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It might just be the most fun Alaska cruise ever.
Holland America on Tuesday announced plans for an unusual long voyage that will include calls in remote areas that most cruise ships never visit.
Alaska’s Arctic Circle Solstice cruise, according to Holland America, is 28 nights long — four times longer than a typical Alaska cruise — and includes stops in more than a dozen ports.
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It begins in Seattle on June 9, 2024, and includes a passage through the Bering Strait to the Arctic Ocean for the summer solstice – the longest day of the year.
As the ship travels above the Arctic Circle, the time will be 24 hours of daylight.
The journey is unlike anything the line has done before. It will take place on the 1,964-passenger Westerdam, one of six ships Holland America plans to deploy to the Alaska market for winter 2024. Westerdam’s regular seven-night Alaska cruises depart from Seattle. .
In addition to crossing the Bering Strait into the Arctic Circle, the 28-night voyage includes a rare call at Nome, one of the northernmost settlements in the United States. Home to less than 4,000 people, it is perhaps best known as the finish line of the 1,049-mile Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. It is also known for its proximity to Russia, a few hundred miles to the west.
Related: The 5 best destinations you can visit in Holland AmericaPage
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Other unusual stops include the remote settlement of Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands. In recent years, the “Deadliest Catch” series of the Discovery Channel reality television series has become famous due to the amount of fish caught in what is known as the largest fishing port in the US.
Westerdam also travels to Cook Inlet for an overnight call in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. Few ships on Alaska cruises do not visit Anchorage because of the travel distance required to get through Cook Inlet.
The remote Alaskan town of Kodiak on Kodiak Island is also on the itinerary. The island is particularly known for its large population of Kodiak bears – the largest brown bears.
Other stops in Alaska include Skagway, Homer, Juneau, Ketchikan, Seward, Sitka, Valdez and Wangale. The trip will bring a visit to Prince Rupert in Canada.
The cruise includes scenic cruises through Glacier Bay National Park as well as Tracy Arm, College Fjord, Prince William Sound and Hubbard Glacier – all known for their stunning Alaskan scenery, including glaciers.
Related: TPG’s Ultimate Guide to Alaska Cruises
Holland America announced the new itinerary to coincide with the Alaska Statehood Day celebration.
The travel announcement comes as Holland America is adding more long-haul itineraries to its schedule. Always known for longer, more destination-specific itineraries than many of its competitors, Holland America is doubling down on longer itineraries with a focus on next year and beyond.
In addition to Alaska’s new 28-night cruise, the line announced it will offer two 14-night cruises to the state in 2024 — the first such cruise in five years.
As with the 28-night itineraries, the crew will make port visits to Anchorage as well as Kodiak, Homer, Valdez and other traditional Alaskan ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway.
Related: The 4 Dutch American Ships, Explained.
Holland America Chief Commercial Officer Beth Bodensteiner said in an exclusive interview with The Point Guy ahead of the announcement that he was confident the new 28-night Alaska itinerary could make the line annual.
“It’s a great way to offer something unique and have us,” Bodensteiner said, adding that the itinerary offered a chance to “cross something off your bucket list.”
Related: 6 Coolest Things to Do on an Alaska Cruise
Bodensteiner said Holland America’s travel planning team worked hard to get passengers to the Arctic Circle on a summer day, giving them a rare opportunity to see the sunset one day.
“This time is a very good example [of] She said how talented our travel planning team is, they think of things like this. “That’s what they started with. They [said] Wouldn’t it be nice to be this far north for winter? And then it’s back to planning the rest of the itinerary.
Pricing for the new 28-night itinerary starts at $4,259 per person, excluding taxes and fees of up to $645.
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