Holland America Line Expands Onboard Digital Workshops

Last year when I sailed on Eurodam's inaugural cruise, I had the opportunity to attend the first-ever complimentary Digital Workshop aboard a Holland America Line ship. While I consider myself computer-savvy, I learned how to put my computer to work in ways I didn't know existed.

Today there are even more opportunities to learn new skills during your next Holland America cruise. Holland America Line’s popular Digital Workshop powered by Windows is adding new workshop sessions to help guests learn social media and new digital skills. Twelve Holland America ships now offer 11 complimentary, hour-long classes ranging from photo and video editing to displaying pictures in digital frames.

“Guests have given the workshops rave reviews since we began offering them on four ships last summer,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “We have worked closely with Microsoft to expand the scope of the program to include more ships and more workshops since our guests enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to learn new skills.”

Sessions are offered multiple times on each cruise so that guests may take the ones that interest them most, or the complete series, at their convenience. Session offerings include the following:

• Put Your Best Face Forward 1: Edit Your Cruise Photos
• Your Away-From-Home Movie: Turn Your Cruise Photos & Videos into a Movie
• Insert Photo Here: Getting Your Photos Out of the Camera & Into the Computer
• Your Fifteen Minutes of Fame: Learn to Blog About Your Cruise
• Put Your Best Face Forward 2: Advanced Editing of the Cruise Photos
• A Space to Call My Own: Signing Up for Your Own Personal Webpage
• Show and Tell: Sharing Your Cruise Photos via Email & the Internet
• Safe and Sound: PC Safety and Maintenance
• Say Cheese: Understanding the Basics of Your Digital Camera
• That’s a Print: Printing Your Cruise Photos at Home
• I’ve Been Framed: How to Set-up & Use a Digital Photo Frame

Digital Workshop powered by Windows will show even the most novice camera or computer user how to take better vacation photos, make movies, and edit pictures using a variety of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services. Guests will learn how to share all their digital memories through email, blogging and social networking–so friends and family can see where they’ve been cruising even before they return home.

Taught by Microsoft-trained “techsperts,” the workshops are limited to 15 participants per session so that instructors can provide personalized assistance. In addition, instructors maintain “techspert time,” where guests can get their individual questions answered and work on personal program-related projects. Each ship has a dedicated space for the classes, complete with computers, printers and other necessary equipment.

New classes were added to the existing program by the first of June and plans are under development to extend the program to ms Rotterdam and ms Prinsendam.