How to Become a Holland America Travel Agent

We've created a detailed guide below on how to become a travel agent for this charming and modern cruise line. But if you prefer quick answers, simply click vacationlab.io/join to chat live with our team and learn firsthand how to become a travel agent for Holland America - plus gain access to all our other travel partners. Best of all, joining is completely free, no dues or fees from us, ever!

Holland America is amazing.

Yeah, we could just end it right there, but let’s go a bit further. This is one of the best, and most underrated, cruise lines out there.

When people think about cruises, names like Royal Caribbean and Carnival usually come to mind. Holland America, on the other hand, is a bit more niche. They focus on exceptional food, diverse itineraries, and a relaxed, sophisticated atmosphere. So no, they’re not about the mega-resort experience, and that’s completely fine.

Would you like to help guests plan their dream cruise with Holland America? You can do it from the comfort of your home, a beach in Barbados, or an office in the middle of New York City. The choice is yours! Just keep in mind that Holland America guests value great service. It’s a more specialized cruise line that tends to attract travelers in their 40s and 50s who are looking for a top-notch, refined experience.

This guide will teach you everything you need to know about becoming a Holland America travel agent. We’ll cover:

• Benefits of Becoming a Holland America Travel Agent
• Skills Required to Become a Holland America Travel Agent
• Finding a Holland America Host Agency
• The Best Host Agency for Holland America
• Tips for Those Starting Out
• Training Courses for Holland America
• Getting Paid
• Free Stock Library
• Holland America Travel Agent FAQ

Let’s get started!

Holland America offers great commissions

Holland America isn’t a budget cruise line. Their prices tend to be higher than the more mainstream options out there, like Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises. A 7-day Caribbean cruise with them costs around $1,300 per guest, while a 14-day Alaska cruise comes in at about $1,800.

They also typically offer commission splits between 15% and 20%, which is definitely not too shabby. You know what that means, right? If you put your name out there and start booking a lot of Holland America cruises, you can earn some serious income over the year.

Holland America has tons of itineraries

IIt’s funny that Holland America only has 11 ships, yet they’re sailing all over the globe. Seriously, if you check their official website right now, you’ll find nearly a thousand different itineraries available. That’s wild!

They travel to Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, Europe, Oceania, South America… you name it. More destinations mean more booking opportunities, which means a happy travel advisor.

Holland America is still relatively niche

If you check out forums and Reddit, you’ll see that people love Holland America. The cruise line is often praised for its amazing food and unique itineraries, yet a lot of travelers still end up choosing bigger names like Royal Caribbean.

There’s a lot of curiosity out there, with people asking questions about Holland America. That’s your opportunity to tap into a niche market. If you position yourself as a Holland America expert, you could start racking up commissions in no time.

Communication Skills

Being a travel advisor means you need to communicate well with your clients, and that’s basically rule number one for every travel supplier out there.

With Holland America, you’ll mostly be talking to guests over 40 who are looking for a relaxed yet modern cruise where destinations and dining really matter. It’s important to present information in a clear, easy-to-understand way.

Patience is key! Always maintain a polite and professional tone. Holland America isn’t as widely known as some of the bigger cruise lines, so guests will have questions. Be ready to help, and show them that you truly know your stuff when it comes to Holland America.

Stay Up to Date with Everything Holland America-Related

Holland America “only” has 11 ships, but like we mentioned earlier, they sail all over the globe. The line is known for excellent food and some incredible specialty dining venues, like Tamarind and Pinnacle Grill. They also host a fun onboard event called the Orange Party, celebrating their Dutch heritage.

As a Holland America travel agent, it’s important to truly know the brand and present information in a clear, accessible way. What are the best Holland America ships? Do they have a dress code or set dining times? Do they have waterslides onboard? (Spoiler: they don’t.) It’s your job to anticipate the most common questions and have answers ready at a moment’s notice.

You need to research things like:

• Holland America ships
• Main Destinations
• Alaska Itineraries
• Cruise Packages & Club Orange
• The Best Restaurants
• Activities Onboard

Hey, you’re already browsing one of the best host agencies around! We have a lot of information about Holland America in our sister website, Famvia, and plenty of travel agents from across the world who can help you with this charming cruise line. We’d love to have you here, of course, but here are some tips for choosing a host agency:

Look for host agencies that:

• Have a proven track record and strong reviews
• Offer an engaging and transparent interview process
• Provide a fair commission structure (typically starting at 70% for the travel agent)
• Offer tips and know about Holland America

VacationLab is your go-to host agency if you’re looking to specialize in Holland America, other cruise lines, theme parks, or beach resorts. Here’s why!

• No experience with Holland America or cruises in general? It’s fine, we are here to help you out from scratch!
• Our interview process is fun (we promise)
• Our exclusive SORS Travel Dashboard helps you manage bookings and travel rewards with ease.
• We offer expert-led courses, like Mastering Travel Social Media, to support travel advisors of all backgrounds.
• Enjoy a competitive commission split, starting at 70% and going all the way up to 80%!
• Gain access to hundreds of guides and reviews on our sister site, Famvia, covering major cruise lines, theme parks, and beach resorts, including Holland America! Our in-depth guides cover dining, staterooms, itineraries, activities, and more.
• We’re always ready to listen, chat, and lend a helping hand!

Become a Holland America Expert

Hey, if you are planning to become a Holland America travel agent, it is important to be familiar with the company, what they offer, who their typical guests are, and what a vacation with them usually costs. Make sure to research their pricing, itineraries, loyalty program, Kid’s Club, and more.

VacationLab’s sister site, Famvia, offers free, in-depth guides about Holland America, all presented in a fun and easy-to-understand way. You will learn a lot, and the guides cover topics such as:

• Planning a Cruise on Holland America
• Holland America Ships & Classes
• Holland America Itineraries & Destinations
• Room Options Onboard Holland America
• Dining Options Onboard Holland America

There’s so much included there, and all is free for you to browse and become a Holland America expert!

Prepare for your Interview

Always prepare ahead of your big interview day. Not only should you research the host agency you are applying to, but also take the time to learn about Holland America. Familiarize yourself with their main ships, cruise packages, prices, and the kind of guests who sail with them.

Learn about restaurants, activities, top destinations, and more. You need to show your agency that you already have some knowledge of Holland America and that you will only improve with time and support from your agency. Ask questions during the interview, show genuine interest, and you will be ready to book vacations in no time.

Holland America Personal Cruise Consultants

Holland America has something called “Personal Cruise Consultants.” These aren’t traditional travel agents, but rather employees who work directly for Holland America. Personal Cruise Consultants provide insider knowledge to help guests find the perfect itinerary, assist with travel logistics, and sometimes offer special cruise fares.

While Cruise Consultants can be helpful, the general opinion online is that they are not as skilled or experienced as independent travel agents. Travel agents typically work with a variety of cruise lines and clients, which gives them broader expertise. 

One important drawback of Cruise Consultants is that, since they work for Holland America, they will never recommend deals with other cruise lines. That’s one reason many guests still prefer working with independent travel advisors.

Commission Payout

According to Holland America, commissions are typically paid seven to ten days after guests make their final payment.

Holland America Travel Agent Rates

While specific commission percentages are protected by NDA (“Non Disclosure Agreement”) between all travel partners/travel suppliers and the host agency, you can assume that commission percentages range from 10% up to 20% (depending on the type of booking).

CLIA Affiliate members can receive a $50 bonus commission per stateroom for bookings in an oceanview or higher category. Check out this link for more details.

Let’s take as an example a 13-Day Denali & Yukon Alaskan Cruise for 2 guests in a Verandah stateroom:

• Total cruise fare: $3,800
• NCFs: -$600
• Commissionable portion: $3,200
• Base commission (16%): $512
• Your share at 80% split: $410

Now the same cruise, but in a Signature Suite:

• Total cruise fare: $6,000
• NCFs: -$700
• Commissionable portion: $5,300
• Base commission (16%): $848
• Your share at 80% split: $679

Holland America Travel Agent Salary

It is challenging to pinpoint exactly how much a Holland America travel agent earns per year, since several factors come into play, such as the number of bookings, trip prices, and more.

According to the website Indeed dot com, the estimated annual salary range for a travel agent at Holland America is between 45,000 and 70,000 dollars.

Holland America Training Program

Holland America training program is the same one for Princess Cruises and Cunard: OneSource. The online portal offers dozens of classes covering all three cruise lines. The more courses agents complete, the better the academy rewards. Agents move up through four tiers of the academy. Agents who reach the highest level in the OneSource Academy online training program, Commodore, earn a free graduation cruise!

The OneSource Perks for Travel Agents

As we mentioned, travel advisors can expand their knowledge of Holland America through their training academy, also known as OneSource. What’s even better? You can earn perks as you complete courses and deepen your understanding of Holland America!

Holland also offers perks through their Group Advantage Program (GAP). You earn GAP points per specific bookings and can use them to obtain a variety of perks. Through Holland America Line’s Connections program, groups of 24 or fewer guests enjoy added incentives. When booking a smaller group, travel advisors can take advantage of a tour conductor berth added for every 10 berths (up to two tour conductor berths) and earn an extra two GAP points per group to be used for a variety of amenities.

When eight or more staterooms are booked the group receives exclusive amenities in lieu of GAP points. These include a free within-stateroom category upgrade for the head of the family, a $25 onboard credit per person, Pinnacle Grill lunch for all family members and a $20 photo credit per stateroom.

You can check all the GAP benefits and perks by visiting POLAR Online, which is located inside the OneSource Travel Advisor Center.

POLAR Online

POLAR Online is Holland America’s online booking tool for travel advisors. If you plan to become a Holland America travel agent, understanding this tool is very important.

POLAR Online offers a range of features, including:

• Powerful tools that make selling easier than ever
• Instant access to promotions, fares, and more
• Options to book groups, print boarding passes, and more
• The ability to manage your business with 24/7 connectivity

VacationLab gives you access to thousands of images and videos from major cruise lines like Holland America, theme parks like Disney World and Disneyland, and beach resorts.

By joining us, you'll also gain access to our exclusive database, making it easy to showcase images and videos to your clients based on what they’re looking for.