Holland America vs. Princess: Which premium cruise line should you choose?

20.10.2024 - 13:47 / thepointsguy.com / Holland America / Star Princess

If you enjoy a big-ship experience but prefer that your vessel's sundeck not resemble a water park, then both Holland America Line and Princess Cruises should be on your short list.

Both brands are considered premium cruise lines due to their more refined ambience and focus on adult-focused spaces and activities. Both Princess and Holland America have modern fleets, diverse culinary programs and global itineraries that appeal primarily to mature couples, although you'll also find some families and multigenerational groups on board during school holiday periods. The lines are also known for offering good value, especially on longer voyages, and embracing a more classic style of cruising.

These similarities are juxtaposed against a few differences — among them the MedallionClass wearable technology (to unlock cabin doors, order food and more) and app now used on all Princess ships, which travelers may or may not love depending on their affinity for technology. Holland America also has an app but still uses classic keycards.

As you weigh booking a cruise on Holland America versus Princess, here's what you need to know.

Both cruise lines operate mostly large- and medium-size ships, accommodating between 2,000 and 3,600 guests at double occupancy. Unlike Holland America, Princess recently entered the megaship category with the February 2024 debut of 4,300-passenger Sun Princess. On average, Princess vessels are larger than Holland America's, and the cruise line also has more ships in its fleet than Holland America.

Princess currently operates 16 ships, with a 17th, Star Princess (the Sphere Class sister of Sun Princess), set to debut in late 2025. Other ship classes at a glance are:

Holland America's fleet currently numbers 11 ships and includes:

If you're the kind of traveler who feels overwhelmed when faced with too many choices, booking a cabin or suite on either Holland America or Princess should prove relatively stress-free. If, on the other hand, you're a fan of cruise ship suites with designer decor and tantalizing extras, you could be disappointed. The accommodations on both cruise lines' ships — with the exception of some newer suite categories on Sun Princess — are relatively straightforward.

All Holland America ships offer windowless inside cabins and ocean-view rooms with a window. Most also have cabins featuring private balconies, with the exception of Volendam and Zaandam, which do not. Cabins in these three standard categories range from 140 to 228 square feet.

Throughout the classes, different suite types, including Vista Suites, Signature Suites, Neptune Suites and Pinnacle Suites that range from 260 to 1,290 square feet, are found. Only Pinnacle Suites feature private whirlpools on the