MS AMSTERDAM ITINERARY
Day 1 - Depart aboard Holland America Alaska Cruise
Today set sail for new adventures on board the exciting ms Amsterdam. The musically themed ms Amsterdam has always offered guests a unique shipboard atmosphere. Her décor includes artifacts and memorabilia representing various musical genres - from a Baroque-style Dutch pipe organ in the atrium to guitars signed by rock icons The Rolling Stones. The ms Amsterdam offers a symphony of cruising pleasures.
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Note: Cruise itinerary will change slightly on the other ships.
Note: 2009 Departures are aboard the ms Amsterdam, ms Zaandam or ms Westerdam
Day 2 - Scenic Cruising Inside Passage
Today is at sea. Journey deep into one of nature's most isolated monuments accessible only by sea and air and encounter the magnificence of the Ice Age as you slowly glide through the Inside Passage. Expect the unexpected on your Alaska cruise - a massive glacier calves, a bald eagle soars above, a humpback whale clears the water and the night sky awakens to waves of color. With guaranteed views of sky-splitting peaks, glaciers and vast wilderness.
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Day 3 - Juneau, Alaska
For years Juneau's livelihood, like that of many cities in Alaska, was tied to mining. The city itself is built on tailings from the A-J mine whose shafts perforate the hillside above town. Because it is Alaska's capital, Juneau prospers through government work and tourism. This is a great place to sample salmon baked over an alderwood fire, pan for gold, and hike the massive Juneau Icefield. If you feel the need for speed, hop on a sled and let a dog team pull you across the surface of a glacier. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Alaska-style Salmon Bake, Helicopter Flightseeing & Extended Glacier Trek, Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Quest
Note: Westerdam itinerary: Scenic Cruising Glacier Bay
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Day 4 - Glacier Bay Scenic Cruising
Cloistered in the rocky recesses of Alaska, Glacier Bay is a world still emerging from the Ice Age. Sixteen dazzling tidewater glaciers creep back and forth by millimeters, chiseling great masses of moraine onto their pristine surfaces.
Note: Westerdam itinerary: visit Juneau / Oosterdam itinerary: Scenic Cruising Hubbard Glacier and Yakutat Bay
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Day 5 - Sitka, Alaska
Bald eagles perch in the spruce and cedar trees of Sitka'often several to a branch. Russian Alaska is enthusiastically represented in a lively performance by the New Archangel Dancers. View holy paintings of the Czarist days, visit recuperating eagles at the rehabilitation center and hear the amazing story of the Cathedral fire and Sitka's mad flurry to save the church's icons and religious treasures. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Historic Russian America, Raptor Center & Russian Dancers, Silver Bay Nature Cruise & Salmon Hatchery, Wilderness Sea Kayaking Adventure
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Day 6 - Ketchikan, Alaska
In the heart of the Tongass National Forest, immerse yourself in Tlingit Indian culture and view the world's largest collection of totem poles kayak the colorful waterfront and stroll the boardwalk that once led to Ketchikan's red light district. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Best of Ketchikan by Land & Sea, Saxman Native Village, Tatoosh Islands Sea Kayaking, Misty Fjords Flightseeing
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Day 7 - Victoria, British Columbia
High tea can be taken at the Empress Hotel if you really want to discover what Victoria is all about. Then, walk over to the breathtaking Museum of Natural History or stroll through the charming downtown of that lives up to its British-flavoured name with double-decker buses, turreted castles, fine British woollens and delicate china. A coach-ride away, the Butchart Garden earns every superlative of its impeccable reputation for glorious blooms and redolent scents. Sample Shore Excursions (not included): Victoria by Horse-drawn Trolley, Butchart Gardens & Short City Drive
Deluxe: Overnight ms Amsterdam, ms Oosterdam or ms Westerdam - various categories available
Day 8 - Arrive Seattle
Arrive back into Seattle in the early morning. Upon arrival, transfer (on own) to the Seattle International Airport in time for your flight departure home.
PACKAGE INCLUDES:
- 7 night Alaska Glacier Bay Holland America cruise aboard the tincluding most meals & entertainment onboard ship
- Port Charges
- Personalized documentation package
PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE:
- Shore Excursions
- Alaska Cruise Taxes (approximately $125 USD)
- Fuel Surcharges (approximately $5.25 - $5.90 CDN per person/per day)
- Optional programs & activities
- Alcoholic beverages & soft drinks
- Spa Treatments
- Transfers to and from the cruise ship
- Trip Cancellation Insurance (Insurance can be purchased from your Vacation Specialist, ask for more details)