Holland America Line pitches a relaxing Caribbean experience in new campaign

Travel Weekly

2 days ago

A new Holland America Line advertising campaign aims to differentiate its Caribbean cruises from competitors that sail mega-ships with amusement-park qualities.
The campaign, "Refreshingly Free," tells cruisers what they won't find on Holland America sailings.
"Refreshingly free of bland buffets," one ad reads. "Refreshingly free of amusement parks on board," another says.
Holland America Line has found strength in its Alaska and Europe sailings and is now looking to bolster interest in the Caribbean, said chief marketing officer Kacy Cole.
"I think we're not top of mind when you think about Caribbean," she said. "You don't think about Holland America or, candidly, the typical type of cruising that we do. And I think for us, it's really about how do we differentiate within each region?"
The line crafted the campaign after surveying guests about what is most important to them on a Caribbean cruise. Exceptional service came in as the highest-ranked factor.
During that same research process, some customers shared distaste for the experience aboard the largest cruise ships, recalling long lines and staff that could not keep up with demand due to the number of guests onboard, Cole said.
"They are looking for service and relaxation and cultural enrichment," she said.
The launch of the campaign accompanies the launch of fare discounts of up to 40% for certain sailings this fall and next spring. Those promotions, dubbed "Travel By Sea," run through the end of July.