Holland America Line Earns 23 Top-Five Placements, Including Three Wins, in 2016 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards

Six Holland America Line ships win awards for service, dining, cabins and more

SEATTLE, March 3, 2016 /CNW/ -- The reviews are in, and Holland America Line took home 23 top-five placements in the sixth annual Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards, including three first-place honors. In total, six of Holland America Line's premium ships brought home awards in categories ranging from Best Entertainment to Best Overall. The Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards are based solely on and calculated from ratings submitted with reviews published on Cruise Critic's website. 

In the mid-size ship categories, ms Maasdam took top honors for Best Overall Cruise Ship, Best Embarkation and Best Cruise Ship Value. ms Eurodam, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, ms Noordam, ms Oosterdam and ms Westerdam also earned top-five accolades. Overall, Holland America Line received 51 top-ten placements, more than any other cruise line.

"The members of Cruise Critic are among the most well-traveled and experienced cruisers in the world, and to win 23 top-five honors speaks volumes about all of the innovations, partnerships and enhancements we've introduced over the past few years," said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line's president. "We greatly value the reviews and feedback we receive from the Cruise Critic community, and we are truly honored to be recognized with the most top scores among cruise lines."

Also in the mid-size ship categories, Maasdam earned second place for Best Dining and Best Service, third place for Best Cabins and fourth for Best Entertainment and Best Public Rooms. Taking home six top-five rankings, Westerdam came in third for Best Embarkation, Best Shore Excursions and Best Value; fourth in the Best Fitness and Rec category; and fifth for Best Overall and Best Service. Noordam received a third-place award for Best Service and fifth-place awards for Best Cabins, Best Dining and Best Value. Oosterdam took home a fifth-place award for Best Fitness and Rec.

In the large-ship categories, Eurodam earned third place for Best Value, fourth for Best Overall and fifth for Best Service, while Nieuw Amsterdam earned third place for Best Service.

"The Cruisers' Choice Awards serve as a true stamp of approval from cruisers," said Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of Cruise Critic. "With hundreds of ships reviewed each year by thousands of cruisers, the winners of these awards stand as the absolute best of the best."

The 2016 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards were determined from reviews submitted for cruises taken in 2015 and are given in three ship classes based on passenger capacity (large: 2,000-plus passengers; mid-size: 1,200 to 1,999 passengers; small: 1,199 or fewer passengers). Cruise Critic boasts the world's largest online cruise community, with more than 150,000 cruise reviews covering approximately 500 cruise ships.

For a full list of the 2016 Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice winners, click here: cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/cruiserschoice_index.cfm.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel professional, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

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About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]

Holland America Line's fleet of 13 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getaways to 115-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit all seven continents with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations and exotic Australia/New Zealand and Asia voyages; four annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada/New England, Bermuda, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line currently has a new 2,650-guest ship, ms Koningsdam, on order for delivery in April 2016, as well as a second Pinnacle Class ship due for delivery in November 2018.

The company recently announced $300 million in brand enhancements to secure its position at the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Guests can expand their knowledge on board at the Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine magazine; Explorations Café, powered by The New York Times; and Digital Workshop powered by Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's Blues Club. The dining experience can be savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council that comprises world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for our guests.

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SOURCE Holland America Line