New management at a beloved cruise line would presumably result in some modifications, each within the entrance workplace and onboard its ships. At Holland America, the place former chief industrial officer Beth Bodensteiner stepped as much as lead the road as president in 2025, some shifts are certainly in retailer — and a few aren’t.
Bodensteiner has been with Holland America for 23 years and labored carefully with former president Gustavo (Gus) Antorcha. Not too long ago in Italy, she gave TPG a peek on the line’s future whereas on board the 1,964-passenger Zuiderdam — a Holland America ship within the midst of an epic 125-day around-the-world voyage.
Such long-haul cruises, often called Grand World Voyages, are a Holland America specialty. They usually final 4 months or longer and go to dozens of ports world wide. The 2025 version dropped anchor in Cape City, Malta and Alexandria, Egypt, to call a number of ports; the lately introduced 2027 itinerary consists of distant ports on the Atlantic islands of St. Helena and Ascension — a route that follows the second voyage of captain James Cook dinner.
“These are visitors that sail with us again and again,” Bodensteiner mentioned of the extremely traveled, discerning passengers onboard the Grand World Voyage. “We have to provide them one thing totally different.”
However not so totally different that it drives them away or disappoints them.
When requested whether or not something elementary would change in regards to the visitor expertise underneath her management, Bodensteiner was unequivocal. “Completely not,” she mentioned. However she did sign that there may be different, less-foundational enhancements to the Holland America expertise, with visitor requests and suggestions main the best way.
Associated: The final word information to Holland America ships and itineraries
“We’ve got a crew that’s deeply rooted in information and visitor analysis, they usually have masses to implement that speaks to that analysis,” she mentioned. “Visitors are so blissful, which is superior to see. I believe that is instantly associated to the truth that we’re actually listening and listening to what they need.”
Information gathering at Holland America consists of visitor surveys in addition to evaluation of what visitors are gravitating towards and buying on board.
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That guest-driven to-do listing consists of an replace to onboard leisure with a renewed concentrate on production-style exhibits, sailaway celebrations that replicate the ship’s itinerary (suppose contemporary crab in Alaska), and an expanded visitor speaker program for these onboard who desire a true vacation spot deep-dive. Different modifications will probably be destination-specific.
“There’s some modifications coming to the best way we ship the Caribbean which might be completely totally different than what we have executed in different areas,” Bodensteiner mentioned. “Visitors desire a extra enjoyable expertise, they usually need issues taking place by the pool which might be enjoyable.” She added that they don’t seem to be essentially searching for poolside video games and different, noisier resort-style actions.
Different requests have been simple and are both carried out already or within the works. Issues like extra dancing, extra string quartets, extra pickleball, after-dinner mint service and leisure each night time fall into this class. She additionally expressed specific delight within the ship’s new World Recent Fish program, which sources greater than 80 sorts of contemporary fish from native ports, reasonably than importing and transport them in. The impression on board was fast — the road noticed an increase in how a lot fish individuals have been ordering.
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“Our visitors care about sustainability, and we do as properly,” Bodensteiner mentioned. “The opposite fantastic factor is that this helps our native ports, which is tremendously essential to me, in addition to to our people in meals and beverage.”
Just a few visitor requests and questions go on to Bodensteiner. One of many perks of crusing on the present Grand World Voyage is that visitors, among the many model’s most loyal and highest-spending, get some face time with the president. Within the ship’s theater, Bodensteiner fielded questions on every thing from the temperature of the eating room (too chilly, in keeping with one visitor) to the standard of the soup inventory. (Bodensteiner handed this one to the meals and beverage crew, however mentioned she thought the inventory was made out of scratch.)
There have been additionally requests for issues like improved accessibility for visitors utilizing mobility aids, and questions in regards to the single complement — an additional quantity that solo passengers pay to occupy a cabin designed for 2 individuals.
Bodensteiner additionally hinted at a future replace to Holland America’s loyalty program, the Mariner Society. Calling the present tiering system “outdated,” she mentioned the road is properly conscious that this system wants modifications and can work on it this yr.
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