TORONTO — Not everyone booking a Caribbean cruise wants an ‘amusement park at sea’ experience.

And that’s exactly why Holland America is rolling out its new ‘Refreshingly Free’ campaign this summer.

“On Holland America, we have been a trusted travel brand for more than 150 years, perfecting the art of leisurely travel. No water parks; no roller coasters; no amusement parks at sea. We offer an alternative to conventional Caribbean cruising with experiences too good to hurry through,” said Kacy Cole, Holland America Line’s Chief Marketing Officer, on a webinar call this week.

“For Caribbean sailings, we’ve found that the big priorities for passengers include great service, local beaches, a private island and poolside ambiance,” she added. “We’ve also found there’s a lot of travellers who don’t really want the amusement park like atmosphere on their Caribbean cruise.”

‘Refreshingly Free’ also comes as Holland America launches its ‘Travel by Sea’ promotion, with savings of up to 40% off.

“WE WANT TO OWN THE DIFFERENTIATION”

A sample ad from Holland America’s new ‘Refreshingly Free’ campaign rolling out this summer

The ‘Refreshingly Free’ campaign also includes trade collateral, travel agent material and social media assets for Holland America’s travel advisor partners.

“We want to own the differentiation” when it comes to Caribbean cruising, said Cole.

“It all starts with our ships. Holland America is refreshingly free of overcrowded decks, roller coasters and splash zones. Onboard our perfectly sized ships, you can truly unwind with our award-winning service and tradition of genuine hospitality that allows guests to connect to the world and with each other.”

On this week’s webinar call, Cole shared feedback from travellers’ experiences on other cruise lines’ ships. While many cruisers love the mega-ships, that’s not the case for all.

“Sometimes less is more,” said one passenger. “There were over 6,000 people on the ship which was too many. The staff could not accommodate,” said another. And this: “Our cruise had over 4,900 guests with lines everywhere.”

Cole joked that not only are Holland America Line’s ships ‘Refreshingly Free’ of the amusement park atmosphere, overcrowding and bland buffets, they’re also “refreshingly free of 2,000 extra people.”

In the Caribbean, Holland America’s Pinnacle-class ships are just shy of 2,700 passengers.

“We are not top of mind when you think Caribbean,” said Cole during the Q&A session. “For us, it’s really about how you differentiate within each region. We’ve done a great job of that in Alaska, and in Europe. Now we’re looking at Canada & New England, and the Caribbean.”

“For us the journey is just as important as the destination,” she added.

POPULARITY WITH FAMILIES SOARING 

Cole said Holland America focuses on five key passenger segments…

Unwinding Silvers 

“This is probably who you know us for. These are retired couples or friends looking to be taken care of on a well-planned vacation in a friendly, secure environment.”

Empty Nesters

“Couples or friends in their 50s and 60s with no kids at home, looking for hassle-free vacations to disconnect and recharge; they tend to be value-conscious”

Exploring Couples 

“Couples their 40s looking to unplug and be catered to in their low-key vacation with modern but familiar features.”

Adult Families

“Parents travelling with college or early career kids seeking to reconnect and create memories.”

Families with young kids

“Not everyone knows this but this is a big and growing market for us. This includes families with young kids travelling during school breaks seeking a family-friendly special vacation to share moments with each other.”

REFRESHINGLY FREE, X3

Here’s the breakdown of the campaign, in three pillars …

Refreshingly Free of Amusement Parks

This pillar highlights Holland America’s perfectly sized ships that offer guests the ultimate space to relax, unwind and connect with each other – from the Games Center in the Crow’s Nest, to the pickleball courts, to the cooking demos – along with the cruise line’s new signature poolside experience.

Refreshingly Free of Bland Buffets Holland America Line’s elevated

culinary experience, rooted in the regional flavours, has long been one of the line’s hallmarks. There’s the Destination Dining program, and the Global Fresh Fish Program, which brings locally sourced fish

from port to plate within 48 hours.

Refreshingly Free of Overcrowded Beaches 

This pillar highlights private island RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, known for its pristine beauty and white-sand beaches, only accessible by ship. “No overcrowded beaches, and no overcrowded decks either,” said Cole. “We have more room at the rail and spaces for me-time and we-time. We also have better service with a crew-to-guest ratio of 1:2.”

Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam

MORE VALUE WITH ‘TRAVEL BY SEA’

Holland America Line’s new ‘Travel By Sea’ promotion, meanwhile, runs from June 5 – July 31, 2025 with a focus on Caribbean, Mexico and Panama

Canal cruises, plus other worldwide destinations.

Travel By Sea features up to 40% off cruise-only fares, free prepaid crew appreciation, free fares for kids and 50% reduced deposits.

Travel By Sea is available on select departures from fall 2025 through spring 2026 and includes cruises ranging from one to 56 days to a variety of Holland America Line’s global destinations. Sailings include tropical getaways to the Caribbean, Mexico, Panama Canal and Holiday cruises.

Guests also can explore Asia, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific/Tahiti, Hawaii, South America/Antarctica and Pacific Coast with Travel By Sea. Bookings must be made by July 31, 2025, to benefit from the offer.

‘Travel By Sea’ is combinable with Holland America Line’s ‘Have it All’ premium fare. When booking with Have It All, in addition to the Travel By Sea free crew appreciation, free kids and reduced deposits, guests receive four high-value amenities: shore excursions, a Signature Beverage Package, specialty dining and a WiFi Surf Package.

Plus, guests ages 18 and under travelling as the third and fourth guests in a cabin can sail on select cruises for free.

Select cruises also offer 50% reduced deposits for the first and second guests in the stateroom. Cruise fare savings up to 40% are available on sailings included in the promotion, starting at US$93 per person, per day.

Hundreds of cruises are included in the Travel By Sea promotion. For more details see HollandAmerica.com.