Articles tagged “holland america”

The digital transformation of hospitality and travel is underway, and it mirrors the changes most brands and consumers now see across the broader business ecosystem.

Some lines call them service fees. Others call them gratuities. But one thing is for sure: cruise lines generate income by charging daily fees that aren't included in initial cruise fares. It's unclear whether the money is actually going to those who serve passengers, or represents a growing source of ancillary income to offset other costs. For now, we'll call this phenomenon hate sailing.

The average virus outbreak occurs on a 12-day voyage and causes 6.6 percent of passengers to fall ill. Longer cruises give the virus more time to spread but the factors that lead to an outbreak are the same on every ship.

It’s too soon to comment on the impact of the still unsolved situation, but the cruise line’s reputation for stability and safety is likely to be impacted for at least the short term.

It’s customary for cruise companies to order ships in batches to renew the fleet every few years, but the recent burst in orders may also be attributed to shipyard’s willingness to cut rates to increase business.

Inefficient onboard management is at fault for the dozens of violations that were discovered during a surprise inspection. The Veendam ship is only one of three major ships to fail an inspection in the past three years.

U.S. embassy travel warnings were issued in several African and Middle Eastern countries starting Tuesday and will put a damper on the tourism industries that had finally begun to grow following the Arab Spring unrest.

Outside of specialty restaurants and small-ship lines, cruise food is notable only for its volume and blandness. HAL's attempt to break out of this with a richer menu for one night is like trying to stuff every holiday into one weekend.