HAL New Ship, Enhancements Completed!

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 Welcomes 2006 With a New Ship, New Cruises and
$225 Million Enhancements Completed on the Entire Fleet

SEATTLE, Jan. 24
In 2006, Holland America Line will debut the new ms Noordam, feature
eight ships cruising Alaska, and complete its Signature of Excellence
enhancements across the fleet. The 13 ships of the world's leading
premium cruise line will offer nearly 500 sailings to all seven
continents from more than 25 home ports. Itineraries range from two to
108 days and feature several maiden ports, and calls to the new
Caribbean port of Grand Turk.

2006 Highlights
-- The 1,918-passenger ms Noordam debuts in February 2006 and
is the
first to be delivered with completed Signature of Excellence
amenities. She will sail maiden 10- and 11-day voyages to
the
Caribbean from Holland America Line's latest homeport, New
York
City, through the spring. The Noordam will sail fifteen
10-day
Mediterranean cruises for the summer before returning to New
York in
the fall.

-- The innovative Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine
Magazine will feature more than 60 celebrated chefs and
culinary
experts to provide cooking demonstrations and classes in the
new
state-of-the-art onboard show kitchens. Culinary guests
include
Nick Stellino, chef, host, writer and co-executive producer
of Nick
Stellino's Family Kitchen V; Jacques Torres, chocolatier
extraordinaire, renowned pastry chef, cookbook author; and
Aaron
Sanchez, chef/owner Paladar, New York City and consulting
chef,
Mixx, Atlantic City, NJ. Each million dollar Culinary Arts
Center
features plasma screens to view the action and portable
cooking
stations where groups of up to 16 guests or children
participating
in Club HAL can participate in hands-on classes. A Culinary
Group
Program offers special fares to groups of at least 25 guests
and a
cabin for a guest chef, a pair of one-hour Culinary Arts
Center
demonstration sessions, a complimentary deluxe wine-tasting
or
cocktail party, and a 5"x7" color group photo for each
cabin.

-- Signature of Excellence enhancements will be completed on 10
ships
at the start of 2006 and all 13 ships by the fall of 2006.
The $225
million initiative includes upgrades to the ship's public
spaces to
luxurious amenities in every stateroom. Highlights include
the
Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine, the
Explorations Café powered by The New York Times, the
Greenhouse Spa
and Salon, and improved youth facilities and programming
featuring
The Loft and The Oasis teen-only activity areas.

-- Holland America Line features the industry's first Friends
and
Family Reunion Program to provide families booking five or
more
staterooms with special group pricing, complimentary
beverage and
dinner packages, a family photo per stateroom and stateroom
upgrades.

-- Holland America Line also offers charity group rates, where
a
charity receives a special-savings cruise fare and Holland
America
Line donates $50 or $100 per stateroom to the charity
depending upon
the cruise.

-- As the leader in Alaska cruises, Holland America Line
continues to
offer a comprehensive selection of Alaska cruise itineraries
and
departures, sailing eight ships on 159 cruises in 2006.
Holland
America Line introduces three ships to Seattle and adds a
unique new
port, Icy Strait Point in Southeast Alaska. The company's
five-star
ships offer the most entries into Glacier Bay National Park.

-- The ms Statendam will feature nine 14-day sailings between
Sydney,
Australia, and Auckland, New Zealand, during "Down Under's"
summer.
A 16-day Australia, Orient and China cruise also places the
Statendam in Hong Kong for three 14-day China and Japan
sailings
followed by an 18-day trans-Pacific cruise from Japan to
Alaska.

About Holland America Line

With the introduction of the 1,918-passenger ms Noordam in early 2006,
Holland America Line's fleet grows to 13 ships. Itineraries include
Australia/New Zealand, Asia, South America, Canada/New England, Panama
Canal, a world cruise and popular sailings to several ports in the
Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico and Europe. For more information, consult a
travel agent.

World's Leading Cruise Lines

The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world, 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, these 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.