Holland America Zaandam

Zaandam (2000, refurbished 2018) carries 1,432 passengers and is known for long itineraries — extended voyages and repositioning cruises show up on this ship more than most in the fleet. The music memorabilia collection is genuinely unusual: Bill Clinton's saxophone, signed guitars from the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Queen, and Iggy Pop. Private verandahs are available on many staterooms. Dining includes Dive-In for casual burgers, Le Cirque for steaks, and Canaletto for Italian. At 26 years old with a 2018 refresh, Zaandam is an R-class ship — same small-ship platform as Volendam — with older cabin designs and fewer dining venues than Pinnacle-class ships. The trade-off is port access and itinerary variety that larger ships cannot match.