Holland America Line Partnership Creates Virtual Book Club

Holland America Line is partnering with a provider of audiobooks and podcasts to market a co-branded book club. The concept, offering language lessons, travel titles, novels, and much more, is geared to those who cruise with the line but is available to anyone who signs up for a free trial.

Holland America Program Offers Travel, Language, Fictional Content

Taking a new approach to onboard enrichment, Holland America Line announced it has teamed up with Audible to launch a book club for citizens in five participating countries: the US, Canada, the Netherlands, the UK, and Australia.

Audible provides audio-storytelling products on virtually every topic across multiple genres — travel, language, fiction, sci-fi, romance, etc., and the idea is that Holland America Line guests can access a huge database of content before, during, and after their cruise.

Called the Audible Book Club, many of the audio titles will spotlight the regions where Holland America Line sails, such as Alaska, Europe, Canada, Asia, and the Caribbean.

While onboard, guests can tap into Audible’s resources in their cabins. For instance, curated audiobooks will be available that tie in with specific itineraries, offering novels set in Alaska during a Holland America Line ship’s Alaska itinerary.  During international voyages, guests can use the audiobooks for language lessons, or use Audible’s language audiobooks before they embark on a cruise to a foreign country.

Holland America Line, a brand of Carnival Corporation, is making the book club available on all of its 11 ships. Consumers must sign up for a two-month free trial to participate in the program, which features full access to Audible’s complete catalog of titles.

“We know from extensive research that reading is a top priority for guests both on and off vacation, so the Audible collaboration was a natural next step for us to connect with our guest community,” said Kacy Cole, chief marketing officer at Holland America Line. 

“By being the first cruise line to team up with Audible, we are providing our guests with new ways to engage with our brand around common interests and activities whether on board or at home,” added Cole.

The virtual book club goes well beyond fiction, travel, and language. It also provides meditation soundtracks for cruisers looking to relax and features a series of Audible “Originals” content.

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“Holland America Line and Audible are ideal travel companions for guests on the perfect getaway who love premium audio storytelling,” said Derek Murphy, head of Business Development at Audible. 

“We’re thrilled to offer Holland America Line guests opportunities to pair their travel adventures with compelling stories from our Audible collection of Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts performed by some of the best storytellers in the world,” Murphy added.

Onboard Libraries Feature Enhancements

It is not only a virtual book club that’s new on Holland America Line ships. The cruise line also has upgraded its onboard libraries with refreshed decor, artwork, and overall design. Across the fleet, the libraries typically carry up to 1,700 books, offering a vast array of reading materials, including fiction, mystery, romance, young adult content, fantasy, poetry, and lots more.

Special displays highlight a new Feature Section, offering best-selling books, and the libraries also have book exchanges, where guests can donate one of their books if they wish.

A selection of new books with subjects tied to certain global regions is now provided on ships operating lengthy cruises, such as the line’s categories of Legendary Voyages and the Grand World Voyage.

Earlier this year, the cruise line unveiled a new set of Legendary Voyages, with departures in 2025 and 2026. Legendary Voyages range from 25 to 59 days, allowing for abundant port calls, special onboard programs, and more time for guests to immerse themselves in the featured destinations.