In a press release issued on September 26th Holland America Line announced that it is bringing the Great Land to Phoenix, Arizona, with the all-day Alaska Cruise and Travel Show Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, at the Hilton Scottsdale Resort and Villas. The free-to-attend, action-packed expo runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and invites Arizonans who are dreaming about an Alaska cruise vacation to come learn, engage and see the best ways to experience this incredible destination with Holland America Line.
Celebrating more than 75 years of Alaska exploration, Holland America Line is rolling out the red carpet with an immersive display of all-things Alaska for the event. Attendees will be able to meet the people who bring Alaska to life, make s’mores, take part in gold panning (and keep what they find!), try their hand at axe throwing, and enjoy live presentations and culinary demonstrations.
“Our Alaska cruises are ranked number one for the most Alaska glacier, wildlife and wilderness viewing opportunities,” said Bill Fletcher, senior director of destination marketing for Holland America Line. “We’re bringing our Alaska travel experts to Phoenix to connect with people who want to check this destination off their bucket-list but aren’t sure where to start. Even travelers who have previously explored Alaska can gain insights for future visits, meet tour operators, enjoy family-friendly activities and enter to win prizes.”
Those who register and attend will have a chance to win one of six $500 Holland America Line gift cards or the grand prize of an Alaska cruise for two.
Scheduled for the Alaska Cruise and Travel Show presented by Holland America Line:
- Attendees can meet an Alaskan Lumberjack from the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan, Alaska, who will demonstrate axe throwing, and attendees will have the opportunity to test their own skills.
- Just like the prospectors of the Klondike Gold Rush of the 1800s, attendees can pan for real gold and perhaps take home an authentic nugget.
- Attendees will feel like they are at McKinley Chalet Resort’s Denali Square as they roast marshmallows and make s’mores around a faux firepit.
- Fleet Executive Chef Sinu Pillai will provide culinary demos featuring fresh, sustainable Alaska seafood served on Holland America Line’s Alaska cruises.
- Attendees will learn more about Holland America Line’s enrichment and entertainment programming that brings Alaska on board through authentic experiences that focus on culture, cuisine and adventures ashore.
- All who attend will enjoy live presentations from Alaska operators to see and hear about the wildlife, scenery, adventure and culture they can experience in Alaska.
Shore excursion operators — from the White Pass and Yukon Route Railway in Skagway to the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show in Ketchikan — and Holland America Line representatives will be on hand to share more about what to expect when traveling to Alaska with the only cruise line that ventures into the Yukon Territory (hint: it involves river rafting, zip-lining and going deep into the wilderness to spot grizzlies and caribou).
The Alaska Cruise and Travel Show is presented by Holland America Line and co-presented by Expedia Cruises in North Scottsdale. Other sponsors include Allen Marine Tours, a family-owned company based in Southeast Alaska.
Cruising to Alaska in 2024
From April through September 2024, guests can embark on Holland America Line’s cruises to Alaska aboard Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Westerdam and Zaandam. The cruise line is debuting a new 28-day Arctic Circle itinerary in 2024 that includes 12 Alaska ports, longer 14-day voyages and 117 weeklong journeys, enhancing its position as the leader in Alaska cruising.
Every Alaska cruise includes a visit to one or more of Alaska’s iconic glacier destinations: Glacier Bay National Park, College Fjord, Dawes Glacier, Hubbard Glacier and Twin Sawyer Glaciers of Tracy Arm. Holland America Line has more visits to Glacier Bay than any other cruise line.
Exclusive Cruisetours Explore Denali and Yukon
The Alaska landscape is one of the few places in the world that is best seen by combining a cruise with an overland adventure, and Holland America Line’s award-winning Cruisetours offer guests 16 options that showcase remote and off-the-beaten path regions. Holland America Line is the only cruise company to weave must-see sites such as Denali National Park — the centerpiece of every Cruisetour — with the unspoiled reaches of Canada’s Yukon Territory.
