Holland America With Teens is Cruising’s Best-Kept Secret
on May 27, 2026
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What if I told you there is a sweet spot between ships crawling with kids and those with nothing to do? On our recent Caribbean cruise, I learned that sailing with Holland America with teens just might be cruising’s best-kept secret.
Choosing the right cruise for your family can be a challenging mix of timing, itineraries, ship size, and budget. One thing people don’t always consider is each passenger’s age. Some cruise lines put families squarely in the forefront of their marketing, while others focus more on offerings for adults.
I prefer a cruise that’s a mix of both, where we can all be comfortable, be as active as we want, and have a great time together. After all, it’s a vacation for each of us, not just me.
Is a Holland America Cruise Good for Teens?
Only you know your teenager and what they like. But in my case, Holland America was the perfect blend of great food, tons of space, and a fun itinerary we loved. What they lack in waterslides, they make up for with intentional family spaces like the Crow’s Nest for board games or High Score for free air hockey and Mario Kart.
We also loved our Eastern Caribbean itinerary. We had a few new-to-us stops and some great beach days. But for this post, I want to focus on the ship.
Where Do Teens Hang Out on the Nieuw Statendam?
My boys, like their mama, are food-motivated. They love to eat, watch movies, eat, walk around, eat again, play a few games, and eat again. Holland America was basically made for them. I packed up all our cruise essentials for the trip, made a few port-day plans, and left the rest up to them.
Dive-In and New York Deli and Pizza
These poolside restaurants were the best for a quick bite. I lost count of how many Dive-In burgers my oldest ate, and my youngest almost never says no to a slice of pizza.
I also want to give a shout-out to the seating options around the pool. We never had a day when we couldn’t find somewhere to sit and eat during our sold-out spring-break cruise. Truly remarkable!
The Library
Do not sleep on the Holland America libraries! They have a reputation for a reason. They are large with lots of seating, some with ocean views, and the selection is fantastic. They also have a bring-a-book, take-a-book shelf, so if you don’t see something you like on the main shelves, take a peek there for even more options.
My youngest absolutely loved chilling in the library. It was the perfect retreat for him, even if at times he was watching movies on his phone (with headphones, of course).
Crow’s Nest
Another top-tier hangout for us all is the Crow’s Nest. On our ship, the Nieuw Statendam, this was on the 12th floor at the front. It’s a beautiful space full of comfortable chairs with footrests facing the floor-to-ceiling windows, tables and chairs for board games and puzzles (provided), and a coffee bar that also serves cocktails for the grown-ups.
This is also where you might take a painting class, learn to draw, or try origami, which we did three different times! It’s serene in the morning and a little more lively at night, but still chill enough to play a card game together. And you can’t beat those views.
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High Score
If your kiddos are gamers or they want to meet other people their age, High Score is the place to be! This is a teen-only spot, with a few exceptions where parents can join, and there is so much to do!
Here you’ll find video game consoles, air hockey, ski ball, foosball, and more board games. And they are all free to play! It’s also just a fun atmosphere to chill in if they want to get away from the adults. Check the schedule to make sure it’s open when you want to go, so you can make the most of it.
Sports Courts
I’m mentioning the sports courts because they exist, not because we used them. But if basketball, pickleball, tennis, or other sporting activities are your thing, you have options!
We actually did enjoy using the outdoor workout machines. It’s a cool open-air alternative to the gym, and it’s surprisingly breezy out there on the deck.
Watching Movies in the Room
This might be a hot take, but I have no problem with my family spending time in the room. Cruises can be overwhelming. We spend hours off the ship exploring, so when the boys just want to grab some snacks and watch a movie in bed, that’s fine by me.
What I love about Holland America is that they have hundreds of free movies on demand in the room, so there is always something to watch. Sometimes I stick around for movie time, and sometimes the breaks are great for me to check out the casino with my husband or head up to the Crow’s Nest for some quiet reading. When everyone is having the vacation they want, we are all happier.
Dining With Teens on Holland America
Nearly all of our dining experiences were great, from the Lido Market to the main dining room to specialty dining. We preferred a leisurely breakfast in the main dining room to the buffet, and it was always so good.
It took me a few cruises to remember that the main dining room isn’t just for dinner. I feel like it’s still a little bit secret, but so worth it.
If you have the Have It All package or a budget for specialty dining, this is one cruise where I say go for it. We had an incredible lunch at Pinnacle Grill, absolutely stuffed ourselves at Rudi’s Sel de Mer, and ate our best meal of the week at Tamarind.
You will need reservations for each, so book as soon as you get on the ship. If you can only choose one, Tamarind would be my pick every time.
Would We Sail Holland America With Teens Again?
Absolutely. Cruising is one of our favorite ways to vacation as a family because it’s easy for each of us to relax in our own way. Sometimes that is together on a port adventure. Other times, we are enjoying a game or a movie together.
Still, sometimes we just want to go off on our own for some quiet time. Even though our cruise was during one of the busiest weeks of the year, we all came home refreshed, relaxed, and excited for our next cruise.
Common Questions
My family loved Holland America with teenagers. What they lack in waterslides, they make up for in excellent food, fun ports of call, and plenty of games and activities. We loved the Crow’s Nest!
Yes, but beware, the food is too good! Tamarind ruined us for regular cruise food. We will be dreaming about that meal forever.
The Dive-In was the go-to spot for my 17-year-old to get burgers, fries and hot dogs by the pool, all included. He even had a burger on the way to our steak dinner one night. Classic!
