Holland America’s Culinary Teams Will Be Alaska Seafood University Certified

Cruise line Holland America is partnering with Alaska Seafood to educate 2500 team members about wild Alaska seafood via the Seafood U® training course.

Culinary team members across six Holland America Line ships will become Alaska Seafood University Certified this year.

Alaska is the US’ largest source of wild domestic seafood, and via the Seafood U educational course from Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI), HAL’s dining and galley team members will prove their understanding of Alaska seafood species, responsible fishing practices, and health benefits.

More than 2000 culinary team members across six Holland America Line ships will become Alaska Seafood U Certified this year (image courtesy of Holland America Line)

Seafood U provides education on various Alaska seafood species, health benefits, fishing methods, and overall sustainability practices of the state, which supplies more than 60% of the country’s wild seafood.

In preparation for the cruise line’s 2024 Alaska season, Holland America’s culinary teams started Seafood U training earlier this year. Approximately 2,500 onboard team members across six ships are expected to complete the course.

Holland America’s dedication to sustainable seafood

Alaskan seafood has long been a feature of HAL’s immersive culinary experiences and dedication to sustainability. On each Alaska cruise, the company serves over two thousand pounds of Alaska salmon, one thousand pounds of Alaska cod, eight hundred pounds of Alaska halibut, five hundred pounds of Alaska rockfish, and much more. Guests can choose from a variety of Alaskan seafood delicacies, such as roasted fennel-crusted Alaska halibut or Alaska salmon chop salad.

Holland America guests can choose from a variety of Alaskan seafood delicacies on every Alaska sailing (image courtesy of Holland America Line)

Holland America Line received Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM) certification for all six of its Alaska-bound ships in 2022, making it the first cruise line to achieve this prestigious credential by serving only certified sustainable and traceable wild Alaska seafood.

“We’ve shared the thrill of Alaska’s glaciers and wildlife with our guests for more than 75 years and supporting sustainable fishing and local business is an important commitment for us,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “With this new step, Holland America Line has committed to not only serving fresh, sustainable seafood, but ensuring our team has the knowledge to be expert sources to our guests as we cruise Alaska’s waters.”

Most consumers prefer wild seafood

According to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, wild seafood is generally preferred 4:1, with products clearly marked as wild—particularly with the Alaska Seafood logo—being more appealing to customers. While the vast majority of consumers want to eat sustainably, more than three out of every five Americans are unsure which seafood is sustainable and which is not.

“We know consumers are interested in learning about how to select seafood that’s high-quality, nutritious and sustainable. ASMI’s Seafood U is available across various industries, so that anyone involved in the seafood industry, from processors to chefs and restaurant staff to grocery store seafood departments, can better understand the value of Alaska seafood,” said Leah Krafft, Foodservice Marketing Manager at ASMI.

“We’re thrilled to take this step with longtime supporter of the Alaska seafood industry, Holland America Line, and hope it can serve as an example for how other operators can easily become more knowledgeable,” Krafft continued.

ASMI hopes other cruise lines will follow Holland America’s lead in certifying their culinary teams through Seafood U (image courtesy of Holland America Line)

Alaska has sustainable fishing written into its constitution

Alaskan seafood includes five kinds of wild salmon, cod, halibut, wild Alaska pollock, sablefish, rockfish, sole/flounder, crab, and more—all of which are available year-round.

Alaska is the only state with sustainable fishing written into its constitution, and the Alaska seafood industry goes to great lengths to ensure that they only harvest what the environment can support.

The state has taken the lead in defining the global standard for precautionary resource management, protecting fisheries and surrounding habitats for future generations and ensuring a sustainable supply of wild seafood for the global market.

ASMI is a partnership between the state of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry that promotes the benefits of wild and sustainable Alaska seafood while also providing seafood business education. Alaska’s fishing industry is the state’s largest basic private sector employer, accounting for more than 60% of all wild seafood and 99% of wild salmon harvested in the US.

More news about Holland America

Is choosing sustainable seafood important to you? Does Holland America’s choice to certify its culinary staff with Seafood U training impact your choice of cruise line? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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Carrie Ann Karstunen

Carrie Ann is the founder of Should Be Cruising and a lifelong travel fanatic. A former flight attendant, she now prefers cruise ships over airplanes and spends several months each year cruising and exploring cruise ports. Facebook | Instagram | TikTok

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