Holland America Line to Offer Popular Game Show Experience

Guests setting sail with Holland America Line will soon be able to join in on the fun with a popular game show as the cruise line is bringing Deal or No Deal to nine of its vessels. The new entertainment offering is already available on other cruise lines and is regularly one of the most popular activities onboard.

Deal or No Deal Coming to Holland America Line

Cruise travelers aboard select Holland America Line ships will soon have the opportunity to join in one of the most popular onboard game shows with Deal or No Deal, an interactive entertainment show being brought to nine of the line’s 11 ships.

The game is managed by interactive technology leader TimePlay, who has created the game show in a format that is unique to each player and offers guests in the audience the chance to play along with pre-purchased game cards.

“With the growing demand for entertainment options, Deal or No Deal is a perfect addition to Holland America’s offerings,” said Aaron Silverberg, SVP of Entertainment, TimePlay.

The new game will not completely replace production shows, trivia contests, informative lectures, live music, or other entertainment onboard, but will instead be another option on the daily show schedule.

“We’re excited to add this program to our lineup and we look forward to guests enjoying this interactive game,” said Daniel Materassi, senior vice president of guest commerce for Holland America Line.

The cruise line has not announced which ships will feature Deal or No Deal or when the game may debut, though it is likely to be offered once or twice per sailing, depending on the ship, departure date, and cruise length.

How Cruise Ship Deal or No Deal Works

The popular game show is already a highlight of cruise entertainment schedules on more than 85 vessels worldwide, including ships with Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, and Princess Cruises.

Read Also: Princess Cruises Bringing Deal or No Deal to the Fleet

Deal or No Deal may either be featured as an evening entertainment show or possibly as an afternoon option, depending on the individual cruise activity schedule. Onboard Holland America Line ships, the game show will be hosted on the World Stage or Rolling Stone Lounge.

Before the game begins, passengers can buy cards that both enter them into the drawing to become the featured contestant as well as the chance to play along in the audience if they aren’t on stage.

The selected contestant – chosen randomly based on the unique numbers assigned to game cards purchased – has the chance to win a cash prize based on which “case” they select, in the same manner as the popular television game show. Offers made by a mysterious banker are designed to tempt players to abandon their gameplay for a guaranteed win.

Simultaneously, guests in the audience can also play along on their own game cards. The more cases they match to the contestant’s play, the better prize they can win, ranging from free onboard options to cash prizes or even a free cruise.

This creates a high-energy, enthusiastic environment, as the changing results of audience winners are highlighted after each turn, letting everyone see what the winner standings may be. Guests in the audience can reuse their cards for each contestant in a single game session, making it an even better value for driving audience participation.

Game Shows on the Rise

Game show experiences are on the rise on cruise ships, as they offer greater interaction for crowds and bring more passengers into the excitement, as well as improving revenue for the cruise ship (depending on how play is organized).

Popular favorites such as The Price is Right, Family Feud, Press Your Luck, Wheel of Fortune, and other game shows are all making appearances as cruise ship activities.

Have you had the chance to try your hand at winning an onboard game show? Share your game play experiences on the Cruise Hive boards!