Not every cruise line treats history as an afterthought. Holland America has built an entire partnership around it, and for travelers who plan their trips with an eye toward the past, that makes it one of the strongest choices in the industry today.
A Real Partnership With The HISTORY Channel
In 2025, Holland America entered a multi year partnership with The HISTORY Channel to build curated shore excursions and onboard programming focused on historical storytelling. The shore excursions themselves are designed and operated exclusively by Holland America, not by The HISTORY Channel, but they carry the same spirit of connecting travelers to the people, places, and defining moments that shaped each destination.
What the Partnership Covers Region by Region
Here is what that looks like across the regions Holland America sails.
In the Mediterranean, excursions reach ancient sites including the Giza Pyramids, the ruins of Olympia, Pompeii, and the archaeological wonders of Malta. In Northern Europe, travelers can explore Viking heritage, the Giant's Causeway, the history of Glasgow, and Arctic polar experiences alongside Iceland's volcanic landscapes. In the Americas, the itinerary touches true landmarks of history, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Jamestown, and Roosevelt's Campobello. In the Caribbean, the excursions dig into pirate history in Nassau, St. Maarten's culinary heritage, and the story of Bob Marley's Nine Mile.
Alaska, Where the History Hits Closest to Home
Then there is Alaska, where the history hits closest to home for us. Holland America's Alaska excursions include Gold Rush history, mine exploration and gold panning, Native Alaskan culture at Saxman Village, and historic tours on the White Pass Railway. That is the same region and the same story I retraced personally, riding the historic train out of Skagway to follow the path my own great grandfather walked as an early interpreter and guide during that era. History does not get more real than standing where your own family's story happened, and Holland America has built an entire region of its Alaska program around exactly that kind of connection.
Why This Sets Holland America Apart
For history focused travelers, that combination, real historic sites, real storytelling, and excursions built specifically to explore them, is what separates a cruise that happens to visit historic places from a cruise that is actually built for people who care about history.
If you want a cruise built around the moments that shaped the world, we would be glad to help you plan one.
