I booked a free cruise with Holland America on the Zuiderdam that left from Boston and sailed through the Canadian Maritime Provinces. I paid $220 in taxes and a $100 deposit that would convert to onboard credit for an Interior Guaranteed Stateroom. I paid an additional $158 to upgrade to … Read more
Each year before the start of the Alaska cruise season, Holland America hosts a travel show in both Seattle and Vancouver — their two gateway ports to the 49th state. Admission is free so I decided to check out the show in Seattle on March 8, 2025. I registered online … Read more
This year my top posts were a good mix of hotels, cruises, flights, lounges and a Vegas rumor thrown in for good measure. Below are the top 10 most viewed posts written in 2023. 10. Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor Review – The Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor is an older property … Read more
I recently spent two weeks aboard Holland America Line’s MS Oosterdam. The ship, part of the Vista class of ships, was built in 2003. It has a capacity of 1,964 guests — though I must assume that is based on two people per stateroom as our sailing had nearly 2,200 … Read more
I received an offer for a free Ocean View Room through the casino department at Holland America for a number of cruises. A friend and I decided to book a two week itinerary through the Mediterranean on the Oosterdam, one of Holland America’s older (and smaller) ships. I was able … Read more
Holland America’s first Pinnacle Class ship, Koningsdam, set sail in 2016, followed by Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam. The three ships are nearly identical. I booked a six night cruise on the Koningsdam out of San Diego in a Guaranteed Verandah stateroom. I then added Club Orange to my booking which … Read more
My top posts of 2023 were dominated by Virgin Voyages — apparently a lot of people want to know what it is like to sail the newest cruise line. Vegas was, once again, well represented in my annual list. Below are the top 10 most viewed posts written in 2023. … Read more
This summer I took three cruises. Each was the same length (7 days) and each was on a different cruise line in a different part of the world. Each cruise had four ports and two sea days. On each ship I booked a balcony stateroom. Three Cruises The first cruise … Read more
Holland America’s Club Orange Explained Club Orange is a paid add on for Holland America Line cruises. It is completely separate from their Mariner Society loyalty program which rewards return passengers. Club Orange can be purchased by anyone whether it is your first cruise or 100th cruise. Cost Club Orange … Read more
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam Entertainment Review Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam, part of the Pinnacle class of ships, offers entertainment options focused on music and dance. This is exemplified with their “Music Walk” on Deck 2 that includes three music venues and the World Stage theater. You can also see … Read more
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam Dining Review I just completed a seven day cruise on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam; one of the ships in their largest Pinnacle Class. The ship has four specialty dining restaurants (that cost) extra; however I only tried one during my trip. I did try out … Read more
HAL Nieuw Statendam Verandah Stateroom Review Not all staterooms on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam are created equal. Recently I stayed in one of the unique rooms that is better than most for a few reason. This is my experience in a unique room on a cruise to the Norwegian … Read more
Holland America Excursion Best Price Guarantee I will be taking a Holland America cruise this summer to the fjords of Norway. I am pretty new to cruising, and on my recent trip on Virgin Voyages I booked just one shore excursion. I don’t like the idea of tour groups. I … Read more