Holland America Line has reasserted its commitment to the Kiwi market and is highlighting the growing Kiwi demand for its Alaska and Europe cruises.
“Fly cruise continues to remain popular,” says visiting HAL senior vp Rob Coleman. “[Kiwis] are looking to experience the rest of the world, and we find these two destinations are exceptionally popular with them.”
Appointing Belinda Clark as its Kiwi rep and having a ship in-market is testament to HAL’s investment in New Zealand, he adds. In terms of enhancements, Coleman says HAL is bringing a reimagined experience in Denali National Park, Alaska, in the northern summer next year.
“When people think about going to Alaska, they do have glaciers in mind, and we have more glacier opportunities than any other cruise line,” he says.
HAL even has a ‘Glacier Guarantee’, although ‘we don’t have to cash that in very often’.
“They want to see the wilderness and the wildlife, a chance to see the brown bear and marine mammals in the area, and many of our cruises will spend two or three nights in Denali National Park.” See more HERE.
At a lunch aboard HAL’s Zaandam in Auckland yesterday, Coleman encouraged agents to see what clients ‘want to do with their time’.
Ships like the Zaandam and her sister ship the Volendam were ideal for long cruises, holding more than 1400 guests and creating an intimate feel, he told the consultants.
“The guests on this ship have committed over a hundred days to sail and explore in-depth and linger in Australia and New Zealand. I would encourage people to think about how they want to spend their time and maybe sail longer than they had thought for a cruise,” he says.
See more on the Zaandam HERE. A third HAL ship will join the fleet in Northern Europe in 2027.
