Holland America Alaska Cruises: A Serene Getaway

Holland American Alaska cruises are a great way to see a very majestic part of the United States.

One of Holland America's most transfixing cruises is the Alaskan cruise. All Alaska cruises have a wraparound deck so passengers can get a full view of the ocean, the glaciers and the wildlife. Each Holland America Alaska cruise is different. You can choose to go on the Explorer Cruise, Glacier Discovery Cruise or the Glacier Bay Inside Passenger Cruise.

The Explorer cruise departs from Seattle and focuses on Alaska's glaciers while winding through old Alaskan frontier towns and British Columbia, Canada. The Glacier Discovery Cruise goes farther north through Vancouver and Anchorage. On this cruise passengers will see the College Fjord, Hubbard Glacier, Kenai Peninsula and Glacier Bay National Park. The Glacier Bay Inside Passage Cruise goes around Vancouver and overlooks Glacier Bay National Park. On this cruise guests can check out Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.

Each one of these Holland America Alaska cruises has several land excursions that guests can go on. This cruise line also offers on-board "enrichment programs." These excursions include searching for bears or getting on a charter plane to check out the glaciers from the air. Dog sledding, fishing for salmon or going for a Harley ride in Ketchikan are also very popular activities. You can also take a day to go on a helicopter, floatplane, skiff or Hummer. Using different means of transportation gives you a very different, up close view of Alaska. Make sure you book these ahead of time because they fill up rather quickly!

Park rangers, naturalists and other guests are brought on board to talk to passengers about the regional history, art and culture of the area. These guests are very knowledgeable and happy to answer passengers' questions.

About Holland America Cruise Lines

Holland America takes passengers well beyond Alaska. This cruise line goes to the Panama Canal, South America, the Caribbean and Asia. This cruise line is well known for its phenomenal amenities and on-deck activities.

Holland America cruise lines also has a lot of extras that are attractive to inquisitive guests. For starters, the line has a speaker series. Guest speakers talk to the passengers about the history and cultural significance of the area they're visiting. The line also has casinos, bars, restaurants and an extensive spa for visitors.

Holland America also offers a variety of on-shore excursions for the more adventurous travelers. These excursions often cost extra, but are a great way to see the port. A more independent traveler that doesn't want to go on the excursions can participate in Holland America Alaska cruises that are customized to that guest's liking.