Princess vs Holland America – Which Cruise Line Is Better?

I’ve cruised with both Holland America Line and Princess Cruises, and while they have plenty in common, I found the onboard experience surprisingly different.

My Holland America experience includes three cruises – Alaska on the Volendam in 2019, Sydney to Auckland on the Maasdam in 2020, and South America and Antarctica on the Oosterdam in 2023.

My Princess experience is more limited – a four-day, three-night cruise from Melbourne to Adelaide on Grand Princess.

So this isn’t a perfectly equal comparison, and I haven’t cruised with either line recently.

Where things have changed, such as packages and onboard technology, I’ve checked the current details.

Based on my own experiences, Holland America wins for me. But depending on how you like to cruise, you might prefer Princess.

Here’s how they compare.

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Princess vs Holland America at a Glance

	Princess Cruises	Holland America Line
Overall feel	Bigger and busier	Quieter and more traditional
Ships I sailed	Grand Princess	Volendam, Maasdam and Oosterdam
Crowds	Felt more crowded	Generally felt less crowded
Food	Good overall	My preference
Entertainment	More variety	Strong live music
Activities	Plenty happening	More relaxed
Best for	Travellers who like more going on around the ship	Travellers who prefer a quieter cruise experience
My choice	–	Holland America

Ships vary enormously, even within the same cruise line, so I’d never choose based on the cruise line name alone. The particular ship, itinerary and price would all play a part.

But given two similar itineraries at similar prices, I’d choose Holland America.

The Overall Cruise Style

This was probably the biggest difference I noticed.

The Holland America ships felt calmer. I could find somewhere comfortable to sit, watch the scenery or simply enjoy being at sea without feeling as though I needed to be constantly entertained.

Princess felt busier and livelier.

That’s not necessarily a negative. If you enjoy having lots happening around you, Princess may suit you better.

For me, though, one of the pleasures of cruising is slowing down between destinations. On itineraries such as Alaska and Antarctica, the scenery outside the ship was often the main attraction anyway.

My Thoughts

While there were differences in the cruises we booked, I’m going to try to compare some of the most important aspects of the cruises.

The Ships

Grand Princess was the largest cruise ship I had sailed on at that point, carrying considerably more passengers than the Holland America ships I’d experienced. And I noticed it.

It wasn’t overwhelmingly crowded all the time, but there were certainly times when there were more people around than I was used to.

One thing I particularly missed was being able to easily walk around the outside of the ship.

On the Holland America ships I sailed, I loved walking laps of the promenade deck – getting outside, stretching my legs and watching the ocean without heading up to the busy pool decks.

Grand Princess has outdoor deck space, but I didn’t find it as easy or enjoyable for simply walking around the ship.

That might sound like a small thing, but it mattered to me, particularly when cruising somewhere with spectacular scenery.

Both cruise lines operate different classes and sizes of ships, though, so I’d always look closely at the specific ship before booking.

Winner: Holland America

The Cabins

On all three Holland America cruises we stayed in inside cabins, while on Grand Princess we booked a balcony cabin.

We were upgraded from category BF to BD on Grand Princess, although as far as I could tell, that mostly meant being on a different deck.

The Princess cabin had more space than the inside cabins I’d had on Holland America, as you’d expect. There was a reasonable-sized desk and chair, plus a balcony just big enough for two chairs and a small table.

Interestingly, I preferred the bathrooms on Holland America. They felt bigger, although the facilities were otherwise quite similar.

All four ships were of a similar vintage, but I thought the Grand Princess cabin felt more dated. There was nothing wrong with it – it was clean and well maintained – it was simply the décor.

And then there was the balcony.

We paid just $50 each to upgrade from an inside cabin, so it seemed like a good opportunity to try one. But I barely used it. I really only went out there as we were coming into port in Adelaide.

Perhaps I’d appreciate a balcony more on a longer cruise, but I didn’t come away convinced I’d pay significantly more for one.

I’d happily choose a balcony again if the upgrade was cheap. Otherwise, I’m perfectly comfortable booking an inside cabin and spending the savings elsewhere.

Winner: It’s a Tie

The Food and Dining

Food is always subjective, but based on my cruises, I preferred Holland America.

That’s not to say the food on Grand Princess was bad. There was plenty of choice and we ate well, but I found the food good rather than memorable.

I’ve particularly enjoyed the main dining room food on Holland America. Even on longer cruises, I was happy eating there regularly rather than feeling I needed to pay extra for speciality dining.

My Princess cruise was only four days and three nights, so I didn’t have the opportunity to try as many meals or dining venues as I did on Holland America. Menus and individual ships vary too.

But based purely on the meals I ate?

Winner: Holland America

Entertainment

This was one area where Princess came out ahead.

On Grand Princess there seemed to be plenty going on in the evenings, with shows, live music and other entertainment around the ship.

I’ve enjoyed the entertainment on Holland America too, particularly the live music, but overall Princess offered more variety during my cruise.

Entertainment varies between ships and changes over time, but if having plenty of options each evening is important to you, Princess could have the edge.

Winner: Princess

Activities

Both cruise lines offered plenty of onboard activities, although I don’t tend to plan my days around them.

Grand Princess always seemed to have something happening, from trivia and games to demonstrations and other organised activities.

Holland America offered plenty too, but I was quite happy walking around the ship, finding somewhere to read or simply watching the scenery.

If you want lots of organised activities, Princess may appeal more. If you’re happy with a slower pace, you may prefer Holland America.

Winner: It’s a Tie

Service

I found the service good on both cruise lines.

The crew were friendly and helpful, and I don’t remember any significant service issues with either.

I had much more opportunity to get to know crew members on Holland America simply because those cruises were longer. Four days on Grand Princess wasn’t enough to build the same familiarity.

Based on the service itself, though, I’d happily sail with either.

Winner: It’s a Tie

Onboard Technology and Wi-Fi

This is one area that has changed since my cruises.

Princess uses its MedallionClass system, with a wearable Medallion replacing the traditional cruise card. It can unlock your cabin and be used for purchases, while the Princess app handles things such as your onboard account, activities and dining.

Holland America uses its Navigator app alongside a more traditional cruise card. The app covers the daily program, dining, shore excursions, onboard spending and other useful information.

Both offer Wi-Fi, although what’s included depends on your fare or package.

Technology wouldn’t decide a cruise for me, but Princess has the edge here because of the extra functionality offered by its Medallion system.

Winner: Princess

What’s Included – and the Cruise Packages

Both cruise lines offer packages bundling some of the extras you might otherwise pay for separately.

Princess offers Princess Plus and Princess Premier.

Princess Plus includes a drinks package, Wi-Fi for one device and a limited number of casual dining meals, along with other benefits. Premier adds a higher-value drinks package, Wi-Fi for four devices, unlimited casual and speciality dining and extras including shore excursion credit and a photo package.

Holland America’s Have It All bundles a drinks package, Wi-Fi, speciality dining and shore excursion credit. The number of speciality dining meals and amount of excursion credit increase on longer cruises.

Holland America also sometimes offers enhanced Have It All benefits for early bookings, so check exactly what’s included in the fare you’re considering.

Which offers better value really depends on what you’ll use.

If you want Wi-Fi, a drinks package and paid dining, bundling them can make sense. But I wouldn’t automatically buy a package based on how much the cruise line says I’m saving.

I’d work out what I’d actually buy separately and do the sums from there.

Winner: It Depends

Value for Money

This is a difficult one to compare because cruise prices vary enormously depending on the ship, itinerary, cabin, time of year and whatever deals are available when you book.

For me, value for money isn’t simply about finding the cheapest cruise. It’s about what I’m getting for the price.

That includes the itinerary and cabin, but also things like food, entertainment and what’s included in the fare – plus how much I’m likely to spend once onboard.

It’s also why I’d compare the total cost rather than just the advertised cruise fare.

Add the package if you want one, plus any speciality dining, shore excursions and other extras you’re likely to pay for, and then compare the two.

I’ve been happy with the value I’ve received from both Princess and Holland America.

I wouldn’t pay significantly more for Holland America simply because it’s my preferred cruise line, and I’d happily book Princess if it offered the better itinerary and overall deal.

For me, the best value would be whichever gave me the cruise I wanted at a price I was happy to pay.

Winner: It Depends

Itineraries and Destinations

For me, the itinerary will almost always come before the cruise line.

My Holland America cruises are a good example. I’ve sailed with them in Alaska, from Sydney to Auckland, and from South America to Antarctica. In each case, the destinations were the reason I booked.

My Princess cruise was different. The four-day trip from Melbourne to Adelaide was really an opportunity to try Princess rather than a cruise I chose for the itinerary.

Both cruise lines offer extensive itineraries around the world, so I’d compare the actual cruises rather than choosing a line first.

Look at how long you get in port, overnight stays, sea days and where the ship docks.

I also check the cost and availability of independent shore excursions before booking, rather than assuming I’ll book everything through the cruise line.

A great itinerary on my second-choice cruise line would beat an average itinerary on my favourite one.

Winner: Holland America – for me

Is Princess or Holland America Better for You?

Based on my experience, Princess could be the better fit if you:

• enjoy lots of activities and entertainment
• prefer a livelier onboard atmosphere
• like the convenience of Medallion technology
• see the ship itself as an important part of your holiday.

I’d happily cruise with Princess again. My four-day, three-night cruise was far too short to experience everything the line offers, and if I found a great Princess itinerary at the right price, I’d book it.

Holland America could be the better fit if you:

• prefer a calmer, more traditional cruise experience
• enjoy live music
• don’t need constant organised activities
• like destination-focused itineraries
• enjoy spending time outside watching the scenery.

That’s certainly closer to how I like to cruise, which explains why Holland America has been my preference so far.

Princess vs Holland America – Which Would I Choose?

For me, the winner is Holland America.

I prefer the quieter atmosphere, the ships I’ve sailed on felt less crowded, and overall the style of cruising suits me better. Food was another area where Holland America came out ahead.

Princess had its advantages. I enjoyed my Grand Princess cruise, thought the entertainment was good and liked the technology. I’d happily sail with Princess again.

Ultimately, though, the itinerary comes first for me, followed by the ship and price.

If you want a livelier ship with plenty happening, Princess may suit you better. If, like me, you prefer a quieter cruise where the destinations and scenery are the stars of the show, I’d take a closer look at Holland America.

Would I cruise with both again? Absolutely.

If everything else were equal, which would I book? Holland America.

Want more opinions and reviews? Check out the Cruise Critic website here

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