Meet HAL's senior staff

[Copper10-8]

Cruise Director Drew Smith

Drew was born and raised “down under” in Perth, Australia, also known as the most isolated city in the world. His childhood consisted of water sports, including surfing, skiing & sailing, and this is where his love for the ocean began. During his teenage years, Drew was constantly coordinating parties and events, always ready to entertain. He also performed as a musician in bands, playing drums and percussion. Being a professional dancer and a DJ are also among his talents. While furthering his education, Drew earned his Diploma of Hotel Management and went on to work in the best hotels Australia has to offer. After his first trip abroad to Indonesia, he got the travel bug and was hooked.

For over 10 years now, Drew has lived and traveled around the world, stopping home at least once or twice a year to see his family. Through his adventures, he has experienced living in England and Scotland and has traveled throughout Europe, Asia, Canada and the United States. Drew went on to live in Melbourne, Australia running night clubs and entertainment venues. It was then that his best friend applied to work on cruise ships. Knowing Drew’s background, he saw a perfect match, quickly passing on his credentials. Shortly after, Drew received a phone call from Holland America Line and for the last four years has happily called the “Dam Ships” home.

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Good bio's on the senior staff. We will be on the Ryndam beginning next Monday. On one f the posts I read the current captain is Mark Rowden (sp?). I'm not familiar with the name. Copper, do you have any information on him ? Thanks

[Copper10-8]

Good bio's on the senior staff. We will be on the Ryndam beginning next Monday. On one f the posts I read the current captain is Mark Rowden (sp?). I'm not familiar with the name. Copper, do you have any information on him ? Thanks

 

Nope, sorry. Capt. Rowden is a brand new captain, promoted within the last three months. Bet ya his bio will be in one of your daily programs. Have a nice cruise up north!

[Copper10-8]

Captain Andre van Schoonhoven

 

Andre hails from Harlingen, the Netherlands, a small port and fishing village on the Frisian coast. He started his seagoing career at age 17 as Sailor AB for the local ferry company to the offshore islands during the summer months. During his education at the Nautical Academy on the island of Terschelling, he began his training as cadet officer on the ss Rotterdam in 1988. After graduating, he returned to HAL as 4th officer on the ms Noordam in 1990. While working on the ms Noordam, het met one of the Front Office ladies, Claudine, and they were married in 1992.

Andre sailed during the 1990s mainly on the ms Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam. After a brief stint with Windstar in 2000, Andre returned to the Holland America Line fleet, and became Chief Officer for the conversion and inaugural team of the ms Prinsendam. He spent nearly four years on her and then moved on to the ms Oosterdam in preparation for becoming part of the new built team of the ms Eurodam. He spent 10 months in Italy for the project, overseeing all the new build aspects of the Deck Department. His proudest achievements are having an impeccable record for launching champagne bottles, combined scores for Prinsendam and Eurodam, 15 out of 15, including the test launches!

In his spare time, Andre enjoys walking, home renovation (not always voluntary…) and spending time with his sons tinkering with their 800 feet rail length HO gauge model train layout. The family resides in Pasig City, the Philippines (where the Commander in Chief, Claudine hails from), with their three sons: Alex, 14, Willem, 10 and Lucas, 4.