On 10 November 2021, Lynn Narraway UK & Ireland Managing Director Holland America Line, hosted an afternoon tea in Torbay to thank local residents for their support given to the Holland America Line ships and crew when they were moored in the bay during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The event, at the Berry Head Hotel, Brixham was for a small number of locals who’d been instrumental in supporting the ships, and was led by local resident Louise Stafford. As a further gesture of thanks, Holland America Line presented a donation of £3,500 to the Torbay RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution) represented by fundraiser Lynn Spillett and RNLI Manager, Andy Wright.
Four Holland America Line ships were anchored off Torbay during winter 2020 when travel was paused. During this time, while places of worship were closed, the ships helped the community celebrate Remembrance Sunday (8 Nov 2020) by sounding their horns at 11:00 marking the two-minute silence to salute the servicemen and women who gave their lives in conflict. Socially distanced groups of residents lined the seafront to watch the spectacle.
It was lovely to meet some of the people who had been so involved in supporting our ships and crew during a very challenging time. We were thrilled and touched that the Torbay community organised Christmas hampers and took them out to the officers and crew. We’ve got some fantastic photos of our on board staff opening up their gifts including hand-made cards by local school children, it really made all the difference.” Lynn Narraway, UK & Ireland Managing Director Holland America Line
Local resident Caroline Sleeman created a calendar titled ‘Cruise Ships of Torbay and Lime Bay’ which was sold to raise funds for the RNLI while a local entrepreneur even organised boat trips for local residents out to and around the ships in the bay!
Holland America Line is committed to bringing its ships into ports in the British Isles whenever possible and Bristol, Portland (Weymouth), Falmouth and Ilfracombe will be among the southern UK ports visited in summer 2022. Next year Holland America Line is celebrating 150 years of operation and to celebrate, the cruise line’s flagship, Rotterdam VII will be visiting Plymouth on 18 October when the ship will be replicating Holland America Line’s original trans-Atlantic voyage in 1872 on Rotterdam 1, sailing from Rotterdam (15 Oct) to New York via Plymouth & Le Havre (for Paris).