First-Time Cruisers

Holland America Kids Club Ages and Hours: What Parents Need to Know

Published 29 April 2026 · 3 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

Quick answerHolland America's youth program (Club HAL) runs age-banded groups — Kids (3–6) and Tweens (7–12), with The Loft for teens 13–17. — with no nursery or drop-off care for under-3s — the program starts at 3; daytime programming is included in the fare, and hours are more limited than on family-focused lines, and late-night care is not consistently offered; check your ship..

Holland America's children's programming is a major reason families choose the line — here's how it's structured by age.

The age bands

Club HAL is organized as: Kids (3–6) and Tweens (7–12), with The Loft for teens 13–17. Children generally join the group for their age on embarkation; exceptions for siblings are sometimes possible on request.

Babies and toddlers

no nursery or drop-off care for under-3s — the program starts at 3 Children under 3 who aren't in a nursery are welcome at the family and parent-accompanied play spaces most ships offer.

Teens

The Loft serves teens 13–17 with its own space and evening activities on ships where it operates. Teen spaces are typically separate from the younger clubs and run later into the evening.

Hours and the evening option

Daytime sessions run through most of the day with breaks around meals, resuming in the evening. hours are more limited than on family-focused lines, and late-night care is not consistently offered; check your ship. Exact hours appear in the daily program and vary by port and sea days.

Registration and pick-up

Register on embarkation day (the club opens for sign-up early), and expect a check-in/check-out system with a pager or app notification so you can be reached. Holland America's older guest profile means fewer children aboard and quieter clubs, as covered in Is Holland America Right for You.

What's included

The standard youth program is included in the fare; paid extras are typically limited to late-night care and, where offered, the nursery. The general picture across lines is in Kids Clubs on Cruise Ships: Ages, Hours and Costs.

More Holland America policies

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Matching the ship to your children's ages

Programming quality varies between ships within the same line — confirming your specific ship's youth spaces, nursery availability and evening hours at booking is worth doing for any family sailing.

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Frequently asked questions

What age can kids join Holland America's kids club?

Kids (3–6) and Tweens (7–12), with The Loft for teens 13–17. The core program starts at age 3 and requires children to be toilet-trained; no nursery or drop-off care for under-3s — the program starts at 3.

Does Holland America have a nursery for babies and toddlers?

no nursery or drop-off care for under-3s — the program starts at 3 — worth confirming for your specific ship, since nursery availability and pricing vary across the fleet.