Excursion Brochure
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William Clayton • Sharon Clayton ms Nieuw Amsterdam September 12, 2021 Page 1 of 60 Welcome to Exploration Central™ Why book your EXC Tours™ with Holland America Line? Quality & Service n Our tours offer a wide range of activities with something for everyone n Professional, local guides and independent tour operators offer exceptional guidance Which EXC Tours Are Right for You? n Expert advice from our EXC Tours staff on board Choose the tours that interest you by using the icons as a general guide to the level of activity Uncompromised Value involved, and select the tours best suited to your physical capabilities. These icons will help you to interpret this brochure. n Award-winning tours consistently rated “excellent” by our guests Easy Activity: Very light activity including short distances to walk; may include some steps. n Superior quality and competitive pricing Moderate Activity: Requires intermittent effort throughout, including walking medium distances over uneven n Priceless experiences surfaces and/or steps. Convenience & Peace of Mind Strenuous Activity: Requires active participation, walking long distances over uneven and steep terrain or on steps. In certain instances, paddling or other non-walking activity is required and guests must be able to n Maximize your time ashore—go straight to the participate without discomfort or difficulty breathing. highlights you want to see without waiting, getting lost, negotiating fares or hassling with currency exchange Panoramic Tours: Specially designed for guests who enjoy a slower pace, these tourss offer sightseeing mainly from the transportation vehicle, with few or no stops, and no mandatory disembarkation from the vehicle n Book online ahead of time or on board the ship during the tour. Some modes of transportation are rarely lift-equipped and ramps may not be available, a very n Tour departure times coincide with the ship’s schedule small amount of walking may be necessary. The pace is gentle and taking your time is encouraged. as well as other tours, enabling you to take multiple Limited Capacity: The number of people able to participate in this tour is strictly limited. Reasons for tours if desired limiting capacity may include the number of transportation seats available, or the need to maintain a safe n Worry-free return to the ship. In the very rare event that ratio of guides for hikes, fishing and water activities. Tours require a minimum number of participants in your tour is late and the ship must leave, we will arrange order to operate. at our expense to get you to the next port of call. With Meal: This tour includes a meal—lunch on daytime tours, or dinner on evening tours. independently booked tours, you are responsible for rejoining the ship at the next port of call Snack: This tour includes a small snack or tasting of local specialties. The snack is not a meal. Page 2 of 60 Touring in Alaska About Flightseeing The Weather If you do nothing else when you’re ashore in Alaska, take at least one flightseeing tour. While these EXC Alaska is well known for its “liquid sunshine,” changing weather and cooler temperatures, so be prepared! The best Tours tend to be some of the more expensive offerings, rest assured that the perspective gained from aloft is plan is not to let the weather determine the kind of time absolutely priceless—in fact, you will be forever changed in how you think about Alaska and the sheer mag- you have, but to dress in layers—a shirt, sweater and light nitude of nature exhibited here. You will discover glaciers that seem to tumble from heaven to earth, ice fields raincoat will do—so that you can add or remove layers as that seem to stretch to eternity, and jagged, unforgiving peaks that relentlessly reach for the stratosphere. needed. EXC Tours™ operate in all weather conditions. Cancellations due to weather are at the determination of This experience is so markedly different from any on land or sea, there is simply no comparison. the tour operator only. No exceptions! If you’ve ever thought that all tours necessarily involve Floatplane Flightseeing Hiking a motorcoach and a museum, it’s time to broaden your One of the most important forms of transportation in horizons. Whether you merely set foot on a glacier’s Whether you’re hiking forest paths and mountain trails, Alaska is the floatplane—versatile, practical, ubiquitous. surface or whether you strap on a set of crampons, or exploring rain forests and tide pools, it is absolutely Most commonly used for bear-watching and fishing necessary to wear comfortable hiking boots or athletic grab an ice-axe and step out onto a river of ice that has adventures, floatplanes are able to pull up to remote shoes. outlived dinosaurs and constellations, flightseeing means that you’re headed for the real Alaska. Make sure you beaches, bringing you to the heart of the wilderness within Fishing see it! Within this brochure you will find three different minutes of leaving the ship. While a catch is not guaranteed, if you are going fishing, types of flightseeing options -- helicopter, fixed wing and Weight Regulations you may want to plan what to do once you’ve reeled floatplane: in your fish! If your tour is not designated “catch-and- Please note that on all helicopter flightseeing tours, release,” review the processing options with your boat Helicopter Flightseeing guests weighing 250 lbs or more will pay an additional captain or guide and have the fish forwarded to your These tours are for more active flightseers, with the surcharge over the published fare. Every guest may be home. Your catch will not be allowed on board the ship. opportunity to step out onto a glacier, ride a dog-sled weighed during the check-in process. The tour operator across the surface of the Icefield, or go ice-trekking with Wildlife will endeavor to be discreet during this process, but please full gear and an expert guide. Although Alaska’s wildlife is abundant, we cannot be aware that individual circumstances may not allow guarantee any wildlife sightings on any of the EXC Tours Fixed Wing Flightseeing for complete privacy. For security reasons, carryon bags advertised in this brochure unless indicated otherwise. We This term refers to a small plane with wheels (not floats) may not be permitted in the aircraft. Secure areas will be are confident that each independent tour operator will that is often used for glacier flightseeing. provided to store your items for the duration of the tour. make every effort to accommodate the safe viewing of wildlife whenever possible. Waivers A waiver release form provided by the local tour operator may be required for participation in certain tours. Page 3 of 60 Guests Using a Wheelchair or Other Mobility Aid Device I have a disability. How do I know which tours will best suit me? The tours are graded according to the relative level of activity they entail. The activity icons that appear at the beginning of each tour description provide Frequently Asked Questions a general idea of the level of activity to expect. Please see page 2 for specific information or speak What should I wear? your EXC Tours tickets. If you wish to travel with to an EXC Tours specialist (1.888.425.9376). It is important to keep in mind that tour operators Comfortable walking shoes are recommended for friends, please arrive at the designated meeting place all EXC Tours™. When you visit places of worship, together. This will enable the staff to allocate space for are subject to the laws of their own country with we recommend dressing conservatively (no shorts you on the same vehicle. respect to accommodating the needs of guests with disabilities. In most foreign countries, the laws are or sleeveless tops), but casual clothing is perfectly Tour durations acceptable. Dress in layers and have a jacket along. not as stringent as those in the United States. The individual tour descriptions include approximate Bring an umbrella or raincoat, a hat and sunscreen. Will I encounter difficulties (dis)embarking the ship durations. To allow our EXC Tours managers What about meals? when it’s in port? flexibility to coordinate your time in port with meals Most tour departures complement the ship’s meal and activities on the ship, exact departure times are Please see the on-board EXC Desk to help determine service hours. In-room dining is available on board. published in the EXC Tours Order Form on board. whether you can expect to encounter difficulties How will I know what time each tour departs? For more information, please attend the EXC Tours (dis)embarking the ship in a particular port of call. Presentation or visit the EXC Desk. The decision whether or not to carry or provide The onboard EXC Tours Order Form in your other mobility assistance to a guest and their stateroom will show departure times. This information Tour descriptions device (wheelchair, walker, etc.) up or down a will also be printed on your EXC Tours tickets, Tour descriptions may change after printing. ship’s gangway, or on or off a tender boat, is at the which you will receive on board. Approximate Information that becomes available after this sole discretion of the Captain, made based on his tour departure times are posted on our website at brochure is published will be posted in the EXC Tours evaluation of guest and crew safety. We encourage hollandamerica.com. section of our website, which can be found online you to bring a collapsible wheelchair as space I am traveling with friends. Can we be accommodated at hollandamerica.com.