Holland America Line (HAL)

Holland America Line (HAL) is a British/American owned cruise line and is a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, and a member of the Holland America Group. The Holland America Group controls the three Carnival Corporation & plc brands based on the West Coast of the United States; these being Seabourn Cruises, Princess Cruises and Holland America Line. The group is also responsible for the operations of P&O Cruises Australia.

Originating in the Netherlands, the company is now based in Seattle, United States. Holland America Line was founded in 1893 as the Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij (Dutch-American Steamship Company), a shipping and passenger line. It was headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and provided service to the Americas. The company was formed as a result of the reorganization of an earlier company, Plate, Reuchlin & Co. In 1989, Holland America Line was purchased by the Carnival Corporation, for 1.2 billion guilders (€530 million).

The Carnival Corporation subsequently merged with P&O Princess Cruises plc in April 2003, to form the world’s largest cruise operating company in a deal worth US$5.4 billion. As a result of the merger the Carnival Corporation and P&O Princess Cruises plc were integrated to form Carnival Corporation & plc, with a portfolio of eleven cruise ship brands.


Back to top button