You're comparing two well-respected premium cruise lines. Both have loyal followings, global itineraries, and decades of experience at sea. But spend a week on Holland America's Koningsdam and then a week on Princess's Sun Princess, and you'll quickly notice they're aiming at slightly different travelers.
The question isn't which line is better. It's which one is better for you.
At a Glance
- Holland America leans traditional, refined, and deliberately unhurried — it appeals to experienced cruisers who want a quieter atmosphere and strong enrichment programming
- Princess skews slightly younger, feels more resort-like, and invests heavily in technology and casual flexibility
- Both lines sail premium pricing with optional upgrade packages — neither is truly all-inclusive out of the box
- Holland America holds an edge in Alaska sailings; Princess is a powerhouse in both Alaska and the Caribbean
- Your decision likely comes down to pace, atmosphere, and how you like to spend sea days
What Does the Ship Atmosphere Feel Like on Each Line?
Holland America ships feel calm. The design is warm, with dark woods, Dutch art collections, and intentional quiet spaces. The Rotterdam, relaunched in 2021, is a good example — grand but not flashy. There's a sense that the ship was designed for people who actually want to sit down and enjoy being at sea.
Princess ships run livelier. The Sun Princess, which debuted in 2024, is the line's flagship and features the Piazza atrium as a social gathering hub, multiple casual dining spots, and a sprawling entertainment deck. It's designed for people who want options and spontaneity.
Neither atmosphere is wrong. They just attract different energy.
Ship Size and Scale
Both lines operate mid-to-large ships, though Princess has pushed into mega-ship territory with Sun Princess carrying around 4,300 guests. Holland America's largest ships — the Pinnacle-class vessels like Nieuw Statendam — carry closer to 2,650 guests. If crowd density matters to you, that's worth factoring in.
How Do Onboard Inclusions Compare?
Neither line is all-inclusive by default, and that's worth stating clearly upfront. Both include your cabin, main dining, and most entertainment. Beverages, gratuities, and specialty dining are add-ons — unless you book a package.
Holland America's Have It All package bundles a beverage package, specialty dining credits, Wi-Fi, and crew appreciation into one fare. It's genuinely useful and reasonably priced when booked in advance.
Princess's Princess Premier package covers Wi-Fi, drinks, crew appreciation, casual dining, and even MedallionNet — the line's proprietary connectivity platform. Princess's MedallionClass technology also enables keyless cabin entry, onboard ordering from anywhere on the ship, and activity tracking. It's a genuinely clever system that frequent Princess guests tend to love.
| Feature | Holland America | Princess |
|---|---|---|
| Bundled packages | Have It All | Princess Plus / Premier |
| Keyless / tech integration | Standard | MedallionClass |
| Default gratuities | Add-on | Included in Plus/Premier |
| Specialty dining credits | Varies by package | Included in Plus/Premier |
Which Line Has Better Dining?
Dining is one area where both lines put real effort — and where they differ meaningfully in approach.
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Holland America's main dining room, called the Dining Room, runs with a traditional sit-down service that feels genuinely unhurried. The food quality is solid and consistent. The Pinnacle Grill is the flagship specialty restaurant, serving USDA Prime beef and Pacific Northwest seafood — it's worth booking at least once. The Culinary Arts Center also runs cooking demonstrations and hands-on classes, which is a differentiator you won't find on many lines.
Princess dining has evolved significantly. The main dining room remains strong, but the line has leaned into casual and flexible options. Salty Dog Gastropub, Steamers seafood, and the World Fresh Marketplace buffet give you real variety without feeling like an afterthought. The Crown Grill steakhouse is consistently well-reviewed.
If you like formal dinner service and culinary education, Holland America is the stronger pick. If you prefer grazing and flexibility across multiple casual venues, Princess delivers.
How Does Itinerary Variety Stack Up?
Both lines sail globally, but each has clear strengths.
Holland America has a longstanding reputation in Alaska — the line has sailed there for over 75 years and operates its own lodges and rail connections through its parent company, Carnival Corporation's Holland America Princess Alaska Tours partnership. If Alaska is your focus, Holland America's Glacier Bay sailings and land+sea packages are worth a serious look.
Princess is a strong Alaska player too — and it shares some of that same land infrastructure. But Princess also dominates the Caribbean with year-round departures, and it sails strong Mediterranean and South Pacific itineraries. The line's MedallionClass shore excursion booking tools are particularly smooth for planning port days in advance.
For Europe, both lines sail the Mediterranean and Northern Europe well. If a Baltic or Scandinavia itinerary is on your radar, Holland America's longer, more port-intensive sailings tend to feel more expedition-like — spending meaningful time in places rather than rushing through them.
Which Traveler Does Each Line Suit Best?
This is the honest answer that most comparison articles dance around.
Holland America suits you if: You've cruised before, you value a quieter ship, you enjoy enrichment programming like lectures and culinary classes, and you prefer a more traditional dining rhythm. The line skews toward travelers 50 and up, though it's not exclusively so.
Princess suits you if: You want flexibility, technology that keeps the trip frictionless, a resort-style vibe, and a broader range of casual dining options. Families and younger couples tend to find Princess more comfortable. If you're comparing further up the premium spectrum, the Celebrity Cruises vs Princess comparison is also worth reading — those two lines are often cross-shopped.
If you're still early in your cruise research and working through the basics, this guide on cruise cabin categories will help you understand what you're actually paying for before committing to either line.
Why Talking to a Travel Advisor Actually Matters Here
Both Holland America and Princess offer enough package variations, ship options, and itinerary combinations that comparing them on a website can feel overwhelming quickly. Pricing changes seasonally. Promotional fares shift. The right ship within a line matters as much as the line itself — a Holland America Pinnacle-class ship feels noticeably different from an older Vista-class vessel.
As a CLIA-affiliated advisor and Cruise Planners franchise owner, my role is to match you to the right ship, the right sailing date, and the right package — not just the right brand name. That kind of specificity is where a travel advisor earns their value, and it doesn't cost you more than booking direct.
When you're ready to compare specific sailings side by side, reach out to Ohana Cruises. Whether Holland America or Princess turns out to be your fit — or neither does — let's find the itinerary that actually matches how you travel.
