“We were really homesick for our second home,” said Mrs. Muller, pausing to order her dinner without looking at the menu. ‘It’s Tuesday, isn’t it? I know Tuesday’s menu.” (She has made 115 cruises.)
Frank Shumard, 69, had a big plan for when he retired six years ago as director of transportation safety for Waste Corporate of America: to move from his home in Shell Knob, Mo., to an apartment on nearby Table Rock lake, and he spent his winters cruising and his summers on the lake. “I didn’t even care where I went when I was on the cruise — I was happy to just sit on the lounger and watch the ocean go by.”
When the pandemic crushed his plans, Mr Shumard was the closest thing to clinical depression, he said. During the pandemic, Mr. Shumard felt totally lost.
He cheered himself up by making a ‘drink of the day’ and posting it on the Holland America Cruise Facebook fan page. Eight hundred drinks later, Mr. Shumard and his partner, Lynn Shriver, climbed back on board and immediately spotted his favorite bartender.
“It was so nice to see a face that I knew, and to shake hands, and it was such a relief to see him there, that he was fine: it was magical,” said Mr Shumard.
True to their lines
All the major shipping companies, from Royal Caribbean to Princess to Holland America, have their own loyalty programs that reward frequent sailors with everything from drink coupons to room upgrades. But while the perks are big business — and the cruisers proudly wear their loyalty badges in the form of pins and other jewelry — many cult cruisers say the rewards keep them from returning to the same lines.
Instead, they pledge allegiance to a specific cruise line for how it syncs with their personalities and desires. For example, the Royal Caribbean cruisers say they love the friendly crew and passengers they consistently meet on the ships. (The cruise line says one of its biggest fans has spent 9,500 nights on board.) Viking cruisers point out the company’s luxury and all-inclusive pricing (Wi-Fi, basic alcohol packages during meals, and shore excursions are included in the base fare). Holland America fans return for the crew, food and intriguing itineraries, such as a 35-night cruise that stops at England, Scotland, the coast of Norway, Iceland and the Norwegian-controlled Arctic island of Spitsbergen. A lot. Many Holland America ships have outposts to BB King’s Blues Club, and the focus on live music also attracts many repeat visitors.
