Who Should Sail This Cruise Line?

HOLLAND AMERICA?  Our clients overwhelmingly travel on river boats, small-ship ocean cruises, and increasingly on expedition ships.  So why might you consider Holland America?  

• The SMALLEST of the Big Ships.  We can’t call HAL’s ships “small” like the luxury lines, but they are a fraction the size of the floating amusement parks.  HAL ships carry between 1400 and 2600 (as opposed to 5000 or more) and ALL HAL ships are under 100,000 tons (as opposed to 240,000 tons (or more). 
• Take the kids or grandchildren.  River or small ship ocean cruises might not be optimal for younger people.  HAL isn’t overrun with children like the floating amusement parks, but there are facilities and programs for children and teens.
• Alaska Land-Sea Combos.  HAL has 6 ships in Alaska, and along with their sister brand, Princess, own just about all the lodge and transportation infrastructure in the 49^th State.  You’ll have MORE choices (upwards of 2 dozen) for Land-Sea combinations.  While you’re up there visit YUKON – only HAL can get you there. 
• Selection of Suites:  If you travel with HAL in a Signature Suites, Neptune Suite or a Pinnacle Suite, you’ll have between 500 -1300 square feet, and a KING bed.  The suites have jacuzzi tubs, and if you go in the Pinnacle Suite, you’ll have a hot tub on your outdoor deck.  Suites also get priority embarkation/disembarkation and tender queuing. 
• Entertainment.  Like the other big-ship lines, they have the Vegas-style production shows in the big theatre, but I really like the smaller venues geared to those of us over 50: The BB King Blues Lounge, the Dueling Pianos, the Rolling Stones Lounge, and the Strings (if you feel like classical music). 
• Pickleball anyone?  It’s hard to believe how popular this has become, and HAL has got you covered, if this is part of your routine.  
• Extended Voyages.  You might not be ready for a 6-month world cruise, but if you wanted to try living on board a cruise ship for 20 to 100 days, HAL has more choices, and the BEST journeys aren’t always about getting somewhere quickly!
• Big Ship Amenities… but without the floating amusement park vibe. 

Getting the BEST VALUE:  Layer it up

• EARLY BOOKING BONUS for 2027:  You’ll get FREE gratuities, the Elite beverage package, Premium wifi upgrade, and a shore excursion credit.
• MARINERS’ CLUB CREDITS:  If you’re a previous HAL guest, you’ll get an additional on board credit in recognition of your loyalty.
• VERANDA OBC:  We can add an additional $50 per person OBC for Veranda rooms (and higher).
• CLUB ORANGE:  Add club orange for upgrades, concierge service, priority embarkation/disembarkation.  
• AARP Members:  Get an additional On Board Credit. 

The PODCAST:  Dream-Travel-Share UNPACKED

In this episode of UNPACKED, Bob and Kim take a practical look at Holland America Line: where it fits, where it does not, and why it remains especially important for Alaska, Yukon, longer voyages, and travelers who want a larger ship without the amusement-park atmosphere.

https://youtu.be/tFgXu9l9alA

In Case You Missed It:

ALASKA:  Holland America really excels in Alaska itineraries.  Here’s some other ideas on how to maximize your visit there:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/ultimate-alaska/

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE.  Yes… we intend to use it to help us be better, cheaper and faster.  NO… you won’t be dealing with an algorithm, because ALGORITHMS DON’T TRAVEL.  We DO!

https://pamperedcruiser.com/do-you-want-to-deal-with-artificial-intelligence-or-a-real-person/

TRAVELING WITH MOBILITY ISSUES.  Eventually we all reach a place where we’re not as agile as we once were.  Does this mean you CAN’T TRAVEL?  No… but it does mean you have to get over yourself to a certain degree, and have the courage to get out there:

https://pamperedcruiser.com/travelling-with-mobility-issues/

Featured YOUTUBE Video:

ALASKA trip planning can be like drinking from a fire hose.  Here’s a video we made on the SEVEN QUESTIONS you need to ask yourself to plan your best trip to ALASKA.  

https://youtu.be/CwWytuiuK8M

Remember to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel while you’re there.  It really helps us, and we can produce more content for you!

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Today’s Travel Opportunities

HOLLAND AMERICA in ALASKA

There are over 25 different Alaska itineraries with HAL.  Here are three that will allow you to see lots:

DENALI Cruise-Tour(D1L):  Fairbanks to Vancouver departing June 8 for 12-days

• Start in Fairbanks and visit Denali National Park, Anchorage, Whittier, cruise the Hubbard Glacier and Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Ketchikan, cruise the Inside Passage, and finish in Vancouver. 
• Veranda Fares from $5264

DENALI & YUKON (Y5L): Anchorage to Vancouver departing June 12 for 11-days

• Start in Anchorage and visit Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Dawson, Whitehorse, Skagway, cruise Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, cruise the Inside Passage, and finish in Vancouver. 
• Veranda Fares from $3699

ULTIMATE ALASKA & YUKON (Y1C): Vancouver round-trip departing May 30 for 17-days

• Start in Vancouver and cruise the Inside Passage, visit Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, cruise Glacier Bay, College Fjord, and disembark in Whittier.  The carry on to Anchorage, Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Dawson, and finish back in Vancouver. 
• Veranda Fares from $5684

EXTENDED VOYAGES with HOLLAND AMERICA 

If you’re looking to do a longer cruise, but aren’t quite ready for a world cruise, HAL offers more itineraries than anyone else.  Here’s a few: 

HAWAII & TAHITI: San Diego round-trip depart February 13, or October 14, 2027 for 35-days

• Start in San Diego and visit Hawaii (Hilo, Honolulu, Maui, Kona), French Polynesia (Tabuaeran, Avatoru, Huahine, Bora Bora, Society Islands, Moorea, Papeete, Fakarava, Taiohae), and finish back in San Diego. 
• Fares from $4324

ARCTIC CIRCLE and ALASKA: Seattle round-trip departing June 6 for 28-days

• Start in Seattle and cruise Puget Sound, Seymour Narrows, Johnstone Strait, Bella Bella, Grenville Channel, and the Great Bear Rainforest.  Visit Ketchikan, Sitka, Icy Strait Point, Valdez, Dutch Harbor.  Cruise Hubbard Glacier, Prince William Sound, and College Fjord, and cross the Arctic Circle.  Head southbound, and visit Dutch Harbor, Nome, Kodiak, Anchorage, Haines, Juneau, Wrangell, Prince Rupert, and finish in Seattle.
• Fares from $6059

GREAT BRITAIN & ICELAND: Boston round-trip departing July 17, 2027 for 35-days

• Start in Boston and visit Portland, Sydney, Corner Brook, Red Bay, Greenland (Paamiut, Nanortalik), Iceland (Isafjordur, Akureyri, Reykjavik), then carry on to Norway, Ireland, and Holland.  Head back across the Atlantic and stop in at Newfoundland and Halifax before finishing in back in Boston.
• Fares from $9279

UNIWORLD Boutique RIVER Collection

Uniworld is the Boutique Hotel on the river with ships that are custom-built and decorated for the areas through which they are sailing.  Here’s two examples: 

PARIS & NORMANDY:  Round-trip from Paris for 8-days 

• Visit Paris (overnight), Giverny (for Monet’s Gardens), Vernon, La Roche Guyon, Rouen, Caudebec-en-Caux, Rouen, Normandy Beaches, Versailles. 
• 2026: Depart August through November from $5599
• 2027: Departures March through November from $4399
• See our video playlist from this trip: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLA1r3eOMaDVEP9ouRrZGrhocmhYp7EUPW 

AMAZON Headwaters round-trip from Lima for 11-days

• 7 nights sailing on the Amazon and 3 nights in Lima. 
• Your ship, the Aria Amazon, only holds 32 guests, and there are floor-to-ceiling windows in every suite, offering unparalleled views of this pristine part of the world.
• Have lunch with a family in Lima, visit a remote Amazon village, shop at a local market, take a skiff ride at night to view nocturnal creatures, visit local artisan and craft markets, and more. 
• 2026: Depart December 2^nd from $16,349
• 2027: Departures year-round from $13,999
• ADD: Extension to Machu Picchu, Rio de Janeiro and Iguazu Falls

REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with HX

You DON’T have to be an elite athlete to do an EXPEDITION CRUISE.  You DO need to be curious about more remote places on the planet.  If you’re unsure if an expedition cruise is right for you, here are two ways to check it out: 

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS and Quito for 9-days

• 2-nights in Quito, then fly to Galapagos (included in fare) for 6 nights.  Visit Mosquera Inlet, Santa Fe, South Plaza, Santa Cruz, Charles Darwin Research Station in Port Ayora, Espanola Island, Eden Islet.  

• 2026:  September through December from $6787
• 2027:  Year-round departures from $7358
• See our video blog from when we did this trip: https://youtu.be/3F38Km2EEjQ 

NORTHERN LIGHTS in NORWAY

• Round-trip from Tromso, for 8-days with 5 stops on Norwegian Coast
• Northern lights PROMISE.  If you DON’T see the Aurora Borealis on this journey HX will offer credit towards another cruise.
• 2026: Depart November, or December from $4167
• 2027: Depart January through March or November through December from $4559

INTREPID PREMIUM Guided Land Journeys

You can’t go everywhere on a ship, and INTREPID TRAVEL will escort you to many of those places.  

YELLOWSTONE NP Guided Walking Tour for 5-days

• Experience the rivers, lakes, geysers, waterfalls, and hot springs up close.  
• Stay at Canyon Lodge… right in the park!
• Includes a daypack, hiking poles, and NP entrance fees. 
• There is 3 – 5 hours of walking per day.
• Departures in June through September from $4775

CROATIA & SLOVENIA for 16-days:  

• Start in Venice and then travel to Slovenia where you’ll see Postojna Caves, Ljubljana, Lake Bled, and Lake Bohinj.  You’ll then travel to Croatia to visit Motovun and Buzet before heading inland again to see the incredibly scenic Plitvice Lakes NP.  From there it’s out to the Dalmatian Coast to experience Zadar, Sibenik, Split, Korcula, before finishing with 2-nights in Dubrovnik.  
• This trip offers a comprehensive experience in Croatia, with some days in Slovenia, which has yet to be discovered (but it won’t be long).  
• Weekly departures April through October from $11,665

ATLAS Small Ship EPICUREAN EXPEDITIONS

Atlas carries under 200 guests, and when their ships aren’t in Antarctica, they conduct CULINARY and CULTURAL Expeditions in Europe.  Here are two examples:

ITALY & CROATIA: Rome to Dubrovnik departing September 9 for 6-nights

• Start in Rome and visit Capri, the Aeolian Islands, Corfu, Montenegro, and finish in Dubrovnik. 
• Fares from $4271

PORTUGAL, SPAIN & FRANCE: Lisbon to Bordeaux departing May 7 for 7-nights

• Start in Lisbon and visit Porto, La Coruña, Gijón, Bilbao, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, and finish in Bordeaux. 
• This one is all about FOOD and WINE!
• Fares from $5999

A NOTE on ETAs?

ELECTRONIC TRAVEL AUTHORIZATIONS (ETAs) are already in place for many countries, and there will be more.  We get lots of questions about these, and they are really NOT a big deal.  IT IS NOT A VISA. 

COUNTRIES / REGIONS REQUIRING ETAs for US Passport Holders:

• Australia
• European Union (implementation has been delayed until 2027)
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales)

THE PROCESS

• Go to the website of the government of the country you are visiting, and download their official APP.  There are lots of knock-offs, so make sure you’re using the official one.
• Answer the required questions.  You’ll need your passport number, and you’ll be asked about the purpose of your trip, and some other questions.
• Pay the fee.  This is usually around $20 USD (New Zealand is more).

VIDEO RESOURCES

We’ve documented our experience when applying for these ETA’s

• United Kingdom: https://youtu.be/6NGfCqOsDKk

If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Bradley