The seas aren’t just for human cruise passengers!
Holland America Line’s favorite four-legged friend, Joska the service dog, reached a milestone achievement of 700 cruise days on Rotterdam‘s special 150th anniversary transatlantic crossing. This makes her eligible to receive the platinum medallion, the highest past-guest award for cruising days.
Joska, a 10-year-old black Labrador retriever, is the ultimate globetrotter. She spends most of her days cruising on Holland America ships with her owners, Cornelia “Connie” and Cornelis Marinussen, who have already received their platinum medallions.
A special ceremony for Joska was held on Rotterdam today in New York City to mark the milestone. Holland America president Gus Antorcha and Rotterdam‘s Captain Werner Timmers presented Joska with her platinum medallion, 5-Star Mariner status in the line’s loyalty program (the highest level), and a selection of dog-friendly Holland America-branded gifts.
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“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.”
The Dutch couple have been cruising with Holland America since 2013, and have taken nearly 60 cruises. From Alaska, Hawaii, and Canada to Europe, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean, Joska has sailed on over 50 Holland America voyages since joining the Marinussen family in 2014 to assist Cornelia, who is legally blind.
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