Holland America Line (HAL) has launched two shore excursion collections featuring more than 150 tours worldwide.
The cruise line said the new ‘Meet the Maker’ and ‘Community Connections’ tours offer guests cultural experiences so they can ‘immerse themselves in the heart of local life and engage with communities’.
‘Meet the Maker’ excursions feature activities such as meeting local artisans, chefs, farmers and craftspeople.
Examples include the ‘Tasmanian Tasting Trail’ in Burnie, Tasmania, which visits a chocolate maker and a family-run farm to see how they grow ginseng and raise salmon, and the ‘Magna Grecia Farm Experience’ in Katákolon, Greece, which features a visit to a family estate to explore an olive grove, tour a vineyard and sample Greek mezes with local wine.
The ‘Community Connections’ tours showcase local ways of life, with each one supporting local businesses as part of HAL’s sustainability strategy.
Options include ‘At Home with the O’Hanlon Family’ in Cobh, Ireland, where guests cook a three-course traditional Irish lunch at a family home, and the ‘Maori Waka Experience’ in Waitangi, New Zealand, which includes a traditional Maori welcome and canoeing trip along the Waitangi River.
Vice President of Onboard Revenue Carole Biencourt said: “Guests consistently express a desire for deeper, more authentic engagement with every destination, which inspired the creation of our new ‘Meet the Makers’ and ‘Community Connections’ collections.
These experiences go far beyond traditional sightseeing, opening doors to kitchens, workshops, and community spaces so travellers can share stories, learn time-honoured techniques, and engage directly with the people who shape each place. Seeing a destination through a local lens deepens understanding and fosters authentic connections and memories that endure long after the voyage.”
