Holland America Line — 150-Plus Years of Cruising History

Several Holland America Line ships were commissioned during World War I to transport troops, resulting in six ships being lost. Taken over by the British government, the Statendam II was a sight to see, painted with asymmetric lines and patches in green, white, brown and yellow in a style known as dazzle paint.

At the start of World War II, Holland America Line had 25 ships, though only nine were still afloat by the war’s end. The ships worked tirelessly; one ship alone — the Nieuw Amsterdam II, known as the “Darling of the Dutch” — sailed 530,452 miles and carried 378,361 troops, a record only broken by the Cunard Queens, which were twice the size. When it sailed home, 600,000 people lined the dikes along the waterway to welcome it.

A Long Line of Firsts

A company with a history as long and noted as Holland America Line has been fortunate to experience many firsts. Their first three-funnel liner, Statendam III, made her debut in 1929, quickly becoming known as the “Queen of the Spotless Fleet” due to the company’s reputation for tidy ships and healthy passengers. The company’s first pleasure cruise sailed in 1910, departing New York for the Mediterranean and the Holy Land. Their first world cruise sailed in 1958 on board Statendam IV on a 110-day voyage that began in New York City and called on Africa, India, Asia, Hawaii and the Pacific Coast before traversing the Panama Canal en route back to New York.