A Zeller Family Affair

Pam recently visited Holland America Line’s old head offices at Hotel New York and discovered a display case with some Holland America Line memorabilia. Among them she found a familiar name on a business card.

Dick Zeller was with Holland America Line for 43 years and served as hotel manager for 27 of those years. If the name sounds familiar, it is because he’s the father of Eurodam’s Culinary Operations Manager Mark Zeller, who is set to be named Eurodam’s hotel manager July 15.

The Zellers have a long history with Holland America Line. In 1966 Dick Zeller met Heidi, an entertainer on board the original Nieuw Amsterdam, and they fell in love. They soon married and had Mark, who has been with the line for nine years.

When Dick retired in 1997, he was honored at the end of the gangway of Nieuw Amsterdam with three whistle blows from the ship. Several years later upon his death, his ashes were scattered at sea from Zuiderdam.

Mark Zeller with his mom, Heidi, aboard Eurodam.