WILLEMSTAD - Representatives from Holland America Line (HAL) and its parent company, Carnival Corporation, marked the 150th anniversary of Holland America in an exclusive celebration, visiting various countries to honor the historic relationship the cruise company shares with these nations. On Curaçao, a special reception took place on Tuesday, January 30, aboard the cruise ship Rotterdam, which was docked at the Megapier Tula. The event included a guided tour of the ship, offering insightful information on how Holland America addresses environmental issues on board. Following the tour, a luncheon was hosted, attended by the President of Holland America Line, Mr. Gus Antorcha, Senior Vice President of Government and Destination Affairs at Carnival Corporation, Marie McKenzie, Captain Werner Timmers, Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Ruisandro Cijntje, and representatives from Curaçao Ports Authority (CPA), Curaçao Tourist Board (CTB), Customs, and the media.
During the reception, Mr. Antorcha explained the exceptionally close relationship that Holland America maintains with Curaçao and the commitments the company has regarding sustainability and the benefits for Curaçao in terms of economic tourism. Holland America also made a donation to the Monument Foundation Curaçao for the preservation of the island's beautiful cultural heritage.
In turn, the Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Ruisandro Cijntje, extended congratulations to Holland America on its 150th anniversary and thanked them for being a consistent partner of Curaçao.
He explained that Curaçao receives approximately 30 visits annually with around 50,000 cruise passengers on board. "Holland America's ships visit our island with a relatively high occupancy rate (the average occupancy in 2023 was 98%). We already have reservations for 2026 and trust in a good collaboration for many more years with Holland America," Minister Cijntje stated.
During the reception, a plaque exchange took place between Mr. Antorcha and Minister Cijntje as a token of their good collaboration.