Content Section

Holland America Line Celebrates 15th Anniversary of HAL Academy with New Panama Canal Course, Cruise Sweeps for Travel Partners

Travel professionals who complete thecourse receive key selling tips

and a chance to win a cruise

Seattle,Wash., Nov. 3, 2016 –In 2016 Holland America Line is celebrating the 15th anniversary of theaward-winning Holland America Line Academy for travel professionals. Tocommemorate the milestone, the cruise line is introducing a new The PanamaCanal and More Specialist Training Course and a cruise sweepstakes. Travelpartners who complete the course by Nov. 30, 2016, automatically are enteredinto the 2016 HAL Academy 15 Year Anniversary Sweepstakes to win a seven-daycruise for two to any Holland America Line destination in 2017.

Inaddition to the cruise sweepstakes, travel partners who take the Panama Canalcourse by Nov. 30 also will be entered into the 2016 HAL Academy Swag BagGiveaway. Five lucky winners will receive a Cutter & Buck canvas bagcontaining Holland America Line logo items, including a bathrobe, coffee mug,notebook/pen set, luggage tag, glasses cloth and set of wine glass charms.Travel professionals can access The Panama Canal and More course through HALacademy.com.

"Weare excited to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Holland America Line Academy,which has grown into a robust and valuable tool for our travel partners," saidDenella Ri'chard, Holland America Line's senior director oftrade communications and engagement. "Travelprofessional education and training is at the core of everything we do, and wewant to ensure our travel partners have the knowledge and information they needto grow their cruise business with confidence."

The informative The PanamaCanal and More course takes 15 to 20 minutes to complete and includesinformation about features and benefits of a Holland America Line Panama Canalcruise — many of which are unique to the premium cruise line. The course alsoprovides tips so travel professionals can better understand the motives ofpeople who take a Panama Canal cruise, learn how to determine which clientswould be most attracted to this type of cruise and gain key information thatagents can apply to selling Holland America Line Panama Canal cruises. HollandAmerica Line offers 24 full-transit Panama Canal cruises ranging from 15 to 28days during the 2016-17 season. Another 17 Caribbean and Panama Canal cruisessail roundtrip Fort Lauderdale and visit the Panama Canal for one day.

Thenew HAL Academy Specialist Training Courses series launched in July 2016 withAlaska and the Yukon: The Great Land = Great Sales for You, which more than1,000 travel partners have taken. The courses were developed in collaborationwith industry training expert Dr. Marc Mancini. They are designed to offerlearning through a combination of video instruction, reading and interaction.Travel professionals taking the course have access to helpfulinsights, as well as downloadable marketing e-tools.

Bycompleting these new courses, travel partners earn trainingcredits with Cruise Lines International Association, as well as The TravelInstitute for U.S. travel professionals or the Association of Canadian TravelAgencies. Partners also receive a Panama Canal Specialist logo and an onlinepersonalized certificate.

Upcoming HollandAmerica Line Academy Specialist Training Courses include Grand Voyages, theMediterranean and more. Launch dates will be announced. In total, more than 18,000 travel professionals have completedvarious specialist courses over the past 15 years.

The sweepstakes is open to travel agents who have registered atHolland America Line Academy; are legal residents of the United States, theDistrict of Columbia or Canada (excluding Québec); and are 18 years of age orolder.

About Holland America Line Academy

Holland America Line Academy is designed to support travelprofessionals in their ongoing quest for knowledge about travel sales, thecruise industry and Holland America Line. The training program began 15 yearsago and today is an interactive online experience. Holland America LineAcademy includes training sites for agents in the key international markets ofthe United Kingdom, Australia and the Netherlands. More than 18,000 travelprofessionals have graduated from Holland America Line Academy. Travel partnerscan access Holland America Line Academy through the PartnerSHIPS portal at GoHAL.com.

— # # # —

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the HollandAmerica Blog. Access all social media outlets viathe Online Communities quick link on thehome page at hollandamerica.com.

About Holland America Line [a division ofCarnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCLand CUK)]

Holland America Line's fleetof 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getawaysto 115-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit all seven continents withhighlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigationsand 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-guestship, ms Koningsdam, delivered in April 2016, as well as a secondPinnacle Class ship, ms Nieuw Statendam,due for delivery in November 2018.

The company recently announced$300 million in brand enhancements to secure its position as the leader inpremium cruising. Fleetwide, the ships feature innovative initiatives and adiverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion andpersonalized travel. Guests can expand their knowledge onboard at an America'sTest Kitchen show; Explorations Café, powered by The New York Times and DigitalWorkshop powered by Windows. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening atvenues including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and B.B. King's BluesClub. The dining experience can be savored at a variety of restaurants withmenus that feature selections from Holland America Line's esteemed CulinaryCouncil that comprises world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for ourguests.

Kaleidoscope powered