Holland America Line features the lovable mascot HAL the dolphin as caption of "Club HAL," a special club for kids, "tweens" and teens.

Holland America Line has reinvented its popular Club HAL^® with new supervised play areas and age-specific activities for kids ages 3 to 12. Children will be amazed at the streaming array of colorful swirls embellishing the ceiling, the paintbrush pillars, and enormous pencils adorning the walls. Creativity and fun are everywhere with art tables, games, toys, and much more. For ages 8-12, there is a separate area featuring arcade games, air hockey, foosball, karaoke, Internet access, Sony PlayStations and DDR (Dance Dance Revloution).

The "Club HAL Kids Pod" includes activities like putt putt golf, candy bar bingo, t-shirt painting and "camping." There’s even an ice cream with the stars, where the wee ones get to meet the onboard singers and dancers.

Bring the kids and make it a family cruise. Thanks to Club HAL, a special program that offers oceans of fun for guests 5 through 17, the entire family can have the vacation of their dreams. You snorkeling in crystal blue waters, the kids building sand castles on the beach. Or vice versa.

Fun for kids, tweens and teens
Club HAL activities are captivating enough to engage youngsters ages 5 to 8, cool enough to attract tweens and teens.

It all begins with a special Welcome Aboard meeting the first night of the cruise with our full-time youth coordinator and continues throughout the cruise with a dedicated daily youth program filled with fun: storytelling, crafts and candy bar bingo for the little kids; putt-putt golf, pool parties and video games for tweens and teens.

And the fun lasts well into the night with movies, pizza and disco parties, so you can enjoy your evening knowing the kids are having a good time properly supervised.

Food to please the most finicky eaters
Call it what you will--finicky, particular, hard-to-please--the kids will tell you it's simply a matter of taste. Which is why we've designed a menu that includes their favorites: hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza, fish n' chips, chicken dippers and more.

Bolstered by the fresh salt air, your kids just may surprise you with their new appetites for life.

NEW Programs

For those teens who want to escape from parents and younger siblings, we created the Oasis, an exclusive outdoor hideaway with plenty of space to relax and socialize with new friends. The Oasis is a perfect space for teens to soak up rays in comfy hammocks, hang out under the nine-foot-high waterfall, or dance to a state-of-the-art sound system and laser light show. The secluded Oasis is accessed by a special passageway from The Loft, an indoor teens-only space, where kids can connect to the Internet, play video games, watch a big-screen TV, and have Karaoke parties – all available aboard the ms Ryndam.

Holland America Line announced that it is further enhancing its onboard experience for kids with an upgraded Youth Program, complete with expanded facilities for kids of all ages. Club HAL®, offering fun and creative activities for kids ages 3 to 12, will be improved to include state-of-the-art facilities and will serve as the hub of the children's program. In addition, Holland America Line is also introducing new areas on all its ships that will provide teens with a unique environment to get away and have fun. The expansion is part of the premium cruise line's $225 million Signature of Excellence initiative and is helping to ensure that guests of all ages experience the best of classic ocean voyaging.

Designed by the world-renowned architectural firm of Peter Yran and Bjorn Storbraaten of Oslo, Norway, Holland America's new children's facilities are themed by art and will be the most elaborate of any cruise line at sea. Each area is tailored to a specific age group and provides great activities to fulfill every interest.

"Every guest on board a Holland America cruise is unique, and we believe it is important to provide activities that cater to every interest and age group," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, senior vice president, marketing and sales for Holland America Line. "The expanded new facilities are exciting additions to our fleet. No matter their interests, the entire family can now personalize their experience and enjoy the ultimate vacation at sea."

Club HAL, previously serving children 5 and older will now cater to kids 3 years and up. A streaming array of colors swirl on the ceiling, paint brushes serve as pillars and enormous pencils adorn the back wall. Kids will be delighted by the opportunities available in Club HAL. Art tables, a big screen television and a tape dispenser styled slide in the middle of the room inspire creativity and fun, giving children a great sanctuary where they can escape into a world all their own.

Through a partnership with Cranium, Holland America Line will expand its board game offerings, providing kids with a wide variety of games to choose from. Foosball, Internet access and state-of-the-art electronic games are also available. Club HAL activities are supervised by permanent, full-time directors and staff. Directors hold degrees in education, childhood development, recreation, leisure studies and related fields, giving parents peace of mind that their kids are enjoying safe, supervised fun.

An area for older kids ages 8 to 12 features arcade games, air hockey, foosball, Karaoke, Internet access and Sony Playstations, providing everything they look for in land-based activities and more. This getaway provides kids in this age group an area to relax, surf the internet, and play games in a cool, modern atmosphere.

Teens ages 13 to 17 will find a perfect getaway from family and siblings in The Loft. Specially designed to resemble a New York artist's loft, this lounge area has a contemporary feel with bright colors and funky patterns. One of the most exciting features of this area is the special passageway to a secluded teen deck called The Oasis.

An exclusive hideaway for teens, The Oasis provides guests with plenty of space to relax and socialize with people their age. Featuring a private entrance, the deck is a perfect place for teens to soak up rays then cool off in a one-of-a-kind waterfall and cave. Located toward the stern of the ship, the sundeck is an exciting addition to Holland America's already extensive activities. Unmatched anywhere in the cruise industry, The Oasis provides teenage guests with a secluded area they can call their own.

Several other unique onboard activities also have been added, including the Little Artist program, "Luau at the Oasis," "Teen Superstar" and "Dance Dance Revolution" (DDR) contests, Campin' under the Stars and Wacky Olympics. Families can take advantage of expanded offerings such as Cranium Family Game time, Family Olympics and Karaoke.

The kids program will also offer a new service, Club HAL After Hours. This program features extended hours so parents can enjoy an evening alone while their children are enjoying themselves in another area of the ship. Available for $5 per child per hour, the service extends from 10 p.m. to midnight. All of these additions provide more ways than ever to enjoy cruising as a family while providing opportunities for everyone to customize the voyage to suit their interests.