SEATTLE, Nov. 30, 2011 — World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society members named Holland America Line the Best Overall Cruise Value 2011 for the 19th consecutive year in recognition of the line’s premium cruise experience.
“To continue to earn this award for nearly two decades and to be acknowledged by the members of the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society is an honor,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “Holland America Line is dedicated to continuously evolving our product and our brand, and this award shows us that our guests appreciate our efforts.”
WOCLS is composed of thousands of experienced cruisers who take an average of two cruises a year. The society reviews all cruise lines annually, and in its monthly Ocean & Cruise News publication noted, “Holland America Line has consistently offered their passengers a great cruise experience and their Signature of Excellence upgrades and amenities introduced fleetwide over the past few years have certainly helped them provide an extraordinary value for cruise travelers.”
“Holland America Line provides its passengers with an added class and sophistication, and features numerous small touches that are either overlooked by other cruise lines or have been eliminated in cost-cutting measures,” wrote Thomas Cassidy, editor of Ocean & Cruise News. “While one expects to pay more for refinement and amenities on some ships, Holland America provides these extras at only a modestly higher price. It is the ability to offer so much more for such a modest additional cost that creates this extraordinary value for cruise travelers. More affordable pricing should not always mean less quality service and touches.”
WOCLS cites Holland America Line’s “ships staffed with friendly Indonesian and Filipino crews, the extra effort to properly train and supervise staff, extensive choice of dinner menus in its restaurants, a variety of alternate restaurants and extra amenities such as canvas tote bags, hot hors d’oeuvres at cocktail time, a no-charge ice cream bar and later lunch hours when in port,” as contributing factors to the line’s selection as Best Overall Cruise Value of 2011.
Holland America Line also received top marks from the World Ocean and Cruise Liner Society in the “High-Deluxe, 5-Star-Plus, Large Ships” category in the annual Best Cruise Value Awards.
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