The Thermal Suite in the Greenhouse Spa features heated ceramic loungers and expansive ocean views. Photo courtesy of Holland America Line.
At the same time, HAL very much rolls with the times, and you’ll find ships feature trendy Internet cafes, fun piano and sports bars, demonstration kitchens for cooking classes, roomy cabins with all the latest amenities, and cool new poolside pizzerias called Slice. Overall, the décor of the line’s newer ships is bolder and more colorful than the older ones.
Traditionally HAL has attracted an older clientele, but in the past decade has succeeded in appealing to a broader demographic, including families on its summer and holiday cruises especially. There are cheerful playrooms, video arcades and teen rooms, plus most ships also have a secluded outdoor teen area called the Oasis.
Located on Deck 13 aft of the funnel, The Oasis is a strictly “Kids Only!” haven. Photo courtesy of Holland America Line.
When there are 25 to 30 plus kids aboard, supervised activities are programmed for at least three age groups between 3 and 17; at other times of the year, there’s always at least one counselor on board every sailing.
While there are plenty of quiet nooks and crannies to hide with a good book or a deck of card, for active adults, HAL’s activities range from ballroom dance lessons to bingo, bridge, wine tasting, trivia contests, free computer workshops and self-guided iPod tours of the ship’s art collection.  There are also well-stocked libraries with gorgeous inlaid marble tables.
The Mondrian Lounge showroom aboard Holland America Line’s Zaandam. Photo В© 2011 Aaron Saunders
Goofy team games poolside or in a lounge cater to the young (and silly) at heart and always attract a big crowd. Evenings, each ship puts on small-scale Vegas-style shows, plus feature soloists, trios, and quartets that play jazz, pop, and light-classical standards around the ship. There are also movies shown in the onboard cinema and on a few ships, large LED screens on up on deck (part of a new concept at the ships’ stern called the Retreat, which also includes a new pool bar and pizzeria), plus crew and passenger talent shows that are always a hit.