Unparalleled Attention to Guest Satisfaction!

Hi Everyone,

I received this press release from Holland America and thought it
would be of interest. If you have missed any of my news' postings,
they are available on my web site.

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Ray
LIGHTHOUSE TRAVEL
800-719-9917 or 805-566-3905
http://www.lighthousetravel.com


Holland America Line Prepares for the Alaska Season With Unparalleled
Attention to Guest Satisfaction

Continuing in their Tradition of Excellence, Holland America Line
CruiseTours And Gray Line of Alaska Offer Innovations to Enhance the
Alaska Experience


SEATTLE, Feb. 12
Holland America Line, the leader in Alaska cruises and CruiseTours,
has extended its $225 million Signature of Excellence commitment to
Alaska tour programs, taking steps to enhance guest satisfaction for
the upcoming 2004 Alaska season. Extensive hotel and rail upgrades
align with Holland America Line's quest to provide guests with the
most distinctive ships at sea and the most spacious accommodations in
the premium cruise category, resulting in the ultimate Alaska
experience for guests.

"Our brand-new McKinley Explorer domed railcars and our expanded hotel
facilities, combined with our award-winning Alaska itineraries, will
ensure that our guests enjoy the best in transportation and
accommodations, capped by an unsurpassed wilderness experience, " said
David A. Giersdorf, executive vice president, marketing and sales. "We
are applying the spirit of our "Signature of Excellence" initiative to
each and every element of our cruise and land programs, so that our
guests experience the definitive Alaska experience in comfort and
satisfaction."

Best Alaskan Itineraries

In what is one of the most competitive cruise destinations in the
world, Holland America maintains its leading position as the cruise
line with the Best Alaskan Itineraries -- a Porthole Magazine Readers'
Choice honor it has earned for three years in a row. In 2004, the line
will sail seven ships on 139 Alaskan cruises, adding more departures
from Seattle, and more private verandahs with a new 1,848-passenger
Vista-class vessel. Compared with other major cruise lines, Holland
America Line ships carry on average 33 percent fewer guests, have the
largest verandahs and offer more suites than any other premium line.
The Holland America fleet will visit more glaciers than ever in 2004,
with cruises scheduled to tour the imposing 5-mile wide,
40-stories-tall Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm with the Sawyer Glaciers,
College Fjord, and Glacier Bay National Park. Many cruises will give
passengers two separate days of glacier viewing. Port calls include
Juneau, Sitka, Skagway and Ketchikan, with dozens of optional
excursions available to guests in each port, including dog-sledding,
glacier hiking, flightseeing, kayaking and guided city tours.

Extra Time in the Best Places

The greatest enhancement in HAL's CruiseTour programs in Alaska is the
luxury of time. HAL CruiseTours feature itineraries that provide
enough time to truly see the natural wonders of Alaska and the Yukon.
Every CruiseTour includes time in Denali National Park, with some
options offering an extra, unscheduled day at Denali. CruiseTour
itineraries, which range from 11 to 19 days, feature 25 different ways
for guests to explore the wonders of the 49th state and Canada's
Yukon.

More Time in National Parks

Most visitors to Alaska are seeking a wilderness experience, and
especially visits to the national parks of Alaska and the Yukon.
Holland America Line CruiseTours spend more time in Denali National
Park than any other cruisetour company. All 25 CruiseTours include the
complete six-hour Denali Wilderness Tour, offering 71 percent more
wildlife viewing and better opportunities to see Mt. McKinley. The
"Double Denali" CruiseTours feature a second full, unscheduled day at
the Park, allowing for hiking, flightseeing Mt. McKinley,
dog-sledding, river-rafting, and more. HAL's five-star ships visit
magnificent Glacier Bay National Park more often than any other cruise
company. The day in Glacier Bay National Park includes interpretive
narration from a Park Ranger and a Huna Totem native speaker. HAL
CruiseTours are also returning, for the second year, to the crown
jewel of Canada's wilderness national parks -- Kluane National Park.
In Kluane, guests can experience an exclusive program of optional
activities, including a variety of hikes, with Parks Canada
interpreters. They can raft the world-class Tatshenshini River, go
heli-hiking or fishing, or take a spectacular flightseeing adventure.

HAL offers CruiseTour Exclusives in Alaska

Each Holland America Line Alaska vacation features special touches
unique to the leading premium cruise line in Alaska. Passengers will
be sailing with a Native Artist in Residence to enrich their
experience. Inside Passage roundtrips cruises feature not one but two
major glacier-viewing experiences: Glacier Bay National Park and the
twin Sawyer Glaciers in Tracy Arm.

All Holland America Line CruiseTours travel on the new McKinley
Explorer Railcars. With eight new McKinley domed railcars, CruiseTour
guests will enjoy the largest passenger domed railcars in the world. A
cutting edge GPS-triggered narration system on board select coaches
and all of the McKinley Explorer railcars feature exclusive interviews
with noted Alaskans, providing information to help passengers fully
appreciate the natural wonders they are experiencing.

Great Land Tours are the most comprehensive and exciting programs in
Alaska and the Yukon. Some tours feature a cruise down the legendary
Yukon River aboard HAL's exclusive mv Yukon Queen II. Guests stay at
the best Alaska properties: the newly renovated McKinley Chalets, the
five-star Alyeska Prince Hotel, and the expanded Westmarks Fairbanks
Hotel. The tours include travel by motor coach along the famed Alaska
Highway, and Gray Line of Alaska has invested 6.5 million dollars for
new coaches that provide the best passenger viewing in Alaska. Their
driver/guides complete 125 hours of training, the most extensive
program in the industry, to ensure a secure and informative experience
for guests.

$34 Million plus in Westmark Hotel upgrades

Holland America Line's subsidiary, Westmark Hotels, is also preparing
for the Alaska season with unprecedented investments. A $34 million
expansion of the Westmark Hotel in Fairbanks includes 264 new rooms
and an array of new conference facilities. These upgrades will expand
the property to 401 rooms including 86 suites, an expansion of the
restaurant, a new lounge, meeting rooms, and health & fitness center.
The upgrades also feature innovations such as the Presidential Suite's
chromatherapy sok(TM) tub, a first in Alaska. Bathers in the sok(TM)
tub are caressed by tiny effervescent bubbles created by 11 specially
engineered air jets, as the chromatherapy, a full spectrum of dramatic
color, washes over them in this lavish bathing ritual. Other additions
to the Westmark Fairbanks include the Walter Harper Boardroom with new
video-conferencing equipment and the 2,200-square-foot Tanana Trade
Center for trade show and exhibits. Other Westmark Hotels currently
being renovated for the upcoming season include the Westmark
Anchorage, the Westmark Tok and the Westmark Whitehorse.

Largest Five-Star Fleet in Alaska

With the largest five-star fleet in Alaska, Holland America excels in
service, amenities and special programs. Menus, highlighted by Alaska
specialties like salmon, halibut and King crab, are among the most
extensive at sea. A wide range of shore excursions is offered in the
ports of call, including an exclusive "Just for Kids" program, with
high appeal to the growing numbers of families choosing to cruise
Alaska for their summer vacation.

About Signature of Excellence

As the premium cruise leader, Holland America Line is investing $225
million in the Signature of Excellence initiative to provide
unparalleled product and service enhancements to its fleet of
five-star ships. Signature of Excellence will build on Holland America
Line's renowned tradition of excellence by significantly raising the
standard in premium cruising. The comprehensive enhancements will
focus on five areas central to the Holland America Line guest
experience: spacious, elegant ships and accommodations; sophisticated
five-star dining; gracious, unobtrusive service; extensive enrichment
programs and activities; and compelling worldwide itineraries.
Enhancements, and in some cases construction build-outs, have been
started and are expected to be completed by the end of 2005.

About Holland America Line, a division of Carnival Corporation and plc
(NYSE: CCL and CUK)

In 2004, Holland America Line's fleet of 13, five-star, premium ships
will offer nearly 500 sailings from 15 North American home ports,
including new departures from Norfolk, VA; Baltimore, MD; and Boston,
Mass. Recent additions to the fleet include the 1,848-passenger Vista
ships, ms Zuiderdam and ms Oosterdam. In April 2004, the third Vista
sister, ms Westerdam joins the fleet. The fleet will visit all seven
continents in 2004, while increasing the number of cruises to popular
destinations such as Alaska (139 cruises scheduled), the Caribbean
(191), Europe (58) and Canada/New England (26).

Holland America Line excels in service, amenities and special
programs. Known for gracious, unobtrusive service, its ships have one
of the highest staff-members-to-guest ratios. Spacious staterooms
average 25 percent larger and verandahs twice as large as those on
other lines' ships. Menus are among the most extensive at-sea. Dining
choices include formal elegance, alternative specialty dining in the
Pacific Northwest-themed Pinnacle Grill, casual fare and complimentary
24-hour room service.

The winner of the 10th consecutive "Best Overall Cruise Value" award
from the World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society (WOCLS), the line offers
the only trip cancellation program in the industry that provides cash
back for canceling for any reason prior to 24 hours before departure.
For more information, consult a professional travel agent.

World's Leading Cruise Lines

The highest-rated premium cruise line in the world in the 2003 Travel
& Leisure magazine "World's Best" Awards, Holland America Line is a
member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which
also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line,
Seabourn Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Sharing a
passion to please each guest and a commitment to quality and value,
the member lines appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets. The
World's Leading Cruise Lines offer exciting and enriching cruise
vacations to the world's most desirable destinations. Conde Nast
Traveler magazine readers also ranked Holland America Line as the top
premium cruise line in the world in the much-anticipated 2003 Readers'
Choice Awards.