Meet HAL's senior staff

[Copper10-8]

Cruise Director Bruce Allen Scudder

A native "Michigander", Bruce's winning appearance on a television talent show at the age of seven led to TV comercials, radio and print ads, and public appearances all over the USA billed as "Little Brucie Scudder". After graduating from the University of Michigan with a degree in piano performance, Bruce earned a double masters degree in piano performance and conducting from the Juilliard School in New York. He has worked in virtually every area of show business as a music director and pianist, conducting for and accompanying dozens of the world's best entertainers.

Bruce began his career with Holland America in 1992 as Music Director and proudly served for nine Grand Voyages from 1993-2003. This year he celebrates his 14th year with Holland America and in 2005 completed his first Grand World Voyage as Cruise Director. "I am proud to offer our excellent variety of entertainment, lectures, activities and services."



Bruce makes his home in Jacksonville, Florida where he has an extensive collection of art and antiques, including a stunning display of glassware from the estates of celebrities from the "golden age of Hollywood". Bruce is also a skydiving enthusiast and has jumped from a perfectly good airplane in Cairns, Australia at 14,000 feet with a 10,000 feet freefall.

[Copper10-8]

Captain Dirk van den Berg

Captain Dirk van den Berg began his sailing career with Holland America Line nearly 41 years ago. At the age of nineteen, he attended the famous nautical college in Amsterdam, the "Kweekschool Voor De Zeevaart". In 1965, he became an apprentice aboard Holland America Line's cargo ship, the MS Gaasterdyk. He even sailed on the SS Averdyk and SS Amsteldyk, both victory class freighters. Working his way up through the ranks to Chief Officer in 1984, he has seved aboard many of HAL's passenger ships including the old SS Veendam, SS Rotterdam, SS Maasdam. In 1993 he was promoted to Captain on board the MS Veendam.

The Master's love of ships began when he was a youngster, watching passing ships in the North Sea. As a school-age youth, he'd visit coasts and beaches near Amsterdam with his family, spending many happy hours watching the waves roll onto shore. Born during the Second World War in Arnhem, the Netherlands, Captain van den Berg still resides there with his wife and 30 year old son. Arnhem, a well known WWII Battle site, is located 100km east of Amsterdam. When not working at sea, the Captain spends his time collecting and restoring old cars and building ship models out of wood.

[Copper10-8]

Hotel Manager Jan Willem Kuipers

As Hotel Manager, Jan Willem is responsible for the overall hotel operations of the vessel. Born in Leeuwarden, the Netherlands, he was fortunate to be brought up by parents who loved travelling. During his travels, he developed a keen interest in the way hotels and restaurants operated. After high school, he studied at the famous hotel school in Den Haag (The Hague) and received his Bachelor's degree. He has worked in the Netherlands, Paris, France and in the Netherlands Antilles in various positions before embarking on his career with Holland America Line in March 1992.

 

Jan Willem left Holland America Line to manage the World Trade Center in Rotterdam and spent two years working on the management team of the Sutton Place Hotel in Vancouver, one of the five-diamond hotels in Canada. In 1999, Jan Willem started to miss the dynamic life at sea and decided to return to Holland America. When on vacation, he and his wife Phem (a Guest Relations Manager on HAL)spend time at their home in Oud-Beijerland, a small suburb south of Rotterdam. He loves cooking, hiking and travelling.

[Copper10-8]

Captain Jan Smit

Born close to the world's largest port, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Captain Jan Smith had a keen interest in ships from an early age. He still remembers the days his father used to take him to the Nieuwe Waterweg, the waterway into Rotterdam, to look at all the ships passing by. After completing the Nautical Academy in Rotterdam in 1981, the Captain started sailing on cargo ships and stayed there for eleven years in various ranks. After a brief period working on land, the sea started calling again and he joined Holland America Line in 1992 as a Second Officer.

He has since worked on Holland America Line cruise ships. His favorite places to go by ship are Australia and the Orient. The Captain currently lives in Beverwijk, the Netherlands, where on foggy days he can hear the whistles of the ships passing by on the North Sea. When at home, Captain Smit likes photography, running and playing tennis.

[lougee1043]

And one of Captain Werner Timmers>>

at a suite gettogether on one cruise we asked him if we could have our pic taken with him- he had jan and i stand on either side of him and he then took our camera held it out arms length in front of us and took the pic himself laughing while he did that -he he called a staff member over to take a real pic

[Copper10-8]

Hotel Manager Hans Dernison

Hans is the manager of a floating hotel, he just never knows from day to day where the Captain might take it. He was born in Texel in the Netherlands, a small island in the North Sea with only 11,000 inhabitants and 30,000 sheep. He grew up in a small pension and pub which his grandfather ran on the island. After receiving his Bachelor's Degree from the famous hotel school at Den Haag (The Hague), he did his mandatory military service as a field cook, managed a restaurant in Amsterdam, and developed a wanderlust, so he joined Holland America Line to see the world. 30 years later, he truly has seen the world and climbed the ladder from Controller to Hotel Manager.

Hans met his wife Tricia while sailing on the old Statendam. After living in Dallas and San Francisco, they now live in the foothills of the Catalina Mountains of Tucson, Arizona. His favorite hobbies are working in his desert garden and observing the wildlife in the area. He also loves to hike in the Catalina Mountains. His management philosophy is "Everything is possible, miracles take a little longer." He is committed to making sure that passenger leave a "Dam" ship planning their next cruise Holland America cruise.

[Copper10-8]

Cruise Director Susan Wood

Susan Wood's great, great grandfather was a captain who was lost at sea in 1821. She's the second member of her family to work aboard ships and has been much more fortunate in keeping her head above water. A student of dance since the age of five, she eventually earned a spot on the British Dance Team representing her country worldwide. Spotted by a cruise ship director, she was swept off the floor and onto the seas as a dance instructor. After being seasick for two weeks, she vowed never to board a ship again. However, a short time later, she gained her sea-legs and was hooked. Leaving her dance studio in England, she spent the next four years teaching dance with Sitmar Cruises, before she became tapped to become an Assistant Cruise Director.

Susan was quickly promoted to Cruise Director and was the first woman to hold such a position within Holland America Line's fleet, where she has spent sixteen years literally sailing around the world. Although she has entered the world of management, she has never lost her zest for entertainment and is highly visible to guests both on and off-stage.



Susan was raised in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, 80 miles from the Scottish border. Her accent is a delightful blend of English and Scottish with a pinch of Norwegian, the remnants of a much earlier Viking time in Northeast England. When not at sea, she spends time renovating her haunted castle located amidst the rolling hills of England.

[eldercruser]

Dottie told us last February that she was retiring to open a comedy club in Orlando with her husband. Anyone heard how that has worked out?

[ESLO]

Let's Not Forget........

 

Drew Murdock of the Noordam

 

We loved Susan Woods but also think Drew Murdock is also an Asset to the Holland American Line.

[kikiwik]

this is awsome copper thanks

[Copper10-8]

Captain Jack van Coevorden

Java, Indonesia was home for Jack van Coevorden until 1951, when his family decided to move to New Guinea. As he sailed through the Indonesian Islands from Jakarta to his new abode, he decided he wanted to work at sea. In order to pursue his career, he moved to Holland in 1961 to attend the Amsterdam Nautical Academy. After two years at college, he became an apprentice with Holland America Line aboard the Amsteldyk, a cargo vessel.

 

In 1969, after further training, he became second officer on another cargo vessel, the Gaasterdyk. Rising through the ranks to Chief Officer, he was transferred to his first cruise ship, the SS Statendam IV. In 1988 he became Master of the MS Nieuw Amsterdam.



He enjoys fishing in Alaska and spending time on the Hood Canal during the Summer months with his wife and two children.

[Copper10-8]

Captain Peter Jan van Maurik

When he was nine years old, Captain Peter Jan van Maurik spent time gardening for a retired Captain whose house was filled with souvenirs from all over the world. After seeing the exotic objects and listening to the Captain's stories, he decided to become a deck officer. In 1970, while on holiday from school, he boarded his first ship, the MS Gaasterdyk, a Holland America Line cargo ship. The captain's parents were not keen on their son's decision to become a seaman and hoped he would change his mind if they allowed him to sail during his school vacations. He didn't, and instead left home in 1972 to study at the Nautical College "Noorder Haaks" in Den Helder.

 

After graduating in 1974, he joined the Royal Interocean Line (the Koninklijke Java China Pakketvaart Lijn) where the retired Captain had worked. In 1978, he was commisssioned as a lieutenant in the Royal Dutch Navy and served two years on a patrol boat, sailing mostly in the North Sea. The world still beckoned when his active service in the Navy was over so he went back to his former company, which merged with Nedlloyd, a major Dutch shipping company.



After further training at the Nautical Colleges in Vlissingen and Amsterdam, he graduated with his Master Certificate in 1986. By 1993, he was Captain on a small cargo vessel. As he was not satisfied with sailing aboard cargo ships, the Captain returned to Holland America Line in 1994.

 

When on vacation, the Captain can be found sailing his small yacht in Holland, flying his hang glider over Spain or driving his 88 cubic inch motorcycle somewhere in between.

[Toschie]

Thanks John, this is an extremely interesting thread. Well done Copper.:)

[mick70]

Very informative, can one find which ship Sr. staff is now assigned? Most interested as to whom will be on the Maasdam 4 Jan 07.

[Copper10-8]

Very informative, can one find which ship Sr. staff is now assigned? Most interested as to whom will be on the Maasdam 4 Jan 07.

 

Thanks Mick (Kikiwik and Toschie;) ) There are some Ccer HAL fans here with "contacts" who might be able to help you with that. I don't have any current/up-to-date info but Maasdam used to "belong" to Captains Arjen van der Loo and Henk Draper on an alternating basis. The H/M's were Kees Strueding and Simon de Boer. No clue who the C/D is. Have a great cruise on her on 04 JAN 07:)

[LAFFNVEGAS]

John, this thread is great I even recognize a few;) Where did you get the pictures? Were they pictures you have taken over the years?

[Copper10-8]

Thanks Lisa; yup, either taken by us over the years or by the ship's photographers (Captain's handshake, group shots at the Mariner's party, etc.) - Feel free to add! I know you got some;)

[sail7seas]

Very informative, can one find which ship Sr. staff is now assigned? Most interested as to whom will be on the Maasdam 4 Jan 07.

 

Bearing in mind, the Officers/crew can always change with little or no notice, Captain Henk Draper is scheduled to disembark and Captain Arjen van der Loo should be boarding January 4, 2007. Hotel Manager should be Kees Streuding until Hotel Manager Firmin van Walle arrives about January 24. I don't know about Cruise Director.

[HoneyGV]

Dottie told us last February that she was retiring to open a comedy club in Orlando with her husband. Anyone heard how that has worked out?

 

They are doing great!

http://www.southwestorlandobulletin.com/directorytext.asp?id=1737

[Copper10-8]

Cruise Director Eric Dowis

Born and raised in the state of Georgia, this southern gentleman never expected to make a life on the sea, but some stage work during college led Eric to become a permanent fixture on Holland America Line ships. Eric got his start entertaining while in grade school, where he found a captive audience in his classmates. "Any opportunity to speak out in class was a chance to get a laugh", he remembers. During his college years, Eric was drawn from the classroom to the stage and began to perform stand up comedy at a local club. After only a few weeks, he was hired to open shows on a regular basis.

Having left Georgia for the lights of Los Angeles, he then found work behind the stage. Eric helpt construct shows for Lexus, Superbowl XXX and various Radio City productions. After these successes, Eric was contracted to build special effects on the stages of Holland America ships. His first experience onboard seagoing vessels was on the Roterdam VI in 1997 where he installed equipment for her eloborate stage shows. From that point, Eric has made his home on our vessels.



Joining the Cruise Staff in November of 1997, it wasn't long before Eric fell in love with his new life at sea and began to set career goals with the company. When not working on the high seas, Eric spends most of his time under it...scuba diving in many exotic sites around the world. Eric continues to write comedy and enjoys every opportunity to walk out on stage. His favorite part of the job is using his sense of humor to help create life-long memories for our guests.

[Copper10-8]

Cruise Director Lynda Konarski

Lynda was born in Manitoba and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Canada. Lynda discovered that she had a keen interest in comedy writing and had articles accepted to local magazines by the age of twelve. She continued to write for television and radio, and had her own syndicated comedy column for two years. Her career in the cruise industry began as an entertainer, a stand up comedienne. As Lynda had worked for two years in comedy clubs across Canada and the U.S., settling on a cruise ship was an easy transition.

She has worked as a guest entertainer and Cruise Director for many of the major cruise lines. Lynda married and had two children who are now grown and living in Vancouver. Although her heart is still in Vancouver, she recently bought a home in Merritt Island, Florida so she could be close to the cruise ships. Lynda's motto is: "You don't stop laughing because you get old. You get old because you stop laughing."

[Copper10-8]

Cruise Director Gary Walker

Gary's experience in entertainment began in 1986. After completing a college course in Theater and Performing Arts in his hometown of London, England, he decided to enter leisure management. He became activities director at one of England's largest vacation resorts, catering to over 10,000 guests per week. "That was a good experience", he recalls, "But I prefer working with smaller groups of people. During a cruise you really build up a great rapport with the passengers and they become your newest and best friends." Since 1986 he has been entertainment director at various resorts around the Mediterranean and even Morocco. "Organizing camel races has to be the most unusual activity I have ever had to M.C.!"

Gary started working at sea in 1991 and thrives on the position of Cruise Director. He meets the challenge of every cruise where he strives to offer something for everyone. "The objective of my job is very clear. That everyone goes home with memories that will last forever." Gary has been the Cruise Director for the last two consecutive Grand World Cruises on the Rotterdam (2000 & 2001), which were both professionally challenging and rewarding, offering different entertainment to the same guests for 100 days! After the Summer of 2001, he joined Holland America's other flagship, the MS Amsterdam for her maiden World Cruise 2002.



When not at sea. he spends time between Florida and London. He enjoys traveling, exploring new places, music and god food (another reason he enjoys ship life!). Soon he wants to fulfill a life time ambition and learn to fly.

[mjs125]

Bearing in mind, the Officers/crew can always change with little or no notice, Captain Henk Draper is scheduled to disembark and Captain Arjen van der Loo should be boarding January 4, 2007. Hotel Manager should be Kees Streuding until Hotel Manager Firmin van Walle arrives about January 24. I don't know about Cruise Director.

 

Sail7seas--Any clue how far ahead anyone knows that information (keeping in mind it can change whenever)? A group of us are looking at planning a cruise for either next March or November (different groups hence the very different dates) and were curious who might be on the Oosterdam at the time. Didn't know if that was anything anyone would know now or if there was a way to email anyone to find out. Any suggestions?

 

Copper 10-8: FANTASTIC thread. Very interesting to read about all the senior staff. Just finished my first cruise a few weeks ago...good information on both our captain and our hotel manager!

[Copper10-8]

Thanks MJS125!

[Copper10-8]

Hotel Manager Paul Muller

Hotel Manager Paul A.Z. Muller is committed to his job. His goal is to have every guest leave the ship planning their next Holland America cruise. The hotel manager is responsible for the well-being of all guests. Although the captain is in charge of the overall operation and safety of the ship, Paul Muller manages the ship's "floating hotel," where the view changes daily with the menus and the entertainment. The responsibilities of a hotel manager are akin to the duties of a general manager overseeing a land-based resort, complete with a casino, restaurants and bars. However, on the seas, there is also the concern for the living quarters and food service for 560 crew members as well.

Paul Muller came to Holland America in 1964. He worked his way through the ranks, enjoying all the expert education and experience Holland America Line provides for the true career person. He makes his home in Holland with his lovely wife Jojo, maintaining a modest apartment in a historic building in the equally historical town of Haarlem in the Netherlands.



From the Front Office to the passenger staterooms, to the main dining room, not to forget the on-board shops, Ocean Spa and the ship's infirmary, Paul Muller has one common goal: Provide superb service in a clean and well-organized environment, always remembering "Holland America Line's Tradition of Excellence."