Club HAL on Holland America Line

Holland America keeps little ones, tweens and teens entertained with their own personal hangout spaces onboard its ships. With an array of games, the latest gadgets and summer camp-style activities, Club HAL allows parents to enjoy alone time, guilt-free.

What It Is

Club HAL is Holland America's youth center, a supervised space just for children ages 3 to 17. It offers a wide variety of both fun and educational activities, in a colorful facility divided into multiple rooms for different age groups.

Kids (ages 3 to 6) are treated to pirate treasure hunts, storytelling, arts and crafts, ice cream sundae parties and pajama parties, among other activities. The room is stocked with age-appropriate toys and books, Lego blocks, art tables and TVs. Decor varies by ship, but a number of them embrace an artistic theme, with paint brush pillars, giant pencil sculptures and a paint bucket bench.  

Tweens (ages 7 to 12) have their fair share of video games, as well as Wii and Kinect for Xbox 360. They also can partake in Xbox tournaments, relay races, scavenger hunts and karaoke disco parties. These rooms generally include funky design features like a life-size taxi cab and hot dog stand. On Alaska cruises, tweens also can enjoy the line's National Park Service Jr. Ranger program, which teaches kids about the region and offers the chance to meet with a park ranger.

Teens (ages 13 to 17) enjoy their own space, adjacent to Club HAL. Dubbed The Loft, it boasts a trendier vibe and more mature activities, such as mocktail-making classes, hip-hop classes, guy vs. girl scavenger hunts, sports competitions and nightclub events. The room is also equipped with video games, TVs and movies.

Koningsdam's Club HAL also includes three separate outdoor areas for all kids, while several other ships offer a teen-only deck space called the Oasis.

On port days, Club HAL operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and 7 to 11 p.m. The gap between 4 and 7 p.m. serves as a break for dinner and family time. On sea days, the club is open from 9 to 11:30 a.m., 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 11 p.m. The Loft hours are 10 a.m. to noon, 2 to 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight on sea days and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (non-hosted) and 8 p.m. to midnight on port days. Times are subject to change, based on the number of children onboard.

Club HAL After Hours group babysitting services are available for kids ages 3 to 12, from 10 p.m. to midnight. The program is not offered to children under 3.

Regardless of the time or day, children ages 3 to 12 must be signed in and out of the activities by parents or guardians.

Price

Club HAL and The Loft are complimentary. The After Hours program costs $5 per hour, per child.

Ships

Club HAL is available on all Holland America ships. On Prinsendam, activities are only offered for ages 5 to 17, and The Loft is not available.

See photos of Club HAL on Koningsdam.