Peter McClung - Holland America Line Personal Cruise Consultant

09/12/2026

The railings on the left, looking over the atrium are from the renders of the Evolutionized Oosterdam Ocean Bar. They are inspired by the railings on the Rotterdam V, on the left hand side from the unique stairwell onboard that was designed to accommodate both a single cruising class and also separate classes on a transatlantic voyage.

09/11/2026

My childhood memories are in the 70s, when I would start a day with my Mum telling me to head outside to play, roam the neighborhood, ride our bikes and “make your own fun”. I was free to discover and get together with friends and explore. We would roam the woods surrounding our house and discover abandoned cars, build forts, and slide down the hill next to our school in the winter.

That freedom and independence continued as our family started to travel. In my teenage years, my Dad told us to get out of hotel room and explore London with our transit pass and meet up at a specific location in the city in the evening. We got out and hopped on a few double decker buses, not knowing where they were going, got lost, ran them to the end of the line, and discovered our way back to the meeting point after having a whole day explore feeling quite on the edge, but exhilarated.

I took a trip to Japan, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong with my Mum and Grandparents during High School, where we walked through night time markets, little alleyways, and made little discoveries along the way, that became the experience to treasure. It was a continuation of being told to go outside and play and discover on my own.

‘You never know a city until you are lost” is such a strange concept in travel today. We do the exact opposite by planning every minute, purchasing experiences that we want to excite us, try to get somewhere different, yet surrounding ourself with everything the same. We tend to travel to “produced” ports on a ship that overproduces to create manufactored experiences on a schedule.

It’s what I love about the tagline “Savour the Journey” as Holland America leans into it. Going to Alaska on Holland is getting to a dock that gets you to the sights closer in, so that you can get into the outdoors quicker or getting to Glacier Bay to see what you can’t see from land with a Park Ranger and Naturalist to guide you through. Heading to the Baltic on smaller mid sized ships that can dock in town in Riga where you can walk to discover a town square, a coffee shop and see life, just steps from the ship. The experience is the journey and having Holland produce the logistics of getting you to the experience allows you to fill more of them in as you lean into your location.

So “head outside and play” on your next trip and discover your own, unproduced adventure.

09/11/2026

Take a tour of the first of the Vistas, from a Transatlantic crossing through the Med to Fort Lauderdale. Zuiderdam is moving toward an Evolution from forward to aft, new rooms, and new Pinnacle features in early 2028

09/11/2026

09/09/2026

Public space review on the Noordam, one of four Vista class ships, from Whittier to Vancouver during a trip in 2022. Noordam had its last dry dock update in Fall of 2024.

This video contains music from Shutterstock, licensed by Splice video editing app.

09/07/2026

The crew with Holland America makes it all work! I’m so grateful to my shipboard associates for creating experiences for all of us every day! They make the difference in your experiences. Happy Labor Day!

09/07/2026

So great to see the Pretty Rocks bridge open up again in Denali National Park! Can’t wait for the tours to head all the way in with this now open!

09/06/2026

The Grand Voyages on Holland America Line are unique in more ways than just the ports they take you to.

Each night at dinner in the Main Dining Room on the Grand World Voyage a new menu is presented to you. The menu rotation of dishes is an incredible over 60 day menu rotation that doesn’t repeat. Then in the 2nd rotation, the individual dishes are mixed so as to provide you a unique complement of menu items each and every evening of your 129 day voyage.

Unlike repeat voyages in a set region, there is not a 7 day or 14 day menu rotation, but a full unique menu each evening. There are favorite items that are consistent, but each menu is made up for that evening, without repeat for each and every day you are onboard.

These touches of sourcing and logistics make the Grand Voyages utterly unique each and every day

If you work with a travel advisor, please book with them; if you don’t we’re happy to support you through the channel you prefer

09/05/2026

The Grand Voyages at Holland America are unique for more than just the ports they visit. In an incredible logistical effort, each night of the 129 day Grand World has different live entertainment on the World Stage. No repeated performances for 4.5 months. No repeated stage productions. Everything new every night. A performer may perform twice during their stay onboard, but not the same composite of pieces. It provides unique entertainment each and every evening.

The Grand Voyages provide you a singular collection of ports and experiences that comprise many regions, continents, countries and ports. They provide a breadth of entertainment variety that is unparalleled during the entire voyage.

If you work with a travel advisor, please book with them; if you don’t we’re happy to support you through the channel you prefer.