Oceania Cruises
Allura
- Cruises
- 111
- From
- $2,887
Ship comparison
Allura vs Zaandam
Holland America Line
Zaandam
- Cruises
- 24
- From
- $509
The verdict
Which should you choose?
Allura is a mid-size Oceania Cruises ship carrying 1,200 passengers, in service since 2025. Zaandam is a mid-size Holland America Line ship carrying 1,432 passengers, in service since 2000.
Choose Allura if you want a more romantic trip, better-rated dining or more culture: it outscores Zaandam for romantic (10.0 vs 6.5), dining (10.0 vs 6.5) and cultural (10.0 vs 7.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores.
Choose Zaandam if you want a more family-friendly ship, a lower starting fare or better-rated entertainment: it outscores Allura for family friendly (6.0 vs 2.0) and entertainment (7.1 vs 6.0) in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores and its cruises start from $509 (vs $2,887).
Side by side
Specifications
marks the better figure where more, or less, is plainly better.
| Allura | Zaandam | |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line | Oceania Cruises | Holland America Line |
| Ship size | Medium | Medium |
| Maiden voyagenewer highlighted | 2025 (better) | 2000 |
| Last refurbishedmore recent highlighted | — | 2015 |
| Gross tonnage | 67,000 | 61,396 |
| Passengers | 1,200 | 1,432 |
| Crew | 800 | 615 |
| Passengers per crew memberfewer is better | 1.5 (better) | 2.3 |
| Space per passengergross tons per passenger; more is roomier | 55.8 (better) | 42.9 |
| Decks | 15 | 10 |
| Length | 791 ft | 781 ft |
| Beam | 105 ft | 106 ft |
| Speed | 20 mph | 26 mph |
| Cruiseable ratingout of 10 | 9 / 10 (better) | 8 / 10 |
| Cruises on sale | 111 | 24 |
| Upcoming sailings | 114 | 61 |
| Cruise lengths | 7 to 28 nights | 4 to 90 nights |
| Fares fromlower highlighted | $2,887 | $509 (better) |
Bliss scores
How they rate, out of 10
Cruiseable rates ships out of 10 on ten parts of a cruise holiday. Allura leads on 7 of the ten, Zaandam on 2, with 1 level.
- Active
- Adventure & nature
- Cultural
- Dining
- Entertainment
- Family friendly
- Party
- Romantic
- Spa & fitness
- Staterooms
Oceania Cruises
Allura
Oceania Cruises’ Allura debuted in July 2025 as the second ship in Oceania Cruises’ Allura Class and a near twin to Vista.
Sailing now
111 cruises on sale, from $2,887.
Holland America Line
Zaandam
Since its launch in 2000, ms Zaandam from Holland America Line has been trying to help make cruising go younger. Combining rock and roll memorabilia with traditional art pieces and baroque-style decoration, this mid-size ship is attempting to bring luxury cruising to the millennial set.
Highlights
- Greenhouse Spa offers grotto spaces with wet and dry options, as well as sauna and massage
- Pinnacle Grill offers high-end Northwestern favorites.
- The Culinary Arts Center offers state-of-the-art cooking classes with culinary specialists.
- Rock and roll memorabilia, including from the Rolling Stones, Queen and Iggy Pop, are scattered throughout the ship.
Sailing now
24 cruises on sale, from $509.
Questions
Allura or Zaandam?
Which is bigger, Allura or Zaandam?
Allura is bigger at 67,000 gross tons, against 61,396 gross tons for Zaandam. Allura carries 1,200 passengers and Zaandam carries 1,432.
Which ship is newer, Allura or Zaandam?
Allura is newer, with a maiden voyage in 2025 against 2000 for Zaandam.
Which has more space per passenger?
Allura, with 55.8 gross tons per passenger against 42.9 on Zaandam. The higher the figure, the more ship there is for each guest.
Which has more crew per passenger?
Allura, with one crew member for every 1.5 passengers against one for every 2.3 on Zaandam.
Which is better for families?
Zaandam scores higher for family friendliness in Cruiseable’s Bliss scores: 6.0 out of 10, against 2.0 for Allura.
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