Inside Passage to Arctic Circle: Cruise Alaska for a month with this epic new itinerary
It just might be the most epic Alaska cruise ever.
Holland America on Tuesday unveiled plans for an unusually long voyage to the Last Frontier that will include calls in remote areas that most cruise ships never visit.
The Alaska Arctic Circle Solstice voyage, as Holland America calls it, will be 28 nights long — four times the length of the typical Alaska sailing — and include stops in more than a dozen ports.
Kicking off in Seattle on June 9, 2024, it will also include a passage through the Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean that will be timed for the summer solstice — the longest day of the year.
The timing will result in 24 hours of daylight, as the ship will be sailing above the Arctic Circle.
The trip is unlike anything the line has ever done before. It will take place on the 1,964-passenger Westerdam, one of six ships that Holland America plans to deploy to the Alaska market for the summer of 2024. It'll be a departure from Westerdam's normal schedule of seven-night Alaska sailings out of Seattle.
In addition to a passage through the Bering Strait to the Arctic Circle, the 28-night voyage will include a rare call at Nome, one of the northernmost settlements in the United States. Home to fewer than 4,000 people, it's perhaps best known as the finish line for the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It's also known for its proximity to Russia, which is just a few hundred miles to the west.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit on a Holland America ship
Other unusual stops include the remote settlement of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. Known as the largest fisheries port in the U.S. by volume of fish caught, it has been made famous in recent years as the setting for the Discovery Channel reality television series "Deadliest Catch."
In addition, Westerdam will sail into Cook Inlet for an overnight call at Anchorage, Alaska's biggest town. Few ships on Alaska cruises ever visit Anchorage due to the distance of travel required to reach it through Cook Inlet.
The remote town of Kodiak, Alaska, on Kodiak Island, is also on the itinerary. The island is particularly known for its large population of Kodiak bears — the largest subspecies of brown bears.
Other stops in Alaska will include Skagway, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Seward, Sitka, Valdez and Wrangell. The voyage also will bring a visit to Prince Rupert in Canada.
The sailing will include scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park as well as at Tracy Arm, College Fjord, Prince William Sound and Hubbard Glacier — all known for their spectacular Alaskan scenery.
Related: TPG's ultimate guide to Alaska cruise itineraries
Holland America announced the new itinerary Tuesday to coincide with Alaska statehood day celebrations.
The itinerary announcement comes as Holland America is in the midst of adding more long itineraries to its schedule. Always known for a wider mix of longer, more destination-intensive itineraries than many of its competitors, Holland America is doubling down on longer itineraries as a focus for the coming year and beyond.
In addition to the new 28-night cruise to Alaska, the line announced it would offer two 14-night sailings to the state in 2024 — its first such sailings in five years.
Like the 28-night itinerary, the sailings will bring rare visits to Anchorage as well as Kodiak, Homer, Valdez and a mix of other more traditional Alaska ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.
Related: The 4 types of Holland America ships, explained
In an exclusive interview with The Points Guy in advance of the announcement, Holland America chief commercial officer Beth Bodensteiner said the new 28-night Alaska itinerary was something she hoped the line could do every year in the future.
"It's a great way to offer something unique and have us ... kind of step out of the mainstream for a few weeks," Bodensteiner said, adding that the itinerary offered the chance to "cross something off your bucket list."
Related: The 6 coolest things to do on an Alaska cruise
Bodensteiner said Holland America's itinerary planning team worked hard to build the itinerary around getting passengers into the Arctic Circle right at the summer solstice, offering a rare chance to see a day without a sunset.
"That timing is a great example [of] how talented our itinerary planning team is, that they think of that kind of thing," she said. "That's sort of what they started on. They [said,] wouldn't it be great to be this far north for summer solstice? And then they back into" planning for the rest of the itinerary.
Fares for the new 28-night itinerary start at $4,259 per person, not including taxes and fees of up to $645.
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.