Holland America Line has been awarded 17 gold and seven silver 2018 Magellan Awards from the industry publication, Travel Weekly. The cruise line’s 17 gold awards covered the categories of Premium Ship, Restaurant Design, Education Program. For their marketing programs, Holland America won gold for Website, Print Advertising, Campaign-Advertising/Marketing, Promotional Video, Direct Mail and TV Commercial.
Holland America’s partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine garnered a silver award in the cruise categories of Cruise Marketing, as did their Education Program for travel agent training, plus the marketing categories of Promotional Video, Website, Campaign–Advertising/Marketing and Print Advertising.
“In recent years Holland America Line has embarked on an ambitious brand evolution, and earning an astounding 24 Magellan Awards tells us that our innovations are positively resonating with the industry and our guests,” said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line’s president. “Travel Weekly’s Magellan Awards are among the most prestigious in the travel industry, and we are honored and thankful to be recognized by its respected panel of experts.”
Refurbished Ship Gets the Gold
In the Premium Ship category, Holland America Line earned a gold award for Nieuw Amsterdam, after the ship went through an extensive dry dock and upgrade in late 2017. Tamarind, the cruise line’s Pan-Asia specialty restaurant, won gold for Premium Ship–Restaurant Design. The restaurant’s decor has an upscale, contemporary Asian feel with rich hues of purple, gold and green combined with bamboo accents to create an intimate and elegant environment.
Holland America’s website also won gold. In 2018 the cruise line re-launched their website at HollandAmerica.com. The new design focuses on an intuitive online booking process with easy navigation and makes it easier for travel agents and consumers to find the needed information.
In the Education Program category, Explorations Central (EXC) won gold honors. Holland America’s EXC program features destination immersion and a multifaceted experience that includes hands-on destination enrichment and onboard EXC guides to help guests plan their shoreside experiences. Along with EXC Guides, the program also features an EXC Team, EXC Talks, EXC Tours, EXC Encounters, EXC Port Planners, an EXC Channel and more.
Holland America’s television spot, “Making Connections,” won gold in the TV commercial category, while “EXC In-Depth Voyages,” “Culinary EXC Tours in Partnership with FOOD & WINE,” “New Culinary Council Member Ethan Stowell” and “New Culinary Council Member Andy Matsuda” took home gold in the Promotional Video category.
Silver awards, too.
Among the silver awards was Holland America Line’s online training program that for travel agents and Holland America Line’s booking portal for travel professionals. Also included in the silver wins, in the Special Needs category, was Holland America’s Accessibility Program.
Congratulations, HAL!
I’m the editor and creator of CruiseMaven.com, a solo traveler cruising the world on waves and wheels, collecting recipes along the way. I hope my articles and photos entertain, advise and inspire you to travel the world without flying. Take a breath…stop for a local meal and a glass of wine along the way.
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