Holland America Line Recognized By Conde Nast Traveler In 2008 World Savers Awards
August 18, 2008 by Mr Papa
Filed under Cruise News
Seattle, WA, August 18, 2008 – Condé Nast Traveler has named Holland America Line a finalist in the magazine’s 2008 World Savers Awards. Holland America Line is one of 38 companies selected worldwide as a leader in social responsibility in the September issue.
Holland America Line won an honorable mention in the health category based on its ongoing donations to organizations in need. The company recently donated $90,000 worth of dental equipment after dismantling its shipboard dental offices. Donated equipment included dental chairs, digital x-rays, and dental supplies.
“As one of the world’s major cruise lines, we recognize our important role in protecting and contributing to the well-being of the communities we visit, both environmentally and socially,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “This is one piece of our larger corporate social responsibility initiative, and we are grateful to be recognized by Condé Nast Traveler.”
Equipment from five ships went to Indian Health Services, responsible for providing federal health services to American Indians and Alaska natives. Four ships donated supplies to Loma Linda for its worldwide dental programs for children. One ship donated supplies to an orphanage in Pichilingue, Mexico. Equipment also was donated in Indonesia and Manila.
Previous donations from the medical department benefited two dental programs in Vietnam that specialize in children with cleft palettes, as well as programs in South America, and Mexico.
Another successful initiative addressing health issues is the line’s On Deck for the Cure program. Holland America Line recently announced it has surpassed the million-dollar mark in contributions raised for Susan G. Komen for the Cure® via its On Deck for the Cure program, earning it a place on Komen’s prestigious Million Dollar Council. Holland America estimates that more than 80,000 guests have participated in more than 1,000 walks on Holland America Line cruises worldwide since the program began in 2006.
The line also donates supplies through Ship to Shelter, an innovative new community-giving program that is the first of its kind in the nation. Reusable goods are collected from Holland America Line ships sailing from Seattle and donated to local charities serving people in need. Donated items include individual-sized toiletries, towels, linens, dishes, cookware, silverware, televisions and mattresses. Ships sailing around the world also donate valuable and reusable items to communities in need and the ship’s crew also donate their own money, time, and often toys, to organizations of need in ports of call.
Seventeen judges reviewed 142 applications and rated how applicants exercise social responsibility in five key areas: poverty alleviation, cultural and/or environmental preservation, education, wildlife conservation, and health.




Although it is nice of HAL to donate the used dental equipment, I just have to wonder why HAL dismantled the dental clinics IN THE FIRST PLACE. Was the space needed for something else? (More casinos?) Where these crew dental clinics?? Are the Indonesian and Filipino crew now without dental care for the sometimes as long 11-14 months they spend on the ships? How much is CarniHAL saving by NOT providing dental services on the ships? What replaced these clinics? Sounds good on the surface, but I just have to wonder if it is yet another symptom of the eroding crew benefits…
You raise an interesting question.
From what I can tell Holland American was one of the few, if not the only, cruise line to offer dental care in recent years. It may have simply proved cost prohibitive to continue to offer dental services to passengers.
I would be very surprised if the dismantling of on board dental equipment affects the crew adversely. Cruise lines can’t afford to have their critical employees missing work due to critical dental problems. Cruise ship employees do work hard, but they are by no means slave laborers at the mercy of their employers.