Understanding Escorted Tour Itineraries

Posted on Monday, October 31, 2011

Thinking about taking an escorted tour?  Here is a glossary of some common terms used in our itineraries:

Visit - Your coach will stop and you'll get to visit a specific site.
View - A brief stop and an opportunity to take photos.
See - Your Insight coach will drive by the site so that you can see it.
Sightseeing tour - A local city guide will accompany you on a tour of a city or site.
Orientation tour - Places of interest are pointed out, allowing you to go and explore them on your own.
'Why not see' or 'perhaps enjoy' - These phrases refer to optional excursions not included in the tour package, but are available for an additional fee.
Time to explore and discover - Free time on your own.
A day to relax - No planned activities; time for optional excursions or other independent activities.

Our tour specialists are always available to help you understand what is included on a tour vacation, so that you can plan how much money to budget on your European vacation.

The Alaska Experience

Posted on Thursday, April 14, 2011

Get in touch with the real Alaska with a variety of entertaining and educational experiences on board and ashore. These are just some of the many options geared specifically to Alaskan culture, cuisine and nature to enjoy during your cruise.

Culinary

• Culinary demonstrations featuring typical Alaskan dishes are featured on most ships. Many have dedicated culinary centres where you can cook side by side with the chefs while big screens display the process close up so the audience doesn't miss a thing.
• Alaskan dishes are on the menus designed by the cruise line's celebrity chef.
• Culinary and wine experts give classes and demonstrations on board Seven Seas Navigator's Food and Wine theme cruise: 14 nights, May 26, 2010, San Francisco to Vancouver via Alaska.
• The Wild Alaska Culinary Extravaganza at Icy Strait Point is an example of the culinary excursions found in many ports. Learn how to prepare and cook local seafood, including salmon, halibut and Dungeness crab then enjoy a feast.

For the Kids

• Park rangers bring Glacier Bay and the Alaska wilderness to life for kids and teens in Princess Cruises' Junior Ranger and Teen Explorer programs.
• Kids and teens explore Alaska in a meaningful and enriching way with the Club Mariner Youth Program aboard Seven Seas Navigator.

Lectures and Commentary

• In Glacier Bay and at Hubbard Glacier, park rangers will come on board to give an informative narration during your visit to the tide water glaciers.
• Attend lectures and slide shows given by the on board naturalist or historian throughout your cruise.
• The on board naturalist may also give a commentary at important parts of your voyage. Two popular places are when passing a sea lion colony or traversing the Grenville Channel, the narrowest part of the Inside Passage.

Local Entertainment

• Check the daily program to see if local entertainers are coming on board. Libby Riddles, the 1985 Iditarod sled dog race champion and first woman ever to win the famous Anchorage to Nome trek, has been visiting the ships of Princess Cruises for the past nine years.
• Russian dancers from Sitka and gold rush entertainers from Skagway may also entertain you.

Shore Excursions

• Well informed guides teach you about Alaska on shore excursions from your ship. There's a wide range of excursions which immerse you in the culture and history of Alaska. Check these out at your cruise line web site where you'll find descriptions and details and you can book ahead of sailing.
• With Holland America Line's Cruise With Purpose you'll have a chance to be a research biologist in the wilds of Alaska. This exclusive wildlife and research tour from Juneau is offered in conjunction with Alaska Sea Grant Marine Advisory Program and the Marine Conservation Alliance.

Holland America Recipes: Salmon Salad

Posted on Friday, March 11, 2011

Holland America Line's Culinary Arts Center program, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, is a groundbreaking program that integrates guests' love for fine food and wine with a unique and entertaining experience. Immerse yourself in the unique traditions and tastes of the ports of call you will visit. Sample fine wines from around the world or learn to make a new gourmet dish in a hands-on cooking class taught by our own Master Chefs or Culinary Guests.

Warm Salmon and Arugula Salad with Chickpeas and Tomatoes (from A Taste of Elegance), Rudi Sodamin Yield: 6 Servings This main-dish salad is delicious warm or at room temperature. You can cut the recipe in half to serve six appetizer portions. Ingredients 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided 6 (5- to 6-ounce) salmon fillets Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 ½ cups chopped fresh tomatoes ¼ cup small black olives, such as niçoise, pitted if desired Freshly grated orange zest from 1 orange plus 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice Freshly grated lemon zest from 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tablespoon drained capers in brine 6 fresh basil leaves, torn 5 to 6 ounces arugula (about 8 cups), tough stems removed Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add 3 fillets to the pan and cook until just opaque inside, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the salmon from the pan and place on a large plate. Repeat with the remaining fillets and another tablespoon of olive oil. Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, olives, zests, juices, capers, and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until heated through. Divide the arugula among serving plates. Top with the chickpea mixture. Place a whole salmon fillet on top or, alternatively, flake salmon into pieces and place the pieces atop the chickpeas. Serve immediately.

Alaskan Cuisine

Posted on Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Alaskan Cuisine

Alaska's delectable cuisine depends on local produce, meat and fish.

• Try Valdez Moose Stew, Roast Caribou, Dungeness Crab and Shrimp Cakes and a wide range of recipes using oysters, salmon and halibut.
• One good Alaskan feast is Wild Salmon grilled on an open fire served with salads and rice which you'll find offered at Salmon Bakes around the state.
• Berries are very popular for jams, jellies and cooking with meat and fish. Wild Salmonberries, Lingonberries, Blackberries, Rhubarb, High Bush Cranberries and Black and Red Currants are just some of the 50 species of wild fruit that grow here.
• Be sure to try some Alaskan sourdough bread, made famous during the Gold Rush.

Alaska certainly offers a wide range of exciting things to see and do. It's unique in the world, an amazing and wild place which should be experienced at least once in a lifetime.

Alaska

Posted on Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Big bold and impossibly beautiful, Alaska stretches beyond the imagination.  Ancient glaciers glint majestically, as snow-mantled mountains soar into the cerulean sky.  The deep harbors and frontier towns welcome visitors with open arms, eager to reveal their riches.  The possibilities are endless, inviting excursions of untold discovery and delight.