Meet the cruise planner who nonetheless books journeys prefer it’s 1940

Paul Grigsby got here to the cruise trade by means of trains.

Grigsby, who’s Holland America Line’s vice chairman of deployment and itinerary planning, grew up boating however he counts a month-long prepare journey by means of Mexico as “first real travel experience.” Shortly after graduating faculty, he and a good friend traveled by rail from Mazatlan to Veracruz in 1987.

“We have been capable of benefit from what it was prefer to journey within the United States again within the ‘40s and ‘50s on these old rail cars,” Grigsby told USA TODAY. “And it was a bit of a madcap adventure because of my lack of Spanish. At one point, there were two of us traveling and we were in a berth for one because I didn’t translate very well.”

The trip cemented his interest in travel, especially in its nostalgic forms, which show up in the itineraries he plans these days. Grigsby spoke to USA TODAY about how he got his start, his love of travel books, and his cruise tips.

The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Question: How did you get into this role? How did you come to itinerary planning?

Paul Grigsby: Well, I’ve been at Holland America now (for) 25 years, and I’ve been in the capacity of revenue management. And itinerary planning is within the revenue management function of this brand, and in fact, (at) most of the cruise lines it’s arranged that way. And I kind of worked my way through. Started out in revenue management proper, and then evolved to more (of) a planning function, which was with the revenue plans. And then, back in 2019, I was given the leadership role of the itinerary and deployment planning.

Did you grow up loving ships?

Yeah, I did. I mean, I grew up in Seattle, and I used to walk the docks with my father. You know, he loved ships and the sea, and he greatly influenced me. We would visit ships when they were in town, and they had visitation opportunities. Also, he was an avid boater, so I grew up boating throughout the Pacific Northwest, and you know, the Washington State archipelago as well as up in British Columbia.

This may be self-evident given your work, but do you have a preferred way to travel?

Well, I am biased towards travel by ship. I think even if I didn’t work for Holland America Line or the cruise industry, I’d nonetheless say that. There’s no such factor as ship lag, proper? There is (such) a factor as jet lag, and it is only a leisurely solution to go. And if I had the time, I’d undoubtedly journey by sea. I’d cross the Atlantic as a substitute of flying throughout the Atlantic. … I like being at sea. And once more, I believe it goes again to my roots, rising up on the water. I used to be a business fisherman for a summer season, so I really feel at house on the water.

Is there a cruise cabin kind that you simply notably like, or a location on a ship that you simply choose?

I just like the port aspect as a result of after I was a child, my father assigned his two youngsters to 1 aspect. You know, I used to be assigned port aspect, my sister was assigned starboard aspect. So, I at all times have caught with port aspect.

And so far as the kind of cabin, I’ll admit, I do like a veranda cabin. I do get pleasure from having the ability to stroll exterior and benefit from the sights and smells of the ocean.

Do you’ve any journey must-haves, issues that you simply at all times prefer to deliver with you or have with you?

I prefer to deliver a great e-book alongside, particularly a journey e-book. You know, there are at all times some hiccups that occur with journey, it looks as if, and so it is at all times enjoyable to examine any individual who might need had it worse off than you do. 

I like studying journey historical past. Evelyn Waugh, one in all my favourite authors, he wrote so much about his instances of touring again within the ‘30s. Also, Candice Millard, that is one other e-book: her e-book, “The River of Doubt” … is about Teddy Roosevelt’s exploration by means of the Amazon. Fascinating learn.

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Do you’ve any journey pet peeves or any unpopular journey opinions?

I believe it is used so much, this phrase, however I believe it does resonate for me, and that is simply authenticity. For occasion, if I’m going to a metropolis, I wish to go to the previous part, , a bit that actually outlined what that metropolis was. And perhaps it is my curiosity in historical past. And, as an illustration, I’ll discover out what the previous lodge was that individuals would keep at again within the day, so I’ll go to that. I’m extra serious about that than staying at, , a lodge or one thing that’s an American title lodge.

For these new to cruising, what are the highest belongings you would advocate they know earlier than reserving a cruise?

Yeah, so in the event you’re new to cruising and also you’re unsure if it is your cup of tea, I’d undoubtedly begin with a visit that you wouldn’t see every other manner than on a ship. For occasion, Alaska, is usually the primary of many individuals’s foray into cruise journey. And the reason being that one of the simplest ways to see Alaska is by ship. You’re not going to get to Glacier Bay – I imply, perhaps, yeah, you might get an airplane or no matter, fly and buzz round it, however to immerse your self in Glacier Bay, you have to be on board a ship. And , locations which might be recognized for being archipelagos, these are greatest seen by ship.

So I’d choose trades like that first, and hopefully you catch the bug, and then you definately would possibly go to locations like, say, the Mediterranean, the place there are different methods of journey round. But then you definately understand how straightforward it’s to journey by ship, and you may in all probability be simply as pleased there, too.

Nathan Diller is a client journey reporter for USA TODAY primarily based in Nashville. You can attain him at ndiller@usatoday.com.