Holland America Line is considered to be a premium cruise line – not quite on the same level as some of the ultra-luxury ships you can sail on, but definitely with a more upmarket style than some of the mainstream cruise lines.
The ships are packed with beautiful art, decor is tasteful throughout and service is of a really high standard – but how are the suites?
After all, guests who wish to book a suite will want to know just how much of an upgrade they really are over the Balcony staterooms and other accommodations, and what else they will get for their money on their cruise.
So, let’s take a look at the four different suite categories on Holland America ships, how they differ, and the perks that you get with each.
What Are the Suite Perks on Holland America?
All guests who book a suite on a Holland America ship will enjoy a selection of extra amenities, including a pillow menu, fresh flowers and a stocked minibar. Some suite guests also benefit from the Club Orange program, including priority boarding, exclusive events and more.
The higher the category of suite that you book, the more you’ll get as an additional benefit. But some of the perks can actually be purchased as an additional extra by non-suite guests too – more on that later.
So, let’s take a look at each of the Holland America Line suite types in order from the entry-level suites, right up to the best suites on board…
Holland America Vista Suite Amenities
The first step up from a Balcony cabin on a Holland America ship is the Vista Suite.
What is a Vista Suite?
A Vista Suite on Holland America is essentially a Mini Suite. They are similar to Balcony staterooms but they have more space – between 260 and 360 square feet. Guests enjoy a bedroom with a seating area and their own private veranda.
The Vista Suites are very much entry-level for the suites on the ship – they’re still an upgrade to just booking a Balcony but you don’t get a much bigger room, or many better perks, for the additional cost.
Vista Suite Holland America Perks
There are a few extra features that you get by booking a Vista Suite on a Holland America cruise, but not too many. You’ll get:
- A whirlpool bath, on selected ships
- Binoculars in your suite for you to use during your cruise
- A pillow menu, with a choice of firm, medium or soft pillows
- A stocked minibar that you can enjoy
To help you avoid these worst cabins on Holland America Line, I’ve created a cabin checklist that you can get for free. Just enter your email address below and you’ll receive it in your inbox straight away.
Holland America Signature Suite Amenities
If a Vista Suite feels like a small upgrade to a Balcony cabin, a Signature Suite definitely feels like it is more what you’d expect from a ‘suite’, with a different, more spacious room layout and a few extra perks included.
What is a Signature Suite?
Signature Suites are a spacious suite category that’s one step above the entry-level Vista Suites. You get an upgraded king-sized bed and a more spacious room measuring around 400 square feet.
These suites will all have either a pull-down bunk, a sofa bed or a Murphy bed, depending on the configuration of the room, which makes them a good choice for families that want to enjoy a suite.
Signature Suite Holland America Perks
If you book a Signature Suite with Holland America, you will get:
- A king-sized bed
- One or two Murphy beds/sofa beds for extra guests
- A whirlpool bath, on selected ships
- Binoculars provided in your suite for you to use during your cruise
- A pillow menu, with a choice of firm, medium or soft pillows
- A stocked minibar that you can enjoy
Holland America Neptune Suite Amenities
The step up to a Neptune Suite is significant. Unlike the small list of extra perks that a Vista or Signature Suite will get you, Neptune Suites have a lot more included.
What is a Neptune Suite?
Neptune Suites are the best suites that you can book on the Rotterdam-class, Vista-class and Signature-class ships. They feature a large sitting area and bedroom, and come with a number of extra benefits, including Club Orange.
Neptune suites are significantly larger than Signature Suites – between 465 and 502 square feet – and most come with a whirlpool bath in the bathroom. The bathrooms are generally more spacious and have a dual vanity and a larger shower cubicle.
What is a Neptune Spa Suite?
Neptune Spa Suites are the same as a Neptune Suite, except they come with a selection of spa-related amenities, including cut fruit, flavoured water and access to a Spa Concierge who can book treatments. Yoga and exercise equipment is also provided in the room.
There are spa variations of other accommodations on the ships, including Inside, Outside and Balcony cabins, but of the suites only the Neptune Suite has a spa variation.
Neptune Suite Holland America Perks
The perks that you get for booking a Neptune Suite include:
- A king-sized bed
- One or two Murphy beds/sofa beds for extra guests
- A whirlpool bath, on selected ships
- Binoculars provided in your suite for you to use during your cruise
- A pillow menu, with a choice of firm, medium or soft pillows
- A stocked minibar that you can enjoy
- Fresh flowers in your room
- A coffee/espresso machine in your suite
- A Bose SoundLink Bluetooth music system
- A complimentary Mimosa served with your in-suite breakfast
- Complimentary laundry, pressing and dry cleaning services
- A welcome glass of sparkling wine at dinner on embarkation day
- A premium breakfast menu for in-room dining
- Premium bathrobes to use during your cruise
- An exclusive tote bag that you can keep
- Use of the Neptune Lounge on-board
- Personal concierge service
- A cocktail party with the Neptune Lounge Concierge
- Breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, or the Club Orange private venue on Pinnacle-class ships
- Priority check-in and disembarkation
- Priority boarding for tender ports
- Priority dining and seating requests
- Club Orange
That’s a lot more than you get with a Signature or Vista Suite. There are a couple worth highlighting in more detail. I’ve covered Club Orange separately later in this guide.
Neptune Lounge
The Neptune Lounge is an exclusive lounge available to Neptune and Pinnacle Suite guests. Holland America says you should think of the Neptune Lounge as “a living room and an oasis of relaxation”.
In the Neptune Lounge there’s a library and various sofas and chairs where you can unwind, a large-screen TV, and a selection of refreshments served throughout the day, including a continental breakfast before 11 am with coffee or tea, and sandwiches, pastries and cookies after 11 am.
It’s a good place to relax and meet others in the suite accommodation on your ship or just a nice place to escape for a quiet breakfast – especially on days when you want a lighter bite before you head ashore.
The Neptune Lounge is open from 7.30 am until 8.30 pm on sea days and 7 am until 8.30 pm on port days.
Personal Concierge
Within the Neptune Lounge, you can find the concierge service. The concierge are available to offer a personalised service, helping you with any of the shipboard experiences.
They can offer advice, or make bookings for you – whatever would make your cruise more relaxing, you can ask and they will do everything they can to help. And when the Neptune Lounge is closed, there’s a touchscreen panel you can use to make your own bookings and requests too.
Holland America Pinnacle Suite Amenities
The Pinnacle Suites are only available on the newest ships in the Holland America fleet, but they are by far the best accommodation that Holland America has to offer.
What is a Pinnacle Suite?
Pinnacle Suites are the top-tier suites on the Pinnacle-class ships Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam. Over twice the size of a Neptune Suite, they have separate living areas and a long list of additional perks.
Pinnacle Suites are extremely spacious – averaging 1290 square feet, including the veranda – so you can really relax and enjoy the luxury of your own multi-room accommodation and never feel crowded.
Pinnacle Suite Holland America Perks
With a Pinnacle Suite on Holland America, you get:
- A king-sized bed
- Two Murphy beds/sofa beds for extra guests
- A separate living area
- A separate dining area
- A dressing area
- A whirlpool bath in the bathroom
- A whirlpool bath on the veranda
- Binoculars to use during your cruise
- A pillow menu, with a choice of firm, medium or soft pillows
- A stocked minibar that you can enjoy
- Fresh flowers in your room
- A coffee/espresso machine in your suite
- A Bose SoundLink Bluetooth music system
- A complimentary Mimosa served with your in-suite breakfast
- Complimentary laundry, pressing and dry cleaning services
- A welcome glass of sparkling wine at dinner on embarkation day
- A premium breakfast menu for in-room dining
- Premium bathrobes to use during your cruise
- An exclusive tote bag that you can keep
- Use of the Neptune Lounge on-board
- Personal concierge service
- A cocktail party with the Neptune Lounge Concierge
- Breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill, or the Club Orange private venue on Pinnacle-class ships
- Priority check-in and disembarkation
- Priority boarding for tender ports
- Priority dining and seating requests
- Club Orange
Club Orange Perks
Guests who book a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite automatically get Club Orange – a special program of additional benefits to enhance your cruise. But it’s not just available to guests in those suites – any guest with Holland America can pay for Club Orange and enjoy the benefits.
Availability is limited, but Neptune Suite and Pinnacle Suite guests are guaranteed it for their cruise. Beyond that, you can experience a taste of the suite life by paying for a Club Orange upgrade.
Club Orange includes:
- Priority check-in
- Priority access to speciality dining reservations
- Priority lines at the Guest Services and Shore Excursions desks
- Priority access to tender boats in selected ports
- Priority disembarkation on your last day
- An expanded room service breakfast menu, available 24/7
- A private dining venue for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu (Pinnacle Class only)
- Priority seating in the Main Dining Room for breakfast and dinner with an expanded menu (Rotterdam Class, Vista Class and Signature Class ships only)
- A complimentary stateroom upgrade (not applicable to Neptune/Pinnacle Suite guests)
- Dedicated concierge service
- A welcome glass of sparkling wine on embarkation day
- Plush bathrobes to use during the cruise
- A Club Orange keycard
- Exclusive tote bag (one per stateroom)
- An invitation to a special event onboard
Most of the benefits are those already included with a Neptune or Pinnacle Suite. The cost of Club Orange varies but is usually around $25 per person, per day on cruises of 13 days or less, and $15 per person per day on cruises of 13+ days.
The special events onboard vary, and could include a private consultation at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon, a special jewellery cleaning event, or a coffee chat with some of the entertainers on the ship.
Read more: Is Club Orange Worth It?
Which Suite To Choose on a Holland America Cruise?
Holland America’s suite categories are not as complicated as they can be on some other ships – there are simply four main categories, each with upgraded perks.
The Vista Suites and Signature Suites don’t offer a lot of additional benefits, while the Neptune and Pinnacle Class have quite the list of extras. I’d say that, if you have the budget, the Pinnacle Class suites are the way to go, since you get all of the Club Orange extras included, as well as a very spacious suite. It’s worth the cost for the whirlpool bath on the veranda alone.
But if you are on an older ship, or you don’t quite have the budget for a Pinnacle Suite, then a Neptune Suite is still a great choice.
Signature Suites and Vista Suites are spacious, but with the limited number of perks, you might find it’s better to downgrade to a Balcony Cabin, and then pay for Club Orange – you’ll have a better overall experience.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
Thank you for the info re Noordam ship. Would like to know which deck to avoid when booking signature suite