Published and Written By Modernagent.com
Holland America Line’s 2009 Alaska cruise lineup includes eight ships sailing three different itineraries with 158 total departures. The line’s three major cruising itineraries are Glacier Bay Inside Passage, Glacier Discovery and Alaskan Explorer. In addition to visiting Glacier Bay National Park, cruise itineraries visit Alaska’s Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay, as well as the 15 glaciers of College Fjord and the twin Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy Arm. In addition, through a partnership with the Alaska Native Heritage Center, guides will be onboard the majority ships cruising in Glacier Bay, bringing their knowledge and personal experience of local culture, history, art, flora and fauna to guests on Alaska cruises.
Three ships homeported in Seattle will sail 61 seven-day Alaskan Explorer cruises roundtrip: 1,432-guest Zaandam departs Fridays; 1,380-guest Amsterdam departs Saturdays; and the 1,916-guest Westerdam departs Sundays. Cruises depart through Sept. 25. The Amsterdam highlights Hubbard Glacier; the Zaandam features Glacier Bay or Tracy Arm (with the twin Sawyer Glaciers); and the Westerdam cruises Glacier Bay. All Alaskan Explorer cruises call at the historic ports of Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan, plus Victoria, B.C., and feature scenic cruising of the Inside Passage and Vancouver Island. The 1,432-guest Volendam (Wednesday departures) and1,916-guest Zuiderdam (Saturday departures) sail 38 voyages through Sept. 19, roundtrip from Vancouver, visiting Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, Glacier Bay National Park and Tracy Arm fjord. The seven-day itinerary includes two days of glacier viewing with a visit to twin Sawyer Glaciers at the head of the narrow, 26-mile Tracy Arm fjord, in addition to Glacier Bay. Three additional sailings of the Inside Passage itinerary — with port and glacier variations - are available on the Statendam (Sept. 13 and 20) and the Veendam (Sept. 20).
The 1,258-guest Ryndam (Friday departures), Statendam and Veendam (both Sunday departures) sail 54 seven-day cruises between Vancouver and Seward (Anchorage), and reverse through Sept. 18. The Statendam and Veendam visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park and College Fjord in Prince William Sound. The Ryndam visits Ketchikan, Haines, Juneau, Sitka and the Hubbard Glacier in Yakutat Bay. The Glacier Discovery and Inside Passage cruises are often combined with a land tour to create a CruiseTour. A selection of 29 cruise-tours from 11 to 20 days can include visits to Denali National Park, Fairbanks, the Kenai Peninsula, the Arctic and the Yukon Holland America will offer more than 250 shore excursions in 2009, including sea kayaking, fly or sport fishing, dog sledding, and wildlife watching for eagles, sea otters and whales. Other excursions feature attractions like 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. Cruise-only fares start at $599 per person double for a seven-day cruise. Call your Holland 5-Star Agent and Accredited Cruise Counsellor Kenneth Chow of Cruise Planners at 800-839-7135, kchow@cruiseplanners.com or http://www.nycvaluecruise.com from Thursday to Monday 9AM to 7PM EST for about 15 to 30 minutes phone appointment.