What Holland America is actually like, and who it suits
Holland America has an old reputation for an old crowd, and it is half true, and it matters less than people think.
The demographic does skew older, particularly on the long itineraries — a 21-night repositioning is not where you meet twenty-somethings. But the reason is the itineraries, not the ship. Long, port-heavy, destination-first sailings attract people with time, and people with time tend to be retired.
What that buys you: calm. Fewer children, real quiet on sea days, live music that is actually live, and a service style that is unhurried in a way the big lines cannot manage.
Alaska is where the line is at its best. The mid-size ships get into places the giants cannot.
Who it does not suit: anyone under forty looking for nightlife, and families expecting a kids' programme to rival Royal's.
If you are younger and sailed HAL anyway — how did it actually feel? People ask this constantly.
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