Alaska on HAL

Alaska is a particular strength of Holland America Line, and much of the fleet will spend May through September sailing from Seattle, Washington; Vancouver, B.C., Canada; and Anchorage (Seward), Alaska. Sailings are 7 night cruises.

Alaska - Inside Passage

Alaska Inside Passage cruises are 7-night round trip cruises from Seattle or Vancouver. These are popular because they allow guests to arrive and depart from the same port (flights are cheaper, and guests can drive to and from the cruise).

These cruises are a great way to sample Alaska. Guests always see vast glaciers, including Glacier Bay National Park's Mendenhall Glacier, or the less-visited Hubbard and Tracy Arm glaciers. There is also plenty of opportunity to experience Alaska's unique culture in the cities of Juneau (Alaska's capital), Kethikan, Sitka, and Skagway. Seattle-based cruises also visit Victoria, a charming Canadian city with beautiful gardens and colonial British architecture.

Popular shore excursions include salmon bakes, whale watching boat tours, native art exhibitions and performances, as well as dog sledding, fishing and wilderness hikes for the more adventurous.

Alaska - Gulf

Alaska Gulf cruises are 7-night one-way cruises between Anchorage (Seward) and Vancouver. Note: Cruise ships do not dock in Anchorage itself. HAL ships dock at Seward, 125 miles from Anchorage (4 1/2 hours by train or 3 hours by bus).

Guests can combine two cruises into a 14-night round-trip, but this only makes sense if you want to double your time in each location as the ports are the same.

These cruises venture much farther north than Inside Passage cruises, allowing for even more spectacular scenery including College Fjord and Kenai Fjords National Park.

Gulf cruises are also an excellent way to begin or conclude a land-based exploration of Alaska.

Alaska - CruiseTours

Alaska CruiseTours combine a cruise and a land-based tour. There are more than twenty different options that incorporate 3, 4 or 7 day cruises and land tours of 7 to 14 days (or more with options including flightseeing up to the Arctic Circle). For more details, see the Holland America Line CruiseTour site.

Useful links

• Search itineraries at Holland America Line's website