Sitka Students Get Ship Tour of Rotterdam

During the month of May, Hotel Manager Hans Dernison and the entertainment department invited a group of students on board Rotterdam to enjoy an event-filled tour throughout the ship. The students attend Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School (KGH for short) and ranged from ages 9 to 12 years old. Most of the kids that had the opportunity to tour the Rotterdam were born in the town of Sitka and had been looking forward to the ship’s annual visit since the beginning of the year.

DJ Greg played tour guide as he allowed the kids to explore all the special amenities that make Holland America Line one of the industry leaders. He began the tour in the Crow’s Nest where he fielded a variety of questions from the students that ranged from “what is life on board like for the crew?” to “what are the DJ’s favorite ports?” — of course he said “Sitka.” Many of the students were excited to learn about working and living conditions on board and all the exotic places we have sailed to.

DJ Greg Latter takes the Sitka Elementary students on a tour of the entire ship.

Along the way, some of the students’ favorite places to visit were the newly added Mix and Retreat lounges and the unique spaces of the Oasis. The KGH kids were also treated to an entertaining experience in the revived Showroom at Sea, as the cast was rehearsing for their upcoming Dinner Bells show. The cast agreed to perform one of the segments of the show for the students and also held a Q&A session afterward.

To finish the tour, the culinary department prepared a nice lunch for the students and faculty to enjoy in the Lido Restaurant. From all the officers and crew on board Rotterdam, we certainly enjoyed meeting all the great students and teachers from Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School and we hope to see you all again in the future!

Students watched the cast rehearse for the Dinner Bells Show.

Mike Willock is Rotterdam’s human resources manager.