If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Unparalleled Attention to Guest Satisfaction!
Hi Everyone,
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. Best regards, Ray LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL 800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905 http://www.lighthousetravel.com Holland America Line Prepares for the Alaska Season With Unparalleled Attention to Guest Satisfaction Continuing in their Tradition of Excellence, Holland America Line CruiseTours And Gray Line of Alaska Offer Innovations to Enhance the Alaska Experience SEATTLE, Feb. 12 Holland America Line, the leader in Alaska cruises and CruiseTours, has extended its $225 million Signature of Excellence commitment to Alaska tour programs, taking steps to enhance guest satisfaction for the upcoming 2004 Alaska season. Extensive hotel and rail upgrades align with Holland America Line's quest to provide guests with the most distinctive ships at sea and the most spacious accommodations in the premium cruise category, resulting in the ultimate Alaska experience for guests. "Our brand-new McKinley Explorer domed railcars and our expanded hotel facilities, combined with our award-winning Alaska itineraries, will ensure that our guests enjoy the best in transportation and accommodations, capped by an unsurpassed wilderness experience, " said David A. Giersdorf, executive vice president, marketing and sales. "We are applying the spirit of our "Signature of Excellence" initiative to each and every element of our cruise and land programs, so that our guests experience the definitive Alaska experience in comfort and satisfaction." Best Alaskan Itineraries In what is one of the most competitive cruise destinations in the world, Holland America maintains its leading position as the cruise line with the Best Alaskan Itineraries -- a Porthole Magazine Readers' Choice honor it has earned for three years in a row. In 2004, the line will sail seven ships on 139 Alaskan cruises, adding more departures from Seattle, and more private verandahs with a new 1,848-passenger Vista-class vessel. Compared with other major cruise lines, Holland America Line ships carry on average 33 percent fewer guests, have the largest verandahs and offer more suites than any other premium line. The Holland America fleet will visit more glaciers than ever in 2004, with cruises scheduled to tour the imposing 5-mile wide, 40-stories-tall Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm with the Sawyer Glaciers, College Fjord, and Glacier Bay National Park. Many cruises will give passengers two separate days of glacier viewing. Port calls include Juneau, Sitka, Skagway and Ketchikan, with dozens of optional excursions available to guests in each port, including dog-sledding, glacier hiking, flightseeing, kayaking and guided city tours. Extra Time in the Best Places The greatest enhancement in HAL's CruiseTour programs in Alaska is the luxury of time. HAL CruiseTours feature itineraries that provide enough time to truly see the natural wonders of Alaska and the Yukon. Every CruiseTour includes time in Denali National Park, with some options offering an extra, unscheduled day at Denali. CruiseTour itineraries, which range from 11 to 19 days, feature 25 different ways for guests to explore the wonders of the 49th state and Canada's Yukon. More Time in National Parks Most visitors to Alaska are seeking a wilderness experience, and especially visits to the national parks of Alaska and the Yukon. Holland America Line CruiseTours spend more time in Denali National Park than any other cruisetour company. All 25 CruiseTours include the complete six-hour Denali Wilderness Tour, offering 71 percent more wildlife viewing and better opportunities to see Mt. McKinley. The "Double Denali" CruiseTours feature a second full, unscheduled day at the Park, allowing for hiking, flightseeing Mt. McKinley, dog-sledding, river-rafting, and more. HAL's five-star ships visit magnificent Glacier Bay National Park more often than any other cruise company. The day in Glacier Bay National Park includes interpretive narration from a Park Ranger and a Huna Totem native speaker. HAL CruiseTours are also returning, for the second year, to the crown jewel of Canada's wilderness national parks -- Kluane National Park. In Kluane, guests can experience an exclusive program of optional activities, including a variety of hikes, with Parks Canada interpreters. They can raft the world-class Tatshenshini River, go heli-hiking or fishing, or take a spectacular flightseeing adventure. HAL offers CruiseTour Exclusives in Alaska Each Holland America Line Alaska vacation features special touches unique to the leading premium cruise line in Alaska. Passengers will be sailing with a Native Artist in Residence to enrich their experience. Inside Passage roundtrips cruises feature not one but two major glacier-viewing experiences: Glacier Bay National Park and the twin Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy Arm. All Holland America Line CruiseTours travel on the new McKinley Explorer Railcars. With eight new McKinley domed railcars, CruiseTour guests will enjoy the largest passenger domed railcars in the world. A cutting edge GPS-triggered narration system on board select coaches and all of the McKinley Explorer railcars feature exclusive interviews with noted Alaskans, providing information to help passengers fully appreciate the natural wonders they are experiencing. Great Land Tours are the most comprehensive and exciting programs in Alaska and the Yukon. Some tours feature a cruise down the legendary Yukon River aboard HAL's exclusive mv Yukon Queen II. Guests stay at the best Alaska properties: the newly renovated McKinley Chalets, the five-star Alyeska Prince Hotel, and the expanded Westmarks Fairbanks Hotel. The tours include travel by motor coach along the famed Alaska Highway, and Gray Line of Alaska has invested 6.5 million dollars for new coaches that provide the best passenger viewing in Alaska. Their driver/guides complete 125 hours of training, the most extensive program in the industry, to ensure a secure and informative experience for guests. $34 Million plus in Westmark Hotel upgrades Holland America Line's subsidiary, Westmark Hotels, is also preparing for the Alaska season with unprecedented investments. A $34 million expansion of the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks includes 264 new rooms and an array of new conference facilities. These upgrades will expand the property to 401 rooms including 86 suites, an expansion of the restaurant, a new lounge, meeting rooms, and health & fitness center. The upgrades also feature innovations such as the Presidential Suite's chromatherapy sok(TM) tub, a first in Alaska. Bathers in the sok(TM) tub are caressed by tiny effervescent bubbles created by 11 specially engineered air jets, as the chromatherapy, a full spectrum of dramatic color, washes over them in this lavish bathing ritual. Other additions to the Westmark Fairbanks include the Walter Harper Boardroom with new video-conferencing equipment and the 2,200-square-foot Tanana Trade Center for trade show and exhibits. Other Westmark Hotels currently being renovated for the upcoming season include the Westmark Anchorage, the Westmark Tok and the Westmark Whitehorse. Largest Five-Star Fleet in Alaska With the largest five-star fleet in Alaska, Holland America excels in service, amenities and special programs. Menus, highlighted by Alaska specialties like salmon, halibut and King crab, are among the most extensive at sea. A wide range of shore excursions is offered in the ports of call, including an exclusive "Just for Kids" program, with high appeal to the growing numbers of families choosing to cruise Alaska for their summer vacation. About Signature of Excellence As the premium cruise leader, Holland America Line is investing $225 million in the Signature of Excellence initiative to provide unparalleled product and service enhancements to its fleet of five-star ships. Signature of Excellence will build on Holland America Line's renowned tradition of excellence by significantly raising the standard in premium cruising. The comprehensive enhancements will focus on five areas central to the Holland America Line guest experience: spacious, elegant ships and accommodations; sophisticated five-star dining; gracious, unobtrusive service; extensive enrichment programs and activities; and compelling worldwide itineraries. Enhancements, and in some cases construction build-outs, have been started and are expected to be completed by the end of 2005. About Holland America Line, a division of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE: CCL and CUK) In 2004, Holland America Line'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 Line excels in service, amenities and special programs. Known for gracious, unobtrusive 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 Line 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. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
ATTENTION EVERYONE IN THE NEWSGROUPS | edo | Europe | 9 | March 6th, 2004 04:51 AM |
GGC Radience "Guest Relations" desk observation | David & Amanda Proujan | Cruises | 6 | February 10th, 2004 02:34 PM |