Embark on a small-group Expedition CruiseTour for a remote wilderness experience you may not otherwise encounter. We’ve partnered with some of Alaska’s premier lodges to bring you the perfect combination of rugged adventure and northern hospitality. Fill your days with unforgettable sights, active adventures and time on your own in the unspoiled beauty of Alaska’s pristine backcountry. In the evenings, savor expertly prepared meals and a refreshing night’s sleep in your cozy cabin. Your private wilderness retreat is calling.
With our 14-Day Expedition CruiseTours E1 guests experience the ultimate in personalized lodge-based travel on the Kenai Peninsula. Independent travelers can make the Denali Backcountry Lodge their private wilderness retreat in Denali National Park with our 13-Day Expedition CruiseTours E2. And our 12-Day Expedition CruiseTours E3 truly answer the call of the wild – you know it’s remote when one lodge is on Alaska’s historic Iditarod Trail and the other has a resident bear population.
These unique tours begin or end in Anchorage (E1/E3) or Fairbanks (E2).
Cruise Glacier Bay
If you didn't know any better, you'd think Glacier Bay ostentatious for the way it flaunts its ice. The glaciers practically terminate in your lap. A cruise to Glacier Bay National Park with Holland America Line will show you a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects a unique ecosystem of plants and animals living in concert with an ever-changing glacial landscape.
When a monumental chunk of ice splits off a glacier and thunders into the sea the impact shoots water hundreds of feet into the air. You hold your breath as you catch the moment on film. Then you wait for it all to happen again. And it does: Glacier Bay has more actively calving tidewater glaciers than anyplace else in the world.
Cruise to Skagway
Some of the aspiring Klondike gold rushers who made it to Skagway took a look at the 500-mile journey that still lay ahead of them and decided a change of profession was in order. So many of them set up shop as provisioners that Skagway was the largest city in Alaska by the end of the 19th century. Booms fade and dreams move on, but the glory days still reverberate through the town. Ride the antique White Pass & Yukon narrow-gauge railway, step into the Red Onion Saloon or peruse the restored buildings and wooden boardwalks of the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Cruise College Fjord
There is a spot in College Fjord where you can see eight glaciers at once. The fjord pokes into the Chugach Mountains at the north end of Prince William Sound and it's the only place in Alaska that surrounds you on three sides with glaciers, five of which terminate at the water. The Harriman Expedition that explored College Fjord in 1899 was funded by Ivy League colleges, and all of the glaciers were named for the various schools in their honor. As you travel into the Fjord, the glaciers on the left are named for women's colleges and those on the right are named for men's colleges. Harvard Glacier is the biggest – its face is a mile and a half across.
Cruise to Ketchikan
Ketchikan clutches the shores of the Tongass Narrows, with many shops and houses built right out over the water. The stairways are weathered and the vibe is cheerful in the town that calls itself the Salmon Capital of the World. Besides the main attractions – Creek Street, the Tongass Historical Museum, Totem Bight State Park and Saxman Village – try a flightseeing trip to Misty Fjords National Monument. These deepwater fjords were gouged out by retreating glaciers, leaving granite cliffs towering thousands of feet above the sea and countless waterfalls plunging into placid waters.
Cruise to Juneau
No roads lead to Juneau, which gives the Alaskan capital a misty inscrutability. You need to come by air or water, but when you arrive, the place will delight you with its bounty of water, forests, and mountains. Squeezed between the Gastineau Channel and Coast Mountains, Juneau offers a lot of variety in close proximity. The massive Mendenhall Glacier and the immense Juneau Icefields are at its back door. The vast Tongass National Forest stretches away to the northeast. You can shop downtown or get out and kayak, dogsled, raft, hike, whale watch, flightsee or fish. The adventures are as bountiful as the daylight.
Cruise to Anchorage
Anchorage flaunts its mountains: The Chugach seem to rise just like that out of the backyards of city's eastern neighborhoods. So much of the rest of the scenery is water. The west of the city is bounded by the Cook Inlet, the north and south by its two major branches: the Knik Arm and Turnagain Arm. Hit Anchorage on the solstice and enjoy the restaurants, saloons, museums and galleries in round-the-clock sunshine. Extend your stay and take advantage of the many optional tours that spotlight Alaska's history, culture and outdoor lifestyle.
Cruise to Vancouver
If you could watch the history of Vancouver as a time-lapse movie, you'd see the creation of a sawmill and a community that grew up around it, which then became the townsite of Granville. Then comes the railroad, and development of the great natural harbor. Then: a sudden linkage to the Orient, Eastern Canada, and Europe. Immigrants come, business blooms, and the skyscrapers rise up along Burrard Inlet, always with the mountains visible in the spaces between the buildings. Go for the galleries, boutiques, public markets, and restaurants of every flavor. Visit vibrant Chinatown and Stanley Park, with its 1,000 acres of forests, gardens, lakes and lawns in the heart of the city.
Glacier Bay National Park
Holland America Line has been exploring the pristine waters of Glacier Bay since before it was even a national park. Today, each ship that sails into these spectacular glacial fjords has ranger naturalists who board early in the morning and offer our guests a unique glimpse into one of the largest protected wilderness areas in North America.
In an unprecedented effort to document the many unique splendors of this national treasure for our guests, Holland America has teamed up with the National Park Service to produce exclusive one-on-one interviews with Glacier Bay’s foremost experts on a wide range of fascinating topics.
Radio personalities and hosts of our Art Tours, Paul Lasley and Elizabeth Harryman bring you inspiring insights into this land of scenic and natural wonders. They worked with the National Park’s rangers, scientists and naturalists who gave generously of their time to allow you this rare insider’s view into the science and wild beauty of Glacier Bay National Park.
Download all 16 of the Glacier Bay Ranger Podcasts, or the specific podcast that interests you, onto your personal iPod®, MP3 or portable media player before you embark on your Holland America Line Alaska cruise to Glacier Bay. Pre-loaded Glacier Bay Ranger Podcasts are also available on board.
These podcasts are copyrighted productions of Holland America Line and are intended for the sole enjoyment of our guests.
1: Welcome & Tips
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Cherry Payne, former Glacier Bay National Park Superintendent shares her insights on what makes the park so special. Then Park Ranger Randy Thomas provides some helpful tips on how to get the most out of your Glacier Bay cruise experience.
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2: Wilderness
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Join Park Ranger Marylou Blakeslee as she shares her thoughts on how wilderness areas such as Glacier Bay enrich our lives.
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3: A Park for Science
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Lewis Sharman, park ecologist at Glacier Bay coordinates the park’s multi-faceted research program. Discover why Glacier Bay attracts so many researchers from around the world and what they study.
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4: For Kids
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Steve Schaller, Glacier Bay’s education specialist loves sharing the wonders of Glacier Bay with kids. Listen while Steve describes the rich opportunities for children to experience Glacier Bay at Club HAL during their cruise.
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5: Recreation
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Park Ranger Emma Johnson is a year-round resident of the Glacier Bay area and an avid outdoor enthusiast. On this podcast she highlights the great variety of outdoor activities that Glacier Bay offers in all seasons.
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6: Native Perspectives
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Ken Grant serves as a management assistant at Glacier Bay, and he is also a respected Tlingit elder. The Tlingit People have a strong connection to their Glacier Bay homeland and Ken shares that priceless insight with us here.
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7: Early Exploration
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When the early explorers first sighted Glacier Bay, it was more glacier than bay. Join Park Ranger Kevin Richards in a lively recounting of the early exploits and expeditions of yesteryear.
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8: Mountains
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Glacier Bay National Park provides an unparalleled opportunity to visit some of the world’s highest mountains by ship. Join Park Ranger Sierra Willoughby to discover how these mountains came to be.
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9: Tidewater Glaciers
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What are the ingredients of a glacier? How do they move? What happens when they meet the sea? Park Ranger Jeff Pietka answers these questions and more to help you understand Glacier Bay’s famous rivers of ice.
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10: Climate Change
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Glaciers around the globe are shrinking, and Glacier Bay is no exception. However, the park remains home to a few healthy and even advancing glaciers. Join Park Ranger Patrick Hair and discover how high coastal mountains and heavy snowfall combine to create conditions favorable to glacier ice, a rarity in today's world.
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11: Bears on the Beach
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For Tania Lewis, a wildlife biologist at Glacier Bay National Park, finding bears is easy. With binoculars and persistence, you too could spot a bear on the beach during your Glacier Bay cruise. Listen as Tania explains what Glacier Bay bears are up to.
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12: Sea Otters
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Sea otters are a highlight for many Alaska cruise passengers. Park Ranger Emily Mount describes how otters flourish in the rich waters of Glacier Bay, and provides tips on spotting these charismatic mammals.
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13: Goats & Bears
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Mountain goats are one of the easiest land mammals to find from the deck of a cruise ship, and Glacier Bay has a healthy population. Listen as Park Ranger Janene Driscoll describes life on a steep mountainside, and offers helpful hints on spotting these agile climbers?
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14: Humpback Whales
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Imagine spending your summer in a small boat among feeding humpback whales. That’s just what Janet Neilson and Chris Gabriele do. As wildlife biologists who can recognize individual whales, they are working to create a complete “who’s who” of Glacier Bay’s whales. Listen and learn of the fascinating lives of these majestic animals, and the steps that the park is taking to protect them.
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15: Birdlife to Watch for
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Glacier Bay is home to abundant birdlife, and it is easy to spot from your ship. Listen as Park Ranger Tom VandenBerg discusses some of the bay’s specialties, including puffins, bald eagles, and flying “potatoes.”
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16: Plants from the Deck
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Glacier Bay was first protected in 1925 as a world famous location to study plant life. What better place to observe how life returns after a glacier has wiped the slate clean? Even from the deck of your ship, changing patterns and colors are easily noticed. Listen as Park Ranger Fay Schaller illuminates the story behind the scenery.
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Download all 16 podcasts at once: 4hours, 21 minutes (65.3MB)
Do You Offer A Cancellation Protection Plan?
Holland America Line's Cancellation Protection Plan (CPP) is available for purchase on Holland America Line Cruises and CruiseTours, and is offered as a Standard Plan or a Platinum Plan. CPP is designed to protect your vacation investment from loss. Be it illness, family matters, unforeseen work events - anything, CPP is a product that enables you to cancel your vacation plans before you leave, for any reason and receive a refund.
Four reasons to choose the Holland America Line Cancellation Protection Plan:
- YOU CAN CANCEL BEFORE DEPARTURE FOR ANY REASON. Even if it's up to 24 hours before departure under our Standard Plan or right up to departure with our Platinum Plan. For any reason whatsoever, your reservation may be cancelled with ease.
- YOU GET MONEY BACK. Only Holland America Line refunds 80-90% of eligible amounts paid, regardless of your reason for canceling, as long as you cancel more than 24 hours prior to departure (right up to departure with the Platinum Plan).
- SAME PRICE FOR ALL AGES. We offer the same excellent protection for everyone, at the same cost.
- NO PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS. Our Standard and Platinum Plans do not contain pre-existing condition exclusions.
Our Standard and Platinum plans at a glance
Unforeseen events do happen. When you book your next cruise, be sure to ask about our Cancellation Protection Plans to protect your cruise investment.
CPP Standard Plan – Provided by Holland America Line
Our Standard Cancellation Protection Plan (CPP Standard Plan) will allow you, for any reason, to provide written cancellation up to 24 hours prior to the start of your scheduled travel (sea, land and/or air) arrangements made by Holland America Line and receive a refund equal to 80% of the eligible amounts paid. CPP Standard is available to all guests, regardless of residency.
In addition, Holland America Line (HAL) automatically assumes an additional $500 (USD) of liability for lost, damaged or delayed baggage of guests who purchase the CPP Standard Plan still subject, however, to the limitations in our baggage policies. For example, we do not cover losses while baggage is in the custody of airlines. Please review our Baggage Policy.
The CPP Standard Plan is not insurance, and is administered by Holland America Line; it provides no rights other than those explained above. For example, it does not protect double-triple-quad occupancy rates should one or more members of your party cancel, nor does it cover expenses or unused services due to trip interruption.
CPP Platinum
Our Platinum Cancellation Protection Plan enables you to supplement the benefits provided under the CPP Standard Plan with higher cancellation reimbursement and extends the eligible cancellation period up until the start of your scheduled travel (sea, land and/or air) arrangements made by Holland America Line. CPP Platinum also provides insurance coverage for trip delays and interruptions, medical expenses and much more. In addition, CPP Platinum includes 24-hour worldwide emergency assistance services. CPP Platinum is comprised of the following:
SECTION I
Cancel for Any Reason Waiver
Provided by Holland America Line
You may cancel for any reason prior to the start of your scheduled travel (sea, land and/or air) arrangements made by Holland America Line and receive reimbursement equal to 90% of the eligible amounts paid to Holland America. Note: CPP Platinum does not protect double-triple-quad occupancy rates should one or more members of your party cancel prior to departure.
SECTION II
TRAVEL INSURANCE PROGRAM
Underwritten by Stonebridge Casualty Insurance Company
- Trip Interruption: Enables you to cancel or interrupt your cruise vacation for illness, injury or death to you, an immediate family member or a traveling companion, as well as certain other non-medical reasons affecting you or your traveling companion, and receive up to 150% of your cruise vacation cost.
- Trip Delay: If you miss the departure of your cruise due to carrier-caused delays or other specified reasons, you will be reimbursed up to $500 for additional accommodations, meals and “catch-up” transportation expenses.
- Baggage Protection: If your baggage or personal property is lost or damaged, you will be reimbursed up to $1,000. If your bags are delayed or misdirected by a common carrier for more than 24 hours, you will be reimbursed up to $500 for the purchase of necessary personal effects.
- Medical Expense Coverage: Should you become injured or sick during your vacation, you will be reimbursed up to $10,000 for medical expenses.
- Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation: In the event that serious illness or injury requires air or ground transportation to a specialized facility or to return home, you will be provided up to $50,000 in covered medical services and supplies (coordinated by our 24-hour assistance provider) to help ensure your safe transport. Repatriation coverage provides for shipment of remains in the event of death during the cruise vacation.
The Travel Insurance Program is underwritten by Stonebridge Casualty Insurance Company, a Transamerica company, Columbus, Ohio; NAIC #10952 (all states except as otherwise noted) under Policy/Certificate Form series TAHC5000. In CA, HI, NE, NH, PA, TN and TX Policy/Certificate Form series TAHC5100 and TAHC5200. In IL, IN, KS, LA, OR, OH, VT, WA and WY Policy Form #'s TAHC5100IPS and TAHC5200IPS. Certain coverages are under series TAHC6000 and TAHC7000.
SECTION III
WORLDWIDE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE SERVICES
Provided by On Call International
Provides 24-hour assistance services including: pre-cruise health, safety and weather information; assistance with travel changes; lost luggage assistance; emergency cash transfer assistance; emergency medical and dental assistance; lost travel document assistance; and emergency medical payment assistance.
IMPORTANT: This is only a brief description of the program. Please refer to the link below for a summary of the terms, conditions, and exclusions. Note that the benefits and services provided in CPP Platinum are available only to guests who enroll in and pay the appropriate program cost to Holland America Line. Please note that payment of the required cruise deposit does not automatically activate enrollment in CPP Platinum Protection. In order to activate enrollment, you must pay the appropriate program costs in addition to the required cruise deposit amount. The CPP Standard and CPP Platinum Plans are optional and are available for purchase prior to the date on which cancellation fees begin to accrue. Payment for the plan is due at time of purchase and is non-refundable. The per person, per cruise costs for both plans are listed with the cruise fares. To add our Cancellation Protection Standard or Platinum Plan to your new or existing cruise booking, please call us at 1-877-932-4259.
This program was designed and is administered by Aon Affinity Berkely Travel. Aon Affinity, is the brand name for the brokerage and program administration operations of Affinity Insurance Services, Inc.; (AR 244489); in CA, MN & OK , AIS Affinity Insurance Agency, Inc. (CA 0795465); in CA, Aon Affinity Insurance Services, Inc., (0G94493), Aon Direct Insurance Administrators and Berkely Insurance Agency and in NY and NH, AIS Affinity Insurance Agency. Affinity Insurance Services is acting as a Managing General Agent as that term is defined in section 626.015(14) of the Florida Insurance Code. As a MGA we are acting on behalf of our carrier partner.
For New York residents only: The Holland America Cancel For Any Reason Waiver may be purchased separately from the Travel Insurance Program. Contact 1-877-538-3815 for details.
This plan provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.
Review Terms, Conditions and Plan Sponsors
updated 02/13
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