Once upon a time a cruise line took its passengers on an exciting journey to destinations Afar (and near). Are you sitting comfortably…? Holland America Line’s UK managing director Lynn Narraway tells all.

BY JANE ARCHER

There’s a definite buzz in the air at Holland America Line. And quite rightly. Not only is the company counting down to the launch of its first new ship since 2010, but millions of dollars were recently allocated to upgrade the rest of its fleet over the next two years.

It’s not just about laying fresh carpets and changing the furniture though. Rather, new venues are being created to give its traditional ships a ‘modern twist’.

UK managing director Lynn Narraway said: “We’re calling it our bold new story. Holland America is classic and traditional due to its heritage and history. We are not changing that legacy but moving the brand forward.”

There is a new logo, a fresh strapline (out goes Signature of Excellence, in comes Savor the Journey), $300 million to spend on upgrades and some amazing new partnerships with world-famous brands that Narraway believes will attract people who have never cruised. And of course there is also that new ship, Koningsdam, which launches in April.

One of the most important partnerships is with Afar, a US-based media company, which is writing destination guides for Holland America’s website. These are not just words on a page; instead passengers can pick a port and use ‘sliders’ to focus in on what interests them, whether it be history, food and drink, art, nature or local cultures.

Narraway said destination is so important to Holland America’s passengers that the company often sends new itineraries to its loyal Mariner club members (estimated to number at least four million) to get their feedback before they are introduced.
“Our passengers want more choice, more knowledge. These guides are giving them that information before they travel; telling them about places they might not know about.” Only European ports are live now; by the end of the year the guides will cover more than 400 ports worldwide.

A new partnership with the Rijksmuseum in Holland, will see art studios installed on all Holland America ships (these will house reproductions from the museum’s art collection and also be used for workshops, lectures and free art classes).
A link with BBC Earth will bring nature-themed events for both adults and children onto the ships as well as a highlight live concert to accompany footage from the Frozen Planet series. Both partnerships debut on Oosterdam in April, and will be rolled out across the fleet over the next year. The list goes on.

Two entertainment venues, Lincoln Centre Stage, created in partnership with the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and Billboard Onboard, linked to the company that charts pop music in the US, are to be added to Holland America’s Vista and Signature-class ships. Both will feature on Koningsdam alongside the BB King’s Blues Club, which has been on selected Holland America ships for a couple of years. Koningsdam will also have Blend, a venue developed with Chateau Ste Michelle in Washington State where oenophiles will be able to create their own wines.

As well as attracting new-to-cruise business, Narraway is convinced Holland America’s bold new story will raise awareness of the brand in the trade and also help agents differentiate it from other cruise lines, which in turn will help them increase their sales. She said: “Agents can use our destination content when talking to clients to help sell what individual customers are interested in. This is a great opportunity for them to focus on the destinations and partnerships; make clients understand they are booking an upmarket hotel that just happens to move.”

That’s a strategy dear to Narraway’s heart and used in Holland America’s own marketing. Dedicated Alaska and Europe brochures this year are filled with enticing pictures of food, landscapes and wildlife, but there’s barely a ship in sight.
She sees the launch of Koningsdam as an ‘amazing’ opportunity to show agents where the brand is going.

“I think some see us as old-fashioned and stuffy. We’re not and our bold new story will change that perception.”
Around 500 agents will experience Koningsdam first-hand either through hosted overnight trips to Amsterdam, where it is based this summer, or ship visits in Newcastle, South Queensferry and Portland, which it will be visiting on various itineraries this year.

More than 30 will be on a cruise from Civitavecchia to Cadiz in May, before it relocates to Northern Europe. Narraway said: “We offer training via our HAL academy but it is important for agents to experience it for themselves.”
The HAL Academy offers a modular training programme with exams and sales tips to reinforce the education.

EURODAM
Eurodam has become the first Holland America ship to feature the Lincoln Centre Stage and Billboard Onboard. The two partnership venues were added during a $40 million refurbishment in December that was part of the company’s fleet-wide $300 million upgrade programme. All suites and bathrooms were upgraded, an interactive TV system was installed throughout the ship, and the self-service was reconfigured into a marketplace with themed stations. Other changes include a new Gallery Bar serving cocktails created by US mixologist Dale DeGroff, known as King Cocktail. The walls of the bar are adorned with portraits and landscapes. This venue will be rolled out to five ships by May 2018.