Holland America Alaska ’23 Highlighted

Posted onAuthorChris Owen

Holland America Line previewed this year’s Alaska season at a Seatrade Cruise Global kickoff event I attended onboard Nieuw Amsterdam, one of the line’s six ships that will explore the region this summer. 

“We’re excited for our 76th season to showcase all of the reasons why no one does Alaska better,” said Gus Antorcha, Holland America Line President, adding. “We offer more cruises to Glacier Bay than any other line, we have a robust program to immerse our guests in all things Alaska and we’re the only cruise line with owned land operations in both Denali and Yukon.”

Summer 2023 marks the first full season that all Holland America Line ships sailing Alaska will exclusively serve fresh, certified sustainable, traceable Alaska seafood. The six ships completed an audit last summer by Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM), making Holland America Line the first and only cruise line with the credential. In a cooking demonstration at Sunday’s event, Culinary Council Chef Ethan Stowell shared his delicious recipe for King Salmon and Salsa Verde, one of many new fresh Alaska seafood dishes now served on board.  

Holland America Alaska 2023 features Their 150th Anniversary Celebration
As Holland America Line celebrates its 150th anniversary this April, it also kicks off its 76th Alaska season with seven-day itineraries and 14-day “Great Alaska Explorer” cruises. For explorers who want to travel farther into the Great Land, 16 different Cruisetours combine a three-, four- or seven-day Alaska cruise with an inland exploration of Denali National Park. Holland America Line is the only cruise line that extends land tours up to the unspoiled reaches of Canada’s Yukon Territory. 

Cruises sail roundtrip from Seattle, Washington; roundtrip from Vancouver, B.C.; or one-way between Whittier (Anchorage), Alaska, and Vancouver. The ships deliver a premium experience designed for immersive cruising. Wraparound decks and an abundance of verandah staterooms bring guests closer to Alaska’s natural wonders while enriching programming presents the opportunity to learn about the culture and history from authentic experts. 

When It Comes To Alaska Travel Planning, Holland America Should Come To Mind

  • Every Alaska cruise includes a visit to one or more of Alaska’s iconic glacier destinations: Glacier Bay National Park, College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, and Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm. 
  • The 14-day “Great Alaskan Explorer” itinerary returns in 2023 to offer an in-depth adventure. Roundtrip from Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam (May 7) and Noordam (Sept. 17), the cruise calls at the Alaskan ports of Kodiak, Anchorage, Valdez, Sitka, Skagway, and Ketchikan, and features Glacier Bay.
  • Seven-day “Glacier Discovery Northbound” and “Glacier Discovery Southbound” itineraries cruise between Whittier and Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, Alaska.
  • Seven-day “Alaska Inside Passage” cruises sail roundtrip from Vancouver on Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, and Volendam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway, except for Noordam which stops at Sitka vs Skagway.
  • Seven-day “Alaskan Explorer” cruises sail roundtrip from Seattle aboard Eurodam and Westerdam, and include calls at Victoria, British Columbia (evening stay); and Ketchikan, Juneau, and Sitka.
  • All ships cruising in Alaska feature expanded onboard programming: guests can engage with an Alaska naturalist, special EXC presentations explore local topics such as Alaska’s bush pilots and the famous Iditarod race, and cruises with Glacier Bay take on a National Park Ranger and local Huna Tlingit guides.

Highlights for 2023 Denali Cruisetours:

  • Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam will offer Denali Cruisetours ranging from nine to 14 days.
  • All Denali Cruisetours include a seven-day Glacier Discovery cruise featuring Glacier Bay, plus either College Fjord or Hubbard Glacier (depending on the direction), Inside Passage, as well as up to three nights at the McKinley Chalet Resort at the entrance to Denali National Park.
  • All Double and Triple Denali itineraries include the Tundra Wilderness Tour, which provides the best wildlife viewing through Denali National Park.
  • Holland America Line owns its motorcoaches, railcars, and hotels, so schedules are preferential. Each Cruisetour gets a scenic ride on the luxury-domed McKinley Explorer, including select itineraries that offer Direct-to-Denali service, taking guests from their ship to their Denali hotel room on the same day.

Highlights for 2023 Yukon & Denali Cruisetours:

  • Holland America Line is the ONLY cruise line to offer an Alaska cruise combined with an overland tour to Denali and the Yukon.
  • Yukon & Denali Cruisetours range from nine to 18 days and include either a three- or four-day Inside Passage cruise on Koningsdam or Volendam, or a seven-day Glacier Discovery cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam or Noordam; a two-or three-night stay at Denali; and a journey into the Yukon.
  • Every Yukon & Denali Cruisetour includes the services of a professional Journey Host, who makes time on land easy, convenient, and insightful.
  • All Yukon & Denali Cruisetours include a ride on the McKinley Explorer full-dome railcars, and select itineraries add on the historic White Pass & Yukon Route railroad from Skagway.
  • Yukon & Denali Cruisetours features two nights in Dawson City, affording guests more time to relive Gold Rush history. Additional overnight experiences vary depending on the Cruisetour. 
  • An included tour on the Klondike Spirit paddle wheeler takes guests along the Yukon River past stunning tall pines, historic towns, and wildlife; nearly all Yukon & Denali Cruisetours include a Gold Dredge 8 tour; and every Yukon & Denali itinerary includes the Tundra Wilderness Tour at Denali National Park.

Holland America Line’s McKinley Chalet Resort and Denali Square

Cruisetours include a stay at the McKinley Chalet Resort at the entrance to Denali National Park. The property is Holland America Line’s magnificent 68-acre hotel on the Nenana River. The resort features dining facilities and guest rooms, including a 99-room complex featuring Denali Suites with balconies and larger living areas. 

Centrally located between the McKinley Chalet Resort and riverfront guest rooms, Denali Square is a gathering area with restaurants, an amphitheater, fire pits, outdoor seating, retail shops offering local goods, and an artist-in-residence cabin where Alaska native and local artists display and discuss their works. 

Interestingly, this is just where the story begins for Holland America Line’s Alaska offerings. All of the above? A recap of Holland America Line in the past. Coming up: a rather large series about what’s new with Holland America Line and Alaska going forward. Now, celebrating 150 years in business, Holland America Line has been visiting Alaska longer than it has been a state. Wrap your head around that for a while

Also, see Flickr Photo Albums from our Holland America Alaska and The Yukon trip: