Holland America Line made a splash Thursday with multiple announcements regarding upcoming changes and enhancements to the premium line. These are our thoughts:
Likes
Aside from some renovations and
upgrades to the fleet during drydock, the most important change for the typical HAL passenger is the
new partnership with BBC Earth. The award-winning media company will provide a series of experiences and entertainment based on their fun and informative content for Holland America passengers. From film to concerts and even events for kids. It seems like a perfect meeting of two brands and will make for many memorable cruises.
Less obvious to the passengers but still a positive move are their technology partnerships with
Utrip and
AFAR. Utrip will provide better and more personalized booking experiences for activities. AFAR will add hundreds of references on HAL's various destinations. Both should help cruisers better plan their next vacation.
Dislikes
The one announcement that disappointed us was the unveiling of the new Holland America logo (below). At first glance it is not noticeably different, but upon closer inspection the old clipper ship is gone. We always loved the old logo as it represented the history of the company and the modern luxury of its current offering. What does the new logo represent? Just another generic ship. Will the average cruise passenger care? Probably not. But nuts like us do.
