Continuing in their Tradition of Excellence, Holland America Line CruiseTours
And Gray Line of Alaska Offer Innovations to Enhance the Alaska Experience
SEATTLE, Feb. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Holland America Line, the leader in
Alaska cruises and CruiseTours, has extended its $225 million Signature of
Excellence commitment to Alaska tour programs, taking steps to enhance guest
satisfaction for the upcoming 2004 Alaska season. Extensive hotel and rail
upgrades align with Holland America Line's quest to provide guests with the
most distinctive ships at sea and the most spacious accommodations in the
premium cruise category, resulting in the ultimate Alaska experience for
guests.
"Our brand-new McKinley Explorer domed railcars and our expanded hotel
facilities, combined with our award-winning Alaska itineraries, will ensure
that our guests enjoy the best in transportation and accommodations, capped by
an unsurpassed wilderness experience, " said David A. Giersdorf, executive
vice president, marketing and sales. "We are applying the spirit of our
"Signature of Excellence" initiative to each and every element of our cruise
and land programs, so that our guests experience the definitive Alaska
experience in comfort and satisfaction."
Best Alaskan Itineraries
In what is one of the most competitive cruise destinations in the world,
Holland America maintains its leading position as the cruise line with the
Best Alaskan Itineraries -- a Porthole Magazine Readers' Choice honor it has
earned for three years in a row. In 2004, the line will sail seven ships on
139 Alaskan cruises, adding more departures from Seattle, and more private
verandahs with a new 1,848-passenger Vista-class vessel. Compared with other
major cruise lines, Holland America Line ships carry on average 33 percent
fewer guests, have the largest verandahs and offer more suites than any other
premium line. The Holland America fleet will visit more glaciers than ever in
2004, with cruises scheduled to tour the imposing 5-mile wide, 40-stories-tall
Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm with the Sawyer Glaciers, College Fjord, and
Glacier Bay National Park. Many cruises will give passengers two separate days
of glacier viewing. Port calls include Juneau, Sitka, Skagway and Ketchikan,
with dozens of optional excursions available to guests in each port, including
dog-sledding, glacier hiking, flightseeing, kayaking and guided city tours.
Extra Time in the Best Places
The greatest enhancement in HAL's CruiseTour programs in Alaska is the
luxury of time. HAL CruiseTours feature itineraries that provide enough time
to truly see the natural wonders of Alaska and the Yukon. Every CruiseTour
includes time in Denali National Park, with some options offering an extra,
unscheduled day at Denali. CruiseTour itineraries, which range from 11 to
19 days, feature 25 different ways for guests to explore the wonders of the
49th state and Canada's Yukon.
More Time in National Parks
Most visitors to Alaska are seeking a wilderness experience, and
especially visits to the national parks of Alaska and the Yukon. Holland
America Line CruiseTours spend more time in Denali National Park than any
other cruisetour company. All 25 CruiseTours include the complete six-hour
Denali Wilderness Tour, offering 71 percent more wildlife viewing and better
opportunities to see Mt. McKinley. The "Double Denali" CruiseTours feature a
second full, unscheduled day at the Park, allowing for hiking, flightseeing
Mt. McKinley, dog-sledding, river-rafting, and more. HAL's five-star ships
visit magnificent Glacier Bay National Park more often than any other cruise
company. The day in Glacier Bay National Park includes interpretive narration
from a Park Ranger and a Huna Totem native speaker. HAL CruiseTours are also
returning, for the second year, to the crown jewel of Canada's wilderness
national parks -- Kluane National Park. In Kluane, guests can experience an
exclusive program of optional activities, including a variety of hikes, with
Parks Canada interpreters. They can raft the world-class Tatshenshini River,
go heli-hiking or fishing, or take a spectacular flightseeing adventure.
HAL offers CruiseTour Exclusives in Alaska
Each Holland America Line Alaska vacation features special touches unique
to the leading premium cruise line in Alaska. Passengers will be sailing with
a Native Artist in Residence to enrich their experience. Inside Passage
roundtrips cruises feature not one but two major glacier-viewing experiences:
Glacier Bay National Park and the twin Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy Arm.
All Holland America Line CruiseTours travel on the new McKinley Explorer
Railcars. With eight new McKinley domed railcars, CruiseTour guests will enjoy
the largest passenger domed railcars in the world. A cutting edge
GPS-triggered narration system on board select coaches and all of the McKinley
Explorer railcars feature exclusive interviews with noted Alaskans, providing
information to help passengers fully appreciate the natural wonders they are
experiencing.
Great Land Tours are the most comprehensive and exciting programs in
Alaska and the Yukon. Some tours feature a cruise down the legendary Yukon
River aboard HAL's exclusive mv Yukon Queen II. Guests stay at the best Alaska
properties: the newly renovated McKinley Chalets, the five-star Alyeska
Prince Hotel, and the expanded Westmarks Fairbanks Hotel. The tours include
travel by motor coach along the famed Alaska Highway, and Gray Line of Alaska
has invested 6.5 million dollars for new coaches that provide the best
passenger viewing in Alaska. Their driver/guides complete 125 hours of
training, the most extensive program in the industry, to ensure a secure and
informative experience for guests.
$34 Million plus in Westmark Hotel upgrades
Holland America Line's subsidiary, Westmark Hotels, is also preparing for
the Alaska season with unprecedented investments. A $34 million expansion of
the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks includes 264 new rooms and an array of new
conference facilities. These upgrades will expand the property to 401 rooms
including 86 suites, an expansion of the restaurant, a new lounge, meeting
rooms, and health & fitness center. The upgrades also feature innovations such
as the Presidential Suite's chromatherapy sok(TM) tub, a first in Alaska.
Bathers in the sok(TM) tub are caressed by tiny effervescent bubbles created
by 11 specially engineered air jets, as the chromatherapy, a full spectrum of
dramatic color, washes over them in this lavish bathing ritual. Other
additions to the Westmark Fairbanks include the Walter Harper Boardroom with
new video-conferencing equipment and the 2,200-square-foot Tanana Trade Center
for trade show and exhibits. Other Westmark Hotels currently being renovated
for the upcoming season include the Westmark Anchorage, the Westmark Tok and
the Westmark Whitehorse.
Largest Five-Star Fleet in Alaska
With the largest five-star fleet in Alaska, Holland America excels in
service, amenities and special programs. Menus, highlighted by Alaska
specialties like salmon, halibut and King crab, are among the most extensive
at sea. A wide range of shore excursions is offered in the ports of call,
including an exclusive "Just for Kids" program, with high appeal to the
growing numbers of families choosing to cruise Alaska for their summer
vacation.
About Signature of Excellence
As the premium cruise leader, Holland America Line is investing
$225 million in the Signature of Excellence initiative to provide unparalleled
product and service enhancements to its fleet of five-star ships. Signature of
Excellence will build on Holland America Line's renowned tradition of
excellence by significantly raising the standard in premium cruising. The
comprehensive enhancements will focus on five areas central to the Holland
America Line guest experience: spacious, elegant ships and accommodations;
sophisticated five-star dining; gracious, unobtrusive service; extensive
enrichment programs and activities; and compelling worldwide itineraries.
Enhancements, and in some cases construction build-outs, have been started and
are expected to be completed by the end of 2005.
About Holland America Line [a division of Carnival Corporation and plc
(NYSE: CCL and CUK)]
In 2004, Holland America Line's fleet of 13, five-star, premium ships will
offer nearly 500 sailings from 15 North American home ports, including new
departures from Norfolk, VA; Baltimore, MD; and Boston, Mass. Recent additions
to the fleet include the 1,848-passenger Vista ships, ms Zuiderdam and ms
Oosterdam. In April 2004, the third Vista sister, ms Westerdam joins the
fleet. The fleet will visit all seven continents in 2004, while increasing the
number of cruises to popular destinations such as Alaska (139 cruises
scheduled), the Caribbean (191), Europe (58) and Canada/New England (26).
Holland America Line excels in service, amenities and special programs.
Known for gracious, unobtrusive service, its ships have one of the highest
staff-members-to-guest ratios. Spacious staterooms average 25 percent larger
and verandahs twice as large as those on other lines' ships. Menus are among
the most extensive at-sea. Dining choices include formal elegance, alternative
specialty dining in the Pacific Northwest-themed Pinnacle Grill, casual fare
and complimentary 24-hour room service.
The winner of the 10th consecutive "Best Overall Cruise Value" award from
the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society (WOCLS), the line offers the only trip
cancellation program in the industry that provides cash back for canceling for
any reason prior to 24 hours before departure. For more information, consult a
professional travel agent, call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (877-724-5425) or visit
http://www.hollandamerica.com.
World's Leading Cruise Lines
The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world in the 2003 Travel &
Leisure magazine "World's Best" Awards, Holland America Line is a member of
the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes
Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line,
Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Sharing a passion to please each guest and
a commitment to quality and value, the member lines appeal to a wide range of
lifestyles and budgets. The World's Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and
enriching cruise vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Conde
Nast Traveler magazine readers also ranked Holland America Line as the top
premium cruise line in the world in the much-anticipated 2003 Readers' Choice
Awards.
CONTACT: Rose Abello or Hilda Cullen of Holland America Line,
+1-206-281-3535, or international cell phone, +1-206-313-7673, or fax,
+1-206-281-0351, or pr@hollandamerica.com.
SOURCE Holland America Line
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Related links:
http://www.hollandamerica.com
CONTACT:
Rose Abello or Hilda Cullen of Holland
America Line, +1-206-281-3535, or international cell phone,
+1-206-313-7673, or fax, +1-206-281-0351, or
pr@hollandamerica.com
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