SEATTLE, Jan. 16, 2002 -- As the leader in travel to Alaska, Holland America Line-Westours offers three options to explore the 49th state to the north. Six cruise ships will offer 115 cruises, including a seven-day roundtrip itinerary debuting from Seattle on the new 1,380-passenger flagship ms Amsterdam. In addition, Holland America offers 31 cruisetour options that cover the Alaska and the Yukon, featuring Holland America premium cruises, plus an exciting land-based experience. Holland America Tours also offers 19 land-only tour options, including six new packages for 2002, as well as a selection of great Alaskan attractions.

"Alaska is one of the most popular destinations for North Americans and with cruises departing from Seattle or Vancouver, there is easy access for all travelers to this vacation gateway," said Paul Allen, vice president of Alaska sales and marketing. "Holland America is the leader in travel to Alaska and Canada's Yukon with 54 years of experience providing premium cruises, wildlife and culturally rich tour components, and exceptional value."

Allen also notes that the pricing for Alaska vacations has never been better with up to 50% discounts across the season, which runs from May through September. Prices for an Alaska cruise begin at US$799 per person, double occupancy, including port charges. A cruise-tour vacation starts at US$1,799 per person. Land-only packages begin at US$395 per person for three-day tours.

Six Ships, Three Scenic Itineraries, Most Glacier Bay Visits

With the addition of the Amsterdam to the Alaska program earlier this fall, Holland America now offers a total of 115 premium cruises to the Last Frontier on six of the company's luxury ships. The Amsterdam will be joined by the 1,440-passenger sister ships ms Volendam and ms Zaandam and the 1,266-passenger sister ships ms Ryndam, ms Statendam and ms Veendam. Most cruises visit Glacier Bay National Park, one of the crown jewels of the Great Land, which captures the essence of Alaska's wilderness.

Sailing on 19 cruises from Seattle, departing on Saturdays May 18-Sept. 21, 2002, the Amsterdam will visit Juneau, giant Hubbard Glacier, Sitka, Ketchikan, and Victoria, British Columbia, before returning to Seattle. The ship's faster speed of up to 22.5 knots permits the weeklong itinerary from Seattle.

Holland America offers 60 departures from Vancouver May 6-Sept. 22 on its classic, seven-day, round-trip Glacier Bay Inside Passage itinerary. These cruises highlight Southeast Alaska's most popular ports -- Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan -- and spend a full day sailing amidst the scenic wonders of Glacier Bay.

Guests may choose from three luxurious ships: the Zaandam (Saturday departures), Volendam (Monday) and Ryndam (Thursday) on regular weekly sailings throughout the season, plus late-season sailings on the Veendam and Statendam.

The 36 Glacier Discovery seven-day cruises between Vancouver and Seward departing May 12-Sept. 15 feature the Inside Passage and Gulf of Alaska aboard the Statendam and Veendam, with Sunday departures.

On one northbound itinerary, the ships visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway and Sitka and offer scenic cruising past massive Hubbard Glacier in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The other northbound itinerary visits Ketchikan, Juneau and Sitka, then sails into Glacier Bay and College Fjord. Southbound cruises feature the reverse Glacier Bay itinerary.

While cruising, passengers can choose from many diverse shore excursions, including exclusive "Just for Kids" programs, which appeal to the growing numbers of families choosing to cruise Alaska for their summer vacation.

Two Exclusive On-Board Programs Highlight Native Heritage

Holland America's Alaska sailings offer two exclusive programs that provide cruise guests with an in-depth look at Alaskan native heritage, culture and crafts. The "Artists in Residence Program" features an Alaskan native on board every sailing demonstrating a traditional craft such as ivory or soapstone carving, basket weaving, or mask making.

For the sailings that cruise Glacier Bay National Park, the "Huna Interpretive Program" provides rare cultural insight into Southeast Alaska's spectacular national park through the eyes of a Huna Totem member, a tribe that has called the area home for centuries. A National Park Service ranger also joins each sailing in Glacier Bay, to provide in-depth naturalist interpretation.

In addition, Holland America features a full-time naturalist aboard every Alaska cruise to discuss and point out wildlife and key scenery throughout the Inside Passage.

New Additions Enhance 2002 Cruisetour Program

To compliment the Alaska vacation experience, Holland America operates an extensive land tour network. Cruisetours utilize a fleet of deluxe motorcoaches, the McKinley Explorer luxury, glass-domed rail cars, and the Yukon Queen riverboat to explore Alaska's interior and the Yukon wilderness.

The leader in Alaska travel, Holland America offers 31 exciting cruisetour options for the Alaska 2002 season, including 12 Alaska & Klondike Explorer itineraries, 17 Denali Explorer itineraries and two Deluxe Escorted options. All cruisetours include a three-, four- or seven-night Holland America Line premium cruise. New cruisetour features for 2002 include: -- Double Denali -- Eight cruisetours offer two nights at Denali National Park and include the Tundra Wildlife Search tour into the park, ensuring greater wildlife viewing opportunities, plus a full day at leisure to experience the vast wilderness with optional activities ranging from hikes to raft trips to flightseeing. -- Grand Alaska Journeys -- Ten comprehensive cruisetours offer the Great Land in depth, from Mount McKinley, to the "River of Gold" into Canada's fabled Yukon Territory and then cruising through the serene Inside Passage. -- Deluxe Escorted CruiseTours -- Two fully escorted tours that include most meals and provide the personal service of a tour guide for the entire land portion to take care of every guest's needs. Six New Land-Only Tour Options for 2002 In addition, Holland America also offers land only vacation packages through Holland America Tours. Holland America Tours introduces six new packages in 2002 highlighting the scenic wonders of Alaska from the Yukon to Denali: -- National Park Journey, starting from $2,155, is a 9-day / 8-night adventure which includes a tundra wildlife tour of Denali National Park, a visit to the Alaska Sealife Center in Seward and dayboat cruises of both Glacier Bay and Kenai Fjords National Park. -- Escorted Alaska Klondike Explorer, starting from $3,699 is a 12-day / 11-night fully escorted tour, a well-rounded vacation of the top destinations of Alaska and the Yukon. The package includes a cultural tour of Anchorage, a cruise aboard the mv Ptarmigan to Portage Glacier, a jetboat safari in Talkeetna, a sternwheeler cruise, a historic train ride to Skagway, gateway to the Klondike gold fields, and a cruise on the Yukon River to Dawson, where passengers can pan for gold. -- Glacier Bay Adventure, starting from $1,955 is a 7-day / 6-night adventure of Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau and Sitka featuring several land and water tours to view Alaska's abundant marine life. The package also includes tours of Mendenhall Glacier and historic Skagway. -- The Denali Kenai Explorer, starting from $1,469 is a 8-day / 7-night tour of the southwestern Alaska wilderness featuring the exclusive, glass-domed train tour on the McKinley Explorer from Denali to Anchorage, where passengers can watch for the Denali "Big Four" (Dall sheep, moose, caribou and bear), a ride on the Alaskan Railroad from Anchorage to Seward, where passengers will view Steller sea lions and harbor seals at the Alaska Sealife Center, a wildlife cruise of Kenai Fjords National Park in Seward and a cruise aboard the mv Ptarmigan to Portage Glacier outside of Anchorage. -- The Alaska Explorer, starting from $2,089 is a leisurely-paced 8-day / 7-night tour featuring three days to explore Anchorage, including a cruise aboard the mv Ptarmigan to Portage Glacier and a day-trip 30 miles above the Arctic Circle to Kotzebue. The tour also includes a glass-domed train ride to Denali National Park aboard the McKinley Explorer, a wildlife tour of Denali, a sternwheeler cruise and a trip to Gold Dredge No. 8 in Fairbanks. -- The Denali Explorer, starting from $1,199 is a 6-day / 5-night tour traveling between Anchorage, Talkeetna, Denali and Fairbanks, offering passengers a variety of Alaskan highlights. The tour includes travel on the McKinley Explorer domed railcars, a wildlife tour in Denali National Park, and a visit to Gold Dredge No. 8 in Fairbanks for lunch and gold-panning. Largest Five-Star Fleet in Alaska

Holland America Line is a member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines Alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises.

In 2002 Holland America Line will offer 360 sailings within a half-day's drive of 40 percent of North American households and departing from 15 North American home ports.

Affordable air arrangements are available through the Home City Air program and Holland America offers the only trip cancellation program in the industry that offers cash back for canceling for any reason prior to 24 hours before departure.

Holland America Line is the highest-rated premium cruise line in the world in the 2001 "Travel & Leisure" magazine "World's Best" Awards and among the top three major cruise lines in the 2001 "Conde Nast Traveler" Readers' Choice Awards. The company also has won its tenth consecutive "Best Overall Cruise Value" award from the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society (WOCLS).