ALASKA FAQ’s

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Generally, all our tours travel when it is considered the best time to travel, however it is important to note that climates may vary between different regions so the weather may vary throughout your tour. As weather patterns around the world are becoming less predictable the information we provide should be used as a guide only and is no guarantee of the weather at the time you travel. We also recommend checking up-to-date weather forecasts before you travel.

Whilst travelling on our Alaska Inside Passage cruise, daytime highs are mild – generally around 15ºC, while night time lows are around 5ºC. Although it is worth noting that the weather can change quickly in Alaska at any time of year. You should also be prepared for light mist and rain at any time.

During the day, dress is casual whether you’re on the ship or ashore. Dress to suit the weather conditions and the activity you are undertaking.

In the evening, unless attending one of the formal nights, dress is smart casual. Slacks, with collared shirts are suggested for men and a dress, or skirt or trousers and sweater with blouse for women. Please be aware that printed T-shirts, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts are not allowed in The Dining Room, Lido Market or public areas during the evening hours.
There will be two formal evenings on your cruise generally on the evening of the first full day and second to last evening where you can dress up accordingly – ladies wear a cocktail dress or gown and gentlemen wear a suit and tie or tuxedo.

Orange Party: Celebrated one night on each cruise, Holland America give a nod to their Dutch heritage, with the Holland America Orange Party. An optional night of entertainment to wear you best orange outfits and accessories.

Cash is not accepted for individual transactions, e.g. bars, the shops, spa, shore excursions. Cash is accepted in the onboard casino.

All onboard purchases and services are charged to your account by using your stateroom keycard, which is activated when you provide a credit card(s) (Visa®, Mastercard® and American Express®) as part of your pre-cruise check-in process. A deposit of $60 per person per cruise day will be taken on embarkation. At the end of your cruise, you will receive a final statement, and your card will be charged only for the actual cost of your purchases.

Unlike the UK, tipping is very much common practice in the USA and whilst mostly discretionary, it is expected. For restaurants you should look to add 15%-20% to your bill. For taxis add 15% to the fare.

On the Alaskan Cruise, a gratuity of $16 USD per person per day will be added to your onboard account, unless you have a pre-purchased package that includes gratuities. This is in order to recognize the many team members throughout the ship who contribute to the guest experience.

An 18% service charge is automatically applied to all beverage purchases, bar retail items, specialty restaurant cover charges, all for-purchase a la carte menu items, and all Spa & Salon services.

The following information on entry requirements, passports and visas is for British Citizens only. Any visa information covers visa requirements for the duration our tour stays in any given country. If you intend to stay longer you should seek additional information before booking.

Holders of a British Subject passport, non-British citizens and holders of a passport endorsed in any way should check immigration requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate of the country to be visited, as should clients with dual nationality or renounced citizenship.

It is important to recognise that whilst the information below is correct at the time we go to print, all requirements may change and all clients must check the up to date position in good time before departure with the Embassy or consulate of the country(ies) you are travelling through and to.
We also suggest referring to the UK government’s Foreign Travel Advice website,  for advice about travelling abroad, including the latest information on safety and security, entry requirements and travel warnings.

A valid ten-year British passport is required for all our holidays, valid for a minimum of six months after your return date to the UK. If you are not currently in possession of a valid passport please make sure you leave plenty of time before your holiday to apply for this document.

A full British passport presently takes approximately up to 10 weeks to obtain. If you are 16 or over and have not yet arranged a passport, you should apply for one at least six weeks before your departure from the UK. The UK Passport Service has to confirm an applicant’s identity before issuing their first passport and will ask them to attend an interview in order to do this. Please note, if you need to apply for visas after you receive your new passport, you will need to factor in additional time for this.

For more information on passport and entry requirements please visit the Government Passport Office website, or see our website for more details

As Alaska is within the United States, if you are travelling on our Grand Canadian Rockies and Alaskan Cruise tour, you will need to apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) visa waiver. You can apply for your ESTA on https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ Once approved an ESTA application is generally valid for two years.

The cost for the ESTA is USD $17.00 per person, plus a processing fee of $4.00.

When applying for your ESTA, you will be asked ‘Is your travel to the US occurring in transit to another country?’ Select NO.

You will then be asked for US Point of Contact Information. For your cruise you should enter the cruise line’s head office address and phone number, as follows:
Holland America Line
450 3rd Avenue West
Seattle, Washington
Zip Code / Post Code: 98119
UNITED STATES
Phone number: 87 79 324 259

Please note: if you have travelled to or been in Cuba any time since 1 January 2021, you can not apply for an ESTA to travel under the US Visa Waiver Program. You will need to apply for a US visa. For more information on this please consult the US State Department website to determine which US visa you will need.

Health facilities, hygiene and disease risks vary worldwide and may change at any time. You should take health advice from your GP or local travel clinic about your specific needs as early as possible and ensure that vaccinations or preventative measures are taken early enough (which may be a month or more prior to departure) to be fully effective by the date of travel.

In addition to viewing the UK government’s own travel advice website, at least 8 weeks before your trip, we recommend you check the latest health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website.

Guidance is also available from on the NHS Travel Vaccinations website, and the NHS (Scotland) FitForTravel website.

To enhance your cruise experience we suggest downloading the Holland America Line Navigator App to your phone or tablet, once logged in you can complete the check-in process and generate your boarding pass. Once onboard it will also allow you to plan daily activities, browse and purchase shore excursions, view restaurant menus, make dining reservations, check your account balance and more.

Alternatively, you can visit Holland America where 72 hours prior to your sail date you can complete a questionnaire and the Online Check-In to obtain your Express Docs and complete the Online Check-In process. After you have completed the Online Check-In, your Express Docs including your Boarding Pass will be issued, you can either print these or email them to your email address.

All customers will need to have the following documents ready at check in: Express Docs including boarding pass, Proof of citizenship, and applicable visas.

Guests can purchase and connect to satellite internet 24 hours either by accessing the ship’s wireless network or utilizing the workstations located in the Explorations Café. Internet Plans vary in price, dependant on your needs. Note that satellite connections may be adversely impacted by physical obstacles such as fjords and inclement weather and the speed is notably slower than shoreside connections.

There are a number of drinks packages available for you to purchase via the Holland America website to enhance your cruise experience.

There is a full laundry and dry cleaning service on board. In your stateroom you will find laundry bags and price lists conveniently located in your closet.

Please note: For safety reasons, travel irons, steamers, and electric water heaters/kettles may not be used in your stateroom.

Shore excursion vouchers will be delivered to your stateroom on the day of embarkation. There are a number of shore excursions available to book in advance through the Holland America website. Please note that requests are processed on a first come, first served basis. Please see for more information on how to book your shore excursions.

Credit cards, Debit cards and USD cash can be used to pay for things when you are ashore. We recommend you carry smaller denominations such as ones, fives, tens and twenties.

Please note we do not recommend Stirling traveller cheques as they are not accepted, either onboard or Alaska.

The vessels have limited specially designed staterooms for guests who require mobility assistive features. This is subject to availability and you would need to request this at the time of booking.
Please note if you are taking your own wheelchair when travelling on board it needs to meet the following criteria Width: 23” Max unless collapsible to a width of 23. Weight: 100 lbs. max excluding battery. Batteries must be gel or dry cell or AGM (absorbed glass mat) only. For more details, please visit Holland America Website.