Holland America Opens 2027 Alaska Heritage Tours Bookings
Chuck West founded Arctic Alaska Tours in 1947; it became Westours, which Holland America acquired in stages, beginning with a 70 percent stake in 1971.
Holland America Line has opened bookings for Alaska Heritage Tours on selected 2027 Alaska cruises and Cruisetours as it prepares to celebrate 80 years in the region. The anniversary traces its origins to Chuck West’s founding of Arctic Alaska Tours in 1947, the business that later became Westours and was acquired by Holland America.
The collection brings together established excursions. Holland America says the experiences have been updated over time while maintaining connections to Alaska’s history, culture and communities.
“Many of the experiences travelers seek out today are the very same ones that first inspired visitors decades ago,” said Carole Biencourt, vice president of onboard revenue at Holland America Line.
Rail journeys, glaciers and inland tours
The collection includes two rail experiences: White Pass Summit Scenic Railroad, which follows the Klondike Gold Rush route through the mountains above Skagway, and McKinley Explorer Railroad, which carries travelers through Alaska’s interior in glass-domed cars.
Near Juneau, Mendenhall Glacier Explorer visits the glacier. The Kenai Fjords National Park Cruise travels among tidewater glaciers, with opportunities to see whales, sea otters and other marine wildlife.
Inland options include the Denali Tundra Wilderness Tour, which travels deep into the national park for views of tundra landscapes and the chance to spot wildlife. Riverboat Discovery is also part of the collection, drawing on the long history of exploring Alaska’s interior by river.
Eligible voyages for the Heritage Tours collection include Alaska Explorer, Inside Passage and Glacier Discovery itineraries, alongside selected Alaska Cruisetours. The selection also extends to the 28-Day Legendary Alaska Arctic Circle itinerary.
The Westours connection
West consolidated his tourism businesses under the Westours name in 1957. The company’s activities expanded to include motorcoach touring, hotels, air excursions and small-ship cruises, alongside rail-and-bus itineraries.
During the 1960s and early 1970s, Westours helped develop the Alaska cruise-tour format, combining an ocean voyage with inland travel through Alaska and the Yukon.
Holland America purchased a 70% interest in Westours in 1971 and completed its acquisition in 1977.
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