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Holland America Group taps Zielia for itinerary-planning data
Nov 09, 2020
Zielia.com, the first-of-its-kind platform for cruise itinerary planners, nailed an agreement with Holland America Group.
Hundreds of ports
This makes the digital database the preferred platform for the group’s brands that include Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn and P&O Cruises Australia. Employees of Holland America Group will now have access to detailed destination information and marketing materials for almost 350 ports in Europe, Canada/New England, the Caribbean, South Pacific and more.
‘We are pleased to offer the Holland America Group a much-needed resource for cruise planners in the industry,’ said Shannon McKee, Zielia co-founder. ‘It’s our hope that this partnership will begin to bridge the communication gap between destinations and cruise lines.’
Reliable, up-to-date information
Zielia was created with the goal of providing a single, reliable source for cruise planners to find up-to-date information. The platform is based on the five pillars of itinerary planning: destination, port, attractions, marketing and calendar.
‘We are always looking for ways to provide a superior product and service to our customers and the use of the Zielia platform will allow for more strategic and efficient planning of our itineraries and offerings,’ said Robert Morgenstern, SVP of port operations and shore excursions for Holland America Group.
Zielia.com offers a comprehensive digital database of information that enables cruise lines to quickly and easily choose which ports to include on their itineraries and which ones to use as homeports. Holland America Group employees now have convenient access to maps, quick facts, port details, top attractions, marketing materials, transportation and a calendar of events.
The website also saves time and money by reducing the need for printed materials and external drives.
Zielia adds 140 ports via new Cruise Europe contract
May 28, 2020
Reliable digital resource
On www.zielia.com, members input and maintain timely facts such as port data, destination-related information and excursions to give cruise planners digital access to reliable, current material.
The membership in Zielia’s online database is ‘timely as digital services have experienced substantial growth and necessity due to the global crisis we are currently experiencing,’ said Jens Skrede, managing director of Cruise Europe. ‘The Zielia platform will enable all our members to upload port data, navigational channels and soundings, video footage, top attractions, maps and local notices.’
Five pillars for itinerary planning
Zielia was created with the goal of providing a single reliable source for cruise planners to find up-to-date information. The platform is based on five pillars for itinerary planning: destination, port, attractions, marketing and calendar. With this, planners can quickly and easily evaluate ports and homeports.
‘We are very pleased to add Cruise Europe members as our newest featured ports and destinations on the Zielia database,’ said Shannon McKee, co-founder of Zielia. ‘We are mindful of the worldwide crisis affecting the industry and look forward to providing the much-needed support to our clients and partners. It is our goal to be an integral source that helps cruise lines and destinations create partnerships that assist with revitalizing the industry.’
The Zielia database is complimentary for cruise line employees who join the site as a Destination Explorer.
Adds to 200 destinations currently
Zielia currently has more than 200 member ports and destinations in North America, Europe, Asia and Oceania. The company is in negotiations with several other cruise marketing networks and regional ports.
Zielia Recognized at Seatrade Hamburg
October 17, 2019
For quite some time, itinerary planners had a single, simple ask on their wish list; put all the information we need in one place so we can quickly evaluate a port.
Shannon McKee is the Founder and President of Access Cruise, Inc., and a self-professed serial entrepreneur. After meeting with itinerary planners industry-wide, attending countless trade events and hearing itinerary planners lament their endless collection of jump drives, Shannon knew there had to be a way to solve this problem. Tapping into her vast network, Shannon joined forces with a tech company and in 6 short months, Zielia was born.
The concept was based on the 5 pillars of itinerary planning (Destination, Port, Attractions, Marketing, Calendar) and the goal was to have a single, reliable repository for planners to find up-to-date information. A prototype of Zielia was presented to the itinerary planning community in 2017 at their annual lunch during Seatrade Global in Ft. Lauderdale. Itinerary planners enthusiastically embraced it and wanted to know how quickly they would be able to use the tool. They also offered to provide feedback for its ongoing development. It was an instant and resounding success.
Following its Seatrade Global introduction, marketing efforts were focused on critical mass, targeting first the Caribbean destinations and then the European destinations. In March, Seatrade reported on Zielia as a new itinerary planning tool getting a lot of buzz. Those efforts resulted in Zielia being short-listed for this year’s Seatrade Cruise Awards in Hamburg, in the category of Marketing Initiative of the Year. Although Zielia didn’t take home the top prize, it was a remarkable achievement for such a new venture to be recognized. At the awards dinner Shannon McKee noted “it’s an honor being included with such an illustrious group of nominees and so gratifying to be recognized. We’re excited about what the future holds for Zielia.”
As a further endorsement of the platform’s value to the industry, the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association announced its partnership with Zielia, encouraging its destination partners in the Caribbean to have their destinations featured on the platform. Zielia will have a booth at the FCCA Trade Show in San Juan Oct. 22-25 and looks forward to sharing its benefits and ease of use.
The user community continues to provide valuable feedback as the use of Zielia spreads to the Caribbean and European destinations. Engagement with the itinerary planning, shore excursion and destination communities will be ongoing as industry growth continues and Zielia strengthens its presence to become the preferred resource for these critical elements of deployment planning.
Cruise itinerary planners keen on holistic new tool Zielia.com
April 3, 2019
Zielia.com, the new online tool for cruise line itinerary and shore excursions planners, is getting enthusiastic reviews by some influential industry names.
‘Brilliant and long overdue’
‘I think the concept is brilliant and perhaps long overdue. As an itinerary planner I will certainly be using Zielia and would encourage ports and cruise destinations to consider also using the service as a more effective and sustainable way to provide information,’ Seabourn’s Tim Littley, senior director, deployment & itinerary planning, told Seatrade Cruise News.
Zielia creates one-stop-shop for cruise itinerary planners
March 28, 2019
Miami-based company Zielia has launched Zielia.com, the cruise industry’s first comprehensive digital database of port and destination-related information for itinerary planners, port and shore excursion professionals and other cruise line executives.
Cruise executives can use the platform to access a range of geographical, technical, operational and marketing data about multiple ports and destinations worldwide. This includes data about the dock length, draft air draft, facilities, ground transportation and passenger requirements for each port, as well as information about the various shore excursions and tourist attractions available in each destination.