Starting with 2025 summer Alaska, Europe and Canada/New
England cruises, Holland
America Line has announced new amenities to its Group Advantage Program (GAP)
for travel advisors.
These additional enhancements will help travel advisors grow their group
business and make family reunions, weddings and affinity groups more enticing
to book. The new GAP menu features more than 25 different amenities to choose
from.
“Groups are a popular niche for Holland America Line, and we
want to continue to help our travel advisors grow this sector with a
competitive program and enticing GAP amenities,” said Rob Coleman, Holland
America Line’s vice president of North America sales. “We aim to maintain an
open dialogue with our travel partners to develop the best program that allows
us to be mutually successful in the groups arena and ultimately offer guests a
world-class experience on Holland America Line.”
As groups come in all sizes, travel advisors have a variety
of options whether booking an intimate wedding or a large family reunion. The
Connections program for small affinity groups is for 24 guests or less,
standard groups range from 16 to 32 beds, while large groups are more than 32
beds.
Have It All Early Booking Bonus
For a limited time, guests booking early on 2025
Alaska cruises and Cruisetours, Canada/New England and Europe cruises can
receive 60 percent off top amenities included in their fare.
With the Have It All Early Booking Bonus, guests receive
specialty dining, shore excursions, a low fare guarantee, prepaid crew
appreciation plus, free upgrades to premium Wi-Fi and the Elite Beverage
Package. Have It All is a commissionable add-on for travel advisors.
Small Affinity Group Perks
Through Holland America Line’s Connections program, groups
of 24 or fewer guests enjoy added incentives. Travel advisors booking a smaller
group can take advantage of a tour conductor berth added for every 10 berths
(up to two) and earn an extra two GAP points per group for a variety of
amenities. The program can be combined with additional promotional offerings
and no group deposits are required.
Larger Affinity Group Perks
When eight or more staterooms are booked in family reunion
packages, the group receives exclusive amenities in lieu of GAP points. These
include a free within-stateroom category upgrade for the head of the family, a
$25 onboard credit per person, Pinnacle Grill lunch for all family members and
a $20 photo credit per stateroom.
Guests booking a wedding group of eight or more staterooms receive
a free within-stateroom category upgrade for the wedding couple, a
complimentary wedding cake for up to 16 guests, Pinnacle Grill lunch per guest,
chocolate-dipped strawberries and a bottle of sparkling wine in each stateroom,
a private wine tasting per guest with wine purchased from Holland America
Line’s wine cellar in place of GAP points.
Culinary and wine groups of 15 or more receive one wine-tasting
event on seven-day voyages and two on cruises 10 days or longer. The group can
enjoy wine purchased from Holland America Line’s wine cellar or bring their own
with no corkage fee.
Other Amenities to Facilitate Custom Groups
Holland America Line’s culinary excellence is celebrated
with GAP amenities showcasing the premium specialty dining experience,
including lunch or dinner at Pinnacle Grill, and dinner at Canaletto or
Tamarind.
Other GAP amenities include a $25 or $50 shore excursion
credit per person, $25 or $50 bonus commission per person, Wine Cellar No. 1 bottle
of wine and bon voyage sparkling wine per stateroom, a $20 photo credit, sparkling
wine and strawberries and a cocktail party with hot hors d’oeuvres.
On the land portion of Holland America Line’s Alaska
Cruisetours, GAP amenities include lunch aboard the McKinley Explorer railcar,
admission to Diamond Tooth Gerties in Dawson City, boxed lunch on the Tundra
Wilderness Tour in Denali and $25 in Denali Dollars.
GAP points are based on the voyage, and selections must be
made 90 days before the cruise departure.
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