Holland America Line Reviews 

Cancelled the glacier stops and did not honor the glacier guarantee

We booked a New England and USA cruise on Holland America’s Zuiderdam via Cruise Nation. We booked a sea view cabin with absolutely no obstructions. Our cabin 4122 was mainly obstructed by lifeboats and the balcony to our left. I immediately went and spoke with a manager who said the ship was full so they couldn’t change us. However, strangely!, they had a Pinnacle suite available at a significant extra cost we couldn't afford. I emailed a complaint to HAL on our return but they would not accept failing their customers quoting ‘we would like to clarify that Holland America Line defines an obstruction as something that significantly blocks the view when looking directly outward from the stateroom window or verandah. Features such as lifeboats or essential shipboard equipment that may be visible when looking downward or to the side of the balcony do not meet this definition’. While these elements may be visible from certain angles, guests continue to have a clear, unobstructed forward-facing view extending to the horizon, which may include expansive ocean or coastal scenery depending on the ship’s location. Additionally, views from within the stateroom itself remain unobstructed’. TOTALLY DISAGREE WITH THIS (maybe they should actually go and look out the stateroom window! Also, they mention us having a view from our balcony - it was an ocean view cabin!). We won’t be using either company in the future. Extremely poor customer service/relations. PS the activities and entertainment were repetitive and of a poor quality.

Worst cruise experience ever! I several times during the crusie had to go to guest relations and have issues corrected with tours and excursions. I canceled a transfer we had booked to the airport, and booked a tour instead. On the phone they said no problem, we'll refund you for that. They now have revoked that and said nope it was "Inside the Cancelation window" so no refund. That doesn't even make sense. It wasn't just this though, I had to check over & over on tours, and then our luggage almost went to the wrong place, I double checked on that and had it fixed. Their customer service is TERRIBLE. Use Royal Caribbean they are fantastic.

We just completed a 14-day cruise around the British Isles on Holland America Line (HAL).
Overall, the ship's amenities were generally adequate, namely: the cabin, eating areas, fitness centre and entertainment areas. The restaurant hours were not always well aligned with our needs: They close in the afternoon so that late lunch opportunities are very limited, and last call at the dining room is 9pm, which turned out a bit early on a few occasions when considering other activities, and we had to rush to get to dinner. The cruise was on the Nieuw Statendam ship; we're not sure how old the ship is, but the decor appears dated and is unappealing. When we booked the cruise several months ahead of time, we were not allowed to select a specific cabin, and one was assigned to us a few days ahead of the cruise. It was located at the bow (front) of the ship, on the 4th floor. We highly recommend anyone considering a cruise on this ship to AVOID this section of the ship. The main stage is just below, and the loud sounds carry through to the 4th floor through the rigging room during afternoon rehearsals and evening performances. Evey day, we heard the loud bass and drums (which made the floor in our cabin vibrate with every beat), totally disrupting our rests and television watching in our cabin. This was a significant issue that dramatically impeded our full enjoyment of our stay in our veranda cabin. The staff works very hard and are obviously trained to be quite pleasant; most deserve praise for their service. We used the acupuncture service on board as well as the laundry; both were quite expensive, but very satisfactory (although the laundry took 3 days to return to us, rather than the the 48-hour service mentioned in the service description). The change rooms in the spa/fitness centre are badly designed and compromise our privacy. Indeed, the automated entry doors open for several seconds without visual barriers into the changing rooms; everyone in the corridor can see people changing in the rooms as they walk by. Also beware of the mention that HAL makes about their excursions being refundable with 48-hours notice; we canceled one with 72-hours notice, expecting a refund on our credit card. But instead, they provided a non-refundable credit on our on-board statement. So, unless we found a way to spend the money otherwise on the ship, we would lose the money. Finally, we found that most locations where the ship stopped offered easy and affordable commute to main towns using public transit; the transport and excursions offered by HAL are very expensive. We will always look at the transport options offered by local transit authorities and services before resorting to HAL transports. Overall, the cruise (our 3rd one) was adequate, but we both felt that this was our least enjoyable experience, in terms of the lack-lustre ship and our noisy cabin.

We went on the 250 anniversary celebration from Boston. What was promised did not happen. The ship was suppose to dock so we could see the fireworks in the harbor. Holland knew we could not see because of the tall buildings. There was suppose to be patriotic food, patriotic music. NOTHING The food was awlful, the entertainment horrible unless you want to knit dopuzzles, coloring, board games. That is what they consider entertainment? So disappointed. Nothing to do. The ports were changed the last minute which voided some peoples excursions. They promised but did not deliver. We all missed the celebration that was promised to us. The captain said he was sorry and gave every one 100 on board credit but you could not use it in the very small casino. This was an expensive cruise and we were all misled. Never again Holland NEVER

I would give 0 if possible, I booked everything through them so I would have issues with coordinating flights, hotels, cruise , excursions. We left Cincinnati at 5pm yesterday to arrive in Fairbanks at 3am and be told we do not have a hotel room until 3pm! Everyone just thinks this is not an issue to have no where to sleep almost 24 hrs...and sit in a hotel lobby from 3am till 3pm. I've been hung up on, told it was my fault it was booked this way and basically told just deal with it no on is going to do anything. Just know if you book with them you better be aware of this non sense. I was told repeatedly that everything was in order and they would take care of all the bookings! As I sit here with no room I've gotten multiple emails to book my next cruise...also my meal.plan was improperly booked. First told needed 2 day, then told it was cancelled same day even though I only received a confirmation. Then I found out it wasn't on my itinerary and that I needed 4 day plan and pay another $900. Most ridiculous company I've dealt with

Non-existent customer service/guest relations. They also don't allow negative reviews on Facebook page, they don't publish. If you run into ANY problems during a cruise, good luck with that.

1) Confiscated our luggage (had a heating pad). No phone message letting us know.
2) Steakhouse steak FULL OF FAT, inedible. Paid for that? Maitre d, apathetic and refused to be bothered.
3) Classical music room is no longer. Advertised that they had in brochure.
4) Blues club on Nieuw Amsterdam converted to rock club, despite advertising stating blues club.
5) Cruise consultant recently reached out to us, said she would be in touch with guest services. A week later after not hearing from her, said she forwarded our email to guest services, dropping the buck.

Our experiences here. Horrible, and won't be using them again for future cruises.

We chose Holland America because it advertises itself as a premium cruise line, and we were looking for a relaxing, upscale vacation. Unfortunately, this cruise fell far short of those expectations.

The first disappointment was the pool area. The main pool was incredibly small—far too small for a ship of this size—and was consistently overcrowded. Instead of being a place to relax, it became another source of frustration. We expected premium amenities, not the feeling of competing for a spot around a tiny pool.

The spa was equally disappointing. For a cruise line that markets itself as premium, the spa facilities were surprisingly small and lacked the atmosphere and amenities you would expect. It felt more like a basic service than a luxury experience.

I also had my hair colored and blow-dried at the spa. While the color turned out well, the blow-dry was not at all what I had hoped for. Normally, I would have mentioned it and asked for it to be redone. However, by the last day of the cruise, after experiencing so many disappointments, I realized it simply wasn’t worth saying anything. That, in itself, says a lot about the overall experience—we had reached the point where we no longer expected issues to be resolved, so we just accepted them and moved on.

The onboard experience was filled with constant nickel-and-diming. We purchased the drink package expecting an all-inclusive experience, yet if you ordered those same drinks to your room, they were suddenly no longer included. There always seemed to be another charge around the corner. There is simply nothing “all-inclusive” about the experience. It gives the impression of a cruise line that is cutting corners financially while advertising itself as something it is not.

Even the excursion we paid extra for was disappointing. We were transported on a bus without functioning air conditioning in the middle of the Sicilian summer. We were then taken to what was probably one of the least attractive beaches in the area. Having traveled extensively and visited many beautiful beaches—including other beaches in Sicily—I know there were far better options nearby. Instead, Holland America appeared to choose the cheapest beach club available. We were given beach loungers, yet had to pay extra for the umbrella that was already attached to the loungers. It perfectly reflected the overall theme of the cruise: charging extra wherever possible while delivering the minimum.

The staff throughout the ship were generally friendly and worked hard, but friendliness alone cannot make up for the lack of quality in the product itself. Premium service is about the complete experience, not just pleasant employees.

Overall, this cruise never delivered the premium experience Holland America promises. From the undersized pool, disappointing spa, mediocre salon experience, endless extra charges, and poorly organized excursion, we consistently felt that cost-cutting took priority over guest satisfaction. We booked this cruise expecting a relaxing premium vacation, but instead found ourselves lowering our expectations day after day.

Sadly, we left feeling that Holland America no longer lives up to the premium reputation it advertises. We would not choose Holland America again, nor would we recommend it to travelers looking for the upscale cruise experience the company claims to provide.

The five stars are not for HAL, they are for the stateroom servicing staff, Didin and Abdul and the entertainment crew of Holly (from Grimsby) who gave some great talks, and the singing/dancing group, especially Molly from Huddersfield; what a wonderful dancer!
The HAL Alaskan cruise only comprised a return trip from Vancouver to Juneau as Zaandam had propulsion problems so no more can be said on that apart from our thanks to Trailfinders in York (Sammi) for their help in securing refunds for us.

Serving farmed salmon only onboard a cruise to Alaska! No wild salmon available whatsover!
Rationing cans of water that must be picked up at a bar!! Only 2 cans at a time when I have a drink package??
Room service will not deliver water even though I had the drink package!
Internet service was horrible.
Overall food was mediocre.
I will never use Holland again!

I wouldn’t recommend Holland America to my worst enemy. We booked our dream vacation to Alaska three months ago my wife later found out she had leukemia and his terminal and we were advised not to go on a cruise because of the chances of infection and other possible illnesses not just a cruise but the airplane ride Holland America could care less would not give us a dime back. They are thieves don’t book with Holland America for that matter I don’t know that I would ever book a cruise again.

Update as we all guess we getting in a day early, mist all our ports and cruise ing except Juneau, lot of money lost and trip of lift time to Alaska. Now looking like we been there just to collect there new passengers.
Now looking like update on full refunds or flights or hotel accommodations most people traveler miles to get here

1.dinning room helper sends party of 6 to different tables, so wa wasted lots of time waiting each other; 2.asked us to hurry up with custom declaration, but only to find out done, no apologies; 3.buffet often closed , very inconvenient; 4.all in all the worst cruise of a total of 10

Our recent VIP vacation aboard Holland America's OOsterdam was unfortunately overshadowed by the terrible experience we had in stateroom 1120. The room was located directly beneath the kitchen, and the nonstop noise throughout the night, banging, rolling, and constant movement made it almost impossible to sleep.

For a premium cruise experience, the response from staff was disappointing. Offering ear plugs and saying the kitchen crew would try to be quieter was not an acceptable solution. Guest should never be placed in cabins with known noise issues.

Thankfully, the Trip was financially stress free thanks to support from Bitci Stack Asset investment platform, which covered our travel expenses as part of our VIP membership experience. That part honestly made the trip easier to enjoy despite the cabin problems, and it definitely left us curious about how platform like Bitci Stack are helping people access luxury travel differently today.

While the staff and food were excellent, the cabin situation seriously impacted the overall experience, and the compensation offered did not reflect the inconvenience we endured

I had a cruise with land tour scheduled. My flight was cancelled due to weather. No problem, I called Holland America (they booked by flights) only to be told that there are no options to make it in time for my flight. I spent over 5 hours on the phone with 4 of those on hold being switched between departments who can only tell me one thing, put me on hold for 20 minutes while I am transferred between departments.
After missing the opportunity to take 2 different flights due to being on hold while they expired, they finally told me there was no way to get to my port in time. I was jacked around, made to hold, promised call backs that never happened. When it comes to customer service Holland Americal MISSED THE BOAT! I am now trying to meet the ship in a different port, but they can't give me an approval until they EMIAL the ship. EMAIL THE SHIP! He promised to call me back with an answer and travel arrangements in about an hour. He didn't. I called and was told it could take a full DAY.
All this time, I don't know if I am traveling or not. HOLLAND America, I will not be sailing with you again.

We are 3-star Mariners, and used to love Holland America. We just completed a 41-day Grand World segment. The cruise was excellent. The dining and room staff were excellent. The shore excursions were generally OK, with one major exception.

We paid for a two-hour tour of Townsville, Australia. When we got on the bus, the guide fooled around with the microphone a bit, and finally convinced himself that it was working, even though the majority of the passengers kept telling him that they could hear very little. Mid-way through the "tour," the microphone quit working altogether. The guide's solution was "just move closer to me." That was stupid, as the bus was 80% full, and there were no vacant seats anywhere near him. This "tour" ended-up being a two-hour drive through Townsville, locked in a tour bus with no stops and no idea at all what we were seeing, or why it mattered. Most of the passengers were angry, and shared their feelings with us, which corresponded with our feelings. When we returned to the ship, I wrote to the Shore Excursions people, describing the "non-tour" that had taken place. Their solution? "We will give you 30% of the tour cost back." That's like saying "we messed up on your brain surgery, so we won't charge you for the sutures." We wrote to HAL, and got the same lame answer back -- "Giving you 30% of the excursion ticket price back should make up for our sub-contractors inability to run a bus tour." We are very angry with Holland America about not stepping up and refunding the full price that was charged. The sub-contracted tour provider should have been made to refund the full price of the non-tour to Holland America, and the passengers who thought they were paying for a guided tour should be refunded 100% of the tour price.

I am retired and have travelled about almost all major cruise lines. No doubt, Holland American is the worst cruise line. We travelled on Holland American twice: the first trip is Australia and New Zealand. the second trip is South American. After the first trip, I really complain their food and the way they serve the food. On the ship, they do not allow customers to get the food by yourselves, including Buffets. You have to stand in long lines waiting the servers to serve each Customer. You feel like in prisons and you have no choice for the food. It is only cruise ship company which does not allow customers to get the food by yourselves. The ship is very small and very old. The both ships to Australia and South American are identical in size and structure. The really pissed us off is the second trip South American trip, they gave us a room extremely noisy because it is close to the ship central AC system. it is so noisy that we can not sleep. The second nigth, my wife could not sleep and went to their Customer Service complaining, They did not apologize, cold face. they do not have any reserved rooms to switch us to. Since the ship is very small and they want squeeze every penny out their rooms, they do not have any other empty rooms to switch us to. They sent multiple technicians trying to fix the noise, but they can not. after many tries, the chief engineer of the ship told us the ship is too old to fix the AC system, unless they replace the whole ship's AC system which is not possible. They did not apologize, they did not give us any discount or compensation for our 17 days suffering. We have to sleep on the public areas during to make up our loss sleep. it caused us very serious headache and pain. Their Customer Service does not care. each time we complained to them, they had long face and very unprofessional . You feel like dealing with Mafa instead of a big cruise ship company. Our friends was very surpised to know this because, they have some room noisy issues with Princess cruise ship, but, Princess Customer Service immediately apologized to them and switch them to another quiet room. Not only this, for their next trip with Princess, that Princess Customer Service offered free upgrade from interior to balcony. As comparison, you can see how Holland American handle their customers badly, my life time will not travel with this company, my advice to all of you, DO NOT travel on the Holland American !

Jan 26 I booked a cruise on line for Jul 26. Always use a travel agent or other third party if you want to enjoy the Holland America booking process. Worse mistake I ever made was doing it on line. Once booked no one to talk too no booklets or documentation of any sort, just invoices. 2nd mistake I paid up front about $14K with insurance after spending 2 weeks trying to find out how to contact someone to change a flight I was told I would have to pay for the flight up front before the airline even listed it. Another week of emails, attempts to call, and on line frustration finally found the trick to making their on line chat work and was able to cancel the cruise, it cost me over $1K to be frustrated, disappointed and massive amount of time wasted for over 3 months. The final decision point was during the "chat" to cancel. No apology, no consideration offered, no solutions, didn't even care why I was cancelling. Everyone I talked or communicated with in their bureaucracy only dealt in one narrow area! Everything else meant wading through phone or internet for several hours to try and get in touch and find an answer. If this bureaucracy extends to their ships I wouldn't want to be on it since you are a literal captive.

Booked a cruisetour to Alaska. Opted for the "Have it All" package that includes " Shore Excursions, Drink Package, Specialty Dining, and Wi-Fi"
Only provides a $100 credit towards shore excursions. Only one available at $155.
Turns out that the stay at Holland America's Denali hotel does not include meals. Meal package is $339/per person for 2 days. Photos of burgers and citing a turkey and cheese sandwich. No other dining options nearby.

This was my first cruise with Holland America. I have been on other cruise lines in the past, but not with Holland America. The people on board seemed very pleasant, but it was when I received my credit card statement that stopped me in my tracks. I had $1,200 in unknown fees charged to my credit card. When I asked for assistance via email and sent them the list of charges I was asking clarification for, they ignored me. I purchased a beverage package and believe the majority of the charges were related to the beverages I that I had, but were not properly billed to the drink package. I specifically addressed this in my communications with them, but no one ever responded to my inquiry. This is not good customer service and I am appalled. I will never use this cruise line again. It has been over two months, still no response.