Princess vs Holland America with Kids: Best Multi-Gen Family Cruise
Princess and Holland America aren't typical kid-first cruise lines, but they're the two best mainstream choices for trips that include grandparents. Here's how to choose.
Decide in 30 seconds
Princess Cruises
Holland America Line
The short answer
Princess Cruises is the right pick for multi-gen trips with kids ages 4-12 who want a real kids' club, plus grandparents who want a more refined ship vibe than Carnival or Royal but don't want full luxury pricing. Holland America is the right pick when grandparents are the primary decision-makers, the trip is Alaska or a longer cruise (10+ nights), and the older kids are 8+ and reasonably independent. The honest reality: neither line is built for toddlers — both can work for school-age kids and up.
Best for
Princess for multi-gen with school-age kids and Alaska; Holland America for grandparent-anchored trips with older kids on longer voyages
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Side-by-Side Comparison
| Category | Princess Cruises | Holland America Line |
|---|---|---|
| Flight from SFO | n/a — port-dependent | n/a — port-dependent |
| Flight from LAX | n/a — port-dependent | n/a — port-dependent |
| Flight from NYC | n/a — port-dependent | n/a — port-dependent |
| Avg. Hotel / Night | $110-$210/night per person, double occupancy (7-night Alaska range) | $100-$215/night per person, double occupancy (7-night Alaska range) |
| Kid-Friendly Score | 7/10 | 6/10 |
| Best Age Range | 6-15 | 8-15 |
| Best Time to Visit | Alaska May through early September; Caribbean November through April; book Alaska 9-12 months out for outside cabins with view | Alaska May through September is the strongest itinerary; Caribbean November through April; longer Panama Canal and Mediterranean sailings have very few kids |
| Food Scene | 8/10 | 8/10 |
| Beach or Pool | Multiple pools and the Movies Under the Stars deck screen. Princess Cays private island in the Bahamas. No major waterslide programs. | Pools, retractable Lido pool roof for cooler weather (rare in cruise), and the Half Moon Cay private island. No major waterslides or thrill rides. |
| Stroller Friendly | 7/10 | 7/10 |
Princess Cruises
- Flight from SFO
- n/a — port-dependent
- Flight from LAX
- n/a — port-dependent
- Flight from NYC
- n/a — port-dependent
- Avg. Hotel / Night
- $110-$210/night per person, double occupancy (7-night Alaska range)
- Kid-Friendly Score
- 7/10
- Best Age Range
- 6-15
- Best Time to Visit
- Alaska May through early September; Caribbean November through April; book Alaska 9-12 months out for outside cabins with view
- Food Scene
- 8/10
- Beach or Pool
- Multiple pools and the Movies Under the Stars deck screen. Princess Cays private island in the Bahamas. No major waterslide programs.
- Stroller Friendly
- 7/10
Holland America Line
- Flight from SFO
- n/a — port-dependent
- Flight from LAX
- n/a — port-dependent
- Flight from NYC
- n/a — port-dependent
- Avg. Hotel / Night
- $100-$215/night per person, double occupancy (7-night Alaska range)
- Kid-Friendly Score
- 6/10
- Best Age Range
- 8-15
- Best Time to Visit
- Alaska May through September is the strongest itinerary; Caribbean November through April; longer Panama Canal and Mediterranean sailings have very few kids
- Food Scene
- 8/10
- Beach or Pool
- Pools, retractable Lido pool roof for cooler weather (rare in cruise), and the Half Moon Cay private island. No major waterslides or thrill rides.
- Stroller Friendly
- 7/10
Pros & Cons
Princess Cruises
Pros
- MedallionClass wearable is genuinely useful — order food/drinks to your seat, find family on the ship
- Alaska itineraries are some of the best in the industry — Princess has the most Alaska history
- Camp Discovery kids' club included; well-organized with named themed spaces
- Generally calmer and more refined than Royal/Carnival without losing all family programming
- Sun Princess (2024) and Star Princess (2025) are noticeably more modern than older fleet
Cons
- Camp Discovery hours are more limited than Disney/Royal — typically closes earlier
- Older average passenger age can leave a 14-year-old feeling out of place on quieter sailings
- Fewer onboard thrill activities (no FlowRider, no major waterslides on most ships)
- Tween/teen programming is thinner outside of school-break weeks when more kids are aboard
Holland America Line
Pros
- Strongest grandparent-friendly atmosphere of any mainstream line
- Alaska, Mediterranean, and longer voyages are programmed at a relaxed pace
- Half Moon Cay private island (shared with Carnival) is widely rated best beach in the Bahamas
- Smaller ships (typically 2,000-2,650 passengers) feel less overwhelming than mega-ships
- Music Walk venues (B.B. King's Blues Club, Rolling Stone Rock Room, Lincoln Center Stage) are a unique, multi-gen-friendly evening offering
Cons
- Club HAL kids' club has the most limited hours and smallest spaces of any major line
- Almost no programmed activities for kids under 5 — bring activities for downtime
- Older average passenger age — your 12-year-old may genuinely be the only kid on a school-week sailing
- Some ships don't run Club HAL year-round; verify before booking
Best For
Princess for multi-gen with school-age kids and Alaska; Holland America for grandparent-anchored trips with older kids on longer voyages
Our Verdict
Pick Princess if your multi-gen trip includes any kid under 10, if you're sailing Alaska, or if you want the overall best balance between grandparent-friendly calm and real-kid programming. Camp Discovery isn't Disney's Oceaneer Club, but it's a real kids' club with named spaces and reliable hours during school-break weeks. The MedallionClass tech is genuinely useful — your 9-year-old can text you from the kids' club, you can order pizza to a deck chair, and lost-on-ship anxiety basically disappears. Pick Holland America if grandparents are the deciding voice and the kids in the group are 8+ and reasonably self-sufficient. Holland America is the most peaceful mainstream line, food and service consistency are notably high, and the Music Walk evening venues give grandparents and tweens a shared activity that doesn't feel forced. Just don't book Holland America with a toddler expecting daycare — Club HAL hours and offerings don't compete with Princess, let alone Disney or Royal. The edge case: longer cruises. If your multi-gen trip is 10+ nights (Panama Canal, transatlantic repositioning, Mediterranean), both lines do this better than Royal or Carnival, and Holland America does it better than Princess. The slower onboard pace, port-day variety, and grown-up evening venues hold up over two weeks in a way that mega-ship lines don't.
Family cruise gear worth packing
Whichever way you go, here's the kid-tested gear that makes this kind of trip run smoother — current prices and ratings included.
| Product | Rating | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
Cruise On Over-the-Door Cabin Organizer (15-Pocket) luggage | 4.5 · 2,896 reviews | $17.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Sea-Band Kids Motion Sickness Wristbands (1 Pair) health | 4.3 · 644 reviews | $13.33 | Buy on Amazon |
Kids Walkie Talkies (4-Pack) safety | 4.5 · 3,252 reviews | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
JOTO Waterproof Phone Pouch (2-Pack, IPX8) tech | 4.5 · 39,500 reviews | $7.99 | Buy on Amazon |
Apple AirTag (2nd Gen) 4-Pack tech | 4.6 · 4,569 reviews | $89 | Buy on Amazon |
Mattel UNO Card Game entertainment | 4.8 · 60,350 reviews | $11.66 | Buy on Amazon |
| Buyer sentiment | Cruise On Over-the-Door Cabin Organizer (15-Pocket) Organization Quality Cruise Suitability Pocket Size Buyers praise organization, quality, cruise suitability and pocket size. Based on 960 user mentions Sea-Band Kids Motion Sickness Wristbands (1 Pair) Effectiveness Side Effects Quality Value for money Size Color Options Buyers praise effectiveness, side effects, quality and value for money. Mixed feedback on fit and comfort. Some flag size and color options. Based on 229 user mentions Kids Walkie Talkies (4-Pack) Suitability For Kids Quality Ease Of Use Sound Quality Battery Life Buyers praise suitability for kids, quality, ease of use and sound quality. Mixed feedback on reliability. Some flag battery life. Based on 973 user mentions JOTO Waterproof Phone Pouch (2-Pack, IPX8) Water Resistance Functionality Quality Value for money Buyers praise water resistance, functionality, quality and value for money. Mixed feedback on ease of use and touch sensitivity. Based on 3,316 user mentions Apple AirTag (2nd Gen) 4-Pack Accuracy Ease Of Use Quality Buyers praise accuracy, ease of use and quality. Mixed feedback on functionality and connectivity. Based on 1,020 user mentions Mattel UNO Card Game Quality Gameplay Family-Friendly Storage Buyers praise quality, gameplay, family-friendly and storage. Based on 1,730 user mentions | ||
Prices and ratings are approximate and may vary. Check the latest on Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, Tots & Trips earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
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