Rotterdam's "Attitude of Gratitude" Trade Appreciation Cruise: All the details!
One of the perks of working in the travel industry is, well, travel! As a thank you to the travel advisors who book their guests on Holland America Line’s cruise ships, the “Attitude of Gratitude” trade appreciation cruise set sail from Port Everglades March 10-13th for a weekend of celebration and sharing what their newest ship, the Rotterdam, has to offer. Over 1100 travel advisors and their guests from all over the U.S. convened for workshops, dining and networking. As part of the largest network of home-based travel agents based in the US, Cruise Planners had over 30 attendees on board the Rotterdam and we proudly wore our CP green to represent! Follow along for a recap of the weekend!
Members of the CP Home Office Team at the Sail Away Celebration on the Rotterdam.
Day 1: Welcome aboard
Are you fully vaxxed, with a negative Covid test? Great! The next step is getting tested once again at the terminal (free) and waiting for the green light to head up to your room. Once there, guests were greeted with a program booklet and a mini scavenger hunt book to get to know the ship. With destinations like the Pinnacle Suite (only one on board), the library (with blankets and lounge chairs) and the ship’s Spa Retreat (luxurious), guests were engaged and all over the Rotterdam to get the coveted stamps. In the end, the stamps spelled the word “gratitude” and all those who completed it, got a chance to be in the drawing for one of 75 free cruises to Alaska, to commemorate HAL’s 75 years of cruising there.
Michelle Sutter, VP of North American Sales and the team at HAL also hosted a welcome presentation in the World Stage Theatre that also included Gus Antorcha, President of Holland America Line; Arnold Donald, CEO of Carnival Corporation and Jan Swartz, President of Holland America Group.
Sutter then gave a motivational speech titled “Stick With It” to encourage travel advisors to stay the course, because travel is back in a big way.
Then, dinner on board with delicious offerings such as salmon and short ribs. Did we mention the gift of the beverage package for the entire weekend that included 15 drinks daily? Time to sit back, relax and enjoy the ride!
Day 2: Half Moon Cay
On the second day of the cruise, the ship docked at Half Moon Cay for a fun and fun filled day in the Bahamas.
Half Moon Cay is a private island owned by Holland America Line and used exclusively by Carnival Corporation and the cruise lines it owns. The company bought the crescent shaped island in 1996 for a paltry $6 million and spent $16 million to fit it with facilities to accommodate the guests that visit yearly. The Rotterdam dropped anchor and sent guests to the island via tender boats and lifeboats and those that wanted to relax, stayed onboard to enjoy the buffet and pool decks. HAL gifted guests with beach tote bags, which were perfect for the destination.
Clear, aqua waters greeted guests along with powdery, white sand beaches. It is paradise in every sense of the word and a fun day for those to enjoy the Bahamas at its best. Excursions included guided bike tours, horseback riding and also swimming with sting rays. The water here was so clear, you could see schools of fish swimming. It was simply spectacular.
Friday night, after Half Moon Cay, HAL hosted their Gala, asking guests to dress to the nines for dinner. Fancy cocktail dresses, beautifully dressed men and women dined on a menu of market fresh tuna, filet mignon or mushroom risotto. Delicious dining options! Cruise Planners Home Office and our travel advisors also met for a cocktail reception and we loved gathering and showing our CP spirit aboard the Rotterdam! The ship is known for its live music and the B.B. King Bar and several onboard featured pianists and top-notch singers to entertain the crowd post dinner.
Day 3: At Sea and Farewell Orange Party
On our last and final day onboard the Rotterdam, we relaxed, enjoyed the deck and pools and partook in dancing and crew led games. The days at sea are a great way to appreciate the ship’s amenities, from the pools, bars to spa and library. Handmade pizza stations, custom burgers and fries are also great food options for a day on board. And don’t forget the casino and painting classes! Its your luxurious home away from home.
Before the day’s end, the team at Holland America also hosted a “fireside chat” with Michelle Sutter , VP of North American Sales, facilitating. Advisors got a chance to see a more personal side to executives by listening to their stories of what they’ve learned during their careers, who helped them and how the pandemic changed them.
In the evening, everyone was asked to wear orange to celebrate the Dutch heritage of Holland America for the farewell party. Guests came through and wore vibrant shades of orange, with some coming with wigs and boas. Orange themed cocktails and a photo booth were set up for guests on board to enjoy and listen to live music and dance the night away. It was a great way to wrap up this trade appreciation cruise and everyone left with a true “attitude of gratitude”.
