Naturally, WestCord only employs the best. Their drive and passion for surprising guests are admirable, and we would like to put two of them in the spotlight: Ton Lieshout and Eva Verheggen. Ton from Rotterdam is 85 years old and a regular and familiar face on the ss Rotterdam by WestCord, where he has worked as a guide and volunteer shiphost for 16 years. Amsterdam's Eva, on the other hand, is 15 years old and brings a breath of fresh air to Hotel Jakarta, where she has recently started working in service. Young and old, new and established: a conversation with these two energetic WestCord faces!

Ton Lieshout, ss Rotterdam by WestCord

How did you start your career at WestCord? 

'My wife regularly reads the newspaper, in which she saw a call from the ss Rotterdam by WestCord about sixteen years ago. They were looking for new ship hosts, and she signed me up right then. It was fine with me, because I had just retired after a long and busy career, in which I was involved a lot with people. I still am now through this work; I give about two to three tours a day. It's varied work, because every group and tour is different. Some people also come from the shipping industry, which always adds something fun to the conversation.'

What makes the ss Rotterdam by WestCord so unique to you?

'It's an old ship, a beautiful model, and it has a story. I am a Rotterdammer and lived in the city center for a long time. Always when I walked along Coolsingel and Schiedamsedijk, I saw the beautiful ships of the Holland-America Line, like the ss Rotterdam.'

How would you describe your work in three words?

'Fun, interesting, and it's always new. I especially enjoy showing the engine room, because it's such an interesting place. Especially for people who come from shipping, this is a special place, because there is so much to tell here.'

This edition's theme is “Celebrate Life. What does this mean to you?

'A lot. I am eighty-five years old today and in my younger years I always enjoyed playing hockey. Now that I'm older, only four of my former teammates are alive with me, compared to sixteen before. You do take that with you. I'm happy, I'm well on my feet and get around pretty well, so I'm grateful for that. Sometimes I find it hard to be happy with everything that is happening in the world right now. That people have to fight for their freedom, that eats at me.'

What really makes you happy?

‘Ik fiets en wandel veel, en ik ga graag naar het strand en het buitenland. In het buitenland ben ik net even wat meer ‘uit’. Het hoeft niet per se ver te zijn; zo vind ik Antwerpen al ver genoeg. Ik vind het hier heerlijk en drink er graag een biertje op het terras.’

What is your funniest work anecdote?

'In the Queens Lounge of the ship, there are several lights in the ceiling that are rather tangled, but that has a meaning. If you lie on the floor and look at the ceiling, you can see that they are all constellations. Some time ago I had a group of sixteen ladies that I gave a tour to. This was on a Friday night, and they had all already had a small drink, so the atmosphere was good. When I arrived in the lounge with this group of ladies, they all lay down on the floor. You can imagine: sixteen ladies lying on their backs like that, on a Friday night - that was a hilarious situation. The manager came in at that moment and asked, “What are you doing?” To which I said I was just telling the story of the lamps. It was hilarious.

How do you make sure every (work) day is a party?

'I always try to make my tour stories different. This is fun not only for myself, but also for the people who come for the second or third time, for example. In addition, I always try to be cheerful and say hello to everyone when I come in. Greeting someone can mean so much to a person.'

Eva Verheggen, Hotel Jakarta Amsterdam by WestCord

How did you start your career at WestCord?

'I was looking for a side job in the hospitality industry when I heard about Hotel Jakarta from a friend. Through friends she knew someone who worked here. She was so enthusiastic about the hotel that this place appealed to me as well. That is how I ended up here. It is my first catering job and I really like it. I work in Café Jakarta, where I work on the breakfast buffet in the morning - getting up nice and early - and then on lunch. In the evening you can also have dinner here, but I haven't worked that shift yet.'

What makes Hotel Jakarta so unique to you?

'The nice atmosphere, the nice guests and the building. The building is so unique and green; you don't find a place like that easily.'

How would you describe your work in three words?

'Cozy, social and varied. Every guest has a different story. I always try to have a chat with them; that makes the work more personal for me. And sometimes it's very busy, while sometimes it's quieter, so you can pick up other things. No day is the same!

This edition's theme is “Celebrate Life. What does this mean to you?

'For me, celebrate life means enjoying, making fun memories and spending a lot of time with friends and family. For example, with friends I go shopping, go to the cinema or sit on a terrace and enjoy the weather. With family I like it when we are all together and have dinner together. They live all over the Netherlands, so once we're all together, it's super fun.'

What really makes you happy?

'When I'm with my friends and family, or when I'm playing sports. I'm in taekwondo and dancing. Taekwondo I've been doing for eight years, about twice a week, and dancing I've been doing for seven years. From street dance and afro to hip-hop. I do all this with girlfriends, so of course that makes it extra fun.'

What is your funniest work anecdote?

'On my first day at work, two incredibly nice people came for lunch. I immediately had a nice conversation with them. When they went to check out a colleague, they had written on the receipt that they thought I was such a sweet and nice girl and that I had done my job well. Well, I thought that was really great!

How do you make sure every (work) day is a party?

'Every day is different, but what I personally enjoy most is talking to people. Just having a chat and asking questions like: how are you, what are you doing here and what can I do for you today? I also enjoy getting to know all my colleagues, because of course you do it together. I really love the social aspect of this work, the contact with people. I would like to do more with this.