

This was really important to me because sometimes I get nervous at restaurants when the staff doesn’t seem too confident about what’s in their food, but this was not a problem at all on our cruise. I was so thankful that mealtime wasn’t stressful for me. Thanks, Holland America, for taking food allergies seriously.

What to pack for an Alaska cruise

This could be an entire post in and of itself, but here are a few quick tips for what to pack for an Alaska cruise in June.

A light rain jacket , thin goose down packable puffer jacket , both short and long sleeved shirts, and sturdy hiking shoes/sneakers are a must. It’s a good idea to wear non-cotton pants that won’t absorb water, so leave your jeans on the boat and opt for quick-drying pants on excursions.

A scarf, gloves, and a hat are must-have items as well. I wore a poncho (above) for our Whales & Trails tour and it served me well in the drizzle. An umbrella would have worked as well.

I’d recommend being prepared for a variety of weather conditions including rain and wind, with temps that range from the 40s-70s F. In Juneau, it was about 48 F as a high and it got cool and wet on our whale watching tour. Same for Glacier Bay — not warmer than 50 F and it was cloudy.

The sun came and went and I was glad I layered up. In the cooler ports, I had on a t-shirt, long sleeved medium-weight hoodie, my packable puffer jacket, and a thigh-length rain jacket (plus a scarf and gloves), plus sneakers. And I’m someone who is rarely cold. What I wore was perfect.

Other days, I left the puffer coat on the ship and just wore a long sleeve shirt and rain jacket.

Depending on your excursions, you may want to consider hiking boots and additional gear if you’re doing all-day hiking, fishing, etc. But for the average cruiser, what I’ve mentioned above is sufficient. Also keep in mind that there are laundry services on board.

If you are planning on going to the spa or the hot tubs or pool, don’t forget your swimsuit. On our first day as we left Seattle, it was in the low 70s F and people were in the pool, so it’s not always too cold to swim.

I will point out that our tour guides in Juneau remarked that it was a bit cooler than usual (in the 40s F), but still, definitely bring layers and be ready for anything. June really is the best time to go to Alaska — not quite peak season and not as much rain as later in the summer.

Things I brought that I never ended up wearing : Shorts, sandals, and my dress. The formal/gala nights are pretty low-key in Alaska and plenty of people opted out or just wore nice pants (it’s quite cool on the ship) and a dressy top — not a fancy dress. I also packed about four tops I never touched.

2 Things I should have brought that I forgot : A refillable water bottle. Totally slipped my mind! It’s great for both on the ship and off. This is the one I forgot (with a sports top).

Also, hand cream would have come in handy (couldn’t resist the pun!). While there’s regular body lotion in the cabin, a moisturizing hand cream would have been great to have. This is my favorite . Your hands will get dry from all the hand washing and hand sanitizer, as well as from the cool weather.

What’s a Holland America Line cruise like?

Before last summer when Tom and I went to Norway on Holland America’s Rotterdam , I didn’t know what to expect. As a teen and young adult, I had cruised on Carnival and wasn’t familiar with Holland America Line at all. When I asked around, people said it’s for elderly people and the ships don’t have much going on. 

But the stereotypes didn’t hold true.

Alaska is a pretty active destination with many cruisers opting for active excursions like kayaking, hiking, and more, so I found the other passengers to be on the younger side overall. I’d say over 90% were American (whereas on our Norway trip, the majority were Dutch).

I don’t have stats from the cruise line, but the average age was probably 50 (not 80!), with many couples in their 20s and 30s and lots of multigenerational families cruising together.

Keep in mind that Holland America is an American-owned cruise line — Carnival Corporation is the parent company — and its cruises are for people who want a classic, upscale cruise experience at whatever age.

School is out in June in many areas of the U.S. so it makes sense that we saw a bunch of kids and teens. As we get further into the summer season, I’m sure that will only increase. The average age skews toward an older crowd outside of peak season.

If you haven’t seriously considered Holland America because it has a rep for being a cruise line for senior citizens, I’d urge you to reconsider. Yes, there were older folks on board but it was a nice mix. I definitely didn’t feel like I was on a retirement cruise by any means. Not that that would be a bad thing, but for those of you curious about the average age, I just wanted to share my experience.

While you won’t find water slides, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks, and wet tee shirt contests on Holland America, you will find great live music, destination talks, expertly choreographed dance shows on the World Stage, a casino, gym, spa, and a bunch of daily on-board activities like tai chi, pickleball, origami folding, a game room, and all kinds of other things to keep you busy.

Something I loved was the library where you can borrow a book for the duration of the cruise. I read Lucy Foley’s “ The Paris Apartment ” and loved sitting in the Barnes & Noble-esque library chairs watching the waves from the window. It was a perfect cruise (or beach) read!

Another highlight was the B.B. King’s Blues Club. The musicians ROCKED and often had crowds well after midnight. We also loved the dance shows. The six dancers that made up Step One performed beautifully.

Would I cruise with Holland America Line again?

Absolutely, yes. This was my second Holland America Line cruise ( Norway was my first, and this was my dad’s first cruise with them, of hopefully many) and we had a great time! 

Holland America has a more classic style and feels more low-key than other cruise lines. What I mean is that you won’t find activities on the schedule at 2 a.m. The shows don’t have a cast of 30 people. There’s also no nightclub/DJ, although there is a dance floor at B.B King’s and entertainment that can span well past midnight.

We also didn’t witness any crazy behavior that people sometimes associate with cruises. You know, overly inebriated folks who make a scene and that sort of thing while wearing their swimsuit to dinner. None of that to be found!

Holland America is classy and attracts a clientele looking for an upscale, cultured experience. Even in college, I was 20 going on 60 and am not big into nightlife and partying. I am an early riser and go to bed well before midnight, so some of the more lively nightlife you’ll find on other cruise lines isn’t my thing anyway.

For me, Holland America is suited to my personal cruise style. Great food, a nice selection of music and entertainment, nicely equipped gym, a casino and spa, and loads of areas in which to relax and hang out.

Our Holland America Alaska cruise was absolutely incredible and I hope my mom was able to enjoy it too. I have to believe she was there with us in spirit and is at peace. Cheers to Alaska and thank you to my dad. 😉 This was the most meaningful trip I’ve ever taken and it was brought me so much comfort to have been able to do it with my dad.

I hope you’ll check out Holland America Line for your next cruise to Alaska and that you’ll have as much fun as we did! It was truly a great experience.

Disclosure: Please note our Holland America Alaska cruise was NOT a press trip.

PIN my Holland America Alaska cruise reviews post:

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June 17, 2023 at 3:20 pm

Wow! I’m glad you and your dad had an amazing time, and also that you felt your mom there in spirit! Seattle and Alaska are two places my family and I would love to visit. I’ve wanted to go on a cruise to Alaska for quite a while. The atmosphere on this cruise sounds perfect to me too! We went on a cruise to Nova Scotia out of Boston in June, maybe 10 years ago, and I loved the cool, foggy weather. It was on Carnival, which isn’t really my ideal atmosphere, but my sons liked all the activities. Thanks for a great review, and I hope you have a great summer!

June 17, 2023 at 5:48 pm

Thanks so much, Susan! It’s really a spectacular trip. Hope you have a great summer too 🙂

June 17, 2023 at 5:12 pm

A wonderful post. Thank you, Diane.

June 17, 2023 at 5:47 pm

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for reading!

June 18, 2023 at 11:52 pm

This sounds like the trip of a lifetime, Diane! I’m so glad you got to do this with your dad in memory of your mom. It’s so meaningful that you were able to write a message on the crab pot tag as well.

The photos are also absolutely stunning – I’ve been meaning to ask, but did you get a new camera in the last couple years? Would love to know the model and lens as I’ve been considering getting a new camera for a while (looking at a Sony full-frame).

Hoping you have a wonderful rest of your summer with many more meaningful trips!

June 19, 2023 at 3:08 pm

It really was amazing, thank you so much for reading. 🙂

So glad you like my photos and to answer your question, believe it, or not, all the photos you see here (except kayak pic, that was a GoPro) were taken with my iPhone 11!! I do have a new camera, but I did not bring it with me on this trip in an effort to pack light. Thx again!

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Find a Cruise on Eurodam

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Traveler Reviews

A ship’s traveler rating is provided under license by Cruiseline.com , which manages one of the largest databases of cruise reviews and ratings by travelers. A total of 1067 guests have reviewed Eurodam , giving it a rating of 4.1 on a scale of 1-5.

Cruiseline Travel Rating:

Reviews by traveler type, most recent reviews.

Incredible Alaska Cruise

Apr 17th, 2024

After spending a week on an Alaska cruise we are doing an 11 day one next year. They are so much fun and you learn so much!

Traveler Type

2-3 cruises

Southern caribbean fun

Apr 9th, 2024

Smaller ship with great baked goods. Food was good. It does not have a coffee and bakery shop like most of the ships. Love the Happy Hour. Tamarind Restaurant is very good.

Great cruise and itinerary

Apr 6th, 2024

Love that the casino is a no smoking casino. Casino staff are amazing.

Singles/Friends

First Alaskan cruise

Apr 4th, 2024

Relatively small ship, perfect for a relaxed vacation and watching the beautiful scenery.

4-6 cruises

Not up to par

Mar 20th, 2024

While relaxing overall the cruise was a little disappointing. The overall food experience, except for the Tamarind, was not up to the usual quality. Food took 45 minutes to receive and then it was luke warm. Iced tea was very weak and had a coffee taste. Wine tasting on ship did not compare to the quality of the ones we had always experienced numerous times before.

Mar 12th, 2024

This cruise was very relaxed with a lot of ports. Easy going on Holland America which we appreciate. Love that they still serve you in the buffet. Staff is lovely and helpful. Ship is a bit older but kept up.

Missing so Much and Could Have Been Much Better

Mar 9th, 2024

Overall I wish I had taken a larger more "alive" ship to these ports. I think Holland America catered to a much older crowd and the music for the most part was boring (the Ocean Lounge had the same soft jazz group play for all 11 days!!). The main show seemed to miss the point (women in music) on several fronts. The food variety was lacking. I likely won't sail this ship again and will pay more attention next time I do sail with Holland America. I think this ship is not well suited for the Caribbean traveler.

Another relaxing HAL cruise.

Feb 19th, 2024

The service, food and mainstage entertainment was all great!

Another fun HAL cruise.

Feb 18th, 2024

It was a very relaxing cruise with great food, great service and great mainstage entertainment.

Best cruise we have ever taken

Feb 17th, 2024

Amazing experience. We have been on many cruises and enjoyed them all. This one was the best.

Disclaimers about ship ratings: A ship’s Health Rating is based on vessel inspection scores published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If a ship did not receive a CDC score within 22 months prior to the calculation of its Overall Rating, its Health Rating appears as N/A; in such a case, the ship’s Overall Rating is calculated using the average Health Rating of all CDC-rated ships within the cruise line. All ship Traveler Ratings are based on ratings provided under license by Cruiseline.com.

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Holland America Eurodam Deck Plans & Reviews

Holland America Eurodam

Activities & entertainment

• Afternoon Tea
• America's Test Kitchen Cooking Classes
• Art and Craft Classes *
• Art Gallery *
• Beer Tasting *
• Cigars Under the Stars *
• Digital Workshop *
• Digital Workshop Computer Classes
• Explorations Central Port Lectures
• Fitness Center
• Fitness Classes *
• Greenhouse Spa & Salon *
• Happy Hour Drink Special *
• Hot Tubs (5)
• Hydro Pool *
• Hydrotherapy Pool *
• Martini Tasting *
• Onboard Lectures
• Photo Gallery *
• Solo Traveler Get-Togethers
• Sports Courts
• Team Trivia
• Wine Tasting *
• The Retreat *
• Afternoon Musical Concerts
• B.B. King's Blues Club & America's Test Kitchen
• BBC Earth Onboard Features
• Billboard Onboard
• Feature Movie Matinees
• Lincoln Center Stage
• Live Nightly Music
• The Mainstage
• The Dining Room - American
• Gallery Bar - Art Bar *
• Tamarind - Asian Fusion *
• Atrium Bar - Atrium Bar *
• Ocean Bar - Atrium Bar *
• Lido Market - Casual
• Explorer's Lounge - Classic Bar *
• EXC & Explorations Café /Crow's Nest - Coffee Bar *
• Dive-In - Fast Food
• Canaletto - italian *
• New York Pizza - Pizza
• Lido Bar - Pool Bar *
• Sea View Bar - Pool Bar *
• Tamarind Bar - Scenic Bar *
• Pinnacle Grill - Steakhouse *
• Pinnacle Bar - Steakhouse Bar *
• Neptune Lounge - Suite Guests

Reviews We perform checks on reviews. Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines , the review is not published. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines . Learn more about our review moderation.

• Excellent 59
• Very Good 33
• Terrible 12
• All languages ( 136 )
• English ( 134 )
• Dutch ( 2 )

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936 ft. length

105.8 ft. width

Our first Signature Class ship, Eurodam epitomizes grace and excellence. Test your music trivia skills at Billboard Onboard or catch a performance at the stunning World Stage. During the day, head to top-level decks to play pickleball at sea amid an ever-changing ocean backdrop or rejuvenate with therapeutic spa treatments at the Spa & Salon.

Eurodam Receives Best Dining Award

BestProducts.com named Eurodam the best cruise ship for great dining and diverse cruise destinations. Guests will enjoy delectable food options and cooking classes, plus an array of exciting ports across the globe.

Onboard Activities

Each day on board offers delicious dining options, world-class entertainment and enriching activities.

Billboard Onboard

ENTERTAINMENT

Sing along, test your music trivia knowledge, or sit back and enjoy as chart-topping hits fill the room each night.

2 pianos - 60 Years of Chart Toppers - 100s Of Songs.  Sing along, test your music trivia skills or just sit back and enjoy as the hits fill the room each night.

World Stage

World Stage features innovative cruise ship shows and a two-story LED screen that creates a vivid wraparound display.

World Stage, the largest theater on board is home to a variety of performances day and night. Our exclusive EXC® Talk lecture series features captivating regional stories told by local experts and narrated by your Cruise & Travel Director. In the evenings, Step One Dance Company, vocal sensation Cantaré, BBC Earth in Concert and more take the stage.  Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam  and  Rotterdam  bring the World Stage experience to the next level by surrounding you in spectacular sight and sound with a two-story, panoramic LED screen.

Onboard Shopping

Enjoy a wide variety of duty-free shopping onboard.

Enjoy a wide variety of duty-free shopping in such signature shops as The Vault, Diamonds and Gemstones by Merabella, which offers the best diamonds at sea, brought to you by Effy.

Fitness Center

Take a class in our professionally staffed Fitness Center.

Stop by the professionally staffed Fitness Center equipped with the latest cardio and weight machines. Try one of our classes on indoor cycling, Pilates and more or work out at your own pace. You can also head out for fresh air and exercise on deck, where you'll find basketball and volleyball courts, and two refreshing pools (available on select ships). Some classes may have a nominal fee.

Holland America Line Navigator

Personalize your cruise experience with our free mobile-friendly tool.

Personalize your cruise experience once you’re on the ship with our free mobile-friendly tool. Plan your daily activities, browse and purchase shore excursions, view restaurant menus, make dining reservations, check your account balance and more. 

Casino Action

The Casino offers games for all levels.

Your Holland America Line ship’s Casino offers a wide array of gaming options. Whether you prefer slot machines or want to try your hand at blackjack or poker, our dealers and staff are available to provide complimentary instruction — and we offer many engaging tournament options. The Casino is only open at sea.

Unleash your competitive spirit in our new family game room.

Unleash your competitive spirit at High Score!, our new family game room. By day, it’s a secret hideaway for kids and teens, where they can engage in a fast-paced flurry of four-person air hockey or contend for bragging rights in the video arcade. At night, the entire family is welcome to bond over board games, skee-ball, a tilting labyrinth and family activities.

Pickleball at Sea

Enjoy complimentary lessons, tournaments, and courts with amazing top-deck views.

Play the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. with Holland America Line, the exclusive cruise line partner of the Professional Pickleball Association. All our cruise ships feature pickleball courts with amazing top-deck views. The equipment and courts are available for a match anytime, so long as the weather allows. Frequent pickler? Join a pickleball tournament at sea and put your dink shot to the test. Hesitant amateur? Learn the basics at complimentary beginner’s lessons, starting in spring 2023. Commemorative starter kits will soon be available in our retail shops — purchase as gifts for avid players or as souvenirs, so that you can always look back on your pickleball cruise memories.

Kids ages 3 to 17 can enjoy an array of activities. Registration required for children under 13.

Holland America Line's youth activities program, Kids Club, offers an array of entertaining events for kids and teens ages 3-17, supervised by a full-time, professionally trained staff. They'll have an opportunity to join other kids their age for arts and crafts, sports, video game competitions, scavenger hunts, challenging team games and themed parties. Note: Kids Club is not offered on cruises of 25-days or longer, including all Legendary and Grand Voyages. We will offer a selection of children’s activities throughout these longer voyages for any children who may be onboard.

Dining Experiences

Pinnacle Grill

The ultimate steakhouse at sea, with an exceptional menu of Prime steaks, seafood and wine.

Pinnacle Grill is the ultimate steakhouse at sea, where an exceptional menu and impeccable service make for one of finest meals you’ll ever have. The refined menu features a selection of 28-day wet-aged USDA Prime steaks — meticulously chosen to guarantee the finest quality — as well as classic steakhouse dishes and innovative recipes from James Beard Award-winning chef and Culinary Council® member, David Burke. Every dish is exquisitely prepared, beautifully plated and complemented by a vast collection of award-winning wines. Here, your meal is an event unto itself, a celebration of fine dining and a triumph of flavor.

*Meals at Pinnacle Grill are half price for kids 12 years old or under, or free when they order from the kids’ menu.

Canaletto is a relaxed setting with authentic Italian cuisine that is best enjoyed when shared.

In Italy, there’s nothing more important than coming together to celebrate the joy of great food. This is the inspiration for our onboard Italian restaurant, Canaletto. Enjoy amazing Italian classics like braised chicken cacciatore al forno, branzino ai ferri or garlic shrimp ravioli. And for dessert: tiramisù, cannoli alla Siciliana, gelato, and more. Including pasta made fresh daily. Buon Appetito!

Meals at Canaletto are half price for kids 12 years old or under, or free when they order from the kids’ menu.

Explore traditions of Southeast Asia, China and Japan with cuisine praised by Condé Nast Traveler as rivaling the top restaurants on land.

Praised by  Condé Nast Traveler  for cuisine “that rivals the top restaurants on land,” Tamarind is the perfect place to explore the culinary traditions of Southeast Asia, China and Japan. The menu, which honors the elements of water, wood, fire and earth, features such exotic fare as wok-seared lobster, barramundi (Asian sea bass) in banana leaf and sushi, accompanied by chilled or heated sake. 

Meals at Tamarind are half price for kids 12 years old or under, or free when they order from the kids’ menu.

Lido Market

A casual, modern marketplace, Lido Market offers the widest range of food options on board for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a late-night snack.

Explore a world of intriguing culinary possibilities in the Lido Market. Steps from the Lido pool, this modern marketplace includes a curated selection of delicious options that you can grab on the go or have made to order: Breadboard, with freshly baked breads and pastries; Wild Harvest, offering a bountiful selection of hearty salads; Homestead, serving up comfort classics; Distant Lands, featuring global cuisine; Sweet Spot, for ice cream creations and desserts; Roasting Pan, hand-carved meats, fish and other hearty entrees; Perk, freshly brewed beverages and chilled juices; Quench, premium coffee, beer, wine, and soda available for purchase; Rise, savory quiches, croissants and sandwiches, and more.

This casual poolside grill serves up the best burgers at sea, Nathan’s Famous gourmet hot dogs, golden French fries and more.

Dive-In offers a variety of casual culinary classics, using the highest quality ingredients. Enjoy a burger, grilled to perfection and served on a toasted brioche with our own trade-marked secret sauce. Savor a succulent Nathan’s Famous gourmet hot dog with golden French fries. Or choose a grilled chicken breast sandwich or juicy portabella mushroom stack. Dive-In is the perfect spot to dine poolside on the best burgers at sea.

New York Pizza

Our poolside pizzeria has fresh Italian salads and authentic thin-crust personal pizzas with savory toppings.

At New York Pizza, choose from a variety of scrumptious, 9-inch, thin-crust pies. Named for New York’s famed five boroughs, our signature pizzas are made to order and topped with only the finest ingredients. Enjoy your pizza by day while overlooking the Lido pool, and into the night. This venue is New York Deli & Pizza on  Koningsdam ,  Rotterdam  and  Nieuw Statendam , offering made-to-order deli sandwiches in addition to pizza.

24-Hour Room Service

Enjoy breakfast in bed or an early dinner on your verandah — entrées and more are available whenever you wish.

Sleep in and have breakfast delivered. Enjoy an early dinner on your verandah before an evening excursion. Order a salad, sandwich or entrée any time. Room Service is only a phone call away. All selections are included in your cruise fare unless otherwise noted on the in-room menu.

Explorations Cafe

Our relaxing café with panoramic views is your home for handcrafted espresso drinks during the day and refreshing cocktails in the evening.

At Explorations Café, sink into plush chairs and sofas in a comfortable environment. Sip elegantly prepared espresso drinks and nosh on fresh pastries from the coffee bar. You can also take in fantastic views, catch up on your favorite book or browse the web. 

Dine on delectable sushi and sip Asian-inspired spirits at Nami Sushi, a sushi bar within Tamarind offering stunning ocean views.

Nami Sushi offers a tempting array of the sushi rolls he’s created. Choose from such delectable selections as Tempura Lobster Roll with soft shell crab tempura; Dragon Roll with tempura shrimp, unagi sauce and avocado; Tsutsumi Roll with snapper, green olive, caper and avocado; Futomoki Roll with crab, yamagobo, avocado and cucumber; Volcano Roll with sesame-marinated salmon and Thai chilis; Nigiri sushi with tuna, salmon and ebi shrimp; and more. The word “nami,” Japanese in origin, means “wave” and is an homage to the ocean views you’ll enjoy as you dine on the freshest, tastiest and most inventive sushi at sea.

The Dining Room

Our flagship dining experience is a welcoming and sophisticated setting for an exquisite breakfast, lunch or superb multicourse dinner.

For an elegant breakfast, leisurely lunch or unforgettable multi-course dinner, The Dining Room is your destination. For dinner, choose from classics such as Boneless Lamb Loin en Croute, Rosemary Roasted Chicken, as well as regionally inspired cuisine and artfully prepared vegetarian dishes. 

Suites & Staterooms

Please select your stateroom or suite type and room category from the available options.

• Daily housekeeping
• Complimentary 24-hour room service
• Elemis Aromapure soap, lotion, shampoo
• Luxurious bathrobes
• Generous storage
• Fresh fruit upon request
• Ice service
• TV with On Demand movies, programming

Two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, premium massage shower heads and a host of amenities are featured in these comfortable staterooms.

• Hair dryers, makeup mirrors

These expansive staterooms include include two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our Signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, premium massage shower heads, a host of amenities and an ocean view.

Filled with light from floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private verandah, these staterooms include a sitting area, two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, and bath tub with premium massage showerheads.

Signature Suite

• Whirlpool bath

These large, comfortable suites feature a spacious sitting area with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private verandah, two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, and one murphy bed for one person. The bathroom includes a dual-sink vanity, full-size whirlpool bath and shower, and an additional shower stall.

Neptune Suite

• Premium bathrobes, slippers
• Fresh flowers
• One-Touch concierge service
• Whirlpool bath (suite dependent)
• In-suite coffee, espresso
• Complimentary laundry
• Pre-dinner hors d'oeuvres served in suite
• Welcome glass of sparkling wine
• Priority boarding for tender ports, priority dining/seating requests, special disembarkation service
• High tea in suite on request
• Exclusive tote bag

With floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private verandah, these spacious suites are flooded with light. They feature a large sitting area and two lower beds convertible to one king-size bed—our signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses. The bathroom comes with a dual-sink vanity, full-size whirlpool bath and shower, plus additional shower stall. Amenities include use of the exclusive Neptune Lounge, a private concierge and an array of complimentary services.

Eurodam FAQs

What entertainment options are available in my stateroom?  Each room includes a flat-screen TV with interactive menu of programming including; on-demand movies, music stations, as well as both live and pre-recorded television. Additionally, guests can access ship information, dining options, an onboard activities schedule, shore excursions, and port information through this interactive media console. There are no external inputs available such as A/V or HDMI. Does my stateroom have a mini-fridge?  A mini-fridge is included with all staterooms. Guests who need to refrigerate medication should store it in the ship’s infirmary, as mini-fridges aren’t cold enough for that purpose. What's the cost for mini-fridge rentals?  Unnecessary as all staterooms include a mini-fridge. Are the balconies partitioned? All can be opened upon request. Does my stateroom have an alarm clock?  No, but guests can request a wake-up call. Is there a hairdryer in my room?  Yes. Is there a safe in my room?  Yes. Are there coffee makers in the room?  Only Neptune and Pinnacle Suites feature in-suite coffee and espresso machines. Does my stateroom have WiFi?  All ships are outfitted with wireless Internet. However, we cannot guarantee that each stateroom will receive a signal, as signal strength varies depending on the location of your stateroom.  Porthole Size:  15-inch diameter. Voltage:  110V /220V. Window Size (average):  45 inch x 35 inch. Lanai Staterooms:  No. Family Rooms:  No. Single Rooms:  No.

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REVIEW: Our Alaska Cruise with Holland America PLUS our Excursions

By: Author Kim Tate

Posted on Published: December 8, 2022

At the top edge of the United States sits our 49th state, Alaska. There’s no better way to get a taste of Alaska than aboard a cruise ship. And, Holland America has been operating Alaska cruises longer than anyone.

We recently had the opportunity to take a 7-day Alaskan Inside Passage Cruise in August aboard the Holland America Koningsdam ship. With my teen onboard, we reconnected with each other and with the beautiful nature that makes Alaska a coveted tourist destination.

Thank you, Holland America for inviting me as your guest to check out one of your famous Alaska cruises. All thoughts and opinions written here are based on my personal cruise experience.

Holland Koningsdam Ship

Our family is used to big ship cruising, so the Koningsdam felt a bit smaller than some of our recent cruise ship experiences. However, the Koningsdam is still the 3rd largest Holland cruise ship and is essentially very close in size to the largest, the Rotterdam.

The Koningsdam is one of Holland America’s Pinnacle-class ships and was built in 2016. It can hold 2,650 passengers and weighs 99,500 gross tons.

The small”ish” size of the Holland cruise ships can be a big benefit for Alaska cruises as it lets them dock in the ports when larger ships have to tender. Tendering can take up valuable time in port and is less convenient for taking second trips back out to explore.

A few of the things that stood out to me aboard the Koningsdam:

The ship has the upscale glitz and glamor that you expect from cruise ships but also a few fun spots with a bit of flair.

I was most impressed with the amount of lounge seating around the ship. One of my favorite things to do on cruises is read in a comfy chair with a good view. And of course, enjoying a happy hour cocktail before dinner.

One of the most popular spots is the Crows Nest lounge on one of the top decks (deck 12), which features cozy seating along with a bar and coffee shop.

The restaurants are also beautifully decorated, while the casual dining options on the pool deck are laid back and perfect for families with young kids. The buffet features plenty of windows and seating.

Most of the decks are named after famous music composers and the art around the ship is beautifully curated and displayed. It truly does have an upscale cruise feel when you’re walking in the corridors.

I’ll admit that the rooms felt a bit small, so carefully check the square footage when deciding what type of cabin to book.

If you like enjoying time in your room, a verandah (balcony) room can be an absolute treasure for an Alaskan cruise. Holland America even provides blankets to help you bundle up when doing your wildlife or glacier spotting.

Compared to other ships one thing I didn’t love was that the promenade deck view was mostly blocked by lifeboats. If you’re someone who likes to pop out on one of the mid-decks to enjoy the scenery and walk around, this ship isn’t the best for that. They do have a small jogging track on deck 11.

But, as I mentioned earlier, there is a lot of indoor lounge seating near windows, which is probably somewhat preferable for Alaska cruising versus Caribbean cruising anyway. So even though the outdoor lounge spaces are limited, with the cool weather of Alaska, the window indoor seating can be preferable.

Overall, I really enjoy the look and feel of the ship. We found it easy to navigate with a nice flow and absolutely lovely decor.

Holland America Entertainment (WOW!)

I wasn’t sure what to expect from HAL in regard to entertainment. Would they have enough options that would help me and my teen stay entertained before or after dinner? The answer was a resounding YES!

The BBC Planet Earth II in Concert is a MUST watch in my opinion. It’s a beautiful blend of musical and cinematographic storytelling at its finest. There are some “circle of life” situations as it is a nature documentary, so young kids might be alarmed. But kids will also fall in love with the animals and the storytelling is gripping and keeps you engaged.

Another BBC show takes place in the World Theater onboard, and it too is lovely. You’ll be ooh’ing and ahh’ing over cute animals as you watch. The storytelling of it is different than the Planet Earth II show but still worth seeing.

Holland America does an EXCELLENT job of drawing their Alaska cruisers into the story of Alaska. One of the featured entertainment shows is WE ARE ALASKA, a story shared early in the cruise to help draw you into the spectacular world you’re about to enter.

And if you love history, or even just love storytelling, you should absolutely watch the “Origin Story” which shares the rich history of the Holland America line and how it got started as a cruise company, and how they were the first to brave the Alaskan cruising frontier!

The live music onboard was also delightful. I enjoy orchestral music and so the performers on the Lincoln Center Stage were always a draw. But they also offer other great live music options like the Rolling Stone Rock Room, a piano bar, and B.B. King’s Blues Club.

Dining with Holland America

Many have said that the food aboard Holland America is upscale and enjoyable and I’d have to agree. I don’t think I had anything I didn’t love, beyond maybe a dish or two that just wasn’t my taste at the Lido Market buffet. :)

If you’re a foodie and love dining experiences, you’ll want to budget to add in a visit to some of the specialty restaurants onboard. Their chefs create meals that are tasty as well as spectacularly presented.

Complimentary / Included Restaurants

Holland America has dining that will suit any cruiser. There’s the traditional dining room, which has flexible dining times, as well as multiple specialty restaurants that will delight food lovers aboard.

Holland America is also the only cruise line that is certified for serving sustainable Alaska seafood . It’s important for travelers to be conscious of their impact on the destinations they’re visiting and Holland America is helping do its part with the food they serve.

I also want to note that using the HAL Navigator app is extremely useful while onboard. It helps you find what’s happening each day as well as the hours for each of the restaurants. Plus, you can order food and some of the restaurants in advance via the app. Be sure to install it before or once onboard.

Lido Market

This is what is equivalent to a buffet with other cruise lines, however, in each of the stations on Holland America a staff member handles serving you the food.

I appreciate this from a cleanliness standpoint; however, it does mean you might have a bit more of a wait versus the traditional free-for-all serving at buffets on other lines. I personally will take the wait in exchange for knowing an employee is the only one handling the serving utensils.

You’ll find a variety of stations including a taco corner, salad bar, meat options, bakery, and desserts including ice cream. Seating can get crowded during peak mealtimes however a bit of patience had us always able to find a table, and many times it was next to a window.

The Dining Room

Formal dining happens in The Dining Room, located at the back of the ship on decks 2 and 3 (on the Koningsdam). This is your traditional cruise dining experience with many tables and a menu that changes daily with a few regular items remaining each day.

Holland America allows for flexible dining times, called As You Wish. This means you can show up to The Dining Room between 5:15 pm and 9:00 pm and be seated for dinner. I absolutely love the flexible dining time option as you can truly create the day you want and aren’t locked into shows and excursions based on a strict dining time.

Families cruising with teens will also appreciate this flexible dining option as some may want to eat at different times or on their own, this allows a family to truly dine how they want on board.

Room Service

I’m delighted to say that Holland America still INCLUDES room service as a main (included) dining option. The menu is limited somewhat, but it was SO delightful having breakfast delivered every morning. I was even able to order a coffee service in advance to get my caffeine fix while my teen daughter slept in. And their room service is open 24 hours, just with two different menus depending on the time of day.

For families cruising to Alaska, this room service inclusion makes a big difference. A friend who was sailing when I was found it useful for her young boys to have room service together watching movies while she had a specialty dining experience. A win-win for both the parent(s) and the kids!

If you love fries and sitting poolside, you’re going to love ordering from Dive-In. It’s your typical pool dining spot that serves famous Nathan hot dogs, burgers, as well as french fries. This is a popular spot for kids and families, so you’ll want to order in advance with the HAL Navigator app.

New York Deli & Pizza

Craving a slice of pizza, deli sandwich, or salad? Another complimentary restaurant near the pool is the New York Deli & Pizza restaurant, where you can order a custom or chef-designed personal 9″ thin-crust pizza.

This is another popular spot and you’ll want to order in advance via the app, especially during busy dining times.

Specialty Upcharge Restaurants

While there are plenty of great complimentary dining options available onboard with Holland America if you love enjoying upscale dining you need to splurge on a specialty restaurant or two.

Pinnacle Grill

Steak lovers will want to be sure to splurge for a meal here. The menu includes cuts of filet mignon, NY strip, boneless rib eye, or a massive 36 oz tomahawk bone-in rib eye (added fee). You can also add on a lobster tail for an additional charge if you’re craving a surf and turf meal.

They have some great starters including an Instagram-worthy clothesline candied bacon. And you can get some delicious wine recommendations to complement your meal, we started with some Veuve Clicquot champagne with our starters and moved on to a delicious 2015 Muga Reserva Rioja for our steak course.

You’ll pay $15 for lunch and $39 for dinner, plus an 18% gratuity to eat at the Pinnacle Grill and then additional charges apply for a couple of added choices.

Craving some spring rolls and lobster? Tamarind is an upscale Asian restaurant onboard that features a delectable menu with options like Thai citrus scallops and wok-seared lobster and shrimp. They also have a master sushi chef onboard.

The cost for Tamarind is $29 plus an automatic 18% gratuity. For cruisers who love Asian-inspired cuisine, this one is a must-visit.

Next up is Canaletto for all the Italian-loving foodies. Here you’ll find some of your classic Italian favorites like lasagne and risotto, but there are also daily specials and many seafood-inspired dishes. Order up some grilled calamari, lobster and shrimp ravioli, and finish with a slice of tiramisu.

Canaletto is $19 for dinner plus an automatic 18% gratuity.

Rudi’s Sel de Mar

Next to the Pinnacle Grill, Rudi’s Sel de Mar is the most premium specialty dining experience you can experience on board. The restaurant is small and intimate and features a seafood-focused menu. This is a dining experience, so allow up to two hours to enjoy the food and your dining companions.

The cost is $49 plus an 18% gratuity, although there are upcharges for some dishes and some ships charge off an a la carte priced menu.

Grand Dutch Cafe

For the caffeine and pastry fans onboard, the Grand Dutch Cafe will become your new favorite home away from home. This is an additional charge restaurant, although coffee drinks are included with some beverage packages.

I personally fell in love with the seating area at the cafe, as did many others based on its crowd levels at times. :)

Club Orange on Holland America

Wanting a posh cruise and dining experience? Club Orange might be the program for you. While it’s included for guests booked in a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite, other non-suite stateroom guests can purchase Club Orange for their sailing. Know that availability is limited, so booking early is recommended if it’s something you want.

Club Orange costs $25 per person per day on cruises up to 13 days and $15 per person per day on cruises of 13+ days. So a 7-day cruise would cost $350 for a couple.

Club Orange will give you these perks:

PRIORITY ACCESS

• Priority check-in
• Priority access to specialty restaurant reservations
• Priority line at the Guest Services desk
• Priority line at the Shore Excursions desk
• Priority access to tenders ashore in select ports
• Priority disembarkation

PREMIUM DINING

• Expanded 24-hour room service breakfast menu
• Pinnacle Class ships: Private dining venue for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu
• All other ships: Priority seating in the Dining Room for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu

EXCLUSIVE AMENITIES

• Complimentary stateroom upgrade
• Dedicated concierge service
• Welcome glass of sparkling wine on embarkation day
• Plush bathrobes
• Club Orange keycard
• Exclusive Club Orange tote bag (one per stateroom)

SPECIAL EVENTS

• Private Greenhouse Spa & Salon® consultation
• Complimentary jewelry cleaning
• Coffee chat with some of our onboard entertainers
• Guests will be notified of these exclusive experiences once on board

Our Holland America Alaska Cruise Itinerary

We cruised the 7-Day Inside Passage route on the Koningsdam to and from Vancouver, BC, in August.

• Day 1: Embarkation Vancouver, B.C.
• Day 2: Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage
• Day 3: Tracy Arm Inlet
• Day 3: Juneau, Alaska
• Day 4: Skagway, Alaska
• Day 5: Glacier Bay
• Day 6: Ketchikan, Alaska
• Day 7: Scenic Cruising The Inside Passage
• Day 8: Disembark Vancouver, B.C., CA

Alaska Cruise Tours

One of the best things you can do on an Alaskan cruise is to get off the ship and get into nature. For this trip, we chose Holland America Alaska cruise excursions at our three ports of call.

Many of the tours are limited, so I highly recommend booking in advance before your cruise. Unlike Caribbean cruises, many cruisers want to book excursions. I noticed that many of the premium experiences like glacier float plane tours and dog-sled adventures were sold out by the time we got onboard.

Juneau, Alaska Cruise Tour

I’ll mention that whale-watching is a very popular activity for Juneau and is worth doing if you haven’t seen whales before. We’ve done a couple of whale-watching excursions in the past and my teen really wanted to do the jeep rental in Juneau.

Self-Guided Jeep Rental

I’ve cruised enough times to know that I’m not a fan of group cruise tours with a bunch of other people. My teen is the same way. That’s why we decided to choose a jeep rental and go explore some of Juneau on our own via an automated guide.

We booked a 2-door Jeep since there were just 2 of us, they do have a 4-door option as well. And the price is per jeep, which for a family can work out to make the excursion not too expensive per person.

We disembarked in the afternoon in Juneau and checked in with an excursion rep after exiting the ship. They directed us to the jeep check-in spot which was just a short walk away from the pier.

At the booth, I had to show my driver’s license and sign a waiver. They brought down our jeep and gave us a short tutorial on the automated map program, and then we were off.

We followed the set route and listened to the audio guide along the way. The route took us to a few of the popular attractions for Juneau, the biggest being a stop at Mendenhall Glacier.

For cruisers who don’t love being in big groups of tourists, renting and doing this self-guided tour is a great way to enjoy the scenery of Juneau. We spent about 4.5 hours driving around to the different sites and then returning our Jeep.

We still had enough time to do a little shopping in Juneau and eat at the Alaskan Brewing Co before we had to be back on the ship.

Ziplining in Skagway Cruise Excursion

We chose the ziplining tour in Skagway, and had a blast! It wasn’t anything unique versus other ziplining tours, but always nice to be in the green forests of nature. Our guides were fun and encouraged some adventurous zip techniques, like hanging upside down, which I haven’t seen encouraged in the past.

After zipping, the bus transfer offered to drop cruisers in town versus at the dock (a short walk outside of town) and so we took advantage of that. We walked along the main street which is filled with some unique and local shops as well as tourist shops you’ll find in every cruise port.

Don’t forget to pack cash for tipping your two zipline guides and if you want to add another small tip for the transfer driver.

Fishing Cruise Excursion in Ketchikan

One of our splurge excursions for our Alaska cruise was the Alaska Fishing & Wilderness Dining: In Partnership With Food & Wine Magazine booked with Holland America. We exited the ship and met with our fishing outfitter on the pier, and they walked us down to their offices and boats.

When we arrived, we had to show our driver’s licenses (or passports) to obtain a fishing license for the trip. We were able to pay with a credit card and it was $25, kids & teens (not from Alaska) under 16 don’t have to have a license. We were put into a group of six, assigned a guide, and boarded our open-air skiff boat.

Our guide took us out on the water and headed towards a known fishing spot for rockfish. He helped each of us get our reels set and within seconds all of us had bites! We all reeled up our lines and each of us had landed two rockfish on our hooks. You’re limited to a certain number of fish total, so our guide had to drop a couple of the rockfish back down.

With our rockfish stored, we headed to another couple of spots to try our hand at salmon fishing. And they were biting! We each had a chance to reel in a fish, including one lovely Sockeye salmon and many Pink salmon.

Once we hit our limit we headed ashore to a small island camp where our guide brought a couple of our fish ashore to clean them. After being cleaned and prepped, they were handed off to a chef who prepared our group a plate of deliciousness.

This was a truly epic Alaskan experience and one I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoys fishing. For teens, it’s an activity that engages them while also getting them out on the water and helping them be part of the Alaska fishing experience.

Don’t forget to bring a nice tip for your tour guide and a small token tip for the camp cook. Also be aware that it can be cold when the boat is going fast, so dress in layers and bring a hat and gloves. You also might want rain gear as this tour can run when it’s raining.

Another thing to note is that you can choose to have your fish processed and shipped home with the tour company. The pricing was not cheap, and seeing as we’re based in Seattle it didn’t make sense since we have easy access to fresh fish. Our guide also mentioned that some fish should only be transported smoked.

Overnighting in Vancouver

If you’re traveling to Vancouver for your cruise, you’ll likely arrive a day early and want to stay overnight. We stayed at the Pan Pacific Vancouver hotel which is at Canada Place and connected to the cruise port.

There are plenty of restaurants nearby, and you’re also within walking distance of many of the popular shopping areas of Vancouver. We enjoyed dinner and the sunset in their Coal Harbour Bar that is onsite and the live music was an added treat.

We were upgraded to a room with a view overlooking Vancouver Harbour, and it was a wonderful way to begin our vacation.

I highly recommend staying here for cruisers as its location can’t be beaten. The parking garage is also the same garage used for cruise passengers, so again, extremely convenient for cruisers.

The Pan Pacific also offers special bag check service from your room to the ship, making embarkation a breeze!

What to Pack on an Alaska Cruise

I have a full post about what to pack for your Alaskan cruise, including an Alaska cruise packing list . So be sure to read it! But a few things to make sure you bring:

• Layers of clothes – it can get cool but warm in the sun so pack plenty of layers, i.e. long sleeve tops, base layers, fleece jackets, and warm coats.
• Rain gear – the forecast said we’d have rain but we lucked out most days, be sure to bring a rain jacket and a small umbrella.
• Waterproof gear – depending on which excursions you choose, you might want to make sure you pack a thick waterproof coat and pants. Some excursions provide them, but always best to be prepared if you’re not sure.
• Boots – depending on which excursions you choose you might want to bring a good pair of warm boots that are waterproof and good for glaciers, water, and rain.
• Hat & Gloves – it can be cold on the water, so be sure to bring a knit cap (beanie/tuque) and a pair of gloves that allow mobility for your phone use.
• Ball cap & sunglasses
• Cash for excursion guide tips

Our time aboard the Holland America Koninsdam was a real delight. While Holland might not be as flashy as some of the more common “family” cruise ships, it still was a great home for myself and my teen for our one-week Alaska cruise adventure.

We enjoyed dining together and lounging in many of the ship’s seating areas. The entertainment was immersive and educational. And our lazy mornings enjoying room service in bed is a memory that will last us a lifetime.

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Holland America Line Guarantees Glacier Viewings for All Alaska Cruises, Cruisetours

H olland America Line is guaranteeing that guests will see one or more glaciers on their cruise to Alaska , ensuring that all guests will be able to enjoy viewing the majestic natural wonders. 

Called the Glacier Guarantee, the promise is going on now through September 2025. If guests aren’t able to view at least one glacier during a Holland America Line cruise to Alaska, they’re eligible to receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 15 percent of their original cruise fare. 

Holland America Line has more permits to visit Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve than any other cruise line, and also offers opportunities to visit College Fjord, Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier and the Tracy Arm Fjord’s Twin Sawyer Glaciers. 

Also new for its 2024 Alaska season, Holland is debuting “Glacier Day” on Alaska cruises as part of its “We Love Alaska” onboard experience. Glacier Day includes sighting times, scenic commentary, presentations, viewing stations, photo opportunities, talks by Glacier Bay National Park Service Rangers and more.

"Our guests, and especially first-time guests, are understandably as obsessed with Alaska's glaciers as we are, and our new Glacier Guarantee underlines our confidence in providing unforgettable glacier sightings on our Alaska cruises and Cruisetours," said Kacy Cole, chief marketing officer, Holland America Line. "We know our guests are going to return home from their cruise with special memories of these icy wonders. In fact, we guarantee it." 

In 2024 and 2025, the line will offer six ships sailing along the scenic Alaskan coastline: the Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam. 

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Holland america line strengthens love for alaska with guarantee of glacier viewings on every alaska cruise and cruisetour.

New Glacier Guarantee™ allows guests to sail with confidence, knowing they're guaranteed to see Alaska glaciers

SEATTLE , May 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland America Line loves Alaska . Since 1947, the cruise line has led the way in showcasing the majesty of the state — including its magnificent glaciers. In fact, Holland America Line's passion for Alaska's glaciers runs so deep that the cruise line now guarantees guests will see one or more glaciers on their cruise in the region.

With guests citing seeing glaciers as one of the top reasons for choosing an Alaska cruise , the Glacier Guarantee ™ assures travelers they won't return home disappointed. The Glacier Guarantee™ is offered on Alaska departures from now through September 2025 . Under the guarantee, if Holland America Line does not visit an Alaska glacier, guests are eligible to receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 15 percent of their cruise fare.

"Our guests, and especially first-time guests, are understandably as obsessed with Alaska's glaciers as we are, and our new Glacier Guarantee™ underlines our confidence in providing unforgettable glacier sightings on our Alaska cruises and Cruisetours," said Kacy Cole , chief marketing officer, Holland America Line. "We know our guests are going to return home from their cruise with special memories of these icy wonders. In fact, we guarantee it."

Every Alaska cruise includes a scenic visit to Alaska's iconic glaciers during which the ship sails up to the face of the ice formations and then rotates for a 360-degree view. Holland America Line has more permits to visit Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve than any other cruise line, and other glacier visits including College Fjord, Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier and the Tracy Arm Fjord's Twin Sawyer Glaciers.

During Glacier Bay scenic cruising, Glacier Bay National Park Service Rangers visit Holland America Line ships for the day to engage with guests and talk about Alaska's most famous national park.

'Glacier Day' Puts a Spotlight on Alaska's Majestic Glaciers New for the 2024 season, Holland America Line also debuted "Glacier Day" on its Alaska cruises as part of its "We Love Alaska" onboard experience. Leaning into the cruise line's enthusiasm for glaciers, Glacier Day includes sighting times, scenic commentary, presentations, informational viewing stations, photo opportunities, Dutch Pea Soup on deck, Glacial Ice cocktails, insightful talks by Glacier Bay National Park Service Rangers, and an open bow for viewing.

More Opportunities to See Alaska Wildlife Than Any Other Cruise Line In addition to glaciers, Holland America Line offers more ways to see the wildlife of Alaska . Holland America Line carries a wildlife  expert on board to help guests witness the majestic animals found in Alaska , including whales, eagles, bears, moose, otters, seals, sea lions and more. A Wildlife Spotting Guide points out the native animals found along the cruise route and includes a map with the best places to see each species. Between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. , wildlife sightings are announced for guest viewing.

The wildlife experience continues ashore. With nearly180 animal sanctuaries and sightseeing opportunities, Holland America Line is #1 in Alaska wildlife and wilderness tours.

Alaska Features Six Ships Exploring The Great Land In 2024 and 2025, guests can embark on Holland America Line's Alaska cruises and cruisetours aboard Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam. In addition to seven-day itineraries, guests can take longer 14-day voyages and a 28-Day Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice cruise. Holland America Line is the only cruise line that ventures up into the wilds of the Yukon on a cruisetour that combines a cruise and visit to Denali National Park & Preserve.

Holland America Line : The Leader in Alaska Cruising The new Glacier Guarantee™ program is part of Holland America Line's initiative to offer the most extensive Alaska experience in the industry. Holland America Line has been exploring Alaska for more than 75 years — longer than any other cruise line — weaving their expertise into every nuance of the journey. "We Love Alaska" is made up of authentic experiences that focus on culture, cuisine and adventures ashore as well as Holland America Line's enrichment and entertainment programming  'Alaska Up Close' .

Voted Number-One Cruise Line in Alaska Throughout the years, Holland America Line has collected awards and accolades from the world's most discerning travelers and cruise experts for Alaska cruising. Holland America Line was named the top pick for Alaska in the Porthole Cruise Magazine Editor-in-Chief Awards, AFAR Travelers' Choice Awards, USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice Awards, Forbes, Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Destination Awards and TravelAge West Wave Awards Editor's Pick.

Under the Glacier Guarantee™, Holland America Line ensures that guests will see at least one glacier or will receive a future cruise credit equal to 15 percent of their cruise fare. The Glacier Guarantee™ is valid on all Alaska cruises and cruisetours except select Yukon cruisetours that feature a three-day cruise experience. For full Glacier Guarantee™ terms and conditions, visit HollandAmerica.com.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com .

Find Holland America Line on X (formerly Twitter ) , Facebook , Instagram  and the Holland America Blog . You can also access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com .

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)] Holland America Line has been exploring the world for 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to the destinations. Offering an ideal perfectly-sized ship experience, its fleet visits nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world and has shared the thrill of Alaska for more than 75 years — longer than any other cruise line. Holland America Line's 11 vessels feature a diverse range of enriching activities and amenities focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests enjoy the best entertainment at sea, and dining venues featuring exclusive dishes by world-famous chefs. A new global fresh fish program brings more than 80 types of fresh fish on board, sourced and served locally in regions around the world.

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SOURCE Holland America Line