This unusual new Holland America itinerary is one you can't miss
These cruises are going to be rare ones, Holland America fans. So get ready to book before they fill up.
The Seattle-based line on Thursday announced an unusual new "Great Bear Rainforest" itinerary that'll take in portions of the western coast of Canada that cruise ships almost never visit.
But here's the catch: There only will be two departures of the new routing for now: One in 2025 and one in 2026.
The seven-night sailings, which will begin and end in Seattle, will be alternatives to a classic voyage to Alaska.
The trips will only include one day in the Last Frontier state, in the port town of Ketchikan.. But instead of continuing on from Ketchikan to the Alaskan ports of Juneau and Skagway, as is typical for an Alaska cruise, the ship operating the sailings, the 1,972-passenger Noordam, will then head south into the immensely scenic narrow channels that cut through the western edge of British Columbia.
They are waterways that once formed the heart of what was known as the "Inside Passage" to Alaska but have been mostly bypassed by cruise vessels for decades.
"What we are doing with this sailing is we're offering the old Inside Passage," Paul Grigsby, Holland America's vice president for revenue planning and analytics, told TPG in an exclusive interview in advance of the announcement.
"It's an impossibly narrow area," added Grigsby, who oversees Holland America's itinerary planning team.
After tucking into Ketchikan for the day, Noordam will start the British Columbia experience with an overnight in Prince Rupert, British Columbia.
It'll then cruise through the super-narrow Grenville Channel (so narrow you feel like you can reach out and touch its sides as you cruise through it) as well as the Johnstone Strait and Seymour Narrows.
A maiden call at Nanaimo on the east coast of Vancouver Island and a visit to Victoria, British Columbia, will round out the trip.
Grigsby noted that the Grenville Channel and the other narrow waterways that Noordam will travel through formed the safe route to Alaska during the gold rush days of the 1800s when the passage was plied by steamboats. But it fell out of favor with Alaska-bound vessels over time as ships became bigger and willing to brave the open ocean to get to Alaska faster.
Cruise ships sailing to Alaska in recent decades have almost always bypassed this old Inside Passage area so they could get to Alaska more quickly and spend more time there.
"Many of the earlier cruise ships would also go the same [narrow] route, but with changing times, with the need to get up to Alaska faster, they skipped this," Grigsby noted.
For the most part, the only time cruise vessels have entered these old Inside Passage channels in recent decades has been when there have been storms riling up the seas in the open ocean outside of the passage.
"Nowadays, it's more by chance [that a ship goes into the channels]," Grigsby said. "That's why I thought, let's actually do it [in a planned way]. So that it's something that we can line up and have everybody ready for the experience."
The new trips are named after the Great Bear Rainforest, which covers a large chunk of the area through which the ship will travel. It's a region known for such wildlife as whales, eagles and the rare Kermode bear — also known as the spirit bear.
"This rainforest makes up one of the largest temperate rainforests on the planet, and we're kind of driving right into the heart of it with this cruise," Grigsby said. "We expect that there'll be a lot of opportunity for wildlife sightings, and it'll be up close."
Related: Holland America's new world cruise is epic
Grigsby said the line was likely to bring interpreters on the ship from the First Nations people who live in the region.
The call at Victoria will be unusual in that it'll be a full-day call instead of the sort of short, four-hour visit that is more typical on Alaska cruises. It'll allow passengers to really explore the city, which is lovely, Grigsby said.
For now, there will only be two departures of the new Great Bear Rainforest itinerary on Holland America's schedule: one starting Oct. 5, 2025, and one starting April 19, 2026. But if they're a hit, there could be more, Grigsby hinted.
Fares for the voyages start at $679 per person, based on double occupancy and not including taxes, fees and port charges.
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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.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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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. |
| 4X | 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. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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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.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.