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Holland America Line offers travel partners most comprehensive menu in the industry

Six new amenities added to GAP menu including Lobster Shack and BLEND experience.

SEATTLE, WASH. – Holland America Line is giving travel partners more reasons than ever before to book groups on cruises and Alaska Land+Sea Journeys with an enhanced Group Advantage Program (GAP). The premium cruise line offers one of the industry’s most robust group programs in support of travel professionals, and in 2018 new amenities were added to reflect Holland America Line’s enhanced onboard experiences.

Holland America Line’s GAP now features 39 different amenities to choose from plus four GAP Packages that cater to weddings, family reunions and culinary groups. GAP provides incentives tailored to each group program, while other groups earn amenity incentives based on GAP points established by the cruise destination, departure date and length. In addition, Holland America Line offers GAP Plus, a bonus offer that gives travel professionals the opportunity to earn a 1 percent bonus commission and additional perks on hundreds of select sailings. The line’s new Connections program also offers additional amenities and GAP points to small affinity groups.

“Holland America Line is creating programs that make it easier to book its cruises, and the enhanced Group Advantage Program is just one more way that we’re showing our travel partners we are 100 percent committed to ensuring their success,” said Eva Jenner, vice president of sales for Holland America Line. “We have added new amenities to the menu so it’s aligned with our experiences both on board and ashore, and our GAP Plus and Connections programs cater to savvy travel agents, allowing them to customize and find additional opportunities to fit their groups. It truly is the most comprehensive menu in the industry.”

Travel professionals “spend” earned GAP points to select personalized amenities for their group. Additionally, the incentive-based program supports travel professionals’ marketing efforts to affinity groups to increase their revenue. Tour conductors also are earned for every 16 lower berths.
 
GAP Plus Offers Bonus Commission and More
Through the 2018 GAP Plus offer, travel professionals can earn up to 17 percent commission in North America, one tour conductor for every 16th lower berth and a bottle of sparkling wine in each stateroom.

Connections, Holland America Line’s Small Affinity Group Program
Small affinity groups can now enjoy extra amenities. For groups of 24 guests or fewer, this new group program offers a tour conductor ratio of 1:10 and two extra GAP points for each group.

Families, Weddings and Culinary Packages
For family reunion packages, when eight or more staterooms are booked, the group receives exclusive amenities in place of GAP points. These include a free upgrade for the head of the family, a within-stateroom category upgrade for all family members, a $50-value fountain soda card per stateroom, Pinnacle Grill lunch for all family members and a $50-value beverage card per stateroom.

Guests who say “I do” with Holland America Line and book their wedding group of eight or more staterooms receive a free upgrade for the wedding couple, a complimentary wedding cake for up to 16 guests, a Pinnacle Grill lunch per guest, chocolate-dipped strawberries per stateroom, a bottle of Prosecco sparkling wine per stateroom and a private one-hour winetasting per guest in lieu of GAP points.

Holland America Line is known for culinary excellence, and culinary groups of 25 or more guests can book the “Private Wine and Cooking Demonstration” package and receive a private premium winetasting with the Cellar Master, a bon voyage bottle of sparkling wine in each stateroom and two one-hour demonstration sessions in America’s Test Kitchen with a Holland America Line-provided chef, all in lieu of GAP points. For culinary groups of 16 or more guests, the “Wine and Food Pairings with HAL Wines” entitles guests to a five-course premium dinner with five premium wine parings selected by the Cellar Master.

Other Amenities Designed to Facilitate Custom Groups
To reflect Holland America Line’s recent brand enhancements, the 2018 GAP amenities feature six new offerings: dining at Rudi’s Sel de Mer pop-up restaurant on select ships; a BLEND winemaking experience on Koningsdam; a lobster roll at Lobster Shack on Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private island; a mixology class; the Wine Cellar No. 1 package with four bottles of wine per stateroom; and a 12-pack of bottled water per guest.

Other available 2018 GAP menu amenities include beverage cards; bon voyage sparkling wine in each stateroom; dinner at Pinnacle Grill, Tamarind and Canaletto; $25 or $50 Beverage Cards; an Internet package; sparkling wine and strawberries; deluxe canapes; a cocktail party with hot hors d'oeuvres; Fiesta Party with margaritas, mojitos and fiesta food; and even a Cruise with Purpose charity donation.

On the land portion of Holland America Line’s Land+Sea Journeys in Alaska, GAP amenities include lunch aboard the McKinley Explorer railcar, a cocktail party in Denali, an entrance pass to Diamond Tooth Gerties in Dawson City and $25 in Denali Dollars.  

GAP points are based on a per-person value, and selections must be made 90 days prior to the cruise departure.

News Editor - TravelDailyNews Media Network | + Posts

Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.

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