Holland America ship begins cruises out of Norfolk

Jason · January 21, 2004

By April Taylor

Daily Press

WILLIAMSBURG -- Five hundred room rentals for the Waterside Marriott. Two dozen 300-pound blocks of ice. A batch of piano tunings.

Those are among the many payoffs Virginia merchants will receive now that the Holland America cruise line is paying regular home port visits to Norfolk.

Holland America begins a two-year commitment for its luxury Maasdam ship to call Norfolk home today, a move local businesses say is already heating up profits during the area's normally slow winter months.

The Maasdam's early morning arrival is the beginning of a tripling in cruise business in Norfolk compared with just two years ago. More than 114,000 cruise passengers are expected to flock to the area in 2004, which is double the number in 2003.

A potential economic impact of $12 million for local businesses throughout Hampton Roads could come with it this year, Holland America says.

Barry Akers, director of sales at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott - Holland's host hotel - said the Mariott has picked up about 40 room rentals from the Maasdam's maiden call to the area.

"As a whole for the year, it's going to be a pretty large impact on our revenues - at least 500 extra room nights, which is nothing to sneeze at," he said.

Tuesday's sold-out cruise will bring 1,250 passengers to the area.

The Maasdam will call Norfolk home for two seasons, a total of 15 round-trip Caribbean cruises, said Holland America spokesperson Erik Elvejord.

Direct economic impact for Norfolk alone from these 15 cruises is estimated at nearly $5 million annually, said Elvejord. The figure includes port fees and taxes, refueling and local provisions, as well as passenger and crew spending in shops and restaurants, estimated at $1.4 million alone.

Nationally, direct spending of cruise lines and passengers reaches $12 billion a year, according to data from the International Council of Cruise Lines.

Holland America, the world's fourth-largest cruise line, is joined by Miami-based Celebrity Cruises in basing cruises out of Norfolk.

The ripple effects of the ship's stepped-up activity in Norfolk are extensive. Jena Dalton, vice president of City Ice of Chester, said she has a contract to deliver two dozen 300-pound blocks of ice for today's voyage, and hopes to continue doing business with Holland.

That's great for a winter's day. Usually she sells $2,000 to $3,000 on those days, she said. Holland's purchase adds 50 percent. "That's a good chunk of change when you're going through the winter and not a whole lot of people have the need for ice."

Even such small things as tuning the nine pianos on board the Maasdam are bringing benefits. Terry Greene, a local piano tuner, said his contract to keep the ship's keyboards in tune will double his business this year.

Akers, at the Marriott, said he expects more of a punch from Holland as time goes on. "We've already picked up reservations for the fall dates."