Last year, we sailed 7 days round-trip Seattle with Holland America Line to Alaska, focused on their Sip-Savor-Sail programming at the opening of Alaska cruise season. This year we went back to Alaska with Holland America Line but skipping the cruise to go deep inside the land part of their Alaska Land+Sea Journeys (aka Cruisetours) as well as offerings in the Canadian Yukon.

Since Holland America’s Alaska Land+Sea Journeys is the focus, we flew from Orlando to Fairbanks via Minneapolis.  There, we began with the debut of the Denali Square complex at Holland America’s McKinley Chalet Resort near the entrance to Denali National Park.

Holland America Line’s Alaska Land+Sea Journeys combine a Holland America cruise with an overland tour to Denali and the Yukon, Denali Square is centrally located between the main part of McKinley Chalet Resort. The riverfront guest rooms that provide stunning views of the Nenana River.

Denali Square will serve as a new gathering area to relax, shop, dine and enjoy music and entertainment. The largest building in the complex is the grand 7,800-square-foot, two-story restaurant that provides dining guests with amazing views of the neighboring mountains.

See more of this new facility in our Denali Square Flickr Photo Album

 

The complex also boasts the Gold Nugget Saloon, home to the “Music of Denali Dinner Theater” that becomes a bar and music venue after the show; an amphitheater for local shows, ranger talks and demonstrations; cozy fire pits, retail shops offering local goods and an artist-in-residence cabin. It’s also the central point for walking trails.

[URIS id=61597]

-LEARN MORE of Holland America Alaska And The Yukon-
Browse upcoming itineraries for one of Holland America Line’s Alaska and Yukon Land+Sea Journeys featuring Denali National Park.

Holland America Alaska And The Yukon
Common Experiences For Both

The Yukon is a totally different experience than Alaska and Holland America is the only cruise line that offers the experience.  Rightfully so, there is probably not enough room for two big players in The Yukon and Holland America has the Yukon market for cruise travelers dominated.

Stopping by Dawson City, a mining town that is still quite active today in the search for gold.  That ‘searching for gold’ theme dominates the Yukon in all directions.  Savvy cruise travelers in town with Holland America Line have already struck gold though with the intense Yukon pre- or post-sailing packages.  We like pre- and post-packages in Alaska mainly because Alaska is so very huge and those sailing on a cruise can only go just so far inland before time in port dictates that they return to the ship.

[URIS id=61548]

Holland America Line days on land are an entirely different experience that enable travelers to make local connections, wherever in the world they do that.  In Alaska and in The Yukon, Holland America facilities are geared to cruise traveler and have a system in place for moving them around that works really well.

Check in the first night and find out why the cruise line suggests packing at least two bags. If your land package is in advance of sailing (our preferred way to go), then one of those bags is picked up and held.  The next time you will see it is on your ship, days later.  The other bag goes with you wherever you go and will for sure NOT include formal wear.  Alaska and The Yukon are quite casual…but quite different.

It is said that Alaska is “the land of the midnight sun”.  The Yukon is too, with the sun merely dimming some at 3AM.  To say it goes down is a stretch.

Active mining towns of Dawson City and Whitehorse continue to draw visitors as something “beyond Alaska”.  It’s not the old ruins of a mining town, and there are plenty of those there too.  This is an active gold-producing mine operation and those along for the ride, do just that.

But the real gold here, the star of the show, is Holland America Line’s new ms Koningsdam.  The world makes a wonderful backdrop for this lovely ship from Holland America Line.

That distinction comes from more than nicely-planned itineraries on a new ship with current features.   Holland America Line’s appointment of even the most basic stateroom is generous.  Multiple USB charging stations throughout the space as well as both European and North American electrical products, a human-sized shower and ample storage, snappy room service this one is a winner.  But there’s more

• Active Lifestyle Options
• Adults Only
• LGBT activities daily
• Family Time
• Much more

It’s that ‘much more’ we’ll be exploring in July aboard ms Koningsdam in the Baltics.  Stay tuned for more on that!

 

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

• Whitehorse, The Yukon
• Dawson City Dining
• Panning For Gold
• Touring Dawson City
• The Yukon
• Denali Square Dedication
• Denali Square
• Denali National Park
• McKinley Chalet Resort
• Karstens
• Alaska Roadtrip
• Fairbanks, Alaska