HAL's New Signature & Medallion Collection Tours!

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I received this press release from Holland America and thought it
would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings,
they are available on my web site.

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Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


European Shore Excursions Offer Value & Variety Now Book Online At
www.hollandamerica.com

Announcing New Signature and Medallion Collection Tours

Seattle, June 4, 2004
European cruising aboard one of Holland America Line’s luxurious ships
means greeting the day with an al fresco breakfast pool-side followed
by a fascinating tour of Dubrovnik’s Dominican church, monastery and
rich treasures. Another day may be spent exploring the wonders of
Europe’s largest active volcano, Sicily’s majestic Mount Etna, before
returning to the ship for an elegant evening of fine dining and
dancing.


This European season, as a feature of its Signature of Excellence
initiative, the premium cruise line is outdoing itself by offering
more Medallion Collection shore excursions and introducing Signature
Collection touring. Cruise guests can now browse and purchase online
from a multitude of shore excursions available at
www.hollandamerica.com.

With more than 500 shore excursions in Europe alone, the choices are
as varied as the continent itself, offering a wealth of explorations
and discoveries. In St. Petersburg, Russia, for example, 16 shore
excursions range from daylong Moscow tours of the Kremlin and KGB to
visiting the Russia’s only Vodka Museum, the famed Hermitage Museum,
or Catherine the Great’s Pushkin Palace. Even on tiny Guernsey of the
United Kingdom’s Channel Islands, four different shore excursions are
available, including a trip to the car-less community of neighboring
Sark Island. Shore excursions vary from brief orientation tours to
full-day guided adventures that involve transfers via boat, bus, plane
or train to and from the ship.

“We work with carefully selected tour operators to deliver the finest
land-based tours and activities to our guests,” remarked David A.
Giersdorf, executive vice president, marketing and sales. “Our shore
excursion programs are extensive and perfectly complement the
accommodations, cuisine, service and activities found on our five-star
ships. Together these add up to an unforgettable European vacation.

“By expanding our exclusive Medallion Collection and adding our new
Signature Collection we are really delivering what today’s traveler is
asking for,” added Giersdorf.

New for 2004: Signature Collection Touring - Providing the exclusive
services of a private car/minivan, driver and English-speaking guide,
Signature Collection tours cater to the most discerning travelers.
Available in 47 European ports of call, for two to eight guests, in
four- or eight-hour segments, the service includes unlimited mileage
in the most luxurious vehicles ashore as well as all motorway tolls,
parking fees and bottled water.

Expanded Medallion Collection Tours Showcase Unique Adventures - For
seasoned travelers seeking extraordinary adventures, Holland America’s
Medallion Collection of shore excursions has expanded in 2004 offering
even more unusual opportunities.

The exclusive Medallion Collection shore excursions are capacity
limited and deliver a unique perspective on a port of call’s history,
culture and landscape. Medallion Collection tour sample:

Tour Corfu’s Achillion Palace followed by a traditional Greek luncheon
with locals providing music and dance. Then take a swim at the
private villa pool boasting spectacular sea views.
Fitted out with an apron, bowl and all-important ingredients, knead
your way to the perfect loaf of Irish Brown Bread at a call in Cobh,
County Cork. Next, learn to dance the Walls of Limerick and Siege of
Ennis with energetic dance instructors, followed by a hearty lunch at
a picturesque pub and an afternoon’s lesson on the traditional sport
of road bowling. The day ends with a slice from your own brown bread
loaf, slathered with the finest Irish butter.
Arrive from Helsinki at a Lappish reindeer farm via a scenic flight
and wooden riverboat ride into the heart of Lapland. An Arctic Circle
ceremony, fireside luncheon with music and folk dancing and a lesson
in Lappish lasso-throwing precede a visit to Santa Claus Village,
meeting Santa and posting a card from the North Pole.
“Mrs. Guthrie-James Requests the Pleasure…” of your company at a
19th-century greystone Scottish mansion on Duart Bay, Island of Mull,
for a relaxing day of regional tastes and experiences at a Scottish
estate boasting 120 years of family portraits and scrapbooks that
reveal the flavor and traditions of a by-gone era.
Shore Excursions Equal a Continent of Cultural Exploration - From
north to south, highlights of Holland America’s European shore
excursions include the following:

Embark on a romantic Venetian “Gondola Serenade” or explore the
“Islands of the Lagoon: Murano, Burano and Torcello,” each with its
own unique character and history.
Amsterdam, Holland, offers a “City & Van Gogh Museum Tour” or a visit
to the 17th-century town of Delft, famous for its earthenware,
including hands-on pottery painting.
The world of master architect Antonio Gaudi comes alive in “Gaudi’s
Barcelona,” a guided tour that visits the lovely Sagrada Familia
Church, Guell Park and La Pedrera House.
From Warnemünde, Germany, a transfer to Berlin via private train
allows a fascinating “Jewish History of Berlin & the Sachsenhausen
Memorial Tour,” as well as local attractions that include the
Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag.
Stretch your sea legs from Oslo, Norway on a walking tour to old town
Christiania, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and Oslo’s Golden Centre,
headquarters of the government.
Holland America is renowned for the broad spectrum of destinations
visited by the premium line. Offering approximately 1,400 shore
excursions worldwide, the company leads the cruise industry in the
number and choices of tours.

Holland America Line’s European shore excursions range in price from
US$25 to $529. Signature Collection tours range from US$300-$2,400
depending on group size, port of call, tour duration and vehicle
selected. European cruise fares start at US$899 per person,
double-occupancy, taxes additional. Low-cost airfare is available
from numerous North American gateways and pre- or post-cruise hotels
and packages can also be purchased through the line.


About Holland America Line
In 2004, Holland America's fleet of 13, five-star, premium ships will
offer nearly 500 sailings from 15 North American home ports, including
new departures from Norfolk, VA; Baltimore, MD; and Boston, Mass.
Recent additions to the fleet include the 1,848-passenger Vista ships,
ms Zuiderdam and ms Oosterdam. In April 2004, the third Vista sister,
ms Westerdam joins the fleet. The fleet will visit all seven
continents in 2004, while increasing the number of cruises to popular
destinations such as Alaska (139 cruises scheduled), the Caribbean
(191), Europe (58) and Canada/New England (26).

Holland America excels in service, amenities and special programs.
Known for consistent and attentive service, its ships have one of the
highest staff-members-to-guest ratios. Spacious staterooms average 25
percent larger and verandahs twice as large as those on other lines'
ships. Menus are among the most extensive at-sea. Dining choices
include formal elegance, alternative specialty dining in the Pacific
Northwest-themed Pinnacle Grill, casual fare and complimentary 24-hour
room service.

The winner of the 10th consecutive "Best Overall Cruise Value" award
from the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society (WOCLS), the line offers
the only trip cancellation program in the industry that provides cash
back for canceling for any reason prior to 24 hours before departure.
For more information, consult a professional travel agent.

World's Leading Cruise Lines
The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world in the 2003 Travel
& Leisure magazine "World's Best" Awards, Holland America is a member
of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also
includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line,
Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Sharing a
passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value,
the member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The
World's Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise
vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Conde Nast
Traveler magazine readers also ranked Holland America Line as the top
premium cruise line in the world in the much-anticipated 2003 Readers'
Choice Awards.