•  Ease of planning.  We can provide all the information you need about cruise lines, ships and specific itineraries that match the needs and interests of your group.  Some amount of discussion among group members – and perhaps a use of the democratic process – may be required to decide on a cruise itinerary and ship.  But, once that decision is made, no one in the group has to organize meals or entertainment – it's already done.  If you want to organize a special party or event on board just for your group, we can help you coordinate with the ship's guest relations staff.  We can also arrange flights to and from the port of embarkation through the cruise line's air department, ensuring that group members fly together when possible.

• Special amenities.  When we help you make reservations as a group, you may qualify for special amenities, upgraded accommodations, onboard credits or discounted shore excursions.  Larger groups (about 30 people or more) may even qualify for a free cabin, which could be used by the organizer or a group member who couldn't otherwise afford the cruise.  Large groups can also request a hospitality desk on board, which gives group members a place to meet and make plans for shared activities.

Seattle, April 14, 2009 - Holland America Line is introducing a new 14-day Alaskan Adventurer cruise itinerary in 2010 to complement its extensive selection of seven-day itineraries and departures. The Alaskan Adventurer increases the choice of Holland America itineraries to a total of four, joining the popular Alaskan Explorer, Glacier Discovery and Glacier Bay Inside Passage itineraries.

Holland America's schedule features eight ships offering 149 total departures from May 3 through September 24, 2010. The Alaskan Adventurer cruises will sail roundtrip from Seattle on flagship ms Amsterdam and call at Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak for the first time. Seven-day cruises will sail from Seattle, Vancouver and Seward.

"Drawing on more than 60 years of Alaska experience, Holland America Line has introduced this new 14-day Alaskan Adventurer itinerary to expand guests' cruising options," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales, and guest programs. "It is a major addition to our 2010 Alaska cruise schedule, which continues to offer the widest selection of seven-day itineraries and departures of any cruise line in Alaska."

Holland America is featuring a wide range of seven-day cruises, both roundtrip from Seattle and Vancouver and one-way between Vancouver and Seward. As a longtime tour operator, Holland America continues to be awarded the most permit entries of any major cruise line to Glacier Bay, a 65-mile long fjord with spectacular tidewater glaciers.

"Holland America's itineraries also continue to feature the best glacier viewing," said Meadows. "Every cruise visits massive tidewater glaciers."

Many roundtrip Seattle cruises feature Alaska's immense Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay, the largest tidewater glacier in North America. Some cruises visit College Fjord with 10 large tidewater and valley glaciers named after Ivy League colleges. Others sail by the twin Sawyer Glaciers in the narrow, 26-mile Tracy Arm fjord.

Alaska Travel Guides sail on board every Holland America ship in Alaska and share their knowledge of local culture, history, art and flora and fauna with guests. In addition to the Alaska Travel Guides, Native interpreters board the ships in Glacier Bay and by Hubbard Glacier to explain the origins of the Huna and Yakutat people.

14-day Alaskan Adventurer Cruises
The 1,380-guest Amsterdam will homeport in Seattle to sail the 14-day Alaskan Adventurer cruises departing roundtrip May 17 through September 6, 2010. The Amsterdam will be the first cruise ship of a major cruise line to call in Anchorage, providing guests with a full day and evening in Alaska's major city.

The flagship will also call at the new ports of Homer and Kodiak. Homer features a breathtaking location at the tip of the Kenai Peninsula, the Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center and the famous Homer Spit in Kachemak Bay. Kodiak, home of the famed Kodiak bear, reflects both 7,500 years of native Alutiiq heritage and Russian fur trading influence since 1792 as the first capital of Russian America.

The Amsterdam's leisurely itinerary features the scenic Inside Passage, highlighted by cruising Tracy Arm fjord with its twin Sawyer Glaciers. The ship also cruises by the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay. Ports of call include Ketchikan, Skagway, Sitka, Anchorage, Homer, Kodiak, Juneau and Victoria, BC.

Alaskan Explorer Cruises
Four ships will be home-ported in Seattle in 2010, sailing a total of 63 seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises roundtrip. The Amsterdam opens the season with two seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises departing May 3 and 10 before shifting to the new 14-day itinerary.

From May 9 through September 24, the 1,432-guest ms Zaandam departs Fridays, 1,316-guest ms Rotterdam departs Saturdays and the 1,918-guest, Vista-class ms Oosterdam departs Sundays. The Zaandam and Rotterdam highlight the Hubbard Glacier and the Oosterdam showcases Glacier Bay. All Alaskan Explorer cruises call at the historic ports of Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, plus Victoria, BC, and feature scenic cruising of the Inside Passage and Vancouver Island.

Inside Passage and Glacier Discovery Cruises
Four ships will be home-ported in Vancouver, two of them sailing seven-day Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruises roundtrip. The 1,432-guest Volendam (Wednesday departures) and 1,916-guest Zuiderdam (Saturday departures) sail 39 voyages from May 8 through September 18. They visit Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan, Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm fjord.

The 1,270-guest ms Ryndam and the 1,258-guest ms Statendam will offer two more sailings of the Inside Passage-with port and glacier variations-September 12 and 19 to conclude the season.

The Ryndam and Statendam also sail 36 seven-day Glacier Discovery cruises between Vancouver and Seward and reverse with Sunday departures May 9 through September 12. From Vancouver, the northbound itinerary features Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord in Prince William Sound. The southbound route from Seward calls at Haines in place of Skagway.

The Glacier Discovery and Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruises are often combined with a land tour to create a comprehensive CruiseTour. A diverse selection of 31 CruiseTours from 11 to 20 days may include visits to Denali National Park, Fairbanks, the Kenai Peninsula, the Arctic and the Yukon Territory. Many CruiseTours offer two-days at Denali-"Double Denali"-to maximize wildlife and Mt. McKinley viewing.

Shore Excursions
Holland America offers more than 250 optional shore excursions in conjunction with its Alaska cruises. Guests can customize their Alaskan experience with excursions that involve everything from adventure and wildlife watching to history, art and cuisine. They can enjoy active excursions such as sea kayaking, fly or sport fishing, dog sledding and viewing eagles, sea otters and whales. Other exciting excursions feature such attractions as the White Pass Summit Scenic Railway from Skagway, Russian heritage in Sitka, a photography tour in Haines and a five-course tasting meal featuring Alaska seafood prepared by a local chef in Ketchikan.

Are you thinking about how to provide yourself, or someone you love, with the trip of a lifetime? Consider a cruise that will leave a lasting impression: a cruise to Alaska.

The scenery of the Alaskan coast is absolutely spectacular: fjords, calving glaciers, waterfalls, humpback and orca whales and other wildlife. However, Alaska offers much more than scenery. Shore excursions provide the opportunity to enjoy activities that range from shopping for native handicrafts to kayaking, glacier walking and even dog sledding.

Here’s an idea of the activities available in some of Alaska’s popular ports of call:

• Skagway was made famous by the Klondike gold rush, and the main street still has many buildings dating from gold rush days. In-port activities include helicopter "flightseeing" combined with glacier walks or dog sledding; and scenic rides along the Yukon Route Railway to the summit of White Pass.
• Juneau is Alaska’s capital, with a great variety of attractions. The Mt. Roberts tramway glides 1,800 feet up a steep slope right next to the cruise ship pier. Mendenhall Glacier, which has a visitor center and excellent hiking trails, is just a 20-minute ride from the pier. Juneau is also an excellent launching point for whale watching, kayaking and river rafting.
• Ketchikan is noted for its native cultural centers: one of them, Saxman Native Village, has the world’s largest collection of totem poles. This is also the sport fishing capital of Alaska: five types of salmon can be caught right in the town’s marina. If your cruise itinerary doesn’t include Misty Fjords National Monument, flight tours are available from Ketchikan.
• Sitka is characterized by a blend of Russian and native cultures: walking tours of the picturesque town include St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral and Totem Square. Situated on Baranof Island, Sitka is a good place for fishing and kayaking. Humpback whales are often spotted in the water and puffins inhabit some nearby islands.

With so many things to do and see in Alaska, it may be difficult to choose shore excursions. Let me help you consider all the options and select those you’ll enjoy most. Remember, you can take in more of the Alaskan interior on a pre- or post-cruise land vacation, too.