Holland America’s “perfectly sized ships” will bring you up close to Alaska’s glaciers, wildlife and wilderness on an Alaska cruise, but you can immerse yourself even further into this epic landscape with an award-winning land-and-sea itinerary.
A Holland America Alaska cruisetour offers the best of an Alaska cruise, along with an unforgettable journey into the heart of the Alaskan wilderness, or into Canada’s Yukon. Here are 5 things you should know about Holland America Alaska Cruisetours.
All Holland America Alaska cruisetours include one to three nights at Holland America Denali Lodge, a private riverfront wilderness property in the hills of Denali National Park & Preserve.
Set along the glacier-fed Nenana River, Denali Lodge offers live entertainment, scenic views, and cozy firepits under the open sky. Denali Lodge is home to quaint shops, restaurants, and lots of Alaskan hospitality. It’s the ultimate basecamp for your Alaska adventure, spend your days sightseeing at Denali and the evenings winding down in comfort. Enjoy stunning views across the Nenana River into Denali National Park from virtually anywhere on the grounds, as well as upscale dining, quality entertainment, and local shopping.
Every Alaska cruisetour features a journey aboard the McKinley Explorer, Holland America’s private two-level, glass-domed railcar that travels hundreds of miles into Alaska’s wild interior.
Sit back and relax as pure wilderness rolls by. Cross the dramatic Hurricane Gulch and travel through Broad Pass while a guide narrates the experience. Watch breathlessly as the clouds part, and Mt. Denali appears on the horizon. While the scenery is as rugged as it gets, the train offers unparalleled comfort and service.
Take in 360-degree views from your seat, or step onto an open-air platform to feel fresh mountain breezes. Enjoy exquisite dishes with regional influence such as bison short rib sandwiches and reindeer chili, served in a lavish dining car during breakfast and lunch. In each car, bartenders mix unique cocktails with spruce tip gin, while guests sit back and drink in the views.
The McKinley Explorers travels between Anchorage and Denali, as well as routes that go between the ship in Whittier and Denali. As Holland America’s private train, the schedule is tailored to guests. There is no need to carry bulky bags, your luggage will be waiting at your room when you arrive, and you can check-in right from your seat.
Trace the footsteps of Klondike Gold Rush prospectors with the only cruise line bringing guests to Dawson City, Yukon.
All Alaska, Denali & Yukon cruisetours are escorted by an expert local Tour Director and include two nights in Dawson City (part of a larger UNESCO site) plus the Klondike Gold Tour curated with the HISTORY® Channel.
The Klondike Gold Tour takes you to Discovery Claim and Gold Dredge 4 in Dawson City, with Parks Canada guides sharing fascinating stories of Yukon’s legendary Gold Rush history. Once the pulsing heart of the Klondike Gold Rush, Dawson City today is a cluster of wooden sidewalks and charming frontier-era shops on the banks of the Yukon river. Dawson City, Yukon has a rich history, even before the discovery of gold and subsequent stampede in 1896. The Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin or “people of the river” have frequented the area for thousands of years and there’s much heritage to learn and appreciate. The town was also a muse for literary legends, Robert Service and Jack London. Present-day Dawson still has active gold mining and a thriving tourism and arts scene.
Denali might be the number one reason to book Alaska cruisetours into the state’s rugged wilderness, and it’s easy to understand why. At an impressive 20,310-feet above sea level, Denali isn’t just any mountain; it’s the centrepiece of Alaska’s interior, a shining jewel rising above pristine Alaska wilderness.
Included on all Alaska cruisetour itineraries, you’ll travel inland to Denali National Park. You can settle in for up to three nights and get a true sense of North America’s tallest mountain. Holland America Line is also the only cruise line to include the Tundra Wilderness Tour into Denali National Park on all two- and three-night Denali cruisetour itineraries. On this expertly guided 6- to 8-hour adventure, you’ll likely spot some combination of grizzly bears, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, and wolves. In addition, there are countless bucket list opportunities—such as river rafting, flight-seeing (including the chance to land with a ski plane on Denali itself), or meeting an Iditarod dog musher and getting a sloppy kiss from a sled dog.
Discover Alaska’s “Big 5” (bears, moose, caribou, Dall sheep and gray wolves) through more than 175 sanctuary and sightseeing opportunities, with exclusive access provided by Holland America’s partnership with the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
Watching for grizzly bears? See Alaska’s enchanting bears on a complimentary tour through Denali National Park & Preserve. Watch for Dall’s Sheep leaping among Alaska’s ridges and slopes. Be on the lookout for caribou (reindeer), the only deer family members in which both males and females grow antlers. The elusive gray wolf can sometimes be seen in Denali National Park & Preserve, one of the best places to spot these elusive animals in the wild. And, you’ll have a chance to visit rescued moose and other Alaska animals at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
For those interested in whale watching, book your Alaska cruise between early May and early June for the best chance to see orca at play. In summer, humpback whales glide into Alaska’s Inside Passage to feed, play, and mingle. Playful sea otters are often observed floating on their backs and are even known to “hold hands.”
Want to learn more about exploring Alaska and the Yukon on a cruisetour?
