Holland America Line today announced that the publication of the new Canadian protocols by Canada mean the resumption of Alaska cruises from Canadian Ports. As they will allow the line to complete its preparations for the full season of Alaska and Canada/New England Cruises. it is expected that sailings will begin in mid-April. The Alaskan Cruise season normally runs until September although some sailings were later in 2021 due to a delayed beginning of the season.
“The completion of this guidance by Transport Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, Public Health Agency of Canada, and port officials will allow us to sail our Alaska and Canada/New England seasons as planned,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “This is a positive step for everyone who loves to travel to these regions and for all of the businesses in Canada that we support through tourism. Many of the protocols Canada is applying were successfully implemented in the United States after the restart of cruising, and they are working well.”
This exciting announcement comes in as Holland America gears up for its 75th year of cruising in Alaska. Huge sighs of relief all round!
Find out more here…
Canada Place, Vancouver is the homeport for HAL roundtrip cruises and itineraries on the inside passage between Vancouver and Whittier, Alaska. In addition HAL run roundtrip itineraries from Seattle to Alaska that have to include a visit to Victoria, Vancouver Island in order to comply with the USA Jones Act/ PSA regulations.
The first Holland America Line ship arriving back in Canada following the pause in cruise operations will be the Koningsdam which will dock in Victoria on April 9. She will continue on to Vancouver the next day
HAL Alaskan itineraries from Vancouver include:
- Seven-day “Glacier Discovery Northbound” and “Glacier Discovery Southbound” itineraries between Whittier and Vancouver aboard Nieuw Amsterdam and Noordam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway.
- Seven-day “Alaska Inside Passage” cruises sail roundtrip from Vancouver on Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam and Zuiderdam. Ports include Ketchikan, Juneau and Skagway.
- Seven-day “Alaskan Explorer” cruises sail roundtrip from Seattle aboard Eurodam and Westerdam. Ports include Victoria, Ketchikan, Juneau, Icy Strait, and Sitka.
Vancouver Port ‘value their association’ with HAL
“We greatly value our longstanding partnership with Holland America Line, which was the first cruise line to call at the new Canada Place cruise terminal at the Port of Vancouver in 1986,” said Robin Silvester, president and CEO of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “We’re pleased to see the return of cruising in Canada, and we look forward to welcoming cruise lines, guests and crew back to Vancouver.”
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