Holland America Line Receives Four 2011 Travel Weekly Magellan Awards

[tcook052]

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-america-line-receives-four-2011-travel-weekly-magellan-awards-131537108.html

 

SEATTLE, Oct. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Travel Weekly Magazine has announced the recipients of its 2011 Magellan Awards, and Holland America Line has received four of the prestigious honors. The line won gold awards in the Entertainment Category for its popular male singing quartet Cantare and in the Web Marketing/Advertising Category for its online advertising program. The silver awards were in the Cabin Design (Non-Suite) Category for its Lanai Staterooms and the Eco-Friendly "Green" Cruise Ship Award for ms Amsterdam.

 

Since 2008, Travel Weekly has been recognizing excellence in travel with the annual Magellan Awards, and Holland America Line has received 22 awards in various categories since the Magellan Awards' inception.

 

"We are honored to be recognized for our innovations in stateroom accommodations and entertainment as well as creative marketing campaigns and new 'green' technologies and programs," said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. "To be recognized as leaders in such distinct categories is a testament to Holland America Line's commitment to excellence in everything we do."

 

Holland America's gold-award-winning Cantare is a quartet of male performers with a musical repertoire covering a variety of genres. The talented quartet's evening performances debuted on ms Nieuw Amsterdam, and the spectacular concert with full orchestra has added a new dimension to the line's shipboard entertainment.

 

In 2011 Holland America launched an innovative marketing campaign incorporating Microsoft Tag 2D bar code technology that earned the Magellan Gold. The smartphone campaign was designed to encourage consumer engagement and social sharing of Holland America cruise information by building on its print advertising via a web-based interactive experience.

 

The silver-award Lanai Staterooms are recent additions on several of the line's ships and part of the Signature of Excellence enhancement program. These ocean-view staterooms have a full-length glass door that opens directly onto Holland America Line's signature walk-around Promenade Deck. The accessibility is a great perk for guests who enjoy walking or lounging on deck and unparalleled panoramic scenic views.

 

The ms Amsterdam was recognized as an Eco-Friendly "Green" Cruise Ship, being the first ship in the fleet to deliver the company's new sustainable seafood program at the start of this year's Alaska season. The program adopts environmentally responsible purchasing practices and features menus that showcase sustainable seafood. Eleven ships now offer this program and the entire fleet will have the sustainable seafood program by next year.

 

Travel Weekly Magellan Awards honor the best in travel and salute outstanding travel professionals. Entries are evaluated by a panel of respected travel industry professionals against standards of excellence established by Travel Weekly, which has been published since 1958.

For more information on Holland America Line's cruises and cruisetours, consult a professional travel seller, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.

 

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the Online Communities quick link on the home page at www.hollandamerica.com.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for the information.

[kazu]

Thanks so much

[hpf]

Thanks for the information and Congratulation's to Hal for the awards.

 

Helen

[Nasmas]

I'm glad to hear that. Of course, I would give them many more awards, but I'm just biased. I've been reading some of the reviews and most are good to exellent, some of them obviously got on the ship with an attitude. I kept thinking, how could theirs have been so bad when so many on the same cruise had a wonderful experience? Just saying. Thanks for the info

[iancal]

We take these awards, and the awards given to other cruise lines that we prefer, with a grain of salt. Trade magazine awards are, in our minds, always subject to the vagaries of advertising revenues that the publication gets from each of the cruise lines. Something like the auto mags. The more you spend, the more awards/recommendations, or positive articles that you can expect to receive in the publication.

 

They are not awards for the cruise overall. They are usually more specific..in this case for one specific act in the entertainment dept, a marketing program, and a cabin design on a specific ship.

[gelo7]

Way to go HAL.

[eh2zed]

We take these awards, and the awards given to other cruise lines that we prefer, with a grain of salt. Trade magazine awards are, in our minds, always subject to the vagaries of advertising revenues that the publication gets from each of the cruise lines. Something like the auto mags. The more you spend, the more awards/recommendations, or positive articles that you can expect to receive in the publication.

 

They are not awards for the cruise overall. They are usually more specific..in this case for one specific act in the entertainment dept, a marketing program, and a cabin design on a specific ship.

I tend to agree.

[lovetocruise2020]

Hal needs an award for best food at sea

Tamarind, Canaletto and deluxe suite afternoon tea are amazing. Free Tamarind lunch and always free Canaletto are amazing.

 

Better than on land IMO.

[piscesgal223]

I'm glad to hear that. Of course, I would give them many more awards, but I'm just biased. I've been reading some of the reviews and most are good to exellent, some of them obviously got on the ship with an attitude. I kept thinking, how could theirs have been so bad when so many on the same cruise had a wonderful experience? Just saying. Thanks for the info

 

 

I will echo the "biased" sentiment.:D The two times I have cruised on HAL it has been excellent.

[InTheWASide]

Nice! Cantare was AMAZING. We were on a B2B earlier this year and made sure we had great seats both weeks. Incredible performance!

[tcook052]

We take these awards, and the awards given to other cruise lines that we prefer, with a grain of salt. Trade magazine awards are, in our minds, always subject to the vagaries of advertising revenues that the publication gets from each of the cruise lines. Something like the auto mags. The more you spend, the more awards/recommendations, or positive articles that you can expect to receive in the publication.

 

To some degree perhaps and maybe recognizing the appearance of that Travel Weekly notes in the press release above that it asks a "panel of respected travel industry professionals" to make the decisions on award winners. Not a perfect system granted but not quite one based solely upon advertisising revenue either.