Number-One in Alaska Awards, Most Cruises with Glacier Bay and New Alaska Experiences Make Holland America Line the Top Choice for 2020 Alaska Travel

Limited-time View & Verandah promotion adds extra value with stateroom upgrades, onboard spending money, beverage card, kids sail free and more

SEATTLE, Dec. 18, 2019 /CNW/ -- In 2020, Holland America Line is set to offer a robust season of award-winning Alaska cruises and Land+Sea Journeys, building on its leadership position in The Last Frontier with the most cruise options including Glacier Bay and the addition of Koningsdam, the line's newest class of ship.

With Holland America Line's View & Verandah promotion, guests who book select Alaska cruises and Land+Sea Journeys will receive a stateroom upgrade, onboard spending money up to $500 per stateroom for the first and second guests in a stateroom, free or reduced fares for kids, 50% reduced deposits and 10% off select shore excursions when booked by Feb. 28, 2020. Suite bookings also receive prepaid stateroom gratuities. Plus, when View & Verandah bookings are made by Jan. 17, up to two guests also will receive a $50 beverage card, making a cruise to Alaska next summer an even more affordable vacation.

"Holland America Line pioneered cruising in Alaska and that history and expertise means our guests have the most immersive and memorable encounters with the glaciers, wildlife and mountains that they've come to see, and now is the best time to book with the great perks in our View & Verandah promotion," said Orlando Ashford, Holland America Line's president. "Our 2020 season features a wide selection of options on a variety of ships, all of which are mid-sized to allow more viewing areas and uncrowded deck spaces. And because our Land+Sea guests travel on our own railcars and motorcoaches and stay in our exclusive hotels, they enjoy a seamless journey, consistent service and a tour schedule that maximizes time in each destination."

Holland America Line has been taking guests to Alaska for more than 70 years – longer than it's been a state – giving today's travelers unmatched experience, insider knowledge and preferred access in Alaska cruising. From April through September, seven premium ships will take guests on immersive and enriching Alaska experiences. Cruises sail roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver, B.C., or one-way between Seward (Anchorage), Alaska, and Vancouver.

"In a sea of large, overcrowded ships, Holland America Line's ships stand out and are mid-sized by design, so travelers have plenty of room at the rail to take in the sights," added Ashford. "Wraparound decks and an abundance of staterooms with verandahs bring our guests closer to Alaska's natural wonders."

For explorers who want to travel further into the Great Land, 15 different Land+Sea Journeys combine a three-, four- or seven-day Alaska cruise with an inland exploration to spend more time – up to three nights – at Denali National Park and Preserve, the crown jewel of Alaska's interior. Leveraging insider knowledge and an extensive network of its own land assets including hotels, railcars and motorcoaches, Holland America Line is the only cruise line that extends land tour options all the way to Dawson City, the heart of the Klondike Gold Rush, and the unspoiled reaches of the Yukon Territory.

More Glaciers and More Ways to See Them
Alaska's awe-inspiring glaciers are best viewed from the sea, and every Alaska cruise includes a visit to one more of Alaska's iconic glacier destinations: Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier and the Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm. Only Holland America Line offers the most cruise departures with itineraries that include Glacier Bay, the "must-see" glacier experience for many Alaska travelers.

New and Notable for 2020

• Koningsdam sails its maiden season in Alaska with seven-day Inside Passage itineraries roundtrip from Vancouver, B.C. This newest class ship brings a number of exclusives to Alaska, including Music Walk, Rolling Stone Rock Room, the state-of-the-art World Stage, French brasserie Rudi's Sel de Mer, Nami Sushi, an abundance of verandah staterooms and more. Holland America Line is the only cruise line with seven-day roundtrip itineraries from Vancouver that include Glacier Bay National Park.
• Fourteen-day Great Alaska Explorer EXC In-Depth Voyages aboard Maasdam offer a new way to explore Alaska. The itineraries, sailing roundtrip Vancouver, call at seldom-visited ports such as Homer and Valdez and offer interactive workshops, lectures and theme-based shore excursions in the areas of photography, nature, food, history and active tours. Zodiacs can be boarded directly from the ship for a closer view of glaciers, wildlife and breathtaking scenery, guided by an expert.
• All ships cruising in Alaska feature expanded thoughtful onboard programming through Explorations Central that offers the opportunity to learn about local culture and history from regional experts. Guests can engage with an Alaska naturalist, and cruises with Glacier Bay bring on a National Park Ranger and Huna native speaker. Special presentations explore distinctly local topics such as Alaska's bush pilots and the famous Iditarod race.
• All Holland America Line Yukon itineraries, including the popular 10-day Yukon+Double Denali Land+Sea Journey, now features two nights in Dawson in the heart of the Yukon. This affords guests more time to relive gold rush history and take in Yukon Valley views from Midnight Dome.
• The 14-day Double Denali+Seward Land+Sea Journey expands in 2020 with an added night at the Alyeska Resort in the Chugach Mountains.
• Seven world-renowned chefs guide and influence every aspect of the onboard dining experience, including for the first time on Alaska cruises French and Italian inspired dishes from the newest addition to the line's Culinary Council, "Top Chef" season 10 winner and acclaimed restaurateur Kristen Kish.

Insider Expertise Delivers Exclusive Experiences
Holland America Line's 3,500 staff in Alaska each year are among the most experienced and highly trained, and many are local Alaskans. All are employees of the company, not third parties, so guest travel is smooth and service is consistent throughout the journey. The line also owns its own motorcoaches, luxury-domed McKinley Explorer railcars and hotels, including the 60-acre McKinley Chalet Resort bordering Denali National Park. Itineraries are thoughtfully designed and carefully crafted with local expertise and insider knowledge, to allow the maximum touring time, departure times that allow guests the most rest, and knowledgeable Journey Hosts that help provide a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Voted Number-One Cruise Line in Alaska by Cruise Critic and AFAR
Holland America Line was named the top pick for Alaska cruises in Cruise Critic's 2019 Cruisers' Destination Awards and the 2019 AFAR Travelers' Choice Awards, and Best Itineraries in the Cruise Critic Editors' Picks Awards, confirming its position as the number-one cruise line for adventures in The Great Land by some of the world's most discerning travelers and cruise experts.

Guests can cruise to Alaska in 2020 aboard Eurodam, Koningsdam, Maasdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Volendam and Westerdam.

For more information, contact a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

Find Holland America Line on Twitter, Facebook and the Holland America Blog. Access all social media outlets via the home page at hollandamerica.com.

About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
Holland America Line's fleet of 14 ships offers more than 500 cruises to more than 400 ports in 98 countries, territories or dependencies around the world. From shorter getaways to 128-day itineraries, the company's cruises visit all seven continents, with highlights including Antarctica explorations, South America circumnavigations and exotic Australia & New Zealand and Asia voyages; three annual Grand Voyages; and popular sailings to the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada & New England, Europe and the Panama Canal. The line welcomed Nieuw Statendam in December 2018. A third Pinnacle-class ship, Ryndam, will be delivered in 2021.

The company's brand evolution in recent years secured its position as the leader in premium cruising. Fleetwide the ships feature innovative initiatives and a diverse range of enriching experiences focused on destination immersion and personalized travel. Outstanding entertainment fills each evening at venues including Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King's Blues Club, Rolling Stone Rock Room and Billboard Onboard. The dining experience can be savored at a variety of restaurants with menus that feature selections from Holland America Line's esteemed Culinary Council, comprising world-famous chefs who design dishes exclusively for guests.

SOURCE Holland America Line

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