Holland America Line Honors Cruise Specialists Travel Agency for Reaching Hosted Grand World Voyage Milestone
Upcoming cruise on Amsterdam to mark agency’s 30th hosted world voyage on the premium cruise line
Seattle, Wash., Oct. 29, 2018 — On Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2018, at Holland America Line’s Seattle headquarters, Cruise Specialists was honored for its dedication and commitment to selling the premium cruise line’s Grand World Voyages. Cruise Specialists — North America’s leading world cruise travel agency — put its first hosted group on a Holland America Line Grand World Voyage in 1989, and 2019 marks the agency’s 30th hosted Grand World Voyage.
The next Cruise Specialists group will set sail aboard Amsterdam in 2019 on its 113-day Grand World Voyage, and bookings for World Cruise number 31 in 2020 are already strong.
“For more than three decades, Holland America Line has been working with Cruise Specialists to develop successful Grand World Voyage groups and accommodate individual cruise bookings; we tremendously value their partnership, loyalty and support,” said Orlando Ashford, president, Holland America Line. “Agencies like Cruise Specialists are the foundation of our business, and coming together to celebrate this milestone is a small way we can show them how much their business and friendship means to our company.”
Added Annie Scrivanich, senior vice president of Cruise Specialists, “Holland America Line’s Grand World Voyages are truly exceptional, and the outstanding vacation experience Holland America delivers, combined with our expert, professional hosts and unsurpassed customer service, make for a trip-of-a-lifetime for our mutual customers. Thank you to Holland America Line for inviting us to commemorate our upcoming 30th group on a Grand World Voyage, which is a very special achievement for our agency.”
Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford; Joe Slattery, senior vice president, global marketing and sales; Eva Jenner, vice president, sales; and Gerald Bernhoft, director Mariner Society hosted the group to celebrate the longstanding partnership.
Scrivanich and her team, including Cruise Specialists cruise consultants LynnDee King, Bridgett Quinn, Teresa Skeim and Carol Terhune, who combined have more than 100 years of experience booking world cruises, celebrated at Holland America Line’s offices.
Cruise Specialists is an award-winning cruise and tour agency dedicated to arranging the most luxurious land and sea vacations for its clients. Cruise Specialists is part of Travel Leaders Leisure Group and has been sending clients on memorable world cruises, family reunion cruises, affinity group cruises, honeymoons and unique personal travel experiences since 1987. The agency has been recognized by a number of travel publications, including Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as one of the top luxury travel agencies. Cruise Specialists is headquartered in Seattle, with an additional office in Novato, California.
Travel Leaders Group, one of North America’s largest travel companies, is a leader in both the retail travel agency space and corporate travel and consistently ranks as one of the top travel companies nationwide.
Editor’s note: Photos are available here.
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About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line’s fleet of 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getaways to 113-day itineraries, the company’s cruises visit all seven continents, with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations, Cuba cruises and exotic Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada and New England, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line welcomed Koningsdam in 2016 and has a second Pinnacle-class ship, Nieuw Statendam, to be delivered in December 2018. A third Pinnacle-class ship will be delivered in 2021.
The company is undergoing $300 million in brand enhancements to secure its position as the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand their knowledge through an exclusive partnership with O, The Oprah Magazine; during an America’s Test Kitchen show; at Explorations Café presented by The New York Times; and by taking a Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King’s Blues Club. The dining experience can be savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council, comprising world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for our guests.