Service Dog Gets Elite Status from Holland America Line
Joska, a 10-year-old service dog, has been named Holland America Line's ‘ultimate globetrotter’. The labrador retriever recently reached 700 cruise days, making her eligible for Holland America’s esteemed Platinum Medallion status.
The pup hit her milestone achievement while sailing on Rotterdam's 150th Anniversary Transatlantic Crossing. Accompanying Joska on her many cruises is her owners, Cornelia "Connie" and Cornelis Marinussen, also who also hold Platinum Medallion status.
Read More: Holland America Line to Kick Off 150th Celebrations
Connie and Cornelis have cruised regularly with Holland America since 2013 and have taken nearly 60 cruises. In 2014 Joska joined the Marinussen family to assist Connie, who is legally blind. Since then, Joska, Connie, and Cornelis have sailed on over 50 Holland America Cruises in Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean.
To celebrate Joaska’s milestone, Holland America held a special ceremony to mark the occasion. Holland America Line President Gus Antorcha and Rotterdam Captain Werner Timmers presented Joska with her newly achieved Platinum Medallion, 5-Star Mariner status, and a selection of dog-friendly, Holland America Line-branded gifts.
"Joska is the first service animal to achieve this lofty status and we wanted to honor her with an event that shows her how special she is to everyone in our company," said Antorcha. "Registered service animals are always welcome aboard Holland America Line ships, and Joska has become a member of our family. She not only brightens the spirits of everyone on board, but she also allows Connie to do what she loves most, which is to cruise and explore the world."
Holland America Line is celebrating 150 years in 2023. The cruise line began its celebrations early with this special Transatlantic crossing from Rotterdam (Netherlands) to New York City earlier this month. This route retraced Holland America’s first-ever cruise back in 1872 on the original Rotterdam vessel.
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