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Holland America offers 17 Alaska CruiseTour itineraries for 2012

From the breathtaking views of Glacier National Park to the wilderness of Denali National Park and the Yukon’s Klondike Gold Rush territory, Holland America Line’s 2012 Alaska CruiseTours feature 17 different itineraries that immerse guests in a rich Alaska nature and frontier experience.

Departures provide “cruise first” or “tour first” selections to stunning landscapes and less-visited landmarks throughout The Last Frontier.

Ranging from 10 to 20 days, all CruiseTours combine a three, four or seven-day Inside Passage cruise with in-depth overland tours.

Mount McKinley and Denali National Park offer spectacular wildlife viewing and scenery

Offering two days at Denali National Park for wildlife viewing and spectacular scenery, CruiseTours are designed to highlight the best of Alaska’s wilderness, wildlife, native culture and history.

Six tours also feature Canada’s Yukon Territory with its Klondike Gold Rush heritage and pristine national parks such as Kluane National Park and Tombstone Park.  Departures range from May to September.

“Next year marks Holland America Line’s 65th anniversary of providing guests with exclusive opportunities that showcase Alaska and its natural beauty,” says executive vice president Richard Meadows. “Our CruiseTours are designed to combine the best of both worlds - one of our incredible cruises with an overland exploration - and traveling to Alaska with us has never been more exciting or accessible.”

Guests who opt for tour-first itineraries typically prefer to relax on a cruise after their land tour, while cruise-first travellers seek to settle into a vacation mindset and enjoy the many amenities of Holland America Line’s elegant premium ships as they sail into the wilderness.

In addition to major attractions such as Glacier Bay and the Inside Passage, Holland America’s Alaska CruiseTours visit exclusive destinations not accessible via cruise ship including Wonder Lake, the Dalton Highway, Denali National Park and gold-rush town Dawson City, Yukon.

Highly trained and knowledgeable interpreters, tour concierges and Alaska travel guides are present on most CruiseTours and sailings, and National Park Rangers provide extensive commentary and guided programs at Glacier Bay National Park. Tour concierges travel throughout the land portion on all Alaska/Yukon CruiseTour itineraries.

While on a CruiseTour, guests can choose from several adventurous shore and land excursions to further customize their CruiseTours, ranging from hiking, dog sledding, fly fishing, river rafting and glacier landing by helicopter to informative historical and cultural tours.

In 2012 Holland America Line features six Yukon and Denali CruiseTours. These 10 to 20-day itineraries include adventures to destinations such as Denali National Park, Fairbanks, Dawson City, and Whitehorse in the Yukon Territory. Some CruiseTours also include Kluane National Park and the White Pass and Yukon Railroad.

The eight Denali CruiseTours range from 11 to 14 days and feature a seven-day Inside Passage cruise that includes Glacier Bay National Park. Most itineraries offer two-night Denali stays with the Denali Tundra Wilderness experience, a day-tour into the protected wilderness where grizzly bears, moose, caribou and wolves are often sighted in the wild.

Expedition CruiseTours range from 12 to 14 days, provide authentic wilderness experiences and include the Bears and Wilderness CruiseTour for intimate opportunities for viewing wildlife.

They feature a seven-day Glacier Discovery cruise, acclaimed Redoubt Bay Lodge near Lake Clark National Park and Winterlake Lodge along Alaska’s historic Iditarod Trail. Additional Expedition CruiseTours highlight the best of the Kenai Peninsula and Denali backcountry.

CruiseTours feature glass-domed McKinley Explorer railcars with comfortable, forward-facing seats and expert commentary by guides. In addition, Holland America Line’s exclusive Explorer Coaches create a superb environment for traveling the highway on Denali and Yukon tours with roomy leather seats, first-class legroom and no more than 44 travellers.