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When you book a cruise with Holland America Line, the ticket price covers much more than simply transportation from one port to another. Your cruise fare generally includes your stateroom, regular meals, entertainment, and access to many onboard activities and public spaces.
Holland America Line has also introduced Pricing Made Easy, meaning its advertised cruise fares now include applicable taxes and fees, making the displayed price easier to understand when comparing sailings.
However, not everything onboard is automatically included. Specialty dining, certain beverages, shore excursions, some spa services, and other optional purchases can cost extra. Understanding these differences can help you estimate the real cost of your Holland America cruise before booking.
The standard cruise fare generally covers the core parts of your cruise vacation.
These commonly include:
The exact inclusions can vary by sailing, ship, fare type, promotion, and destination, so it is important to check the specific booking terms before making payment.
Your cruise fare includes accommodation in the stateroom category you select when booking.
Depending on the fare and ship, you may choose among options such as:
The accommodation provides your private space during the voyage. The amount you pay depends partly on the type and location of the stateroom.
A verandah or suite generally costs more than an interior cabin because it provides additional space or features.
One of the biggest components of the Holland America Line ticket price is food.
Holland America states that dining and entertainment are included in the cruise fare. Its main Dining Room offers multi-course meals with table service as part of the fare.
Depending on the ship and itinerary, included dining can cover options such as:
This means you do not normally have to purchase every meal separately during your cruise.
Yes. The main Dining Room is included in the cruise fare.
Holland America describes its Dining Room as offering multi-course meals and full table service without an additional dining charge.
Holland America offers in-room dining, including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and late-night selections.
Its current 24-hour room-service information states that in-room dining is included, although some selected items may carry an additional charge.
Therefore, it is useful to distinguish between included room-service choices and individually priced items.
Your cruise fare also includes a range of onboard entertainment.
Depending on the ship and sailing, entertainment may include:
Holland America states that entertainment is part of the cruise fare, although individual experiences or special activities may sometimes have additional charges.
A Holland America cruise is designed to provide activities throughout the day, and many of these are included in the standard fare.
Depending on your ship, examples can include:
The exact schedule changes by ship and itinerary, so check the daily onboard program for what is available during your particular sailing.
This is an important change for travelers comparing cruise prices.
Holland America Line says its advertised cruise fare now includes all taxes and fees under its Pricing Made Easy approach. The company explains that the displayed fare is intended to represent the price you will pay, subject to its stated terms and conditions.
However, travelers should not confuse taxes and fees with optional onboard purchases.
You can still spend extra on things such as:
Understanding exclusions is just as important as knowing what is included.
Holland America's cruise contract identifies several categories that may be charged separately, including alcoholic beverages, certain other beverages, shore excursions, transportation, personal services, travel protection, and some optional activities and purchases.
Beer, wine, spirits and many other alcoholic drinks are generally not part of the basic cruise fare.
You can purchase drinks individually or consider a beverage package if it suits your travel plans.
While regular dining is included, specialty restaurants can involve an additional charge.
Holland America offers restaurants and dining experiences that are outside the standard included dining options.
Shore excursions are generally an additional expense when purchased separately.
These can include:
If you purchase the Have It All package, however, you can receive a shore-excursion credit based on the length of your cruise.
Internet access is not necessarily included in the standard cruise fare.
Holland America offers Wi-Fi packages, while the Have It All package includes its Surf Wi-Fi Package.
Premium services such as treatments at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon can cost extra.
Items purchased from onboard shops, certain services, and other personal expenses are not normally part of the basic cruise fare.
Holland America's Have It All package adds several premium benefits to a cruise for an additional charge.
According to Holland America's current information, the package includes four major benefits:
The benefits vary according to cruise length.
| Cruise length | Shore excursion credit | Specialty dining | Beverage package | Wi-Fi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4–9 nights | Up to $100 per person | 1 night | Included | Included |
| 10–20 nights | Up to $200 per person | 2 nights | Included | Included |
| 21+ nights* | Up to $300 per person | 3 nights | Included | Included |
Grand Voyages are excluded from this particular structure.
The current listed pre-cruise price is $65 per person, per day, although Holland America states that cruises departing before Summer 2027 are priced at $60 per person, per day. Rates and terms can change.
This is an area where travelers should read the booking details carefully.
Holland America's cruise contract explains that a Crew Appreciation amount is automatically added to the onboard account. It is based on the stateroom category and can be adjusted at the guest's discretion according to the company's policy.
This is different from beverage service charges.
For qualifying drinks purchased through Have It All, the applicable beverage service gratuities are included in the package.
Not all drinks are included in the basic cruise fare.
Regular included dining generally provides certain beverages with meals, but alcoholic beverages and many premium drinks are separately priced.
The Have It All package adds the Signature Beverage Package, which includes qualifying alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Holland America currently describes the package as covering beverages valued up to $12 each, with a daily limit of up to 15 beverages.
No, not normally.
Shore excursions are generally optional purchases.
You can explore a port independently or book an excursion through Holland America. If your reservation includes Have It All, you receive a specified amount of shore excursion credit based on the cruise length.
The standard cruise fare does not automatically mean you receive the full Surf Wi-Fi package.
Wi-Fi can be purchased separately, while Have It All includes the Surf Wi-Fi Package.
If staying connected is important to you, compare the standard fare with the cost of adding Wi-Fi before deciding which booking option represents better value for your trip.
Specialty restaurants are generally separate from the standard dining included in your cruise fare.
However, Have It All provides a specific number of specialty dining nights depending on cruise length:
Availability can vary by ship.
| Cruise feature | Standard cruise fare | May cost extra |
|---|---|---|
| Stateroom | Yes | — |
| Main Dining Room | Yes | — |
| Regular onboard meals | Yes | — |
| Many entertainment options | Yes | — |
| Many onboard activities | Yes | — |
| Taxes and fees in advertised fare | Yes, under current pricing | — |
| Alcoholic drinks | — | Yes |
| Specialty dining | Generally | Yes |
| Shore excursions | — | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Not necessarily | Yes |
| Spa treatments | — | Yes |
| Boutique purchases | — | Yes |
| Personal services | — | Yes |
The exact inclusions can depend on your sailing, fare, promotion, and package selection, so your booking confirmation and applicable terms should always be treated as the final reference.
Before paying for a Holland America cruise, review your booking in a few simple steps:
Look at the exact fare or promotion you are purchasing. Do not assume that every advertised deal has identical benefits.
Check which dining, beverage, Wi-Fi, excursion, and other benefits are specifically listed.
If the booking offers Have It All, compare its cost with what you would otherwise spend on drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and excursions.
Look for charges that may be added separately, including optional purchases and onboard services.
Holland America's current Pricing Made Easy system includes taxes and fees in advertised cruise fares, making the displayed fare easier to compare.
Holland America cruises are not completely all-inclusive in the traditional sense.
The base cruise fare covers the essential cruise experience, including accommodation, regular meals and entertainment. Other experiences and purchases can require additional payment.
However, a package such as Have It All can bundle several popular extras into one price, including drinks, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit.
The distinction matters because two passengers paying different advertised prices may have very different amounts of extras included in their reservations.
A useful cruise budget should include more than the advertised fare.
Consider these categories:
This approach gives you a more realistic picture of your expected vacation spending.
Yes. Regular onboard dining is included in the cruise fare. Holland America's main Dining Room provides multi-course meals and table service as part of the fare.
Yes. Holland America states that onboard entertainment is included in the cruise fare, although particular premium experiences may have separate charges.
Holland America currently includes taxes and fees in its advertised cruise fares under its Pricing Made Easy approach.
Not necessarily. Wi-Fi packages can be purchased separately. The Surf Wi-Fi Package is included with Have It All.
Some drinks are included with regular dining, but many alcoholic and premium beverages cost extra. The Signature Beverage Package is included with Have It All.
Shore excursions are generally optional purchases. Have It All provides shore excursion credit according to cruise length.
Holland America offers 24-hour in-room dining, with included options and some items available for an additional charge.
Specialty restaurants generally cost extra under the standard fare. Have It All provides a specified number of specialty dining nights based on cruise length.
Crew Appreciation is handled separately under Holland America's current policy, with an amount automatically added to the onboard account and subject to adjustment according to the company's policy.
The cruise fare is the core cost of the voyage. Holland America's contract distinguishes this from other required cruise fees and government taxes and fees when defining the total cruise price. Its current advertised-fare system includes applicable taxes and fees in the displayed price.
The Holland America Line ticket price covers the core cruise experience: your accommodation, regular meals, many onboard entertainment options and activities, along with applicable taxes and fees included in the advertised fare under the company's current pricing system.
Extras such as many alcoholic beverages, specialty dining, shore excursions, Wi-Fi and spa services can increase your final spending. The Have It All package can bundle several of these popular extras, including a beverage package, specialty dining, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit.
For the most accurate estimate, compare the exact fare, package benefits and additional charges for your specific sailing rather than relying only on the headline ticket price.
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