Cruise line honored for EXC programming, Nieuw Amsterdam, Tamarind and more.
SEATTLE – Holland America Line earned an impressive 24 gold and silver 2018 Magellan Awards from Travel Weekly. The premium cruise line took home an all-time high of 17 gold awards in the categories of Premium Ship, Restaurant Design, Education Program and in the Marketing categories of Website, Print Advertising, Campaign-Advertising/Marketing, Promotional Video, Direct Mail and TV Commercial.
Seven silver awards were earned in the cruise categories of Cruise Marketing for the partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine, Education Program for the Holland America Line Academy travel agent training program, and in 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."
Taking Top Honors at the Magellan Awards
Holland America Line earned a gold award for Nieuw Amsterdam, which went through an extensive dry dock and upgrade in late 2017, in the Premium Ship category. Tamarind, the cruise line's Pan-Asia specialty restaurant, won gold for Premium Ship–Restaurant Design. Celebrating the adventurous fusion of ingredients that vibrantly define the cuisine of Southeast Asia, China and Japan, Tamarind presents them in an array of intricately flavored, visually stunning dishes. 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 launched a reimagined website at HollandAmerica.com that is focused on an intuitive online booking process, easy navigation, bold images that capture the experience and comprehensive information, making it an up-to-date resource for both consumers and travel professionals.
In the Education Program category, Explorations Central (EXC) also took home gold honors. Destination immersion is amplified with EXC, a multifaceted experience that combines an array of indispensable travel resources with enrichment opportunities for guests to make their experience more engaging and meaningful. Many ships feature an EXC Central area, a comprehensive resource and engagement center in the Crow's Nest, with digital storytelling, interactive video experiences and a virtual ship's bridge. The program also features an EXC Team, EXC Guides, 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.
In the Campaign–Advertising/Marketing category, the line's Asia Campaign, Culinary Story Campaign and Trade Promise Campaign all earned gold. For Print Advertising, the "Carefully Crafted," Nieuw Statendam and Trade Promise ads each won the top award. Under the Direct Mail category, gold was earned for the 2017 EXC In-Depth Voyages Catalog and 2018 Mariner magazine Malta winter cover.
Silver Success
Holland America Line brought home a silver award for Holland America Line Academy, an extensive online training program that offers key courses to allow travel agents to sharpen their selling skills, earn Cruise Line International Association credits and receive graduation benefits. GoHAL.com, Holland America Line's portal for travel professionals, also won silver. The comprehensive website gives travel agents the tools they need to confidently and successfully learn, promote, book and plan Holland America Line cruises.
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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.
