Holland America Volendam

Volendam (1999, refurbished 2019) carries 1,432 passengers — the smallest ship in Holland America's active fleet. The ship has a flowers theme throughout and some genuinely distinctive art: Renaissance-era fountains, pre-Columbian sculptures, and a kaleidoscopic atrium sculpture by Luciano Vistosi. The Frans Hals Show Lounge handles main entertainment. A thermal suite is available in the spa. At 27 years old, this is a late-1990s build with the limitations that implies. Dining is more varied than you would expect for a ship this size: Pinnacle Grill, Rotterdam Dining Room, Lido Restaurant, Canaletto for Italian, and Le Cirque for steaks. Volendam's small footprint means it accesses ports that 2,600-passenger Pinnacle-class ships cannot reach — the trade-off is older cabin configurations and fewer modern amenities.