Frommer's Review
The Holland America cruise line is the giant of Alaska tourism and thousands of visitors do business with no one else when they come. The Alaska/Yukon operation employs more than 2,100 workers operating 225 buses, 14 railcars, and 2 day boats. Most clients arrive in the state on one of the company's ships, but even within Alaska, chances are good that a tour you sign up for will put you on a Gray Line coach and exclusively in Westmark hotels, both owned by Holland America. The Westmark hotels are described in the appropriate sections of this book. Some are among the best in town, including those in Juneau (called the Baranof), Fairbanks, and Sitka, while others are unremarkable. But then, on a group tour you don't spend much time in the room, as schedules generally are tightly planned and daily departures are early. The company goes more places than any other, with a catalog that covers just about anything in the state that could possibly be done with a group. Some of the tour excursions -- on the Yukon River between Dawson City and Eagle, for example -- are entirely unique. Prices depend on a variety of factors, but in general a tour of a week is about $1,400 per person.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
