September 4, 2012

Cruise itinerary director Simon Douwes' cool job

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When he isn't exploring ports of call, Simon Douwes works in his office at Holland America Line's Seattle headquarters. (Courtesy of Holland America Line)

What do you do? I create the itineraries of all 15 Holland America Line ships, which sail worldwide and explore every continent. We have 415 different ports of calls scheduled for 2013, of which 13 are maiden, or first-time, calls.

To create itineraries, I begin by looking at overall deployment with a focus on each geographical area where Holland America Line has positioned its ships. Then we look for ways we can improve, such as moving ships to different locales to increase capacity in areas where greater demand exists.

How did you get that job? My first job after graduating was as a 4th officer on Holland America Line’s ms Prinsendam. I worked my way up over the course of 14 years to the position of ship captain, which I served as for eight years. As I had two young kids who were ages 6 and 7 at the time, I then expressed interest in transitioning to a land-based position. After the holiday Christmas Cruise in 2001, I began at Holland America Line headquarters in Seattle in my current position as director of deployment and itinerary planning.

What’s the best part of the job? The best part of my job is traveling all over the world to visit and inspect new destinations for our cruise ships. For example, last summer I visited a number of Greek islands including Hydra, which we are now featuring on a new itinerary for 2013.

While visiting about 25 new ports a year, I also spend time exploring more remote and unique destinations, such as Sochi, Russia, and traversing the Black Sea.

What surprises people about your job? People tend to be surprised about the large number of ports calls each year, as our ships visit more than 400 ports, many of which I have also visited as I spend a fair amount of time traveling the world.

Another surprising element is the amount of number-crunching involved in my position. After the overall deployment for all ships in a season has been designed, the analysis of individual itineraries begins, which takes into consideration port distances, ship speeds, tidal conditions, provisioning, shore excursions and the marketing appeal to guests. The goal is to create cruises that provide guests with the best possible experience and achieve efficient operations.

How many countries have you visited and do you have a most memorable one? Through my current and previous shipboard positions, I’ve been to too many ports and countries to count. Some of the most beautiful destinations I’ve experienced are in Greece and South Africa, including a memorable safari tour showcasing the incredible wildlife in that area. The exploration of new destinations creates the opportunity to develop fresh and interesting itineraries for Holland America Line’s first-time and many returning guests.

--NWjobs staff

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