Holland America Opens Alaska Season With Special 150th Events

As Holland America Line celebrates its phenomenal 150th anniversary with great fanfare, it couldn’t neglect its “hometown” with special events as the 2023 Alaska season begins.

The cruise line is marking the start of the season with notable guests, charitable donations, and more in both Seattle and Vancouver, both of which serve as homeports of Holland America ships sailing Alaskan itineraries.

Holland America Line Kicks Off the Alaska Season

As Eurodam arrived in Seattle – where the cruise line’s headquarters are located – over the weekend for the official start of Holland America Line’s Alaska season, the cruise line is celebrating the occasion with a commemorative plaque presentation to the Port of Seattle with appropriate accompaniment by the University of Washington marching band.

Other parts of the welcome celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Pier 91 with Miss Washington Regan Gallo and Miss Alaska Jessica Reisinger, as well as a donation to The Pastry Project, a Seattle-based organization that provides a community kitchen and free pastry and baking training to promising students.

“As the pioneer and leader in Alaska cruising, Holland America Line is excited to start the season today celebrating our 150th Anniversary in our hometown,” said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line’s chief commercial officer. “Not only is Holland America Line headquartered in Seattle, but it’s a key homeport for our brand. With two ships based here and four more in Vancouver through September, we’re ready for a robust Alaska season of cruising and cruisetours including land trips to Denali and Yukon.”

In addition to Eurodam, Westerdam will also be based from Seattle for the season. The ship is currently repositioning to Seattle from Yokohama, Japan, and will arrive in Seattle on Sunday, May 7.

Eurodam will sail a full season of “Alaskan Explorer” roundtrip itineraries from Seattle, visiting Juneau, Icy Strait Point, Sitka, and Ketchikan in Alaska, with scenic cruising in Glacier Bay and an additional port stop in Victoria, British Columbia.

The ship’s final Alaskan departure of the season will be September 30, 2023, before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida via a 32-night one-way itinerary through the Panama Canal.

Westerdam will offer similar itineraries, but without the call on Icy Strait Point and enjoying scenic cruising near Hubbard Glacier. The ship’s final Alaskan departure will be on September 24, but the following cruise – repositioning back to Yokohama – will also call on Juneau along the way, departing Seattle on October 1, 2023.

Because Holland America Line also operates Alaska sailings from Vancouver, that homeport will also enjoy special celebrations on Tuesday, May 2, with Noordam presenting a 150th Anniversary plaque to Port of Vancouver, along with a special donation to YWCA Crabtree Corner.

Four total Holland America ships will operate from Vancouver this summer. Along with Noordam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, and Volendam will all sail itineraries to the Last Frontier from this amazing homeport.

An Amazing Season Ahead

Even as the Alaska season is just beginning, Holland America Line is expecting an amazing turnout this summer with 48 total Seattle departures taking more than 97,000 guests on spectacular itineraries.

From Vancouver, the four combined vessels will offer 75 total departures serving more than 158,000 guests, more sailings from a Canadian homeport than any other cruise line.

Every single one of Holland America Line’s Alaska sailings, from both Seattle and Vancouver, offers one or more iconic glacier options – Glacier Bay National Park, Hubbard Glacier, or Tracy Arm Fjord for the Twin Sawyer Glaciers.

Read Also: 3 Reasons Why to Cruise to Alaska on Holland America

Onboard, all guests will have the opportunity to enjoy “Alaska Up Close” enrichment with expanded onboard programming featuring Alaska naturalists and in-depth details about local bush pilots, the famed Iditarod race, and more.

Furthermore, most departures offer the option for additional pre- or post-cruise extensions to truly become immersed in Alaskan culture and wilderness through Cruisetours in the unspoiled reaches of Denali National Park and Canada’s Yukon Territory.

With so much to offer and explore, Holland America Line’s upcoming Alaska season is certainly something to celebrate!