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FAQs

Getting More Ashore

Why book tours with Holland America Line versus making your own arrangements ashore?

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Fresh Ketch

Guests who cruise in Alaska can relive the culinary experience of the Great Land with Fresh Ketch, an Alaskan seafood feast delivered at home for friends and family to enjoy. The innovative ‘home excursion’ brings a taste of Alaska home through a partnership with seafood specialists, Alaska Fresh Ketch.

Ketchikan-based Alaska Fresh Ketch serves up the ultimate in Alaskan souvenirs — wild Alaskan king salmon, halibut, smoked salmon and king crab. With two variations, the feast for six to eight people comes wrapped in a keepsake box decorated with local artwork and filled with menus, recipes, cooking tips, special cooking tools, place cards for your table and secret sauces. A souvenir memory book includes descriptions about the seafood, the local Alaskan fishing fleet and other facts about Alaska.

Available for purchase on ships in Alaska this year, it is also available online year-round at a website developed especially for Holland America Line: Fresh Ketch.

Q: How does the shore excursion online booking work?

A: Many tours have limited availability, and booking your tours in advance reduces your chance of disappointment. All shore excursion bookings are processed on a first-come, first-served basis. Shore excursions may be prebooked and prepaid online up to three days in advance of sailing. If tour details are not yet finalized, please check again closer to your departure date.

Q: What if a tour is sold out?

A: If the tour you are interested in is sold out, you may add your name to our waitlist online. If space becomes available, we will notify you by e-mail. If you choose to waitlist more than one guest on a tour, you will have the option to be notified only if enough spaces become available for all waitlisted guests. You will then have 72 hours to return to the Shore Excursion Booking tool and complete your purchase. All remaining waitlist requests are forwarded to the ship before the cruise departs and are processed prior to onboard bookings. If space is available, tickets are delivered to your stateroom the day you embark.

Q: I am traveling on consecutive cruises. Can I pre-book tours for all segments of my voyage?

A: Yes. Guests who are booked under separate booking numbers for separate segments of their voyage may pre-book tours by making the requests under each booking number. If you are booked under a single booking number for multiple cruise segments, tours for both segments will be displayed.

Q: How can I confirm the Shore Excursion Department has received my tour request?

A: The best way to confirm that your request has been received is to make your request online. Please note that the online request process is not complete until you receive your reference number. If you are unsure, return to your account and the Custom Itinerary. If the itinerary does not reflect what you have requested, you may update it accordingly. The Shore Excursion Department cannot confirm receipt of shore excursion requests that are faxed or mailed to our office.

Q:What if I decide to cancel a tour?

A: In the case of online cancellations made by you (which cannot be made during the 3-day period prior to cruise departure) or cancellations made by us more than 3 days prior to cruise departure, we will issue a credit on the credit card that you used to pay for the booking. For all other cancellations (whether by you, Holland America Line or the shore excursion operator), a credit will not be issued on your card. Instead, we will apply an ONBOARD CREDIT ONLY policy under which the refund (less any cancellation fee) will show up as a credit on the shipboard account of the person who was to take the shore excursion. If the credit is not fully utilized during the cruise, the balance will be paid to that guest by the ship's Front Office. If you cancel a Signature private car or minivan shore excursion within 3 days of sailing, a 100% cancellation fee will apply as transportation and services will have already been arranged. Optional excursions during the land portion of an Alaska cruisetour are non-refundable at three days prior to cruisetour departure.

Q: What if my stateroom changes?

A: If your stateroom changes, the Shore Excursion department on board will recognize this change in the ship's manifest and make the appropriate correction.

Q: I see a page that says "No Longer Accessible." Is something wrong?

A: No. To make sure all arrangements are made for your arrival, shore excursions can only be booked online up to 3 days prior to your departure. If you wish to make changes or purchase additional tours, please visit the Shore Excursion Desk once you board the ship.

Q: Does Holland America Line offer children's prices?

A: Yes. Children's prices, where applicable, will be listed on the order form and in the individual shore excursions shown for each destination featured on the web site. These prices generally apply for children aged 12 and under. Children 13 and over will be charged full adult fare on tours. Lap children aged 2 and under may be allowed to accompany parents or guardians on some excursions at no charge. Generally, lap child rates are not available on flights, watercraft and modes of transportation other than motorcoaches and taxi vans. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult over 21. Please consult the onboard shore excursion staff for details.

Q: What if I have a question regarding a specific tour?

A: View the destinations pages of our web site for extensive details on specific shore excursions or contact our Shore Excursions Call Center at 1-888-425-9376 or 206.626.7320 (Monday - Friday, 6:00 am - 6:00 pm, and Saturday & Sunday 8:00am - 4:30pm Pacific Time).

Q: I have a disability. Which tours should I take?

A: A shore excursion tour may not be suitable for everyone. Some tours involve significant physical exertion or require special skills. For many tours, we have tried to indicate what we know about this aspect of the excursion. Do not exceed your own physical limitations. Only you can judge your physical condition. If you have questions about the physical requirements or skills needed to participate in a tour, please ask in advance. Guests with disabilities should inquire in advance whether a tour will be able to accommodate their needs. In this regard, it is important to keep in mind that tour operators are subject to the laws of their own country, including those regarding accommodation to the needs of guests with disabilities. In most countries, the laws are not as stringent as those in the United States.

Please visit the Shore Excursion desk on the first day of the cruise to review each of your selections with the shore excursion staff. The shore excursion staff on board is best suited to answer your specific questions and will have the most up-to-date information. We will waive the 10% cancellation fee for tours that you elect to cancel during your first 24 hours on board the ship if you do so because a disability makes them unsuitable for you.

Q: Can I travel with my friends or family?

A: The meeting places and times for each shore excursion are printed on your shore excursion voucher and in the shore excursion planning form. If you wish to travel with friends or family, please arrive at the designated meeting place together as a group. The shore excursion staff will allocate space in the same vehicle.

Q: How can I receive a shore excursion brochure?

A: Once you’ve booked your cruise, you can download a customized Shore Excursion eBrochure by logging into your account and clicking "My Reservations," then "View My Itinerary." Smaller than a published brochure, your customized ebrochure has only the information that pertains to your sailing. No need to search through lengthy shore excursion lists to find the ones that are available to you.

Q: Are tours offered on the day we embark or disembark the ship?

A: In general, Holland America Line does not offer tours to guests prior to or on the day of embarkation. Tours are available in many disembarkation ports. Please log into your account and view your itinerary to see available options for your sailing.

Q: The tour I am interested in appears on the screen, but there is no checkbox available to select the tour.

A: Please click on the tour's title to view the description. If the tour is no longer being offered, the description will have a note to this effect. If you are attempting to book your tour more than 60 days prior to sailing, the tour operator may not yet have provided departure and capacity information. Please check back closer to the departure date of your cruise. If you are booking less than 60 days prior to departure and there is no note in the tour description explaining that the tour is unavailable, please contact the Shore Excursions Call Center at 1-888-425-9376 or 206.626.7320 (Monday - Friday, 6:00 am - 6:00 pm, and Saturday & Sunday 8:00am - 4:30pm Pacific Time).

Q: Where can I find information regarding transfers, immunizations, visas and identification requirements?

A: This information is provided in the Planning & Advice section of the web site.

Alaska Land Tour Excursion FAQs

Q: Can I purchase my Alaska Land Tour excursions online?

A: Yes. Holland America Line accepts prepayment by credit card for land tour excursions booked online. We will send you an e-mail notification of a confirmed booking and will also notify you via email if space on waitlisted tours becomes available. At that time you will have 72 hours to return to the site and purchase the tour. Any optional land excursions that do not clear the waitlist before departure of your Alaska Cruisetour product should be booked locally with your tour director or Holland America service representative in Alaska or the Yukon. *As of 5/24/10 guests will no longer have to print their confirmation emails and present them as tickets. Your land excursion confirmation will appear on your welcome envelope at each city.

Q: What if an Alaska Land Tour is sold out?

A: If the tour you are interested in is sold out, you may add your name to our waitlist using the Shore Excursion Booking tool. If space becomes available, we will notify you by e-mail. You will then have 72 hours to return to the Shore Excursion Booking tool and complete your purchase. Any optional land excursions that do not clear the waitlist before departure of your Alaska Cruisetour product should be booked locally with your tour director or Holland America service representative.

Q: Are tours offered on the day we embark or disembark the ship for Land Tours?

A: Guests who are boarding the ship in Skagway or Seward from a land tour are eligible for participation in a limited number of Skagway and Seward excursions. Please visit the Shore Excursion Booking tool to view available options for your sailing.

Online Reservations:

Excursions listed for a port may not be available for every cruise. The deadline for making online reservations is 5 days prior to sailing. Online requests made after the deadline cannot be fulfilled. All rates are quoted in U.S. funds. Prices are subject to change without notice and descriptions may vary slightly from the actual tour provided.

Timing of Payment

At time of booking, we will advise you whether or not your booking is confirmed or whether you have been waitlisted. Your credit card will be charged immediately for all confirmed reservations. Should space become available for a waitlisted shore excursion request, we will e-mail you at that time and either immediately charge your credit card if you have already given us your credit card information or ask you to provide us with that information for immediate charge processing. Bookings are subject to cancellation by us at any time prior to the credit card charge being accepted by your bank. In any event, please familiarize yourself with the shore excursion cancellation policy and the cancellation fees which may be assessed once a booking has been confirmed.

Cancellations and Refunds:

While no cancellation fee will be charged for bookings that are cancelled online, you need to keep in mind that online cancellations will not be accepted during the 5-day period prior to cruise departure. Instead, you will need to cancel once you board the ship. All onboard cancellations are subject to at least a 10% cancellation fee. If you cancel a Signature of Excellence shore excursion within 5 days of sailing, a 100% cancellation fee will apply since transportation and services will have already been arranged. If the onboard cancellation occurs after the cancellation deadline for the specific shore excursion, a 100% cancellation fee will apply. The ship's Shore Excursion Office will be able to advise you of the cancellation deadline applicable to each shore excursion. Passengers who wish to cancel should go the Shore Excursion Officer upon embarkation.

Crediting Policy:

In the case of online cancellations made by you (which cannot be made during the 5-day period prior to cruise departure) or cancellations made by us more than 5 days prior to cruise departure, we will issue a credit on the credit card that you used to pay for the booking. For all other cancellations (whether by you, Holland America Line or the shore excursion operator), a credit will not be given on your credit card. Instead, we will apply an ONBOARD CREDIT ONLY policy under which the refund (less any cancellation fee) will show up as a credit to the shipboard account of the person who was to take the shore excursion. If the credit is not fully utilized during the cruise, the balance will be paid to that passenger by the ship's Purser.

Guides, Services and Transportation:

In certain interesting but off-the-beaten-track places, professional guides and vehicles are at a premium. The best available are engaged. It is exceptional for drivers of public hire vehicles to speak any language but their own. It is not always possible to obtain air-conditioned buses or taxis in many ports. However, we do our utmost to engage the very best excursion packages for your touring pleasure. Passengers are cautioned not to leave anything behind while sightseeing, especially such items as cameras, coats and umbrellas, and are reminded that Holland America Line is not liable for any lost items or damage to any baggage or other property which occurs ashore, for any reason whatsoever. Passengers who leave during a tour for which transportation is included must thereafter provide for their own transportation and services at their own expense.

Self-Guided Excursions:

Passengers who do not join these prearranged shore excursions must rely on whatever transportation is available in each port. If you choose to devise your own excursion, it is suggested that you remind the driver or tour escort of the SHIP'S sailing time. Of course, the SHIP'S facilities are fully available to passengers while in port.

Know Your Limitations:

A shore excursion may not be suitable for everyone. Some shore excursions involve significant physical exertion or require special skills. For many shore excursions, we have tried to indicate what we know about this aspect of the excursion. Do not exceed your own physical limitations. Only you can judge your physical condition. If you have questions about the physical requirements or skills needed to participate in a shore excursion, please ask in advance.

Passengers with Disabilities:

Passengers with disabilities should inquire in advance whether a shore excursion will be able to accommodate their needs. In this regard, it is important to keep in mind that shore excursion operators are subject to the laws of their own country including with respect to accommodating the needs of passengers with disabilities. In most foreign countries, the laws are not as stringent as those in the United States.

Passengers Under 18 Years of Age:

Passengers under 18 years of age will not be able to participate in shore excursions unless accompanied by a parent or responsible adult over 21 years of age.

Conditions:

Shore excursions are "Non-Holland America Line Services" for the purposes of your Cruise Contract. Please refer to your Cruise Contract for a full statement of your rights and obligations as well as those of the Owner of the Ship, Holland America Line Inc. and certain other persons and entities with respect to Non-Holland America Line Services. In particular, please note that you are assuming the entire risk of utilizing Non-Holland America Line Services subject only to whatever terms or arrangements are made by you or on your behalf with the third party furnishing the Non-Holland America Line Services. Shore excursions are subject to cancellations or changes. Shore excursion operators reserve the right to deny participation to passengers based on such criteria as they may establish.

Although Holland America Line seeks to verify the accuracy of information on this web site, mistakes may occur. Consequently, Holland America Line reserves the right to refuse or rescind any booking which Holland America Line concludes was made on the basis of erroneous or incorrect information on this web site (such as typographical errors or other mistakes as to the specified pricing).

Cruise With Purpose^SM

Holland America Line is proud to introduce Cruise With Purpose^SM, an innovative program that enables our guests to contribute some of their vacation time to assist with important projects on specially designed shore excursions. By combining a tour experience with a meaningful volunteer opportunity, both our guests and the community benefit.

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Select tour operators, partnered with local non-profit organizations, will offer guests the chance to contribute some of their time to assisting with projects. These unique excursions build traditional tour content around volunteer and ‘citizen science’ opportunities provided by association with the non-profit partners.

Cruise With Purpose^SM launched in Juneau, Alaska in the summer of 2009 with the Marine Wildlife Research Exploration, operated by Holland America Line’s long-time tour partner Gastineau Guiding.

This tour combines traditional whale watching with the chance to identify individual humpback whales by their unique tail ‘fingerprints’, record their behavior – and even their songs using an underwater microphone called a hydrophone. Participants will also collect water samples, trawl for plankton, and record ocean temperature readings. Since plankton is a significant indicator in predicting the success of Alaska’s salmon runs, this data will help manage this precious wild resource. All collected data and water samples are contributed to the body of research maintained by Alaska Sea Grant’s Marine Advisory Program.

The beach landing vessel will then stop at a secluded cove where guests turn into volunteer beachcombers lending a hand to the efforts of the Alaska Marine Conservation Alliance. A naturalist-guide provides interpretation on the flora and fauna as guests pick up non-native debris.

Click here for more information about this new Cruise With Purpose^SM tour offering

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What fascinates you? A cooking class with a local chef? A private car, complete with driver and guide, so you can explore near or far? A chance to encounter wildlife or view natural wonders up close? The Collections of Holland America Line represent a small subset of the shore excursions you will find in this brochure. Each collection offers its own particular focus and is available only in select ports.

Medallion Collection A series of exclusive experiences designed to accommodate our most discerning guests, our Medallion Collection tours are each carefully chosen to provide an in-depth perspective. They offer unparalleled access to events and sights not normally readily available. First-class style, smaller groups, multi-day Overland Adventures - elite activities for a privileged few.

Encore Collection Been there, done that? Think again. Our Encore Collection, designed especially for repeat guests, lets you discover what lies beyond the well-known attractions you've already seen. Barbecue with Argentine gauchos, bike the tree lined boulevards of Barcelona, ride an Icelandic pony across a windswept beach near Reykjavik. These tours showcase hidden gems, unusual angles and inside stories that will bring you back time and again.

World Wonders Collection Natural treasures, architectural marvels, technical wonders: to the Seven Wonders of the World we add our own nominations based on decades of leadership in global travel - the grand palaces of St. Petersburg, the moai statues of Easter Island, and the Great Wall of China, among others. What they have in common is the ability to inspire awe.

Signature Collection This exclusive touring option for independent minded travelers lets you completely customize and maximize your time ashore by reserving private transportation (along with an English speaking driver and guide) in advance. Whether you travel by car or minivan, customized boat, classic floatplane or stretch SUV limousine, you choose the companions, sights and pace that perfectly suit you. To whom is the signature collection suited? The Signature Collection is for solo travelers, couples, families, friends and special interest groups traveling together. This may also be an excellent choice for non-ambulatory guests. Value and flexibility are just two of the advantages of first-class touring and luxury transportation. Privacy, comfort, safety, and personalized guide service are also yours to enjoy. About the transportation Each type of transportation will be of the highest grade available in that port. Not all modes of transportation are available in all locations. For information about the transportation sizes and availability, please see our website at www.hollandamerica.com. Also included The cost includes the service of a driver and English-speaking guide, unlimited mileage, road tolls, parking fees and bottled water. Foreign language guides may be available upon request. Not included (unless otherwise noted) Guests' entrance fees for attractions are not included in the price due to the wide range of attraction possibilities, uncertain number of attractions to be visited, and varying number of guests participating. We strongly recommend that you bring some local currency to cover such costs as credit cards are not readily accepted in some ports. Lunch will not be included on any tour as many guests prefer to select their own dining venue. Itinerary planning If you need help planning your personal itinerary, the Shore Excursions Manager can assist you and will gladly answer your questions. This can be very helpful in many destinations where travel time, location, holidays, and opening hours of attractions need to be taken into consideration in order to maximize the efficiency of your time ashore. Pricing The cost of each type of transportation will be published online at www.hollandamerica.com. Online reservations The fastest and easiest way for you to reserve and pay for your Signature Collection experience is on the Holland America Line website. Visit us online at www.hollandamerica.com. Please note the cost will be per mode of transportation (not per person), so only one person in the party needs to make the reservation. The price shown on the website is the total cost for the transportation, driver and guide (not a per-person price). In many ports, availability is extremely limited. We encourage you to reserve as early as possible. Payment & tour tickets Your credit card will be charged after your reservation is confirmed. Next, start planning what you'll do with your Signature Collection experience in each port. On board the ship, you will be given a tour ticket and a Preference Card to advise the Shore Excursions Office of the itinerary you have chosen. Booking on board The Signature Collection may be available for booking once you are on the ship, but this cannot be guaranteed. Please check with the Shore Excursions Office on board. Disembarking the ship In some disembarkation ports, a private vehicle, driver and guide can be used for sightseeing en route to the airport. When booking, please advise the total amount of luggage for your party. Vehicle size and luggage space may limit the number of guests in the vehicle.