For those who are short on time but have always wanted to take an Alaska cruise, Holland America Line has the solution: a five-day round-trip Alaska cruise that has just been added to the 2004 schedule. This appealing getaway cruise will depart on Friday, September 24, 2004 from Vancouver, British Columbia.

�This shorter Alaska cruise is ideal for people who want a relaxing, long-weekend getaway or for first-timers wanting to try a premium cruise experience,� said David A. Giersdorf, executive vice president, marketing and sales. �They will enjoy all the amenities and ambiance of Holland America�s cruise experience, plus visit two of Alaska�s most popular ports of call.�

Five-day Alaska Cruise

The 1,258-passenger ms Ryndam will depart Friday, Sept. 24 from Vancouver. The itinerary includes scenic cruising along the famed Inside Passage, where a panorama of cascading waterfalls, virgin forests and majestic glacier-carved fjords will delight passengers. This cruise visits Sitka, one of Alaska�s friendliest towns, on September 26. Sitka showcases Tlingit Native American and Russian czarist-era culture in a temperate rain-forest setting. The itinerary also includes a visit to the port of Ketchikan, a charming town built on trestles, docks and pilings at the water�s edge, on September 27. The cruise will disembark in Vancouver on September 29.

Outside staterooms for this cruise start at just $589 per person for this five-day Alaska cruise on ms Ryndam. Cruise vacations may be extended with pre- and post-cruise tour packages in Vancouver. Affordable air arrangements are available through the Home City Air program. Holland America, the leader in Alaska cruises and CruiseTours, provides the only trip cancellation program in the industry that offers cash back for canceling for any reason prior to 24 hours before departure.

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Media Contact: Mary Schimmelman +1 206-301-5318 mschimmelman@hollandamerica.com