Holland America’s Aaron Crawford brings Volendam to travel advisors

More than 170 travel advisors stepped aboard Holland America Line’s Volendam ship this summer as part of a multi-port initiative led by Aaron Crawford, the cruise line’s business development manager for Canada.

Crawford sailed aboard Volendam from Boston to Montreal, hosting travel advisor ship tours at ports throughout the Canada & New England itinerary and giving agents an opportunity to experience the ship firsthand.

Rather than hosting a traditional one-off ship inspection, Crawford remained aboard for the entire voyage, meeting with groups of advisors in multiple ports along the route.

The initiative allowed advisors to tour Volendam in the destinations their clients will experience, connect with onboard teams, sample Holland America Line’s hospitality and gather product knowledge they can bring back to their clients.

"One of the greatest benefits of being onboard for the entire voyage is the opportunity to collaborate directly with our travel advisor partners," said Crawford. "Every ship tour becomes a conversation, an opportunity to exchange ideas, discuss market trends, and help advisors position Holland America Line more effectively with their clients."

Bringing the product to life

The program also brought Holland America Line’s shoreside sales team and onboard crew together to deliver in-person training across several markets.

Among the advisors who participated was Céline Moskovitz of House of Travel, an Ensemble agency, who highlighted the intimate size of the tour and the opportunity to discover features she hadn’t previously encountered.

Céline Moskovitz of House of Travel, parts of Ensemble, loved the small-group tours.

“We had a chance to visit the beautiful elegant cabins, experience the food and drinks, the port lounge welcome was very nice,” Moskovitz stated in a release. 

One of Volendam’s selling points in the region is its size, which allows the ship to travel along the St. Lawrence River beyond Quebec City and sail directly into Montreal.

The ship also features Lanai staterooms, which offer direct access to the ship’s wraparound promenade deck.

Eyes on 2028

The ship tours come as Holland America Line prepares for the eventual launch of its 2028 Canada & New England season, which is expected to open for sale on Oct. 1, 2027.

Canada & New England remains an important part of the cruise line’s regional offering, combining coastal cities, fall foliage and maritime destinations with Volendam’s ability to sail directly into Montréal.

Roundtrip Montreal itineraries, in particular, are among the sought-after options in the program, said Crawford.

For advisors who toured Volendam this summer, Crawford said the experience provided an opportunity to build their product knowledge well ahead of the 2028 season going on sale.

"The advisors who are learning today will be the ones winning tomorrow. These onboard experiences help advisors build confidence, strengthen their product knowledge, and get ready to capitalize on one of Holland America Line's best-selling cruise experiences,” he said.

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