Alaskan Coastal Cruise with Vancouver City Stay

The order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Holland America will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them during your cruise. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to the local conditions.

If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of €550.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

All UK passport holders must have a biometric e-passport and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you are expected to arrive back in the UK. Important note: if you do not have a bio-metric e-passport, you will be refused entry into the USA.

You will need to obtain an ESTA visa. This must be applied for at least 7 days before you are due to land in the USA. An ESTA can be applied for directly on the website of the Department of Homeland Security. The Fee for application is approximately $21.00 and payable via a Credit / Debit Card online. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta

Alternatively we work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be who will be able to arrange the ESTA visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When Calling the Travel Visa Company they will advise you of any changes to the fees or procedure, they will also advise you all of the information they will require in order to apply for the visa.

The US Government enforces a restriction on people who have travelled to Cuba since 2011. These travellers are no longer eligible to apply for the ESTA Visa Waiver program and need to apply for a US visitor's visa (B1/B2) via their nearest US Embassy. This ban includes transit, where you’re flying on to another country.

Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your e-ticket and final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Weight restrictions will be finalized on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0871 360 2000, quoting HX313.

IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

This cruise is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves moderate days of walking on uneven paths and small hills, and getting on and off the cruise ship. This tour may not be suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

The currency in Alaska is the US Dollar ($). We recommend that you exchange your currency before you leave the UK On board our ships, U.S. dollars are the only currency accepted. We also accept U.S. travellers' checks. In most ports of call, you may easily exchange your currency into the local currency at banks, airports, and major hotels. All onboard purchases and services in US Dollars are charged to your account by using your stateroom keycard. Cash is not accepted for individual transactions, e.g. bars, shops, spas, shore excursions. Cash is accepted in our casinos.

If you do not want to use a credit card, on the day of boarding, you will need to visit Guest Services and deposit $30 cash per person per cruise day (applies to all guests 18 years of age and over). Any excess deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. Traveller's checks may be cashed at Guest Services. Personal checks are not accepted on board.

There is not an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) available on board.

It is normal practice to present a Credit / Debit Card upon check -in to your cruise ship, to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit.

You will need to take some extra money with you to cover any extras not mentioned on your itinerary and personal purchases, such as souvenirs, extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £400-500 per person should be sufficient for the duration of your Cruise. Please also bear in mind that there will be several shopping opportunities throughout your tour.

Tipping

The Crew Appreciation charge is paid to Holland America Line team members and represents an important part of their compensation. An 18% service charge is automatically applied to all beverage purchases, bar retail items, specialty restaurant cover charges, all for-purchase a la carte menu items, and all Spa & Salon services. Local sales taxes are applied where required.

Tipping is customary on many cruise lines. Holland America recommend approximately $17 per person per day, known as the Crew Appreciation daily and this is added to your onboard account.

*The charges are subject to change without notice.

The maximum number of travellers on your cruise will be dependent upon the Cruise ship capacity. (2,106 max cruise capacity). Please note: your cruise is shared with international clients from other companies.

There is no minimum number of travellers for this extension however the main tour passenger numbers will apply for the main part of the tour. If in the unlikely event there are less than the required number of people booked on your main tour date then you may be asked to change to a different date. A full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.

Excursions during your cruise are in shared services, meaning that these excursions are not exclusive to Mercury Holidays customers, you will have an English-Speaking local guide present during these excursions ensuring that you always have first-hand knowledge. This guide will only be available during excursions.

Your stay in Vancouver is not escorted by a tour guide. All internal transfers are included. Disembark at Vancouver’s port at 9.30am, where your driver will be waiting for you with a sign with your name on it. On the day of your departure, your driver will then meet you at your hotel at 5 pm. You will be transferred to the airport for your return flight back to the UK.

Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.

All staterooms are equipped with standard 110 AC and 220 AC outlets. Guests packages may want to bring converters and/or adapters for their stay. All staterooms are equipped with hair dryers. Electrical devices such as small fans, power strips, multi plug box outlets/ adaptors, and extension cords without surge protectors are allowed onboard when used with proper caution. If such devices are determined to pose a hazard, they will be removed and returned the last day of the cruise prior to debark.

For safety reasons, travel irons, and electric water heaters/kettles may not be used in your stateroom. You may order hot water from our complimentary In-Room Dining service 24 hours a day. Also, full laundry and valet services are available on all of our ships.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is aboard the cruise ship where are number of dining options are available.

Vegetarian and Vegan meals can be catered for.Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.

It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed counties water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way as the UK. Bottled Water will be available to purchase at Shops, Hotels & Lodges.

Most evenings smart casual attire is appropriate. Shorts, pool/beachwear, distressed jeans and men’s tank tops are best left to the daytime and are not permitted in fine dining restaurants.

Dressy Nights evoke the grand traditions of cruising as guests dress to impress for special events on board, including our five-course gourmet dinner in the Dining Room. For gentlemen, collared shirts and slacks are required in all fine dining restaurants. Jacket and Tie is the preferred attire in all fine dining restaurants, but it is not an essential requirement.

On your arrival in Vancouver, you will be met by your driver at the exit, after baggage claim. The driver will be holding a sign displaying your name.

Boarding Procedures

We strongly encourage you to complete the Online Check In Process at hollandamerica.com and to if you are able too; download the Holland America Line Navigator App.

After you have completed the Online Check-in process, please print a Boarding Pass or access your electronic boarding pass on Navigator App. Upon arrival at the pier, you will need to present your Boarding Pass, have your passport and applicable visas verified and your picture taken if you have not uploaded a photo on Navigator. Your stateroom keycard will be delivered to your stateroom.

Please Note: This online procedure must be completed prior to your sail date.

If you completed the Online Check-in, please have the following documents ready to present at check-in: • Express Docs including your Boarding Pass • Proper proof of citizenship • Applicable Visas

U.S. government security regulations require Holland America to submit certain guest information to law enforcement authorities at least 60 minutes prior to departure. To meet this requirement, the necessary information is needed in our records at least 90 minutes before departure. If we do not have your information by this deadline, you will be unable to sail. Guests are urged to complete the Online Check-in process before leaving home. Guests who wait to check in at the terminal risk being unable to sail even if they arrive at the terminal before the vessel leaves. You will be responsible for all costs you incur to join the vessel at the next port.

Ship Identification Card: Upon completion of check-in you will receive a ship identification card. This ship ID card serves as your identification for security procedures when embarking and disembarking the ship, and for making purchases on board. It is also your access card to your stateroom.

Please Note: Please have your ship ID card and a valid picture identification issued by an official government agency ready and available whenever getting on or off the ship, as you will need to scan your ship ID card at the gangway for boarding. Also, although not required at the ship gangway, you may be required to present a valid picture ID to pass through terminal security.

Embarkation Time: Boarding begins at 12:00 pm. All guests must be checked in at least 90 minutes prior to the published sailing time.

To allow us to expedite immigration clearances in the various countries you will be asked to surrender your passport to our staff upon check-in. Some clearances will require face to face inspections, details will be communicated to you onboard. Rest assured that your passport will be fully secured by our staff.

Regardless, it is always good practice, when traveling, to make copies of your passport pages before departing.

Holland America embarkation procedures are smooth and easy. You carry nothing but your hand baggage, and everything is beautifully organized. Although embarkation may begin as early as 11:30am, the previous sailing guests will have just disembarked and we will still be in the process of preparing the ship for your cruise. We anticipate that your stateroom will be ready at approximately 1:00pm. Therefore, you are welcome to make yourself at home in the bar, lounge or pool areas. Your baggage will arrive in your stateroom later that afternoon.

If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are as follows:

Emergency contact information For any questions about transfers, please call Blacklane. 24 hr contact number: 001 415 429 1027 For any other queries, please call Go West Tours. 24 hr contact number: 001 415 235 1171