Holland America Line has more than 75 years’ experience sailing in Alaska, consistently ranking as the best Alaskan cruise operator due to its extensive knowledge and hand-crafted excursions designed to bring every port of call to life.

Therefore, a cruise with the operator is the ideal solution for clients who want to see some of the globe’s most spectacular wildlife up close, all in a sustainable and respectful way.

Travel agents can advise their clients that not only will they see marine and land-based wildlife on shore excursions, but also from the viewing decks on board a Holland America Line ship.

Holland America Line: Alaska, bear
Witness brown bears with Holland America Line.

Alaska’s Inside Passage

One ideal stretch of water for such an encounter is Alaska’s famed Inside Passage waterway.

Covering close to 1,000 miles, running from Puget Sound, Washington, all the way up into the Gulf of Alaska, the passage takes guests through wilderness, glaciers, mountains, fjords and islands protected from the Pacific Ocean.

Travel agents should emphasise how animals such as porpoises and otters can be seen up close in their natural habitats, providing once-in-a-lifetime experiences that clients will not find anywhere else.

A particular favourite for those cruising with Holland America Line is whale watching. While on board one of the line’s luxurious ships,  guests are often able to spot humpback whales and orcas, while the sight of whales breaching – breaking through the water’s surface in an acrobatic display – is a mesmeric display of nature at its finest.

An ideal place to see Alaska’s land-based wildlife is Denali National Park, and this is where Holland America’s Line expertise and experience really come to the fore.

The line offers a range of cruisetour options, which as well as a cruise, all include a stay of up to three nights at their own McKinley Chalet Resort, where guests can enjoy a complimentary Tundra Wilderness Tour, designed to showcase Alaska’s big five – grizzly bears, caribou, moose, Dall sheep and wolves.

How to become an Alaska expert