Holland America cuts Alaska sailings

mercedes · March 31, 2009

Holland America Line is cutting its deployment in Alaska in 2010 by 10 sailings, or about 14,000 passengers. But the way the line is doing it is by moving its 1,380-passenger flagship, Amsterdam, to a new, 14-day Alaskan Adventurer itinerary that will include first-time (for HAL) port calls in Anchorage, Homer and Kodiak.

Rather than do 20 seven-day cruises between Vancouver and Seward, as it's doing this year, the ship will do 10 of the longer cruises, round-trip from Seattle.

And by the way, despite Carnival Corp. Chairman Micky Arison's sharp protests against Alaska's $50 head tax earlier this week, it seems to me the biggest loser here is not Alaska but Canada's Vancouver (leading to the question, what did they do wrong?).

Meanwhile, the Anchorage Daily News reports today cuts and changes by the various lines will add up to 100,000 fewer passengers in Alaska in 2010. That's about a 10% total drop, though some communities may see as many as 25% fewer visitors.

Ron Peck, president of the Alaska Travel Industry Association, is quoted by the paper as saying it's time for Alaska to be more supportive of the cruise industry. That's more or less what Carnival's Arison said earlier this week.

In addition to the new ports, the Amsterdam will visit the usual suspects – Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway, Sitka and Victoria, B.C. The cruises will be May-Sept. 2010. Bookings open April 10.

UPDATE: Princess officials are now confirming they will be removing Star Princess from their Alaska fleet in 2010. Star will be replaced on its Inside Passage route from Seattle by the Sapphire Princess, which moves over from its Gulf routing - so those feeling the cut the most will be Anchorage and Vancouver. A spokeswoman said that amounts to 48,000 fewer passengers - a 16% decrease for Princess in Alaska, but a 29% decrease in the line's Gulf itineraries. Princess will not say yet where Star Princess is going.