Holland America's Alaska: Top Notch

Alaska is one of my all time favorite cruise destinations, perhaps because parts of Alaska can only be experienced from a Cruise Ship:  The Inside Passage, Glacier Bay National Park, and Juneau, just to name a few.  Combining a cruise with a land tour, however, is the ultimate Alaska experience, and nobody does that better than Holland America Line.

Holland America is the leader in the Alaska market.  It has been sailing Alaska for 60 years, longer than any other cruise line, and has more unique offerings.  In 2010 alone, it is sailing 8 ships offering six distinct cruise only itineraries and an astonishing 31 combination cruise and land-tour options.  Guests have the choice of sailing cruise only roundtrip from Seattle or Vancouver, or, if they prefer, sailing one way between Vancouver and Seward.  Guests also can choose a cruise tour that combines a 3, 4, or 7 night cruise with up to 11 nights on land.

When choosing among the plethora of options, I strongly recommend that my clients rule out any itinerary that does not include Glacier Bay National Park.  Glacier Bay is a national treasure, and for that reason, only 2 ships per day are allowed in the park.  Nevertheless, it is one of the most magnificent glacier formations, making it a must-see for many.  More Holland America itineraries include Glacier Bay than any other cruise line, including a 7-night cruise offering that sails roundtrip from Seattle.  For guests who have more time to spend, I strongly recommend choosing a cruise tour.  It is the best way to see the inland sights of Alaska, including Denali National Park and Mt. McKinley.

Among the many unique cruise tour options Holland America offers is its Klondike, Denali, Kluane, & Glacier Bay National Parks cruise tour.  This cruise tour spends just 4 days on the cruise ship, but during those four days guests will visit the best of any Alaska cruise: Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, Ketchikan, and the Inside Passage before debarking in Vancouver.  The land portion of this cruise tour, however, is beyond compare.  During 11 days on land, guests will visit Anchorage, travel the famous McKinley Explorer Rail to Denali National Park to spend 2 nights at a Denali lodge, then travel via rail for an overnight in Fairbanks, followed by stays in Tok, 2 nights in Dawson City (a Klondike Natinal Historic Site), and 2 nights in Whitehorse (a World Heritage Site).  Along the way, guests are treated to a 6-to-8 hour Tundra Wilderness Tour in Denali, a tour of the TransAlaska Pipeline, the opportunity to pan for gold, a series of optional hikes to soak up Alaska's incomparable scenery and wildlife, and a ride on the famous and historic White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad.

For guests who have time only for the cruise itself, one of the best options is the 7-night Glacier Bay Inside Passage cruise.  This cruise visits all the must-see places on an Alaska cruise:  the Inside Passage, Skagway, Glacier Bay, Juneau, and Kethikan.  It also offers the convenience of sailing roundtrip from Vancouver.  Another exceptional option is the Glacier Discovery via Glacier Bay National Park cruise, sailing either northbound or southbound between Vancouver and Seward, and visiting all the same must-see places.  The obvious benefit of the one-way cruise is the opportunity to visit Anchorage and inland Alaska either during a pre or post-cruise stay.  Rates on Holland Alaska cruises are exceptional.  Cruise Holidays of Alexandria currently has an unbeatable offer on an early season, May 23, 2010, sailing Southbound from Seward to Vancouver on the Glacier Discovery cruise.  Rates begin at just $549 per person (double occupancy), plus our guests receive a $100 per stateroom amenity credit, 2 bottles of wine, and a dinner in Holland America's specialty restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill.  Details are found here.