Baggage Insurance
Although every effort is made to see that your bags are handled as carefully as possible while in our possession, please be aware that Holland America Line cannot guarantee there will be no loss of, or damage to your baggage or belongings. For this reason, we suggest you purchase baggage insurance before you leave home. Your travel agent can provide you with additional information if you are interested in this option. Please refer to your Cruise Contract for the Holland America Line baggage policy.

Passengers Under 21 Passengers under 21 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone who is at least 25 years old; one adult chaperone is required for every five people under 21. Parents, guardians and chaperones are responsible for overseeing the onboard conduct of minors. Alcoholic beverages will not be served to passengers under age 21.

Shipboard Account
The "cashless society" is designed to make your life on board as simple as possible. You simply sign a receipt for each of your on-board purchases and then settle your shipboard account at the end of the cruise. Cash, VISA, American Express, MasterCard, Discover, and personal or traveler's checks are accepted as payment (U.S. or Canadian funds only, please).

You will be requested to register your credit card at the front office. Your card will be preauthorized for US $25.00 per person for each day of your cruise. To avoid delay in obtaining credit card preauthorization on board, guests with credit cards issued by banks outside the U.S. and Canada are advised to inform their credit card issuer in advance that the card will be used on a Holland America Line ship. At the end of the cruise your account will be charged only for the actual amount of your purchases.

The no-cash system applies to shipboard shop purchases, shipboard services (massages, beauty treatments, etc.), beverages in the lounges, dining room and nightclub, party foods and beverages, bingo, decorations and musicians for private parties, shore excursions and telephone calls. Casino chips/tokens may either be bought in cash or signed to your account (certain restrictions apply).



Changing Your Itinerary
With very limited exceptions (such as the Panama Canal cruises), a person cannot begin their cruise in one U.S. port and end it in a different U.S. port. Passengers who desire to change their itinerary by disembarking the ship at a different port than originally intended need to be aware of this restriction.

Communication At Sea
Telephone: Direct ship-to-shore telephones can be found in each guest stateroom. You may easily place a call to friends, relatives or business associates during your cruise - reception permitting. Similarly, friends and family in the U.S. and Canada may contact Holland America Line ships by direct dialing the following number: 1-900-CALL-HAL (1-900-225-5425)

Callers should have the ship name, party name and the cabin number ready before dialing. Those at home may also dial each ship directly by dialing International Access #, Ocean Code #, Ship #.
Ocean Codes:
Pacific Ocean Region.....872   Atlantic Ocean West......874
Atlantic Ocean East......871    Indian Ocean Region......873

Ship numbers:
Amsterdam........324-437-011    Maasdam.............130-2513    Noordam.............130-2541
Rotterdam........324-616-710     Ryndam..............130-2562      Statendam...........130-2515
Veendam..........330-943-511    Volendam.........324-596-816    Westerdam...........130-2531
Zaandam..........324-644-212

Please note: All phone calls, whether inbound or outbound, are charged a satellite tariff. Outbound calling rates are posted near your cabin telephone and will be billed to your onboard account. These charges are applied to ALL calls including calls to 800, 877 and 888 numbers. Please do not use a credit card or phone card; your onboard account will be billed in addition to the cost of the phone card or charges to your credit card. Collect calls are not possible from the ship.

E-Mail: On selected ships (currently available on the ms Amsterdam, ms Maasdam, ms Rotterdam, ms Ryndam, ms Statendam, ms Veendam, ms Volendam and ms Zaandam), guests can send and receive electronic mail in real-time, via a high-speed satellite link 24 hours a day, satellite conditions permitting. You will be able to access a broad range of communication applications (e.g., Video Mail, CruisE-mail, Word Processor and Printing just to name a few). You can surf the Internet, play games, check your stocks, read your e-mails, send a Video Mail to your loved ones back home and much, much more! Holland America has even set up your very own CruisE-mail address for you to use. We also have an Internet Manager onboard to assist you. There is a charge for these services.
Your CruisE-mail address: Your first initial + last name + your four (4) digit cabin number (with no spaces in between) + @"shipname".cruisemail.net
For ships without a 4-digit stateroom number, add an extra zero before your stateroom number (i.e. stateroom 038 would be 0038).
Example: John Smith, in Cabin 0038 on the Rotterdam, - His CruisE-mail address will be: jsmith0038@Rotterdam.cruisemail.net

Fax: Facsimile service is also available on board. Please contact the Front Office for cost and other information if you wish to take advantage of this service. Additional communication instructions can be found in your travel documents or on board the vessel in your cabin information directory.

MAIL: LETTERS AND POSTCARDS MAY BE MAILED FROM THE SHIP WHILE IN PORTS OF CALL. GUESTS MAY BUY STAMPS IN PORT OR PURCHASE THEM, WITH US CASH, FROM THE FRONT OFFICE. ALL MAIL IS SUBJECT TO LOCAL POSTAL OFFICE PROCEDURES AND RATES IN THE PORT MAILED.

Currency Exchange
Although many of the destinations you'll visit have their own currency, major credit cards are readily accepted and some countries will even accept U.S. dollars. If you choose to use U.S. dollars, carry smaller denominations-ones, fives, tens and twenties.

You may easily exchange money and traveler's checks into local currency at banks, airports and major hotels in many ports of call. Currency exchange facilities are offered on our Europe cruises. There is a customary service charge for this service.
Please note: Foreign currencies cannot be accepted or exchanged by the Front Office.



Transportation of Currency: You may take on your trip as much currency or as many monetary instruments as you wish. However, if you take out or bring into the United States more than US $10,000, you are required by law to file a report with the U.S. Customs Service.

Customs Information
In order to avoid problems when returning home, please take note of the following tips. For more information consult your Customs Agency.


Registering Your Valuables: We strongly recommend that you register your valuables with Customs before leaving home. This should be done well in advance of travel at a customs office near your home. Items that should be registered generally include those not manufactured in your country. Customs pays particular attention to cameras (including special lenses and video equipment), binoculars, radios, laptop computers, foreign-made watches, and other similar appliances. Customs officials will not be available at the ship during check-in to register valuables.


Customs Allowance: Each U.S. resident is allowed a duty-free exemption of US $400. Guests may include 100 cigars (Cuban cigars are not allowed) and 200 cigarettes (one carton) in their US $400 exemption and guests over 21 may also include one liter of liquor. An additional US $1,000 worth of articles may be brought in and taxed at a flat duty rate of 10%. After an absence of 7 days or more, Canadian citizens may bring back to Canada up to CAD $750 worth of duty-free merchandise, which may include a maximum of 40 ounces of liquor or wine and 200 cigarettes. Guests who are not U.S. or Canadian citizens should check with the customs service agency in their country for allowance information before departing.
Additional information concerning customs matters will be provided during your cruise.


Documents
Please review all of your documents including the Cruise Contract, as they contain important information.


Guests with Disabilities
Holland America does not discriminate against persons on the basis of disability. They seek, to the extent feasible, to accommodate guests with disabilities. Holland America has a limited number of staterooms designed to be wheelchair and scooter accessible.

Certain ship transfer operations (i.e., during tendering and at the gangways) may not be fully accessible to wheelchairs or scooters. Some guests with limited mobility may find it difficult to embark or disembark the ship at certain times while at dock or while tendering due to steep gangways and steps, particularly during low or high tide. The decision whether or not to provide mobility assistance to a guest and their mobility assistance device (wheelchair, scooter, walker, etc.) up or down a ship's gangway, or on or off a tender boat, is at the sole discretion of the Captain and will be made based on his evaluation of guest and crew safety. The Captain will try to reasonably accommodate passenger needs. For persons not capable of walking on their own, the use of a wheelchair will be the primary mobility assistance aid. In some situations, mobility assistance will involve carrying passengers. Situations may occur in which mobility-impaired guests may not be able to go ashore at the time they desire or are unable to go ashore at all in certain ports. For the safety of all concerned, the Captain shall make the final determination regarding the carrying of mobility-impaired guests, taking into account all appropriate matters including, but not limited to, weather conditions, ship's location, weight of the passenger, etc.

Guests must also be aware that certain transfer and shore excursion facilities may not be fully accessible to guests with disabilities. Although we endeavor to make sure other companies providing transfers and shore excursions comply with legal requirements, we cannot guarantee all of these companies are able to provide facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities. For detailed, up-to-date information on accessibility issues involving shore excursions, we strongly recommend visiting the Shore Excursion Office on board.

In limited situations (either on board or ashore), where an individual with a disability would be unable to satisfy certain specified safety and other criteria, even when provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and services, we may find it necessary to ask the individual to make alternative travel arrangements. Guests who are unable to care for their basic needs (e.g. dressing, eating and attending safety drills) MUST have a capable traveling companion. It is essential that we be notified of any special medical, physical or other requirements you may have as soon as possible.


Wheelchairs: Due to a limited number of wheelchairs on board, guests who require the use of a wheelchair should plan to bring their own rather than relying on the availability of Holland America Line's equipment. Wheelchairs and scooters must be stored inside the cabin and cannot be parked in the corridors. Holland America's wheelchairs are for onboard use only and are not allowed off the ship.

Oxygen: Any guest needing continuous oxygen for chronic conditions must make their own arrangements prior to travel. Please contact your travel agent for more information. Please make sure you bring the service company's address and their local contacts in foreign countries, as applicable.



Identification Requirements

IMPORTANT: Guests arriving at embarkation without proper documentation may not join the voyage and will not be entitled to a refund. The following documents are required for U.S. and Canadian citizens.

• Europe, Mexico, Panama Canal/Coastal or South America: A valid passport for the duration of the cruise and necessary visas; expired passports are not acceptable. *Please see note for minors. 
• Alaska, Caribbean, Hawaii, or New England: Either: 1) A valid passport, or 2) Picture Identification issued by an official government agency AND an original or certified copy of birth certificate, or 3) Picture identification issued by an official government agency AND a U.S. naturalization certificate.
• Minors: Minors under age 18 traveling to any foreign country must be accompanied by both parents or have a notarized letter of consent signed by the parent(s) not traveling. If the other parent is deceased or the child has only one legal parent, a notarized statement must be obtained as proof. Your travel agent can provide additional information about this requirement.
• Please note: Although some cruises do not require passports, it is always highly recommended that you carry one while traveling.
• Non-U.S./non-Canadian citizens: must have a valid passport and any necessary visas. Please verify carefully the existing identification requirements for your particular travel situation. In addition, non-U.S. citizens who have previously been admitted to the United States for permanent residence must carry their Permanent Resident Card (Form I-551), commonly known as a Green Card. Resident aliens not in possession of this must obtain one at the nearest office of the U.S. Immigration Service.

Visas: You are responsible for obtaining any necessary visas. If your itinerary requires a visa prior to boarding, Holland America Line will send a visa information kit to your travel agent. The kit will have information for U.S. and Canadian citizens. Citizens of other countries should contact the nearest representative embassies or consulates for proper information. All guests should keep themselves advised of changes in government requirements.


Immunization
Please contact your local physician, Health Department and/or travel medicine clinic to discuss immunization requirements for all countries on your itinerary. It is also a good idea to bring along a record of your immunizations.

Medical Facilities & Services
Each Holland America Line ship has an on-board infirmary staffed by one physician (licensed in North America) and three registered nurses. While not a full-service hospital, the infirmary is well-equipped to handle most emergencies and routine medical procedures.

If you become ill or injured during the voyage and your diagnostic and/or care needs exceed the capabilities of the infirmary, you will be transferred to medical facilities ashore. Please note that a customary fee will be charged to your shipboard account for physician/nurse services and for any medications dispensed (with the exception of Meclizine for seasickness, Tylenol and aspirin).

Medicare and many health insurance plans DO NOT cover the cost of medical care at sea, in foreign countries, or for air evacuation. Guests are encouraged to obtain travel medical insurance prior to travel in order to be reimbursed for services rendered.

If you have a chronic medical condition, please bring a recent report from your physician. The medical staff onboard is not available for daily care (unless hospitalized in the infirmary). You must be able to care for yourself, including dressing, eating and attending the ship's safety drills. If you are unable to function independently you must bring a caregiver with you. Because of the limited medical facilities, women who will be 24 or more weeks pregnant at the time their travel would conclude are not permitted to participate in the cruise. Please provide a medical note from your physician stating your expected due date and medical fitness to travel.

Keep medication close at hand in your purse or carry-on bag. Be sure to bring enough prescription medicine to last throughout your cruise, as it may not be available on board or in some of the countries visited.



Pets
With the exception of qualified service animals for guests with disabilities, animals or pets are not allowed on board our ships. If you plan to bring a service animal on your cruise, you must provide health certificate documentation for the animal. Please talk to your travel agent about this requirement.

Services On Board
You will find that Holland America Line ships have all the amenities and services you would expect to find in a fine resort-as our valued guests, we don't want you to lack for a thing!

Steiner Beauty Salon: Our Beauty Salon staff can make you look and feel your best. Specially-trained professionals offer a full range of services such as hairdressing and beauty treatments. All services are available from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. Appointments are strongly suggested, particularly for formal nights. Appointments can only be booked on-board.

Massage: Each Holland America Line ship carries certified massage therapists to help you relax and relieve stress. You can enjoy a twenty-five or fifty minute massage. Appointments can be made in advance through the Beauty Salon. Due to their popularity, we recommend you reserve early.

Ocean Spa: To help keep you in shape, all Holland America Line ships are equipped with a fitness center, the Ocean Spa, offering both aerobic and strength-training equipment. In addition, our Ocean Spa is staffed by a professional attendant who can instruct you in the proper techniques of exercising. The Ocean Spa is open from 7:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Personal training classes are available for a fee.

Swimming: Swimming pools are available on board all of our ships and on deck there are plenty of deck chairs and beach towels available for your use. If you would like a beach towel to take ashore, please ask your cabin steward. Should you need anything-a refreshing beverage or a lap blanket-an attentive deck steward is never far from your side.

Oceaan Boutiques: The Oceaan Boutiques on all Holland America Line ships provide a variety of wonderful merchandise from around the world. Items for purchase range from jewelry to clothing and souvenirs, together with a selection of toiletries and drug store sundries. The ships offer duty-free/tax-free prices for most items, and are open during the posted hours when the ship is at sea. The shops are not allowed to open in port in accordance with Customs regulations.

Photographers: The ship's photographers record as many memories of your cruise as is possible. Pictures taken are then displayed at the Photo Gallery, where you may make your direct purchase by conveniently charging your shipboard account. We offer a developing service on board along with a Formal Portrait Package. Details can be found in the Daily Program.

Casino: Tournaments are held each cruise. You can try your luck at blackjack, roulette, craps, stud poker, Caribbean stud poker and other table games, or one of many state-of-the-art slot machines in our casino. Local regulations do not allow the casino to be open while in port or in certain restricted waters. You must be at least 18 years old to play in the casino.

Internet cafe: On selected ships (currently available on the ms Amsterdam, ms Maasdam, ms Rotterdam, ms Ryndam, ms Statendam, ms Veendam, ms Volendam and ms Zaandam),
you can browse the web, receive and send e-mails, check your stocks and keep up with current news and events. Charges are posted directly to your shipboard account.

Reading Room: All of our ships have a Reading Room/Library containing books and periodicals as well as a quiet corner where you can curl up with a good book.

Religious Services: In order to serve the spiritual needs of our guests, we provide the following services. Your Daily Program will list times and locations.
Catholic - Mass is held daily.
Interdenominational - An interdenominational service is conducted each Sunday and on appropriate religious holidays.
Jewish - A Sabbath Eve is held each week. Anyone wishing to volunteer to lead this service should contact the Cruise Director. A Rabbi is on board for High Holiday services.

Stateroom: Your stateroom is furnished with a ship-to-shore telephone which enables you to easily call anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. You'll also find ample closet and drawer space, individually-controlled air conditioning, and a television for viewing CNN, movies and on-board features.

Laundry: For your convenience, we offer full laundry and dry cleaning service on board all of our vessels. You will find laundry bags and price lists in your closet. Self-service laundromats are situated in various locations on board. The facility consists of washers, dryers, irons and ironing boards. There is a charge for the use of washers and dryers. Irons, ironing boards and soap are provided at no cost. For safety reasons, we ask you to refrain from ironing clothes in your stateroom.

Smoking Policy
To satisfy the majority of their guests, there are designated smoking areas on the ships. The ships do not have "nonsmoking" staterooms, however all rooms are thoroughly cleaned after every cruise to assure the comfort of our guests. Cigar and pipe smoking are only permitted on the outside public decks.

"Tipping Not Required" Policy
Exceptional service is part of the Holland America Line cruise experience. Because you are our guest, it is our goal to make sure you receive the finest service possible. Our "tipping not required" policy ensures that the professional and gracious service you receive on board is truly sincere; that we are dedicated to providing the most relaxed cruise vacation, not simply providing service in return for tips. You are free, however, to extend monetary recognition if you wish; it's entirely up to you. (Company policy prohibits us from suggesting how much.)

Please remember that this "tipping not required" policy does not extend beyond the ship. In terminals, airports, ports of call, and on special shore excursions, you should tip at your own discretion.



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