Will Holland America go big with its next cruise ships?

[mercedes]

A hallmark of Holland America in recent years has been the smaller size of its ships as compared to its closest rivals. Even the line's largest vessels hold barely 2,000 passengers at double occupancy -- far fewer than the biggest ships of such competitors at Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises.

 

But that may be about to change, according to reports from Europe, where the line this week unveiled its newest vessel, the 2,106-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam.

 

Industry watcher Seatrade Insider today quotes HollandAmerica executives as saying the line is considering a new generation of ships that would hold around 3,000 passengers at double occupancy.

 

The majority of the 15 HollandAmerica ships currently at sea hold from 1,258 to 1,432 passengers at double occupancy.

 

Holland America executives tell Seatrade Insider a new order for the line isn't imminent, but when it does occur the historic company founded in 1873 could build ships as big as 110,000 gross register tons -- a size that is nearly as big as the latest class of (122,000 ton) Celebrity Cruises vessels and bigger than all but one Norwegian Cruise Line ship.

 

Holland America CEO Stein Kruse cited the current widening project at the Panama Canal as an impetus for going bigger, as current width restrictions for transiting the canal no longer will apply.

 

"The question then is how big do you go?" Kruse told Seatrade Insider.

 

Kruse hinted to Seatrade Insider that going bigger isn't a done deal. Perhaps the most critical issue, the news outlet quoted him as saying, was "is it true to the brand?"

 

As other lines such as Royal Caribbean have built ever bigger ships in recent years that can carry as many as 5,400 passengers at double occupancy (Royal Caribbean's new Oasis of the seas has a total capacity of nearly 6,300), HollandAmerica has carved out a successful niche catering to cruisers who want a more intimate "mid-size" ship experience.

 

With the arrival of Nieuw Amsterdam, HollandAmerica currently has no new ships on order -- a rare situation for the line.

 

[1shipshape]

I hope they don't go BIG like the other cruise lines. The special treatment and personal attention seems to go away along with better food, longer lines, more time to embark and disembark. O NO! HAL, please DON'T DO BIG!!!

[DebbieandJerry]

Competition sucks! I was kinda hoping that at least some of the lines would stay on the "smaller" side

[coloradocruisers]

I have to agree with Debbie. Not that I've sailed on HAL, but I don't want all the lines looking the same.

[1shipshape]

It's nice for each cruise line to have their own "specialties". We haven't been on RCI in many years and look forward to the grand promenade area.

[KeithnRita]

One of the many reason we like HAL, and have cruised with them 6 times, is the smaller size of their ships. We usually look at them first or second when we look to book a cruise. This now may change.

[Dan40]

Since Carnival owns Holland America, and Princess, and Costa, and a number of smaller lines. Duplication in building new ships saves money. So the ship will be the same. Not all mega-mega ships, but generally larger. HAL's Vista class is identical to Carnival's Spirit class. Different decor, but the same structure. That duplication will continue. As the smaller ships age out of the fleet, they will go to the small lesser known lines as Carnival's older smaller ships have done. Its all about costs and profits, as it should be.