Cunard vs Holland America
Both are premium lines, so the choice comes down to atmosphere, ships and where you want to sail from.
Cunard in a sentence
Elegant and classic, with a British accent; afternoon tea, ballroom dancing and black-tie evenings at sea.
Holland America in a sentence
Gracious and unhurried; live music at night, a good book by day and plenty of ocean views.
| Feature | Cunard Line | Holland America Line |
|---|---|---|
| Style | Premium | Premium |
| The vibe | Elegant and classic, with a British accent; afternoon tea, ballroom dancing and black-tie evenings at sea. | Gracious and unhurried; live music at night, a good book by day and plenty of ocean views. |
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| Maybe not for |
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| Fleet size | 4 (as of 2026) | 11 (as of 2026) |
| Founded | 1840 | 1873 |
| Parent company | Carnival Corporation & plc | Carnival Corporation & plc |
| Gratuities | Cunard adds $18 per person per day in most accommodation and $19 per person per day in Grills suites. An 18% gratuity is added to bar, wine and salon bills. (as of 2026-10-13) | Holland America adds a crew appreciation charge of $18 per person per day in most cabins and $20 per person per day in suites. (as of 2026-10-13) |
| Dress code | Cunard is one of the dressier lines. Evenings alternate between smart attire and Gala Evenings, when many men wear tuxedos or dark suits and women wear evening gowns or cocktail dresses. Daytime is casual. | Smart casual most evenings. Holland America calls its dress-up evenings Dressy nights, typically one or two per week, when guests wear cocktail attire, a jacket or a suit. Jeans are fine on other evenings, and the Lido Market is always casual. |
| Private destinations | None |
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| Loyalty program | Cunard World Club | Mariner Society |
| US/Canada homeports in our guides | 2 | 7 |
Both sail to: Transatlantic, Northern Europe & Baltic, Norwegian Fjords, British Isles, Mediterranean, Canada & New England, Caribbean, Australia & New Zealand.
Both depart from: Seattle. Pricing the same week on both is the fastest way to decide.
Questions people ask
Is Cunard or Holland America better for families?
Cunard: Cunard welcomes families, with supervised children's programs and play areas on each ship, especially busy during school holidays. Holland America: Club HAL offers supervised youth activities for children and teens, mainly during school holiday periods and summer.
Which has higher gratuities, Cunard or Holland America?
As of the dates we last checked, Cunard: Cunard adds $18 per person per day in most accommodation and $19 per person per day in Grills suites. An 18% gratuity is added to bar, wine and salon bills. Holland America: Holland America adds a crew appreciation charge of $18 per person per day in most cabins and $20 per person per day in suites. Lines change these, so we confirm current amounts in every quote.
Do Cunard and Holland America sail from the same ports?
Yes. Both sail from Seattle, which makes it easy to compare the same week on both lines.
Price Cunard and Holland America side by side
Tell us your dates and who's going. We'll quote the same trip on both lines with the full price, taxes and fees included.