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Welcome Aboard Holland America Line [top]
Holland America Line has been named "Best Overall Cruise Value" by the World
Ocean and Cruise Line Society for over 10 years. As soon as you board any ship
in the Holland America fleet, you'll quickly see why Holland America has earned
this honor. With more than 130 years of experience, the cruise line has
perfected the art of cruising, offering five-star service and amenities in a
welcoming setting. Holland America Line's ships offer everything that you
expect in a great land resort, and more.
Holland America Line is excited about their $225-million investment in
unparalleled product and service enhancements on their fleet of five-star ships
initiated in 2005. Called "Signature of Excellence," this comprehensive
initiative is building upon their position as the premium cruise leader and
centers around five main components of Holland America Line's cruise
experience: dining, accommodations, service, activities, and destinations.
You'll be sure to receive the finest premium cruise experience available.
Dining Information [top]
All meals are included on board during your cruise. Breakfast and lunch are
served in open seating in the dining room. There are two seatings for dinner.
In addition, buffets are available in the Lido Restaurant for breakfast and
lunch.
Breakfast: Open seating begins at 8:00 am
Lunch: Open seating begins at 12:30 pm
Dinner: First seating is at 6:15 pm, and second is at 8:15 pm. Vantage groups
are assigned to the lower level of the dining room for the first seating and
the upper level for the second seating. Open seating in the Lido Restaurant is
also available on several nights of your cruise.
Every effort will be made to accommodate your dining seating preference. Should
we be unable to confirm your preference, however, you will be notified prior to
departure.
Alternate Dining Rooms
As a delicious alternative to the main dining room, you might consider sampling
the cuisine at your ship's alternate restaurant - The Pinnacle Grill. This
restaurant features fine dining in an intimate setting and has a modest charge.
You can experience this elegant restaurant by reservation only. This restaurant
is extremely popular, so reserve early to avoid disappointment!
Onboard Attire
The right clothing can make a big difference in the enjoyment of your cruise.
First and foremost, dress for comfort. Daily life aboard ship and in ports of
call is laid-back and casual. We encourage you to wear whatever makes you feel
most comfortable - such as sportswear, shorts, sundresses, slacks, and so on.
Evening dress falls into three distinct categories. Each night a daily program
will be delivered to your stateroom announcing the suggested dress for the
following evening. Comfortable, relaxed clothing is fine for evenings
designated as casual; however, T-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, tank tops and shorts
are not allowed in the dining room, Lido restaurant, or public areas during the
evening hours. During informal nights, dresses or pantsuits for women and
jackets (tie optional) for men are standard.
On festive formal evenings, women usually wear cocktail dresses or gowns and men
usually wear business suits or tuxedos. There are approximately two formal
nights per week. (Gentlemen: Although business suits or tuxedos are suggested
attire for formal evenings, they are certainly not required. You are welcome to
wear a jacket and tie on formal nights.)
Formalwear for ladies and gentlemen can be pre-ordered for your use for the
duration of your cruise. Just call Cruise Line Formalwear at 800-551-5091 to
reserve and it will be ready in your stateroom when you board.
Please Note: Because the Alaska program includes a land tour as well as the
cruise, you can feel comfortable packing a dark business suit instead of a
tuxedo if this is your preference. In order to complement your fellow guests,
Holland America asks that you observe the suggested dress code throughout the
entire evening.
Cruise Line Special Meal Requests
The ship may be able to accommodate special dietary requirements, provided
requests are received at the time of booking. Holland America offers
alternative dining menus such as Kosher, gluten free, or any other special
medical diets (salt-free, diabetic, etc). Please confirm any dietary requests
with your Vantage Program Manager once on board.
Money Matters While On Board [top]
The Holland America Line ships sail with the tradition of a "cashless society."
Passengers simply sign a receipt for purchases just as you would at a fine
hotel. You'll then settle your account with one convenient transaction at the
end of the cruise with American Express, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, cash,
personal check, or travellers' checks. You will need to register your debit or
credit card on embarkation day in order to use your onboard account for
purchases.
Currency Exchange
The Front Office does not handle currency exchange on board. U.S. dollars are
accepted for exchange at most ports of call, as are travellers' checks and
major credit cards.
Gratuities
Gratuities are not included in the cruise fares. For your convenience, a per
person daily amount ($10 per person per day) will be charged to your shipboard
account and distributed to your ship personnel for dining and stateroom
service. You will be provided with the opportunity to modify the amount charged
to your account before the end of your cruise. In addition, should you wish,
gratuities for other special services may be given directly to deserving
individuals. For bar charges and dining room wine purchases, a 15% gratuity is
automatically added to all charges.
In addition, the recommended gratuity for your Vantage Program Manager is $3 to
$5 per person per day.
General Information About Your Ship [top]
Air Conditioning
All cabins and public rooms on board are fully air-conditioned. Individual cabin
temperature can be regulated by passengers.
Electrical Current
The current on board all Holland America Line ships is 110 volts (A standard
U.S. 2-pin plug is required.)
Keeping in Touch
All cabins have a telephone for inter-ship calls. Reception will provide the
desired connections (depending on the ship's location). Please keep in mind
that ship-to-shore telephone calls can range from $12 to $15 per minute. Please
refer to the instructions provided in the information packet in your cabin. Fax
facilities and E-mail service are also available. Fees for your use of fax,
internet, and e-mail will be charged to your shipboard account. Keep in mind
that phone centers and Internet cafés in various ports may offer less expensive
alternatives for keeping in touch.
Laundry
Complete laundry, pressing, and dry cleaning facilities are available on board
your Holland America ship. Ironing rooms, coin-operated washing machines, and
dryers are also available for your use.
Medical Facilities
There is a medical center on board ship. A US or Canadian licensed doctor and
registered nurses are in permanent attendance. The on board pharmacy stocks
only USDA approved medication. There will be a fee charged for all medical
services and medications obtained on board.
Please note that Medicare and U.S. health insurance are generally not accepted
on board ships or in foreign destinations. Claims are made upon return to the
USA and should be filed through your health insurance provider or through the
Travel Protection Plan if you have purchased it. All receipts and doctors
reports are required to process claims.
Special Cabin Requests
Although the special group rate you have taken advantage of on your Vantage
cruise does not guarantee cabin selection, we will be happy to advise the
cruise line of any special requests. We must receive your request at the time
of booking. Please note that cabins within your category may be located on
several different decks and cabin availability on your deck of choice may be
limited.
Periodically, cruise lines randomly upgrade passengers for space allocation
purposes. Please keep in mind that these upgrades are at the discretion of the
cruise line and selection of passengers to be upgraded is not in Vantage's
control.
Special Occasions at Sea
If you will be celebrating a birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon during your
cruise, the cruise line will honor the event with a special cake in the dining
room. Please advise Vantage of such occasions at time of booking. We will
forward the information to the cruise line. Please verify the arrangements with
your Vantage Program Manager once you are on board.
Shore Excursions [top]
Holland America's "Shore Excursions" booklet will be provided in a mailing prior
to your departure. This booklet will provide detailed descriptions of the
excursions offered by the cruise line, including degree of difficulty, meals,
and tour highlights. You will have the opportunity to purchase these tours
while on board ship through your Vantage Program Manager.
The optional shore excursions that are offered while you are on board ocean
cruise ships are offered solely by the cruise line and must be reserved
directly through them. Each cruise line determines its own reservation policy.
To pre-reserve shore excursions: onboard or online at www.hollandamerica.com;
you'll need your 7- digit HAL identification number from your cruise cabin
confirmation notice that Vantage sends you approximately 7 to 10 days after
making your reservation.
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