rewrite this title Holland America Eurodam: Alaska Cruise Review – NerdWallet

I’ve never been into cruises, but when the opportunity to sail to Alaska on Holland America’s Eurodam came up, I knew I had to say yes. I love Alaska, and I hadn’t been on a cruise since I was in elementary school.

Those seeking a flashy party cruise with water slides should look elsewhere. What Holland America does deliver on is a sophisticated environment with chill vibes, making it a solid choice for family reunions and friend groups, as well as multigenerational trips. Holland America does have a reputation of skewing older — a fact many poked fun at throughout the cruise, including the ship’s entertainers — but I found there was a wide variety of ages onboard.

Holland America offers Alaska cruises from late April through early October. Pricing will vary a lot depending on when you book and what type of cabin you want, but expect to pay between $1,000 and $5,000 per person for a seven-day base package.

I set sail in August 2025 from Seattle to Alaska on Eurodam, one of the cruise line’s midsized Signature Class ships. I found it comfortable, with delicious food, attentive service and plenty to do — especially when it came to Alaska-themed programming. Holland America Line covered the cost of my trip, but it did not influence this review. Here’s what it was like to sail on Eurodam to Alaska.

Before embarkation day, I was given a time slot to arrive at the cruise port in Seattle. I showed up a little bit earlier than that, and it was already pretty crowded.

Since it was a seven-day cruise, I brought a personal item and a carry-on — similar to what you’re allowed to bring on an airplane. Because I didn’t check any luggage, I avoided the massive line of people trying to drop off their suitcases.

(Of course, if you do need to pack some extra bags, that’s completely fine. Just expect to stand in line a little longer while your bags are processed.)

Before boarding the ship, you’ll need to do some biometric scans, which are used for the process of embarking and disembarking at the various stops on the itinerary. The process of getting on and off the ship during the cruise involved lining up and having a crew member take a photo of your face using a tablet.

Holland America felt a bit behind the times compared to other cruise lines, which give their passengers wearable devices to scan on and off their ships.

Once onboard, you definitely feel like you’ve stepped into your rich aunt’s house, with blonde wood paneling, brass trim details and plush carpeting. There’s also a lot of ancient Greco-Roman art elements throughout the ship, which help create a sense of antiquity.

I stayed in a verandah stateroom, which essentially meant I had a private outdoor balcony. This was a huge plus during the cruise, especially during the scenic cruising day at Glacier Bay National Park where I got to enjoy incredible views of Margerie Glacier right from my cabin.

The bed was composed of two twin beds pushed together, and guests can request their room setup online or after boarding the ship with your cabin steward. On each side of the bed, you have a reading light and a USB-A port. However, if you need to plug something in, most outlets are by the desk area, which has both U.S. and European outlets.

Across from the bed is a TV, which you’ll use to watch a safety video when you first board the ship. It has information about the ship’s amenities and facilities, as well as a nice selection of movies available on demand.

Design-wise, I found the room decor to be a bit dated, but everything was perfectly fine and comfortable. In your room, you’ll also find a minibar with items for purchase. I had read online that you could ask your cabin steward to remove the items (if you’re not planning to partake), but I didn’t bother.

There are multiple dining venues onboard, with some included in your cruise fare and others that require an extra charge.

The Eurodam has two main dining areas: the Lido Market and the Dining Room (commonly referred to as the Main Dining Room, or the MDR). The former is an informal, buffet-style cafeteria, while the latter is a sit-down multi-course restaurant with table service.

After trying out both, I ended up eating most of my meals at the Dining Room, which typically serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I found the menu to be extensive, offering a large variety of classics and sometimes fancy options like escargot. To sample local cuisine, look for dishes on the menu featuring the “Taste Alaska” logo.

During my cruise, there were two days where an Alaska brunch was offered in lieu of separate breakfast and lunch services. On those days, there was also an afternoon tea following brunch.

There are also two additional quick-service dining areas onboard the ship. New York Pizza serves (you guessed it) thin-crust pizza, while the other fast-food joint, Dive-In, serves burgers and hot dogs.

If you’re looking for a quick bite, the Lido, New York Pizza and Dive-In should have you covered. You can also opt for room service, which is available 24/7 with both complimentary and paid options.

There are three specialty dining restaurants onboard: Canaletto, Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind. You’ll need to pay extra to eat at these restaurants, which feature multi-course menus. I had a chance to eat at each of the restaurants, which I thought were very tasty. If you’re looking for a special treat, it can be worth it to make a reservation.

Canaletto is the onboard Italian restaurant located in a sectioned-off area within the Lido. That means it’s the least private specialty dining venue, which does affect the ambience. However, if that doesn’t bother you, it’s also the cheapest specialty dining option for dinner. I had a delicious osso buco, and the desserts — I had the tiramisu and gelato — were incredible.

Pinnacle Grill is the ship’s steakhouse, with a menu featuring American classics and seafood. It’s open for both lunch and dinner. If you’re looking for a special meal without breaking the bank, opt for a lunchtime reservation.

Tamarind offers an Asian-inspired menu for dinner, and on certain nights, the restaurant hosts Holland America’s Morimoto By Sea pop-up dining experience. I particularly enjoyed the service at Tamarind, with one of the servers even writing me a list of recommended foods to try when I mentioned an upcoming trip to Thailand.

The Eurodam also has a paid Alaska seafood-boil experience once during the cruise. I opted to skip this one due to mixed reviews I read online.

If you’re looking for specialty coffee drinks, head to the Crow’s Nest, which offers panoramic views from the top of the ship. Be warned, however, that this is one of the busiest areas of the ship — and for good reason. The lounge area is a great spot to whale watch while at sea, and it also has plenty of board games available to play.

In addition to the Crow’s Nest, you’ll find several bars onboard, whether you’re lounging by the pool or hanging out on one of the passenger decks.

Keep in mind that specialty coffees and alcoholic beverages are not included in your cruise fare. You’ll need to pay extra for your drinks (including fountain drinks, juices and bottled water) or pre-purchase a drink package.

Holland America’s onboard entertainment leans nostalgic. Evening programming on the Eurodam rotated between musical productions, comedy sets and magic shows, often featuring older songs, tributes to decades past and jokes about the onboard demographics.

Each night’s act had two sets to accommodate different schedules. I found them to be an entertaining way to pass the time but not spectacular events that I’d go out of my way to see.

Other evening programming included a live band in the Rolling Stone Lounge, and a singer who played the piano in the Billboard Onboard Lounge. Enjoying the music was a fun way to close out each day. While some nights were less busy than others, there was often a lively crowd at each performance.

In my opinion, one of Holland America’s strengths is its onboard programming for Alaska cruises. Each day, the ship offered a variety of educational talks, featuring topics like the Iditarod dog race and guests including park rangers and a member of the Huna Tlingit tribe.

A favorite of mine was the “A City on the Sea” presentation, where crewmembers from across the ship talked about the daily operations of a cruise.

Other onboard entertainment included shopping, the casino with table games and slot machines, and trivia sessions.

There was also a festive Orange Party one night with cruisegoers dressed in orange, a nod to Holland America’s Dutch heritage.

Each night, you’ll get a schedule of the next day’s events delivered to your cabin. I found that extremely helpful, since there always seemed to be a lot happening on the ship. You can also download the Holland America Line Navigator app, which will also have the day’s schedule loaded.

My top highlight of the cruise was the day of scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. Holland America is one of a small number of cruise lines that are allowed to enter the park, making it a special itinerary. Keep in mind that not all Holland America cruises to Alaska enter Glacier Bay.

The glaciers you’ll see are breathtaking, and the ship’s bow is opened for passengers during scenic cruising. I loved the brisk fresh air and admiring the colors of the glacial ice, which I learned changes based on the weather conditions.

It was a memorable day, and I particularly enjoyed having several National Park Service rangers board the ship to talk about the glaciers that we cruised by, including Margerie Glacier. As part of the festivities, Holland America also serves traditional Dutch pea soup on the viewing deck — a perfect snack given the chilly temperatures outside.

There are two pool areas onboard the Eurodam, located on the same deck as the Lido. Since I sailed in August, it was pretty cold outside, and most people opted to sprawl out on the lounge chairs rather than jump into the pool.

One of the pools was outdoors and reserved for adults, while the other one was in a covered area with a retractable roof and frequented mainly by kids. The latter also offered private cabanas for rent and ping pong tables. Both pool areas had hot tubs.

If you want to exercise, Eurodam’s fitness center offers a wide selection of treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines and free weights. There were also some free and paid classes that you could sign up for. I joined a stretching class the first morning but opted to sleep in for the rest of the cruise.

For those seeking relaxation, there’s also the onboard Greenhouse Spa & Salon, which offers spa treatments and paid access to the thermal suite, which includes loungers, saunas and a warm pool. Both the spa and the fitness center are located next to the indoor pool area.

At the very top of the ship, there’s an outdoor basketball court that doubles as a pickleball court. If you weren’t aware, Holland America Line is (somewhat randomly) the exclusive cruise line partner of the Professional Pickleball Association.

One unexpected amenity was the onboard library, where you can borrow books to read while you’re on the ship. It’s a cozy spot with armchairs and ocean views, so book lovers will want to check it out.

If you’re looking to get the best deal on a Holland America cruise to Alaska, here are tips on how to save:

Skip the balcony. Inside cabins are the cheapest option, and they can be a great choice for travelers who don’t plan to be in the room often and don’t mind not having a window. If you’re traveling during the shoulder season, consider an ocean view cabin instead of a verandah cabin, since it might be too chilly to make full use of the balcony. Itineraries that involve a trip to Glacier Bay National Park also tend to be more expensive.

Save with promotions. Keep in mind that your cruise fare does not include specialty dining and drinks, Wi-Fi, shore excursions and gratuity, although you can choose to purchase a package that includes those items. Cruise lines often offer excellent deals on select packages, so make sure to sign up to receive promotional offers if you’re interested in booking.