What’s NEW in 2024? Holland America Changes for the BETTER and the WORST

What changes have you noticed on Holland America cruise line? Please leave a comment below to share! 😃

It is 'Dutch food'! Not 'Danish'!!!!!

Great to see another video from you. Nice that you incluided a list of things that stay the same along with the changes. Very much looking forward to my first Holland America cruise in May.

Regarding Lincoln Center: I talked with someone on the ship (I was on the late January trip to the ABC islands on the Rotterdam) who said they were negotiating with Lincoln Center to bring it back. We shall see what happens.

Yes it's Dutch food not Danish. BTW Holland America is bringing out new show productions already. Not everyone is retired on HAL. On our cruise from Santiago to Buenos Aires we could stop looking at the gorgeous scenery while others traveling on our floor were in the Neptune lounge checking in to work and directing staff. My husband still works but took vacation leave. My sister still works. Not everyone is retired on HAL. We had a family reunion of over 30 people in our party and 80% of us still worked then. We had family members in their 20s and 30s and 40s as well as their parents. You will see more children during school holidays, the summer and around Christmas when HAL allows children 17 and under travel free. If you travel to the Caribbean or shorter trips to Nexico you may find more children on board vs unique ports like the Dalmatian coast with Albania. Kudos to you trying to get info out. I agree food on Holland America is excellent. Service is by far superior to other lines we've been on. Holland America is a traditional Cruise Ship experience. For Las Vegas or an Amusement Park Go Carts roar coaster or zip lining this is not the cruise for you.

Just saw your blog and subscribed. I saw you and your mother on 2 different cruises in the last 5 months. Glad to see you like to dance and enjoy the music. I think that brings first hand experience to all of us. Thank you!

Thanks again. The 2 big things for me are the private dining room and advance embarkation since I understand the vancouver facility is a long process. Thanks for the response and keep those great videos coming!

Great video Christina! Connie & I were said to see that Lincoln Center went away. We really enjoyed it when we sailed on the Nieuw Statendam in 2019. We were on a HAL cruise earlier this year and noticed many of the changes you mentioned. The pop-up sections in the Lido buffet were great! Plus the cruise we were on had 3 chocolate extravaganzas (it was a really long cruise) that had all kinds of cake, chocolates, etc. We agree that the service on HAL is top notch - all the crew has been amazing. We have more HAL cruises booked.

Holland America Line is elevating its partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and taking those shows to the main stage. The program will evolve from a quartet on several ships to a traveling ensemble that will perform on a rotating basis in World Stages on all ships. World Stage is Holland America Line’s main theater; on Pinnacle Class ships the venue seats more than 700 guests and features a two-story, panoramic LED screen. Holland America Line is excited to be working with Shanta Thake, Lincoln Center’s chief artistic officer, on the new vision for this program, which is still under development and will roll out this summer. The musicians who will be a part of this new program remain the highest caliber of talent and will be exhilarating to watch in the larger venue.

We were on Hal back in April or May and I'm pretty certain they had tenderloin, which is a slice from the whole tenderloin after it is roasted, whereas the 'filet' is a slice while it is raw, and then grilled and presented as filet mignon. We were on the final few days of a ship being moved from FLL to Vancouver, but you could board in San Diego, which is what we did.

thanks for these info ❤

Great topic and very well presented. My wife and I are sailing this Thursday so this is useful. And, yes, we're retired 😀

Useful information concisely presented. Thank you!

Great video, very informative. Dumb question though as I’m new to cruising but is the food and drink included on the cruise?

I went to the Orange party three years ago and all the things you noted were there then. It was a blast

We agree with you, plus on our trip on HAL Jan 24, no captain’s night and yes shows are bad

My very very first cruise was a solo cabin on the Konningsdam immediately after Covid. Being the first cruise of the season out of Vancouver it wasn't at capacity. There were so many things I enjoyed and wanted to experience again. I just feel sad that so many things I enjoyed which attracted me to Holland America in the first place have changed or are no longer. I'd like to have thought I save the best until last, but these many changes have made me wonder if future cruises will compare favourably.

Hi Christina! Enjoyed this video. I'm recently off the Zaandam for the solar eclipse cruise and confirm many of your comments on 2024 changes. Regarding the full cruises: I agree that the current HAL promos offering free passage for 3rd and 4th contribute but I don't usually see lots of kids on HAL with one exception - Holidays. If you don't want kids around avoid cruises over school holidays and spring breaks. I was on Rotterdam over Xmas in 2022 and it was PACKED with kids. Lincoln Center was my favorite venue and I was pleased that they expanded the performance space to 2 levels on the Rotterdam, sharing with BB King. Hopefully it will return. Main Stage entertainment is sorely lacking in quality. I agree there are only so many times you want to see Step One dance do Humanity and Musicology and In Tandem. I have found that the quality of the Cruise Director impacts the Main Stage and general activity level a lot. Cruising Japan on the Maasdam in 2019 we had an individual/author who had extensively lived in Japan who gave lectures every day on the Main Stage. On the Zaandam for the solar eclipse we had Tom Vassos, a super enjoyable astronomy prof from Toronto who also gave frequent Main Stage talks. Both of the talks were always filled to capacity. I also miss America's Test Kitchen in the Wajang Theater. I'm a big fan of MDR meals and remember being surprised in 2016 when a lady at a nearby table requested 3 lobster tails on Gala Night. My mother, a veteran cruiser, said "Whatever the guest wants they get". Not a current policy obviously. I will say that as a solo traveler, I almost always request to be seated with others in the MDR and I have met some, not most, who are working. Particularly on the 10 - 14 day cruises, not the 28+ day cruises.

I was a first time cruiser to SA and Antarctica 2023-24 - the Chocolate Surprise was underwhelming, even without anything to compare it to. you are spot on with everything else. Was on Oosterdam and enjoyed that 22 days. Fab destination.

Hi Christina, It would be nice to know where your cruise went. As I am in Australia not sure if the ship you were on comes here. Also if all ships are the same.