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

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.

Size of Holland America vs. Princess ships

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:

• Six Royal Class ships introduced from 2013 to 2022 and carrying 3,560 to 3,660 passengers
• Seven Grand Class ships introduced from 1998 to 2008 and carrying 2,600 to 3,080 passengers
• Two unclassified ships: 2,000-passenger Coral Princess and 2,200-passenger Island Princess, both launched in 2003

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

• Three Pinnacle Class ships introduced from 2016 to 2021 and carrying about 2,660 passengers
• Two Signature Class ships introduced in 2008 and 2010 and carrying about 2,100 passengers
• Four Vista Class ships introduced from 2002 to 2006 and carrying about 1,900 passengers
• Two R Class ships introduced in 1999 and 2000 and carrying 1,432 passengers

Cabins and suites on Princess Cruises vs. Holland America

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 balconies. Volendam and Zaandam do have Vista and Neptune suites despite lacking standard balcony cabins.

Volendam also features unique Lanai cabins that offer direct access to the public Promenade Deck via sliding glass doors.

Decor throughout Holland America’s ships ranges from traditional to contemporary or a combination thereof. Cabins and suites on the new Pinnacle Class ships feature muted neutral hues and well-designed bathrooms with spacious glass-enclosed showers. Older ships still mostly feature smaller corner shower stalls with shower curtains in the bathrooms, while some feature bathtub/shower combos with shower curtains. Suites have separate showers and whirlpool tubs.

Related: Everything you need to know about Holland America cruise cabins and suites

On Princess, cabin and suite categories are pretty standard across the fleet — with the exception of the new Sphere Class, which has added several new options. Most Princess vessels feature inside (158 to 162 square feet), ocean-view (146 to 206 square feet) and balcony cabins (214 to 222 square feet). Royal Class ships also feature Deluxe Balcony rooms (223 to 279 square feet) and Premium Oceanview rooms (172 square feet).

Mini-Suites, which are available on all Princess ships, are 304 to 323 square feet; each features a separate sitting and sleeping area, as well as a larger bathroom with a full-size tub and a separate shower. Reserve Collection Mini-Suites come with a premium location and extra amenities such as a bottle of wine upon arrival, evening canapes, priority specialty restaurant reservations and Reserve Dining in an exclusive area of the main dining room with no reservations required and a daily chef’s special on the menu.

Princess’ classic suite options range from 440 to 1,500 square feet, depending on the ship. The cruise line’s most indulgent suite, the 1,873-square-foot Sky Suite, features an expansive balcony and is offered on three Royal Class ships — Sky Princess, Enchanted Princess and Discovery Princess. A smaller (1,262-square-foot) version is found on the new Sphere Class ships. Sphere Class ships also offer Grand Suites, Signature Suites, Vista Suites and Cabana Mini-Suites.

Cabin and suite decor on Princess ships that predate its Royal Class has a traditional feel with midtone wood accents and a beige and blue color palette. Cabin interiors on Royal Class ships are a bit more contemporary and feature floor-to-ceiling tufted headboards and dressing areas/closets off of the bathrooms.

Standard cabin bathrooms on all Princess ships, other than Sphere Class, feature a somewhat snug corner shower with a shower curtain. Staterooms on Sun Princess, however, do feature larger showers with glass doors. A series of closets along the wall as you enter the cabin have replaced the closet/dressing area of Royal Class ships.

Princess also debuted a new Sanctuary Collection concept with Sun Princess that offers elevated amenities to guests who book a Sanctuary Suite, Sanctuary Mini-Suite or Sanctuary Balcony. These include exclusive access to the adults-only Sanctuary Club with its pool, bar and wellness classes, as well as to an exclusive Sanctuary Collection restaurant and Sanctuary Lounge. Sanctuary Club guests also enjoy the all-inclusive perks of the line’s Princess Premier program (Wi-Fi, crew gratuities and unlimited premium spirits and specialty dining).

Related: Princess Cruises ship cabin and suite guide: Everything you want to know

Food and drink on Princess vs. Holland America

Holland America and Princess each offer a mix of complimentary dining and extra-charge specialty restaurants — although Princess has introduced a wider selection on its newest ships.

For complimentary meals in the main dining room, Holland America offers both set-seating dining (at 5:45 and 8 p.m.) and flexible open-seating dining (reservations can be made any time between 5:15 and 9 p.m.).

Princess offers Personalized Dining, which allows passengers to customize dining times and venues day by day via the Princess Cruises app. Guests can choose Traditional (early or late seating), Reservable or Walk-in Anytime. With the app, passengers can also use OceanNow to order food items from a room-service-style menu (it includes pizza and beverages, as well as items from select specialty restaurants) and have them delivered anywhere on board.

Holland America’s dining venues are fairly standard across its 11 vessels, although the line’s older vessels offer fewer options than its two newest classes of ships. Complimentary breakfast, lunch and dinner are offered in the Dining Room and buffet-style Lido Marketplace. Guests can also enjoy Dive-In for burgers and hot dogs and New York Pizza for thin-crust personal pies.

Holland America offers five specialty restaurant concepts: Pinnacle Grill for steaks and seafood, Rudi’s Sel de Mer for French brasserie classics and seafood, Tamarind for pan-Asian specialties, Nami Sushi for Japanese cuisine and Canaletto for Italian specialties. Cover charges range from $35 to $55 per person.

Two other added-cost venues on the three newest Pinnacle Class ships are Grand Dutch Cafe for savory snacks inspired by the Netherlands and Gelato for Italian ice cream.

Holland America also has a Global Fresh Fish program to locally source 80 varieties of seafood. The program’s ambassador is chef Masaharu Morimoto, who has also developed a stand-alone Morimoto by Sea eatery on Nieuw Amsterdam and a pop-up, extra-charge dining concept in Tamarind or Pinnacle Grill on all other ships.

On Princess ships, complimentary dining venues for breakfast, lunch and dinner are the main dining room and the buffet-style World Fresh Marketplace (known as Horizon Court or The Eatery on select ships). Other casual dining options are takeaway pizza by the slice, grilled burgers and hot dogs, and 24-hour sandwiches and pastries at International Cafe. Those looking for a sweet treat will find The Pastry Shop in the buffet venue, as well as complimentary soft serve ice cream on the pool deck.

Specialty dining venues on Princess ships include Crown Grill for steaks and seafood, Sabatini’s Italian Trattoria for fresh pasta and authentic Italian specialties, The Catch by Rudi for sustainable seafood, Churrascaria for Brazilian-style grilled meats, Chef’s Table for a multicourse dinner with wine pairings, O’Malley’s Irish Pub for casual pub fare, Alfredo’s or Gigi’s Pizzeria for made-to-order Neapolitan pizza, Crab Shack for casual seafood (on Alaska sailings) and Kai Sushi for traditional Japanese sushi.

Not every ship has every specialty restaurant, but most feature Crown Grill, Sabatini’s and Alfredo’s or Gigi’s Pizzeria along with one or two additional extra-cost dining venues.

Discovery Princess and Enchanted Princess both feature 360: An Extraordinary Experience (a seven-course, wine-paired dinner with a wraparound LED screen and interactive tabletops), while Sun Princess debuted several new restaurant concepts. These include Umai Teppanyaki, Makoto Ocean with sushi by Makoto Okuwa, The Butcher’s Block by Dario for family-style grilled favorites, Spellbound for experiential dining in partnership with The Magic Castle, and Love by Britto for an imaginative prix-fixe menu created by chef Rudi Sodamin in partnership with artist Romero Britto.

Cover charges for Princess specialty restaurants range from $15 to $149 per person; Princess also offers Princess Premier cruise fares that include unlimited specialty dining and unlimited premium drinks.

Wondering about beverages? Both lines offer plenty of bars and lounges to order cocktails and drinks and socialize with other guests. Standard cruise fares on both lines do not include soda, beer, wine, mixed cocktails and spirits, but beverage packages are available.

Kids activities on Holland America vs. Princess

While neither Holland America nor Princess goes after the family cruise business the way its mainstream competitors do, both do welcome families — with Princess having quite a bit more to offer kids and teens, especially on its newer ships.

All Holland America ships feature Kids Club, a supervised youth activities program for children ages 3 to 17. Activities for kids ages 3 to 6 include games, crafts and theme parties. Tweens (ages 7 to 11) can participate in gaming events, sports competitions and theme parties, while programs for teens (ages 12 to 17) focus on sports challenges and video game tournaments.

When it comes to kids, Princess mixes education and fun. Its ships feature Discovery at SEA, a partnership with the Discovery Channel and Animal Planet that offers onboard programming inspired by everything from “Shark Week” and “Deadliest Catch” to “MythBusters.”

There’s a Camp Discovery youth program with dedicated spaces for kids ages 3 to 7 and 8 to 12 and a Beach House teen lounge for those ages 13 to 17.

Daytime activities center around discovering and learning about wildlife and the planet, as well as arts and crafts, learning challenges and sports events. Princess ships also offer family-friendly nighttime activities such as stargazing and Movies Under the Stars.

Related: Cruise kids clubs: All your questions answered about camps at sea

Onboard attractions on Princess Cruises vs. Holland America

If you’re looking to be dazzled by innovation or excited by an adrenaline rush, Holland America and Princess ships will likely be a letdown. That’s not to say that each cruise line doesn’t have onboard attractions worth bragging about.

All the ships in both cruise lines’ fleets have at least two pools (including some vessels with pools featuring retractable roofs), a casino, spa and fitness areas, and a variety of entertainment spaces, from piano bars and jazz clubs to multimedia theaters.

Holland America ships are known for their multimillion-dollar art collections that range from museum-quality paintings and sculptures on its older vessels to a bold modern art collection valued at $4.1 million on its newest ship, Rotterdam.

Holland America is also the official cruise line partner of the Professional Pickleball Association, and each of its ships features pickleball courts and offers beginner lessons as well as tournaments. Water lovers can enjoy a swim whether the weather is cooperating or not since all ships feature pools with retractable roofs.

The star attractions on Princess ships are mainly its social gathering spots. Many of its ships have a grand centerpiece atrium known as the Piazza (inspired by the piazzas of Italy), where passengers will find bars and eateries, shimmering decor, a spiral staircase and glass-walled elevators. Guests can also enjoy a variety of live entertainment here.

Outside, Princess’ Royal Class vessels feature SeaWalk, a 60-foot-long glass-floored walkway that is cantilevered out over the side of the ship. Sun Princess introduced The Dome, a glass-enclosed entertainment and pool area inspired by the architecture of Santorini, Greece. Sphere Class ships also feature the Princess Arena, the cruise line’s most technologically advanced entertainment space.

Related: Which cruise ship activities should you book ahead of time?

Entertainment on Holland America vs. Princess Cruises

You won’t find full-scale Broadway productions on board either cruise line’s ships, but both Holland America and Princess offer a variety of world-class entertainment options.

Holland America has built its evening entertainment around a trio of music venues — Billboard Onboard (featuring dueling pianos with mostly pop playlists from various decades), Rolling Stone Lounge (where bands play classic rock) and B.B. King’s Blues Club (for jazzy R&B and soul performances by a multipiece band). They are all featured on Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam and are offered in various combinations on the line’s nine other ships.

Entertainment is also the centerpiece of the World Stage theater, which is the setting for nighttime music and dance performances as well as daytime talks and presentations. On the three Pinnacle Class ships, the theater features a two-story panoramic LED screen used for digital backdrops and video programming.

The nightly entertainment on board Princess ships ranges from outdoor Movies Under the Stars on the main pool deck (complete with popcorn) and rousing piano music by request in Crooners to full-scale musical production shows and “Deal or No Deal”- and “The Voice”-inspired game shows and competitions in the Princess Theater or The Arena (on Sun Princess). The Piazza is also the setting for live street entertainment (acrobats and jugglers), while the Princess Live! studio has a daily lineup of talk shows, demonstrations and performances.

Who is on board Holland America and Princess cruises?

Holland America and Princess both count couples as their core demographic, offering itineraries to the most popular cruise destinations. Both are also Alaska specialists, with multiple ships sailing there during the season.

While Holland America’s Alaska sailings do appeal to a more multigenerational and more active demographic, its ships generally tend to attract slightly older couples ages 60 and up. This is especially true on the cruise line’s longer itineraries that often sail round trip from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and South America.

Related: The ultimate guide to Holland America cruise ships and itineraries

You’ll find that older demographic on Princess, too, but the cruise line also has a fair share of pre-retirement-age couples and even honeymooners — after all, it continues to embrace its “The Love Boat” heritage and offers a popular weddings and celebrations program. This goes hand in hand with the fact that Princess more heavily leans into destinations such as Mexico, the Pacific and Asia/Japan.

Related: The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises ships and itineraries

What you won’t find on either cruise line is an overabundance of children. Yes, families are welcome, and all Holland America and Princess ships have a kids club program. That said, neither cruise line offers the top-deck waterslides or kid-friendly aqua parks of mainstream megaships by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and Carnival, so their appeal to families is more limited.

You can expect to encounter the most families — including multigenerational groups — during July and August and over winter holiday periods. Another good general rule for both cruise lines is that the longer the cruise, the older the onboard median age.

Bottom line: Holland America vs. Princess

These two premium cruise lines both offer good value, a selection of dining options, global itineraries and a couple-centric ambience.

Choose Holland America if you’d prefer to cruise on a slightly smaller ship (generally 500 to 1,000 fewer people than similarly aged Princess ships) with a mostly older crowd, pickleball and a terrific lineup of live music. Choose Princess if you’d like to sail on a larger ship among couples of all ages with a higher percentage of families and an emphasis on stage productions and interactive entertainment.

Itineraries are a factor, too, with Holland America offering a greater number of longer journeys (21 days or more) and Princess featuring a wider selection of sailings in the four- to 10-night range.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories: