 General
Information
An extensive
program of shore excursions has been carefully prepared to enhance
your cruise experience. Holland America Line and agents along the
route have exercised great care in the preparation of these
programs ashore. Please be aware, however, that although every
effort has been made to present you with the best available
facilities in the countries we visit, many of these countries may
not have amenities such as air-conditioning and toilets on buses.
Shore excursions will help you make the most of your time in port
and provide you with the best transportation and guide services
available. Options may include sightseeing, flightseeing, golf and
adventure tour packages. A shore excursion brochure has been
enclosed with your travel documents so you may familiarize
yourself with the tours prior to embarkation. Check your Daily
Program for information on shore excursions and port lectures.
On Europe, South America and Alaska cruises you may pre-request
your tours by completing the form found in your shore excursion
brochure. On other cruises you can book your tours through the
Shore Excursion Office once you are on-board.
Guests with physical limitations should review the "Which
Tours are Best for You" section of the shore excursion
brochure. You can choose the excursions that most interest you by
using the icons as general guide to the level of activity
involved. Please note that wheelchair lift vehicles are not
available in most ports outside of the United States, and guests
must be able to walk several steps to (dis)embark transportation.
Please check with the Shore Excursion staff onboard for the most
accurate and up to date information.
Please note: No refund or allowance can be made to any guest who
might, for any reason (including medical), cancel, deviate from,
or otherwise not utilize all of the services scheduled to be
provided by any excursion. Guests on any excursion who elect to
leave the automobiles or motorcoaches in the shopping area, or
elsewhere, must provide their own transportation, at their own
expense, back to the port.
By selecting
shore excursions, you will be relieved of having to make your own
sightseeing arrangements. These tours are operated by independent
vendors ashore and are sold on board as a convenience to our
guests.Prices are per person rates, quoted in U.S.
funds.
You will receive a detailed Shore Excursion brochure prior to
departure as part of your final cruise documents.
Exact tour departure times are published in the Shore Excursion
Planning Form available on board. For more information on each
tour, please attend the shore excursion presentation on board or
visit the Shore Excursion Office.
All shore excursions include transportation to and from the ship,
English-speaking guides unless otherwise noted, any applicable
entrance fees and meals or refreshments as stated in each tour
description.
You will be able to book your tours on board the ship at the Shore
Excursion Office. The staff will be happy to assist you in
choosing tours that will enable you to make the most of your time
in port.
Answers to Your Questions
What should I wear?
Comfortable, rubber-soled walking shoes are recommended for all
shore excursions, as there are cobblestone and uneven surfaces in
many of the older ports. Expect temperatures to be hot and humid,
however, there is always a possibility of "liquid
sunshine." When you visit places of worship (cathedrals,
churches, etc.) we recommend dressing conservatively (shorts and
sleeveless sundresses should not be worn).
What about meals?
Tour departures, when possible, are scheduled to complement meal
service hours on board the ship. In the event your excursion
returns to the ship after normal ship-board meal hours, and there
were no meals provided on the tour, a meal will be available to
you on your return aboard. In addition, 24-hour room service is
always available on board.
How will I know what time each tour departs?
It is sometimes necessary to make adjustments to our arrival times
as local conditions dictate, so to avoid confusion, we do not list
departure times on this Web site. When you embark the ship, you
will find the Shore Excursion Planning Form in your stateroom.
Exact departure times and meeting locations will be listed on the
form. This information will also be printed on your shore
excursion vouchers, which you will receive on board as your tour
ticket.
I have physical limitations. How do I know which tours are
best suited for me?
We have graded the Shore Excursions according to the relative
level of activity they entail. The walking icons that appear at
the beginning of each tour description provide a general idea of
the level of activity to expect. Please refer to the Activity
Levels below this section for specific information. Most guests
will find it beneficial to attend the shore excursion briefing on
board the ship, for assistance in evaluating the required activity
level for each tour.
I'm traveling with friends and we would like to be on the
same motorcoach.
No problem. The meeting place for each shore excursion is printed
on your shore excursion vouchers. If you wish to travel with
friends, please arrive at the designated meeting place all
together. This will enable the staff to allocate space for all of
you on the same vehicle.
How do I order shore excursions?
There will be a shore excursion briefing on the ship within 24
hours after boarding, covering all of the sightseeing options
available to you. Visit the Shore Excursion Office during business
hours to obtain answers to your questions. For the convenience of
guests who make their tour selections and would like to avoid
standing in a line at the Shore Excursion Office on board, there
is an Express Order System:
- When you board the ship you will
find in your stateroom a Shore Excursion Planning Form. This
is a complete, up-to-date form containing ALL of the Shore
Excursion options available to you during your particular
voyage (including the tour departure time and meeting
location.) Use this as an order form. Write your name and
stateroom number on the front page.
- Across from each tour
description is a box for you to indicate how many persons you
are purchasing tickets for.
- Take your completed form to the
Shore Excursion Office and deposit it in the Shore Excursion
Express Order Box located outside the office.
- The Shore Excursion Staff will
process these orders prior to opening the office each day. The
tours are charged to your on-board cabin account and tour
vouchers will be delivered to your cabin in a special
envelope.
- Please note: Order forms are
processed in the order received. In the event you have
selected a departure that has sold out, your name is
automatically put on a waiting list for the possibility of a
cancellation or acquisition of an additional departure time.
If we are able to confirm you from the waiting list, your
cabin account is automatically charged and tickets will be
sent to your cabin promptly.
Activity Levels
Each tour has a designated
activity level to help you select the shore excursions best suited
to your physical capabilities. The activity levels range from Easy
to Considerable.
Easy Activity: Very
light activity including short distances to walk over relatively
even surfaces with few stairs to climb. Some of these tours may be
accessible for wheelchairs. Guests in wheelchairs must be able to
walk a few steps to negotiate their way on and off transportation
as wheelchair lifts are not readily available in most ports.
Moderate Activity:
Fairly active requiring intermittent effort throughout. The tour
may involve recurring physical movement including walking medium
distances over uneven surfaces and climbing staircases.
Considerable
Activity: Very active involving constantly exerting effort. The
tour may require continuous physical movement including walking
long distances or climbing steep inclines.
Special Notice for
Non-ambulatory / Wheelchair-bound / Physically-challenged Guests:
Many of our physically-challenged guests prefer to make their own
tour arrangements based on their specific needs. A good source of
information may be:
Able to Travel: True Stories By and For People with Disabilities
Rough Guide, ed. Alison Walsh
This book can be ordered through your local bookstore, and might
also be found in public libraries. In ports where it is necessary
for the ship to anchor, non-ambulatory guests may be unable to go
ashore.
Please note: For the safety of all concerned, ship's
officers and staff are not allowed to carry wheelchair-bound
guests up or down the gangway in a port.
Environmentally
Sensitive Tours
Holland America Line, in conjunction with our partners in tourism
have prepared a special tour program with an emphasis on ecology,
nature, culture and sensitivity to the environment. Shore
excursions qualifying for this special designation are represented
throughout the Web site by the leaf symbol.
Whether you explore the ports of call with one of our organized
tours or you choose to venture our on your own, we recommend the
following ten tips while sightseeing:
- Care for the
environment; never litter, pick up waste and preserve the
environment for future generations.
- Learn about the
geography, history, culture and nature of the place you visit.
- Respect the privacy
and dignity of others; keep noise levels to a minimum and
request permission before taking pictures of local residents.
- Follow the direction
of your guide and stay on the established trail; venturing
into unknown areas may disturb nature's delicate balance.
- Protect endangered
plants or animals; do not purchase items derived from species
that are at the risk of extinction.
- Seek souvenirs at
stores; never take objects from historical sites or natural
areas.
- Preserve local
culture and historic artifacts; support efforts to nurture the
local culture and protect authentic artifacts.
- Walk when possible;
and encourage drivers of public vehicles to stop engines when
parked.
- Encourage those you
meet to be environmentally conscious, also.
- Contribute to local
conservation and preservation efforts.
Guides, Services and
Transportation
In certain interesting but off-the-beaten-track places,
professional guides and vehicles are at a premium. The best
available are engaged. It is exceptional for drivers of public
hire vehicles to speak any language but their own. It is not
always possible to obtain air-conditioned buses or taxis in many
ports.
Guests are cautioned not to leave anything behind while
sightseeing, especially such items as cameras, coats and
umbrellas, and are reminded that Holland America Line is not
liable for any lost items or damage to any baggage or other
property which occurs ashore, for any reason whatsoever.
Self-Guided Excursions
Guests who do not join these prearranged shore excursions must
rely on whatever transportation is available to guests while in
port. If you choose to devise your own excursion, it is suggested
that you remind the driver or tour escort of the ship's sailing
time. The ship's facilities are fully available to guests while in
port.
About Pricing
All rates are quoted in U.S. funds. Prices and descriptions are
current as of the printing date of the actual shore excursion
booklets. In our effort to provide a shore excursion program of
the highest quality, prices are subject to change without notice
and descriptions may vary from the actual tour provided.
About Refunds &
Cancellations
All cancellations are subject to a 10% cancellation fee. Booking
deadlines are stated in the Shore Excursion Planning Form on
board. Tours canceled after the booking deadline are
non-refundable since transportation services have been arranged.
Guests who leave during a tour for which transportation is
included must thereafter provide for their own transportation and
services at their own expense.
Conditions
Shore Excursions are "Off-Ship Services" for the
purposes of your Cruise
Contract. Please refer to your Cruise Contract for a full
statement of your rights and obligations as well as those of the
Owner of the Ship, Holland America Line-Westours Inc. and certain
other persons and entities with respect to Off-Ship Services. In
particular, please note that you are assuming the entire risk of
utilizing Off-Ship Services subject only to whatever terms or
arrangements are made by your or on your behalf with the third
party furnishing the Off-Ship Services. Shore excursions are
subject to cancellations or changes. Shore excursion operators
reserve the right to deny participation to guests based on such
criteria as they may establish.
Call
1-800-942-3301 or Email
for Availability, Pricing & Reservations
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